OYSTER SOUP(8 servings)
The Oyster Soup is served in pottery from Michoacan; the hand-painted glass with beer is from Puebla.1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper
3 quarters oysters, shucked, with their liquid
2 quarters/2 l chicken broth
1/2 cup/30g. chopped parsley
2 crusty rolls, cubed and fried.
Saute the onion and garlic in the butter until translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened. Drain the oysters, reserving the liquid. Add the oyster liquid and chicken broth to the saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Add the oysters and parsley and simmer a minute more.
Pour the soup over the bread cubes in a soup tureen. Serve piping hot.
**********
WHITE RICE WITH PLANTAINS(8 servings)
White Rice with Plantains, served in green pottery from Michoacan.4 ripe plantains
Corn oil
2 recipes White Rice
WHITE RICE(4 servings)
1 cup rice
2 T lard or 3 T corn oil
1/2 small onion, grated
1 garlic clove
1 celery stalk
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 c. chicken broth
Soak the rice in very hot water for 15 minutes. Drain it; rinse it in cold water; then drain very well. Saute the rice in hot lard or oil for a minute or so. Add the onion and garlic. When the rice sounds like sand as it is stirred in the pan, add the celery, lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the celery and serve.
Peel the plantains and slice them diagonally. Fry the plantains in hot oil, turning once, until golden. Drain on brown paper. Top the rice with the fried plantains.
**********
HUAUZONTLES IN GREEN SAUCE(8 servings)
Huauzontles in Green Sauce2 pounds/1k huauzontles, well cleaned, stems trimmed
1 pound/500g Oaxaca cheese, crumbled (or muenster)
Flour
5 eggs, separated
Lard or corn oil
GREEN SAUCE2 pounds/1k tomatillos
2 garlic clovers
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 or 4 jalapeno chiles
1/2 cup/125 ml. water
1 small bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons lard or corn oil
Cook the huauzontles in salted water for about 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain, cool slightly, and squeeze out the excess water. Stuff bits of cheese between the small stems, then dust lightly with flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat the yolks with a pinch of salt. Gently fold the yolks and whites together to make a batter. Dip the floured huauzontles in the batter and fry in hot lard until golden. Drain on brown paper. Place the huauzontles in Green Sauce and serve hot.
To make the Green Sauce, combine all the ingredients except the lard in a saucepan. Simmer until the tomatillos are tender and cooked through. Let cool slightly, then puree. Simmer the sauce in hot lard until the flavors are well blended.
**********
CHILES STUFFED WITH CHEESE(8 servings)
16 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, deveined, and seeded
4 c. queso fresco (or mild feta)
Flour
5 eggs, separated
Corn oil or lard
TOMATO BROTH3 T oil oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
10 medium tomatoes, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 c. vinegar
3 T sugar
Salt and pepper
2 t. dried oregano
Stuff the chiles with cheese and dust lightly with flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat the yolks with a pinch of salt and fold together with the egg whites to make a batter. Dip the stuffed chiles in the batter and fry in very hot oil until golden. Drainon brown paper. To serve, place the chiles in the Tomato Broth.
To make the Tomato Broth, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and carrots until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 10 minutes more, or until the broth is flavorful and the tomatoes are cooked through.
**********
CHILES STUFFED WITH PICADILLO(8 servings)
16 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and deveined
Flour
5 eggs, separated
Corn oil or lard
Tomato Broth
TOMATO BROTH3 T oil oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
10 medium tomatoes, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 c. vinegar
3 T sugar
Salt and pepper
2 t. dried oregano
PICADILLO3 pounds ground pork
1 large onion, halved
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Salt and pepper
6 T. lard
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 zucchini, finely chopped
1 pound tomatoes, chopped
1 c. shredded cabbage
3/4 c. blanched almonds, chopped
1/2 c. raisins
Stuff the chiles with the Picadillo, then dust them with flour. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Beat the yolks lightly with a pinch of salt and gently fold together with the whites to make a batter. Dip the chiles into the batter and fry in hot oil until golden. Drain on brown paper. To serve, place the chiles in the Tomato Broth.
