Pozole Verde Guerrerense

Shell recently returned from a humanitarian trip to a tiny village in Mexico. I told her the food would be great! Here's a recipe she found that I've translated for her--I can't wait to see how it turns out, Shell! Follow the link below for the original recipe in Spanish.


Pozole Verde Guerrerense
(Green Pozole from Guerrero--this is the traditional recipe from the Mexican State of Guerrero, and is "officially" consumed on Thursdays.)

½ kilogram of Hog's Head
½ kilogram of pork backbone
500 Grams Green Tomato
1 kilogram of hominy
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
100 grams Pork meat (possibly ground)
1 bunch radishes
3 bay leaves
1 Lettuce
2 Poblano Chiles
Salt, oregano and lemon to taste

Pozole: A Mexican dish that dates back to prehispanic times. Pozole in Nahuatl means foam, by the appearance of Cracked grains in stock. Originally white and pork, but now is made with beef or chicken, among other ingredients.


1 Place the hominy (corn) in a pan with enough water, add bay leaf, garlic, onion and salt to taste after the first boil. *(does this mean you boil the hominy separately first? I don't know) Let cook for 3 to 4 hours.

2 Prepare a sauce with tomatoes and peppers and pour into the pot with the corn. It is important that it's hot.

3 In another pan, cook pork along with the ground, a bit of onion and garlic. Shred the pork and add it to the other cooking pot when the corn pops.

4 Allow to cook a little longer and serve your pozole accompanied by lettuce and finely chopped radishes. Add oregano, salt and lemon to taste.

Baked Venison Chimichangas

This recipe comes from Venison Cookery (The Complete Hunter), which is an amazing little cookbook. If you eat venison or elk at all, you need this book! Every recipe we have tried is a winner, and they would all be great with beef as well!

The first time we made these enchiladas, I didn't use nonstick spray on the pan (because the recipe doesn't suggest it!) and that was a big mistake. Use the spray, or you'll be sorry. Also, I omitted the egg to "seal" the chimichangas, it's just an unnecessary step in my opinion, so I've labeled it optional.

Delicious, slightly spicy, and filling! Make some chimichangas today!


Baked Venison Chimichangas
Baking these chimichangas makes them more healthful and less messy than the fried version, and they taste just as good.
6 servings

1 pound lean ground venison, crumbled (or elk or beef)
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (10oz.) diced tomatoes with chiles
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 egg, beaten (optional)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook venison, onion and garlic over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Drain.

Return to heat. Add tomatoes, water, almonds, chile powder, oregano, cumin, salt and cinnamon to skillet. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid is nearly gone but mixture is still moist, stirring occasionally.

Spoon about 1/2 cup meat mixture onto center of 1 tortilla. Fold bottom third of tortilla over filling. Fold in sides. Brush top edge of tortilla with beaten egg.* Fold down top of tortilla to seal. Place chimichangas seam-side-down on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and meat mixture.

Brush tops of chimichangas with melted butter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tops are browned. Serve chimichangas with sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese and salsa, if desired.

*I skip the beaten egg step, simply fold the tortilla and place it on the pan.

Pollo a la Poblana con Hongos

Early this month, we met some friends of ours a new-to-all-of-us Mexican restaurant called Tequila's. If you can find one near you, make plans to go there. Everyone loved what they had for lunch. I loved my Pollo a la Cazuela so much that I am on a quest to replicate it. And that's where this recipe comes in. The Pollo a la Cazuela is "Breast of chicken cooked with mushrooms sauteed in sour cream."

I came home and scoured my Mexican cookbooks for chicken with mushrooms. I found this recipe in Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen. Although it doesn't include sour cream, the luscious Poblano Cream Sauce was an instant selling point for me.

As luck would have it, the store was out of poblano chiles, so I used canned whole green chiles, sliced them into strips and skipped the roasting/peeling/seeding part--quite a nice shortcut, actually! Number One was able to pick me up some good mushrooms though, so I used a mix of shiitakes and baby bellas.

I was planning to make this dish Christmas Eve, then our plans changed and we joined some people for a grilled salmon dinner. So I pushed the dish to Christmas dinner, for which we were planning on some relatives joining us, but that didn't happen and we ended up eating leftover ham instead.

So this year, it is our fabulous Day After Christmas dinner. Since I had already made the sauce on Christmas Eve, I added some water and cream to thin it a bit. I also ended up cooking the dish in the oven for between 5 to 10 minutes longer, to make up for the sauce being cold. It seemed to work.

Although this does not have the same flavors as "Pollo a la Cazuela," it is delicious! The poblano cream sauce is wonderful with the mushrooms and the chicken is very tasty. Number One and I loved this, Sawed Off said it was yummy and H-Bomb said he "liked it a little." I must say that H-Bomb ate all of the chicken we put on his plate. We will definitely be eating this again.

And, I will continue my quest for the Pollo a la Cazuela recipe! Aren't you all lucky?



Chicken Breasts with Poblanos, Mushrooms and Cream

These chicken breasts are one of the simplest, dressy (yet gutsy) crowd-pleasers you can prepare. The poblano-cream combination that has popped up in several of my recipes makes an entree appearance now--to great advantage. The mushrooms lend an earthiness to the sweetness of the cream and rich spice of the chiles. I love to spoon a little Classic White Rice onto the plate, or Green Poblano Rice for a more special touch. Not-too-oaky Chardonnay or Viognier is the perfect libation.

Serves 6, with about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of sauce

For 2 cups Essential Poblano Rajas
1 pound (6 medium-large) fresh poblano chiles (OR about half of a 27-ounce can of Hatch whole green chiles, drained and sliced into 1/4-inch strips)
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme)

--------------------------------
1 cup whipping cream of creme fraiche
6 large leaves epazote, if you can get them (I can't)
Salt, about 1 teaspoon, plus a little for sprinkling on the chicken
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus a little extra for garnish
6 medium-large (about 2 pounds total) boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
3 cups (about 6 ounces) sliced mushrooms (preferably shiitake, oyster or some delicious wild variety--chanterelles are great)

1. Making 2 cups Essential Roasted Poblano Rajas. Roast the chiles directly over a gas flame or 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning occasionally until blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for open flame, about 10 minutes for broiler. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand 5 minutes. Peel, pull out the stem and seed pod, then rinse briefly to remove bits of skin and seeds. Slice into 1/4-inch strips.

In a large (10- to 12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high, then add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until nicely browned but still crunchy, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs, toss 1 minute, then stir in the chiles and heat through.

2. The sauce. Scoop about 1/3 of the rajas out of the pan and onto your cutting board. Roughly chop them and set aside. Add half of the cream and the epazote to the skillet, simmer over medium for about 5 minutes, then scrape into a food processor or blender. Add the remaining cream and process (loosely covered, if using a blender) until smooth. Taste and season with salt; stir in the cilantro and the reserved chopped rajas. If necessary thin with a little water (or chicken broth) to the consistency of a medium-thick cream soup.

3. The chicken and mushrooms. Turn on the oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the skillet, set over medium-high heat and measure in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil. Dry the chicken breasts on paper towels, then lightly sprinkle both sides with the salt. When the oil is sizzling hot, lay in the chicken breasts in an uncrowded layer (you may have to brown them in two batches). When lightly browned on one side, about 2 minutes, flip and brown the other side. Lay in a single layer in a gratin dish or a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish.

Return the skillet to the heat (there should be a light coating of oil left; if not add a little more), add the mushrooms, and stir until nicely soft, about 5 minutes, depending on the variety. Strew them over the chicken breasts, then spoon on the sauce.

4. Finishing the dish. Cover the baking dish lightly with foil and bake until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce is beginning to brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro (thinly sliced epazote is enticingly aromatic as a garnish here, too), and carry right to the table, baking dish and all.

Advance Preparation: The sauce may be completed through step 2 a day or two ahead; cover and refrigerate. Step 3 may be completed early in the day you are serving (store everything covered in the refrigerator), then complete step 4 just before you are ready to eat.

Tomatillo Chicken

I've been meaning to try this Tomatillo Chicken recipe ever since I saw it in the September issue of Everyday Food magazine. Some things just take time to come together. This recipe isn't too labor intensive, although I will admit it took me longer than 15 minutes of prep.

If you've never worked with tomatillos before, you just remove the papery husk, then the fruit will be sort of sticky. I've found that barely warm water is helpful, and you can just rub the sticky stuff off with your fingers. Not too bad, just remember that tomatillos are a bit fragile so don't get carried away scrubbing.

I also had to cook my chicken in two batches (I used a couple 1.5 pound package of thighs because that's what I had). Other than that I followed the recipe, using the hominy out of curiousity, but leaving out the cilantro both because I forgot about it and also because I'm just not a fan. Sorry, cilantro.

Oh, and I also only used one jalapeño, most of the seeds removed, because I have two young boys who occasionally don't like "spicy" foods. And honestly there's no telling what will trigger the "too spicy" response for the oldest one, sometimes it's just too much plain black pepper. This from a boy who used to eat raw serrano peppers out of the garden. It boggles my mind too.

There was one thing that confused me: at the end of the recipe, during the simmer, it doesn't tell you to reduce the heat on the burner. I reduced the heat to just over low. (I could still hear the chicken simmering) I felt like they wanted me to, even though it wasn't explicitly stated.

This chicken is excellent. Tangy and delicious. Even H-Bomb liked it, and Number One and I ate more than our share. So good.


Tomatillo Chicken
Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

2 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), washed and halved
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces (wings reserved for another use)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 jalapeños, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 can (15 ounces) hominy (optional), drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a food processor, puree tomatillos, set aside. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot, skin side down. Cook until browned on one side, 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add jalapeños and onion to pot and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatillo puree and hominy, if using; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in sauce. Cover pot; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 22 to 25 minutes. Stir in cilantro; season with salt and pepper.

Frontera Grill's Chocolate Pecan Pie

Even though we didn't end up making this pie for this particular meal, it is on my list. I will make this pie. Someday. Until then, if you make this pie first, please let me know how it goes and what you think of it. I think it sounds fantastic.

Once again, this is from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen. If you only buy one Mexican cookbook in your lifetime, let it be this one.


Frontera Grill's Chocolate Pecan Pie
Pay de Nuez y Chocolate, estilo Frontera Grill

Makes one 10-inch pie, serving 12

For the crust:
1 1/2 (6 3/4 ounces) all-purpose flour (measured by scooping and leveling)
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch bits
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening or rich-tasting lard, chilled, and cut into 1/2-inch bits
3/4 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk, beaten slightly

For the filling:
2 cups (about 6 ounces) pecan halves (make sure they're fresh and richly flavorful)
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (6 ounces) room-temperature unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup molasses
1 1/2 tablespoons Kahlua or brandy
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups sweetened whipped cream, flavored with Kahlua for serving

1. The dough. Measure the flour, butter and shortening (or lard) into a bowl or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Quickly work the fats into the flour with a pastry blender or pulse the food processor until the flour looks a little damp (not powdery) but tiny bits of fat are still visible. If using the food processor transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Mix together the sugar, salt and 3 tablespoons of ice water. Using a fork, little by little work the ice-water mixture into the flour mixture. The dough will be in rough, rather stiff clumps; if there is any unincorporated flour in the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle in a little more ice water and use the fork to work it together. Press the dough together into a flat disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a deep 10-inch glass pie pan (I find it easiest to roll the dough onto the rolling pin, then unroll it onto the pie pan). Decoratively crimp the edge and trim excess dough. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

2. Prebaking the crust. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a 15-inch piece of foil and lay it, oiled-side down, into the crust (heavy duty foil is too stiff to work here); press down to line the crust snugly. Fill with beans or pie weights and bake about 15 minutes, until beginning to brown around the edges. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Carefully remove the beans (or weights) and foil, return the crust to the oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes, until it no longer looks moist. (If it bubbles at this point, gently press it down with the back of a spoon). Brush the beaten egg yolk over the crust, then let cool completely.