To make the Picadillo, cook the pork with the onion halves, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste for about 20 minutes. Drain off the liquid and discard the onion. Heat the lard in another pan and saute the chopped onion, carrots, and zucchini until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, cabbage, almonds, raisins, pork, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened and the tomato is cooked through.
**********
BLACK MOLE FROM OAXACA(16-20 servings)
The famous Black Mole from Oaxaca, sprinkled with sesame seeds1 pound/500g chihuacle chiles
1/2 pound/250g mulato chiles, seeded and deveined, seeds reserved
1/2 pound/250g pasilla chiles, seeded and deveined, seeds reserved
3/4 pound/375g lard
2 large onions, roasted
1 head garlic, roasted
3 stale tortillas
2 slices egg hread
3/4 cup/100 g. blanched almonds
1/2 cup/75g shelled peanuts
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup/70g sesame seeds
1/2 cup/60g shelled pumpkin seeds
Pinch of anise seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried oregano
10 coriander seeds
10 black peppercorns
8 cloves
3/4 cup/100g raisins
3 large bars Mexican chocolate (or semisweet chocolate)
4 pounds/2k ripe tomatoes, roasted and peeled
1 pound/500g small green tomatoes
8 tablespoons lard
Sugar and salt
2 guajolotes (small turkeys) or 4 large chickens cut into pieces and cooked in a strong broth with carrots, onions, and herbs
Quickly fry the chiles in hot lard, being careful not to let them burn. Place the fried chiles in a large saucepan in hot water to cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer until soft.
In the same hot lard, saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Add the tortillas, bread, almonds, peanuts, cinnamon, reserved chile seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, anise seeds, cumin seeds, thyme, marjoram, oregano, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, raisins, and chocolate. Saute for a few minutes. Puree this mixture with the tomatoes and the chiles. Strain the puree and cook in 8 tablespoons lard. Stir in sugar and salt to taste and 2 cups/500 ml of the turkey broth. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Add the turkey, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors. If the mixture is too thick, add more turkey broth as needed. Note: Chihuacles are special chiles from Oaxaca; you can substitute cascabel chiles.
**********
RED HOMINY STEW FROM JALISCO(10 servings)
Pozole, Red Hominy Stew from Jalisco1-1/2 pounds/700 g dried hominy
1 head garlic
2 pounds/1k loin of pork
1 pound/500g pork cut from the leg
1 onion
Salt
3-1/2 ounces/100g ancho chiles, seeded, deveined, and soaked in hot water
3-1/2 ounces/100g guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined, and soaked in hot water
ACCOMPANIMENTS1 head lettuce, shredded
Dried oregano
12 radishes, thinly sliced
Chopped onions
Lime wedges
20 tostadas
Piquin chile
Rinse the hominy well and place in a saucepan with water to cover. Add the garlic and simmer over low heat until tender.
Cook the meats separately in water to cover with the onion and salt, until tender. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. Cut the meat into large chunks. Puree the chiles with their soaking water. Strain and add to the hominy. Stir the meat and some of the cooking liquid into the hominy. Add salt, bring to a boil, then simmer about 20 minutes, until the stew is quite thick. Remove and discard the garlic.
Serve the stew mounded on a platter. Surround it with the various Accompaniments.
**********
FLAN(6-8 servings)
3/4 c. sugar (for caramel)
1 quart milk
1 c. sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 egg yolks
6 eggs, lightly beaten
Cook the sugar to caramelize it, then pour it into an earthenware mold, turning it around so that the bottom and sides of the mold are covered with caramel.
Heat the milk with the cup of sugar and the vanilla for about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add the egg yolks and teh beaten eggs. Mix thoroughly. Remove and discard the vanilla bean. Pour the egg mixture into the caramel-lined mold.
Place the mold in a larger pan of hot water and bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 1-1/2 hours or until set. Cool completely before unmolding.