3. The nuts and chocolate. While the crust is cooling, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the 350-degree oven until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Cool, then break into small pieces and transfer to a large bowl. Chop the chocolate into rough, 1/2-inch pieces and add to the bowl, along with the flour. Stir until everything is well coated.

4. The filling. In a food processor (or in the large bowl of an electric mixer), cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes in the food processor, 5 minutes in the mixer. With the machine still running, add the eggs one at a time, letting each be completely incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the corn syrup, molasses, Kahlua or brandy, vanilla and salt.

5. Baking. Pour the filling over the chocolate and pecans and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the prebaked pie shell, set onto the lower shelf of the oven and bake until a knife inserted into the center is withdrawn clean, about 1 hour.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve slices of the pie at room temperature or slightly warm, topped with a dollop of Kahlua-spiked, sweetened whipped cream.

ADVANCE PREPARATION: The pie can be made several days ahead, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated. It freezes well. Because the pie is easiest to cut when cold, I suggest making it ahead, refrigerating it, cutting it, then warming just before serving.

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: Other nuts can be substituted for the pecans. Honey can replace the molasses for a lighter flavor. If you like the crystalline crunch of Mexican chocolate, reduce the semisweet chocolate to 5 ounces and sprinkle the pie with 1/3 cup rather finely chopped Mexican chocolate before baking.

Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas (Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs)

Instead of exchanging gifts this year, Number One's brother and sister-in-law suggested that we cook fabulous meals for each other and our families during their visit to the ranch. This is an excellent idea; each couple will get a night off to relax, socialize and drink a little more wine, and we will all enjoy splendid meals together.

To that end, I decided to prepare a Mexican feast. We have wonderful memories of our trip to Mexico with Number One's brother and our niece, and we all enjoy authentic Mexican food. H-Bomb declared that he doesn't want my Famous Lamb Tacos, so I pulled out my trusty cookbook. There are several recipes I've been wanting to try in Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, and this is one of them. I plan to follow Rick's menu suggestions:

Golden Squash Blossom Crema
Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs
Chocolate Pecan Pie, Frontera Grill style

In Spanish, El Menu:

Crema de Flores de Calabaza
Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas
Pay de Nuez y Chocolate, estilo Frontera Grill

All three recipes sound like there will be some work involved, but not what I would call "labor-intensive." There is enough work that I am excited to tell you: all the dishes above can be made ahead of time! I will post the variations that I am preparing, due in part to an ingredient-deficient grocery store, as well as the original version. What are we waiting for? Let's get to it!




**I had planned to make this in advance. I had every intention of making this in advance. It did not happen. Dinner is in three hours, and I am preparing this dish now. **

Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas

I doubled the recipe below in order to serve 8 adults and 3 children. The store didn't have country pork ribs, so I used thick pork chops. I don't have a pan large enough to put all the meat in one layer, and I had already used my dutch oven pan for the squash soup, so I used my soup pot and browned the pork in batches. This greatly increased the time it took to prepare this recipe, and we ended up eating much later than anticipated. I also ran out of time and scrapped the dessert plans altogether. It didn't matter--the soup and the pork were so delicious that everyone ate plenty. Wine with dinner, and CG pulled out some store-bought truffles, and it was a perfect meal.

We will definitely make this again. Ahead of time.


Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs with Mexican Greens

Serves 4 to 6

FOR 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce Base:
1 1/2 pounds (15 to 18) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chile to taste (roughly 5 serranos), stemmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
Salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, plus some for sprinkling on the meat
______________________________________

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 pounds (about 6 good-size pieces) pork country ribs (or 1-inch-thick pork blade chops)
2 small white onions, finely chopped, plus a couple of slices separated into rings, for garnish
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
8 medium boiling potatoes (like the red-skin ones), quartered
3 cups (about 12 ounces) fresh purslane (verdolagas), rinsed and thick bottom stems removed
OR 6 cups loosely packed, sliced (1/2-inch pieces) chard leaves (you'll need a 12-ounce bunch)
OR two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped **this last "shortcut" variation is the one I have to go with.

1. Making 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce base. Lay the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When they darken and soften, about 5 minutes, turn them over and broil the other side.

Roughly chop the chiles, then transfer them and the tomatillos (along with any liquid) to a food processor or blender. Puree, then add the chopped cilantro, 3/4 cup water, and salt.

2. The meat and potatoes. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela large enough to hold the meat in a single layer. Sprinkle the meat with salt, then brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Turn on the oven to 325 degrees. Pour off all but a thin coating of oil from the pan. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes; add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatillo sauce base, let come to a rolling boil, then return the meat to the pan. Cover and bake in the oven until the meat is just tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the sauce.

Add the potatoes to the hot pot, push them down into the sauce, cover and continue baking until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Finishing the dish. Stir the greens into the meat and potatoes, set the cover in place again, and bake 10 more minutes. Taste and season with a little more salt if necessary.
Transfer the ribs to a warm, deep serving platter. Arrange the potatoes around them, then spoon the sauce and greens over and around the meat. Strew the onion rings over the top, garnish with cilantro, and carry the impressive platter to the table.

ADVANCE PREPARATION--The dish may be prepared very successfully through step 2; cover and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove before continuing with step 3.

SHORTCUTS--Two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped, can replace the fresh greens; add them just before serving.

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: The classic combination of purslane, potatoes and tomatillos can be made as a great vegetable dish or taco filling: Omit the meat, simply fry the onion and garlic, add the sauce base, then let reduce until thick; stir in 1 cup beef broth. Simmer until medium-thick, then add the potatoes, simmer 15 or 20 minutes, add the greens, simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, season, and serve (this is good with cubes of queso fresco as garnish).

An equal weight of chicken thighs or beef short ribs can replace the pork, as can thick tuna or swordfish steaks (thin the sauce base to a spoonable consistency with broth once it has come to a boil; add the potatoes-but not the browned fish-and bake 20 minutes, then nestle in the greens and fish and bake until both are as done as you like).

Crema de Flores de Calabaza (Golden Squash Blossom Crema)

Instead of exchanging Christmas gifts this year, Number One's brother and sister-in-law suggested that we cook fabulous meals for each other and our families during their visit this weekend. This is an excellent idea! Each couple will get a night off to relax and drink a little more wine, and we will all be able to socialize and enjoy splendid meals together.

For our traditional Mexican feast, I turned to Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, where I found all three recipes. This soup is the first course of my dinner menu. I will be serving the soup with Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas (Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs) and Pay de Nuez y Chocolate, estilo Frontera Grill (Frontera Grill's Chocolate Pecan Pie).

This soup has several variations, just in case your store if fresh out of Golden Squash Blossoms. Take a guess and you'll be correct: our grocery doesn't carry these. I will list the Golden Squash Blossom Crema as a variation, the main recipe will be the one I chose: "Squash Blossom" Soup with Yellow Squash and Spinach. I doubled the recipe, and it's actually quite easy once you finish dicing everything.

I had planned to make the soup in advance, at least a day, but a trip to the ER with H-Bomb, who was so dizzy he fell down walking to the bathroom, prevented that. Now that H-Bomb has antibiotics, I made the soup this morning. Still in advance, but that means instead of just finishing things off, I have to prepare three entire dishes today. So guess what I'm doing. So much for planning ahead. But YOU could, and I recommend it!

***Last minute menu change: After what happened yesterday (ER) and today (go here), no time or energy to make the pie. Instead, we thought we would have Mexican Chocolate Brownies. Our favorite brownie mix, with a couple teaspoons of cinnamon to spice thing up. Perfect. And quick! However, we ran out of time to even make brownies. We had store-bought truffles with more wine for dessert. Yum.***

Crema de Calabaza con Espinacas
Squash Soup with Spinach

Makes about 7 cups, enough for 6 generous servings

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
3 cups good chicken broth
1 small boiling potato (like the red-skin ones), peeled and roughly chopped (I used red potatoes)
2 medium yellow squash cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 fresh poblano chiles (I was forced to substitute: for a double batch, I used three large anaheims)
1 cup milk
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large ear of corn, husked, kernels cut from the cob (I substituted about 1 cup of frozen corn per ear)
1 cup thinly sliced spinach
1/2 cup thick cream, whipping cream or creme fraiche
Salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, depending on the saltiness of the broth
A little chopped epazote or parsley, for garnish

1. The broth. In a medium-size (4-quart) soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Scoop out half of the onion and set aside. Add the broth and potato, partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.

2. The squash. Add half the diced squash to the broth and simmer at least 6 minutes. In a food processor or in batches in a loosely covered blender, puree the mixture; return to the pot.

3. The chiles. Roast the chiles directly over the gas flame, on a medium-hot gas grill or 4 inches below a very hot broiler. (I just rested them on my gas stove burner, turned them with tong and/or fingers for about 6 minutes each). Turn occasionally until blistered and blackened on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes for the flame or grill, about 10 minutes for the broiler. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand about 5 minutes. Peel off the charred skin, cut out the seed pod, then quickly rinse to remove straggling bits of skin and seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch dice.

4. Finishing the soup. Add the chiles to the soup along with the milk and reserved onion; bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Add the zucchini, corn and the remaining squash. Simmer a few minutes longer, remove from the heat, stir in the cream, taste and season with salt. Serve in warm bowls garnished with epazote or parsley.

ADVANCE PREPARATION: The soup can be prepared a day or so ahead through step 3; refrigerate all the parts covered. Complete the soup just before you plan to serve it.

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS

Golden Squash Blossom Crema--Replace the yellow squash with 25 large (3- to 4-inch) squash blossoms (male blossoms with no squash attached). To clean: Break off the stems, then the little green sepals that come out from the base of the blossoms (they originally covered the buds). Use your fingers to break loose the long pistils in the center of each flower and discard. With a very sharp knife, cut the blossoms crosswise into 1/4-inch strips, including the bulbous base. Add half to the soup in each of the two places the squash is called for. In step 2, simmer for 3 minutes after adding blossoms, then puree. In step 4, add remaining squash blossoms after simmering zucchini and corn. Simmer a couple minutes after adding squash blossoms (the strips of blossom will soften into deep-golden "streamers"), then remove from heat and complete step 4.

Exotic Soup of Blossoms and Wild Mushrooms--Prepare the soup as described with squash blossoms, replacing the milk with an equal amount of broth. Add 2 cups sliced, not-too-strong wild mushrooms (Rick prefers fresh chanterelle, hedgehogs or cauliflower) to the pot along with the chiles. Omit the zucchini and corn; serve the soup as is, or add a little thinly sliced spinach along with the second batch of blossoms.

Shredded Pork Tacos with Crunchy Slaw

This is an excellent recipe that I haven't made in a while. It was brought to mind while I was perusing my latest Taste & Create partner's website...she was lamenting her lack of coleslaw to put atop a BBQ sandwich--which also happens to be MY favorite (and almost only) way to consume coleslaw. I really don't enjoy BBQ without a healthy dollop of coleslaw...and the same goes for these pork tacos from Everyday Food magazine, if I remember correctly. They are delicious, and the slaw is crunchy and flavorful without being too...mayonnaisey. I remember making these tacos once when company was coming for lunch, and what a hit they were. I can't wait to make them again.

Also, stay tuned for T&C XVI to see what Southern Grace recipe I decide to make!

shredded pork tacos

SERVES 8 · PREP TIME: 30 MINUTES · TOTAL TIME: 3 HOURS 45 MINUTES

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
2 bay leaves
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 boneless pork shoulder (3 pounds), cut in half lengthwise
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice
1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from a small can), minced (about 4 teaspoons)
16 toasted corn tortillas (6-inch) (see note)
1 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta or goat cheese
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Crunchy Slaw with Radishes

1 In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add pork, tomatoes (breaking them up) and their juice, chipotle, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 ½ hours. Discard bay leaves.

2 Using tongs, transfer meat to a large bowl; shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Return meat to pan, and simmer until sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes more. Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper. Proceed to next step, or cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.

3 Spoon pork and sauce into toasted tortillas, using 2 tortillas for each serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro. Top or serve with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes, if desired.

NOTE: TOASTING TORTILLAS

Holding them with tongs, place tortillas directly on the grates of a gas burner, flipping frequently until beginning to brown and warm. Or warm them, one at a time, in a dry skillet over medium heat, 30 seconds. *(I just use my fingers instead of tongs, it’s easier for me, and we have a gas stove so that’s what I use).

Tortillas de Harina de Trigo (Flour Tortillas)

We love tortillas.

Number One has decided that we should make our own tortillas, instead of buying them at the store. He has fond memories of a Mexican babysitter he had when he was young, "Mama Tinas" who used to make stacks of the best tortillas whenever she came over. Except that Mama Tinas used her hands to form perfect circles, while Number One used a rolling pin to form imperfect circles...

One of my former roommates and I used to make tortillas, but not from scratch. We used a just-add-water "tortilla mix" from the Mexican section of the grocery store. They were easy and delicious, and we could make custom-sized tortillas. We made small (5-inch) tortillas to go along with the chorizo and eggs we took to a potluck Sunday brunch, and they were a hit. Whenever we went to the brunch, which was always hosted by the same people, it became a contest (if only in our heads) to see if we could make the best dish...and we always, always WON.

This recipe comes from Diana Kennedy's The Essential Cuisines of Mexico, and I'm not quite sure why we've never tried it before. Number One's tortillas will get better and more uniform with practice, but for now they are so much better than any you can buy in the store. I believe our tortilla-purchasing days just might be over...






Tortillas de Harina de Trigo (Flour Tortillas)
Makes about 10 tortillas

[Diana has about a page of notes/anecdotes about this recipe, and while very interesting, I just don't want to type them out. Please buy the book--it's a classic.]

...The recipe they gave me was "a handful of lard to a kilo of flour, salt, and water. Hot water if the weather is cold; cold water if the weather is hot." Later on I had one toasted crisp with the biggest piece of meat, cooked over the wood fire, that I have ever seen on any plate. You can make the dough either by hand or with an electric mixer.

1 pound (450 g) bread flour (from hard winter wheat)--Number One used all-purpose flour
4 ounces (115 g) softened vegetable shortening (about 1/2 cup/125 ml)--Number One used lard, of course
1 scant teaspoon salt (we thought they could have used a bit more salt)
about 1 cup (250 ml) warm water

Put the flour onto a work surface or pastry board. Rub the fat into the flour with your fingertips. Dissolve the salt in the warm water and mix into the flour, a little at a time, so that you can see how much the flour will absorb. Using a plastic dough scraper, gather up all the flour around the periphery and work the dough into a cohesive mass--about 2 minutes with the mixer, 4 minutes by hand.

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts--about 3 ounces (85 g) each--and roll into very smooth balls about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Cover with well-greased plastic wrap and set aside for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.

Heat an ungreased comal or griddle over medium heat. (we use a flat cast iron tortilla pan)

Flatten one of the balls on a lightly floured work surface and roll it out, with a dowel for a rolling pin, to form a 6-inch (15-cm) circle. Now it is a matter of choice about thinness and size. You can stretch the dough like a pizza to about 15 inches (38 cm) in diameter.

Carefully lay the tortilla on the griddle; it should sizzle if the heat is correct.

The dough will become opaque and the bottom slightly browned in patches. Turn the tortilla over and cook on the second side; the whole process should take less than 1/2 minute. Do not overcook or the tortilla will become hard instead of soft and pliable.

As soon as each tortilla is cooked, stack inside a cloth.

These tortillas keep well and, although I hesitate to say so, can be prepared well ahead and reheated on a warm comal.

John's Salsa

This recipe brings back fond memories from the time JennyLee and I took a road trip with our combined four kids (plus one in Jenny's belly) to her sister (Lori) and brother-in-law's (John) house in Arizona. We filled up the minivan and just drove. It was an adventure! It was fun to see where JennyLee grew up, meet her mom, her family, her friends.

Lori and John were so welcoming, and their home is amazing. They whipped up this salsa in no time. It is perfect for when you have no fresh tomatoes, but want a great-tasting salsa to accompany your chips or chorizo and eggs with fresh tortillas. Thanks, Lori and John, for making us feel at home and sharing this awesome recipe.

This is the first time I have tried this recipe, and unfortunately our cilantro didn't survive this year, so I used basil. I will also reduce the sugar by at least half next time, this batch tastes a bit sweeter than I remember. I used 3 peppers instead of 2 because Number One has a nasty head cold and I'm trying to help him clear his sinuses. A good, fast salsa.

Feel free to try this at home...


John's Salsa

• 2 small green onions cut about 2"
• palm full of cilantro
  
• 2 Mezzetta hot chili peppers

Mix together in blender or processor then add:

• Large can of whole peeled tomatoes (drained)
• Can of diced green chili
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Blend till you get consistency you like.

slow-cooked tex-mex chicken and beans

JennyLee is making this chicken today, using the oven method I posted here. But we were talking about it and we both seemed to remember making this delicious dish in our slow cookers last time. So I went back, looked it up, and yes! Indeed, there are two ways to make this tex-mex feast: in the slow cooker, or in your oven. The slow cooker takes 8 1/4 hours with 15 minutes of prep. The oven method takes about 2 hours, with the same amount of prep. So you can just take your pick.

Incidentally, I also wanted to make this chicken today. I am totally not kidding when I tell you, the grocery store did not have boneless skinless chicken thighs. They do not typically stock boneless skinless chicken thighs. I had to Special Order boneless skinless chicken thighs. It is enough to make a person lose their mind. Especially since Miss JennyLee and I were reminiscing about how tasty and fabulous and filling and simple this dish is. And now I can't have any. =(

The recipe is from the November 2007 edition of Everyday Food magazine. (And if you search their website for the recipe, you will notice a huge typo there which calls for 2 quarts of flour. Not so, just follow my lead, I took it straight from the magazine).
****Finally! The boneless skinless thighs arrived! I substituted Green Chile Sauce for the salsa, and was it delicious!! You should try it!

slow-cooked tex-mex chicken and beans
serves 4

For this memorable fix-and-forget chicken stew, use a high-quality salsa to save time without skimping on flavor; choose a jar with a short ingredient list.

• 1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chiles, in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chiles, flour, and 1 cup water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low heat for 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.)
3. Remove chicken from stew; shred into large pieces and return to stew. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

And don't forget, if you don't quite have 8 hours ahead, but still want to have this meal, you can get it done in less than 2 1/2 hours using the oven method.

Min's Huevos Rancheros

So. I had my huevos rancheros plated up, looking good, ready for their photo shoot. My digital camera battery was dead. I took a picture with my 35mm, but I'm not getting film developed until late next week. Until then, you'll just have to imagine what they look like...sorry.


Huevos Rancheros is a family favorite around here. We love beans, and fried potatoes, and we especially love this:


Hatch Huevos Rancheros sauce is perfection in a can. Find it, and buy some today. You want some now? Can't find it at your grocery store? You can order it here.

This dish has several components, and all together it is delicious! Prepare each component separately, and then pile them all together. It's easy, once you've had some coffee and get moving. This makes a very filling breakfast, a great brunch, lunch, dinner...you can eat these whenever you want. And trust me, you'll want.

The only thing about this dish I don't love? The sheer amount of pans you need to use. It really can't be avoided though. Darn it all.

Here is what you'll need:

warmed tortillas
refried beans (today we're using Prairie Fire beans)
fried potatoes
2 fried eggs per serving
Hatch Huevos Rancheros sauce, warmed

You'll need to fry your potatoes first. We fry ours in a healthy amount of lard, which gives them awesome flavor and golden-brown crispiness. You could use olive oil or butter if you're a lard-o-phobe.

While your potatoes are cooking, gently warm your beans in a separate pan. Our Prairie Fire came out of the freezer this morning, and our microwave (for defrosting) is broken, so they have been gently thawing in a saucepan.

Warm the huevos rancheros sauce in a separate pan too.

When everything is warmed, fry your eggs however you like them, (today I put the potatoes in a bowl and used the potato pan for eggs!) and warm some tortillas.

To serve, pile the following on each plate, in order:

1. tortilla
2. beans
3. potatoes
4. eggs
5. sauce

Give each person a fork and knife, and eat up while they're hot. You will be in love, as well as being the star of the breakfast/brunch/lunch/dinner table.

Min's Mexican Pots de Creme

We made a quadruple batch of these for our Housewarming Extravaganza, and put little dollops of deliciousness in disposable plastic Asian soup spoons. They were a hit at the party, everyone loved them. The idea behind using the spoons was because I didn't have ramekins or spoons for 40-60 people...and it worked!

We called them Mexican Chocolate Spoons. A quadruple batch yielded about 89 spoons!

The original recipe for these decadent little treats came from my trusty Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. BH&G says this about the recipe: "Pots de creme (poh-duh-KREM) is a very rich, puddinglike dessert that is served cold."

This does take at least 2 hours to chill, so plan a bit ahead. You can make it up to 24 hours ahead. I love planning ahead for dinner parties, and this is a quick and elegant dessert.

I've changed it up, so here is my version:

Min's Mexican Pots de Creme

1 cup half-and-half or light cream (I use heavy cream if it's all I've got)
1 4-ounce package sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 beaten egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Whipped cream (optional, but a wonderful addition)

1. In a small heavy saucepan combine half-and-half, chocolate, sugar and cinnamon. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or till mixture comes to a full boil and thickens. Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; add egg yolk mixture to hot mixture in pan. Cook and stir over low heat for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour into 4 or 6 pots de creme cups or small dessert dishes. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. If desired, serve with whipped cream. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Variations:

If you'd rather not have "mexican flavored" chocolate, omit the cinnamon.

If you'd like an espresso-flavored dessert, simply omit the cinnamon and add 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (or instant coffee powder) along with the cream.

Taste & Create XIII: Decadent Breakfast Tacos

Decadent Breakfast Tacos!

For this edition of Taste & Create, hosted by Nicole, I was paired with Scrumptious of In My Box, who has an interesting blog about what to do with bounty from a community-supported agriculture program (CSA) in California. If I only lived close enough to ANYWHERE with such a program! My teeny-tiny town, 35 miles from my home, doesn't even have a farmer's market. :-( The lone, miniscule grocery store would be flabbergasted if I asked them for fresh fennel, kale or even goat cheese (they don't even carry blue cheese!) Ugh! I was excited to find leeks there last week...it's sad, I realize.

{Incidentally, Nicole has a new Taste & Create website you should go check out!}

After perusing In My Box, I told Number One that apparently Scrumptious doesn't eat gluten, meat or much dairy, and "Duck" appears to be a vegan. Remembering my last T&C pairing, he said, "What do all these people have against MEAT?" I don't know, but I found a recipe to try anyway. We got nothing against vegetables! (it's just difficult to find some of the more "exotic" ones around here. You know, like shallots, or beets, or spinach that doesn't come pre-washed in a bag)

I quickly decided on Decadent Breakfast Tacos, because we love tacos (and any excuse to eat salsa for breakfast!). You can find the original recipe here, but I will be improvising quite a bit so I hope you'll stick with me. We do eat real bacon here, (what is "tempeh bacon"??) and unfortunately we're short on gourmet artisan cheeses. (sadly, no Laura Chenel aged goat cheese for hundreds of miles). Also, there is a severe shortage of all-night eateries (read: none) in a town that takes an hour to get to anyway, so I'll be making my own version of delicious "desert fries." I am debating whether to just make the potatoes in the morning, or to have desert fries the night before, and make extra? Number One said, "but what if there aren't any leftovers?" He loves homemade fries. We'll see.

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Scrumptious has a FUN post about her creation from the Bad Girl's Kitchen, gluten-free, meatless Breakfast Casserole! (our original recipe is here)

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On the Day of the Decadent Taco, we hadn't been able to use our kitchen sink for two days, so I didn't cook any potatoes the night before. Instead, we went up to CG's to make this fabulous meal. I fried the bacon, then cooked some potatoes in the bacon grease and seasoned them with cajun seasoning. (I realize this isn't the only way to cook potatoes for this recipe, but it sounded delicious). It did take longer to cook the potatoes, naturally. I tossed in the bacon to rewarm it, then scrambled eggs for our family of four. I used the same pan for the eggs that I had for the bacon and potatoes, which made for an easier clean-up at CG's house.

Yummy Cajun Potatoes with Bacon

We spread our double layer of tortillas with cream cheese (an excellent substitution, pre-approved by Scrumptious!), and piled the components in: home-fried "desert" potatoes with bacon, scrambled eggs, avocado and fresh homemade salsa.

This Breakfast Taco is indeed Decadent, delicious and just plain tasty! Two tacos was too many for me. It was difficult to spread the cream cheese onto the warm tortillas, but worth every second. We used my Roasted Yellow Tomato-Serrano Salsa, which vastly improves everything it touches. For the boys, I salted a small bowl of unseasoned potatoes, and left off the salsa (only because Sawed Off said he didn't want any salsa this morning). They both did a pretty good job with their tacos.

Another picture, because they're so darn good.

Decadent Breakfast Tacos

corn tortillas
soft, spreadable cheese (goat or cream cheese)
potatoes (any kind, leftover or not)
cajun seasoning
salt, to taste
bacon
eggs
avocado
salsa

Fry bacon and remove to paper towel-lined plate. Break up when cool. Fry or reheat potatoes in the same pan. When potatoes are warm/golden, add bacon to pan to warm. Remove to bowl; scramble eggs in the same pan.

Spread cheese on one tortilla, top with another. Fill with potatoes, bacon, eggs, avocado and salsa. And enjoy!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas are a crowd-pleasing family favorite; whenever we serve them, we get rave reviews and recipe requests! We make up a bunch almost every year for our family reunion, and I usually try to keep a pan or two in the freezer as well. I have given these enchiladas to expectant mothers and people who've just moved to town.

Don't be shy with the cheese, but don't overdo it on the onions. With roasted chickens from the grocery store's deli, you can set up an assembly line and whip these out in less than an hour. Whether you use green chiles or jalapeños, the sauce is just perfect. Enjoy.

This recipe is for a “double batch,” which makes enough enchiladas for about 16 hungry cowboys. You can also freeze a pan or two for a month or so if you just have your little family to feed. (instructions below) If you want to make a single batch, just cut all ingredients in half. I got a variation of this recipe from my friend Karen, a fiery red-head from Texas.

A typical serving is two enchiladas.

2 roasted chickens, deboned and shredded or chopped

2 large yellow onions, diced

2.5 pounds shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Colby/jack or a Mexican blend)

+ 40 tortillas

1 recipe Enchilada Sauce (below)

1. Spray 9 x 13 inch pans with Pam oil spray.
2. In each tortilla, tightly roll up: small handful chicken, some cheese and some onions. Roll up tightly, and place in pan with rolled part at the edge of pan and round loose end facing the middle of the pan—the round end will flap down and prevent the enchiladas from unraveling. Lift up each flap to put in the next enchilada—it’s alright if the rounded edges are sticking up a little when you’re finished.
3. Squeeze enchiladas tightly in the pan, and if there is space to one side of your enchiladas, put one or two on that side of the pan as well.
4. You may or may not use all the onions; if you run out of chicken, you can either get more or simply use cheese and onions for the remainder of enchiladas. It is important that the pans be tightly packed with enchiladas. (if you see you are running out of supplies, use a smaller pan for the last few enchiladas)
5. Sprinkle enchiladas generously with cheese.

6. At this point, enchiladas may be tightly covered with plastic wrap and foil and frozen.

7. To Prepare and Bake If Frozen:
1. Thaw enchiladas overnight in refrigerator.
2. Prepare Enchilada Sauce:
1. Mix together in large saucepan:
1. 2 16 oz. Containers sour cream
2. 2 14 oz. Cans chicken broth
3. 2 4 oz. Cans diced green chilies OR diced jalapeños
2. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring until sour cream is melted.
3. Ladle generously and evenly over enchiladas, almost up to rim of pan. (you may need to make more sauce; use 1 of each of the above ingredients)

3. Bake at 350° to 375° for roughly one hour, until golden and bubbly.

8. To Prepare if not freezing:
1. Prepare Enchilada Sauce (follow steps under 7.b. & 7.c.), and bake at 375° for about one hour, until golden and bubbly.

Beef and Cheese Empanada Filling

This is the filling recipe that accompanies the Mini Empanada recipe. You really should try these, they are delicious. We had guacamole for dipping, they would be equally good with fresh salsa and/or sour cream also. If you're not in the mood for beef empanadas, try the Turkey Filling with Raisins & Olives *coming soon!

Beef and Cheese Empanada Filling
Enough for about 48 mini empanadas


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/2 pound (85 percent lean) ground chuck
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and ground black pepper
2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic, oregano, cumin, cloves, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the beef and cook, breaking up the clumps with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in the broth, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the mixture is moist but not wet, about 8 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour. Stir in the cheese and continue to chill until needed, up to 3 days.

3. Follow directions for assembling, storing and serving Mini Empanadas.

Mini Empanadas

These delicious little bundles are from The Best Make-Ahead Recipe cookbook. I do love this cookbook, and I will be posting several more recipes from it soon. America's Test Kitchen (and the editors of Cook's Illustrated) runs through all these recipes multiple times, trying different methods and variations until they end up with what they feel is The Best Recipe. They detail their process for each recipe, which I find interesting and helpful. Most of the time I agree with them about the chosen process, if my opinion differs, rest assured I will tell you (as I did below!)

I made these empanadas for JennyLee's baby shower over a year ago, along with Summer Garden Pasta Salad. The empanadas were a hit, especially since there were extra empanadas in the freezer when JennyLee's husband came home! (I made a couple larger ones that I left in our freezer too, they were great, just took a bit longer to bake). I really can't believe it's been a whole year! I need to make some of these again soon.

The recipe is a bit labor-intensive because you make your own dough, but the beauty is that you can make these up to 1 month ahead, whenever you have time to spend in the kitchen. There are also steps that allow you to divide up the task if you only have an hour here or there. Then when you're ready to serve them, you just pull them out of the freezer and bake them.

There are a couple different filling recipes that I will post; I made the Beef and Cheese Empanada
Filling, but you could also make the Turkey Empanada Filling with Raisins and Olives. (recipe coming soon!)

Mini Empanadas
"If your kitchen is very warm, refrigerate all of the dough ingredients for 30 minutes before making the dough. If the dough ever becomes too soft and/or sticky to work with, simply return it to the refrigerator until firm; a dough scraper also comes in handy here. There should be plenty of dough to cut out and make 48 empanadas without having to re-roll any dough scraps; we found the rerolled scraps of dough to be very tough."

I don't have the kind of space in my kitchen to roll out the dough that big, I just handled the scraps as little as I could, and those empanadas turned out fine too.--M.

3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and frozen for 10 minutes (*note: they tried things other than butter but the resulting pastry was too "greasy.") 1 1/4 cups ice water
1 recipe Empanada Filling (Beef or Turkey), chilled
1 large egg, beaten

1. Process the flour, sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 6 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 16 pulses.

2. Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl. Working with 1/4 cup of water at a time, sprinkle the water over the flour mixture and stir it in using a rubber spatula, pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl to form a dough, until no small bits of flour remain (you may not need to use all of the water).

3. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 2 equal pieces. Press each dough half into a cohesive ball, then flatten the ball into a 6-inch disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until firm but not hard, about 2 hours or up to 2 days.

4. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Remove 1 disk of dough from the refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 2 hours, let sit at room temperature until malleable). Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface into an 18-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 24 rounds and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. (I cut out as many rounds as I could, like I said above, and gently re-rolled the dough to roll out more. They suggest discarding the scraps, but I just couldn't do it, so I ended up with more than 48. I also made a couple larger ones as an experiment). Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Repeat with the second disk of dough and the second prepared baking sheet.

5. Working with the first batch of dough rounds, place about 1 teaspoon of the chilled filling in the center of each dough round and moisten the edge of the dough round with water, using either your finger or a pastry brush. Fold the dough in half over the filling, making a half-moon shape. Pinch the seam along the edge to secure. Using a dinner fork, crimp the sealed edge to secure. Arrange them on a fresh, parchment-lined baking sheet. Wrap the baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate while making a second batch of empanadas using the remaining dough rounds and filling.

6. TO STORE: Make sure each baking sheet is covered tightly with plastic wrap (I use Glad Press and Seal) and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. (After the empanadas are completely frozen, about 8 hours, they can be transferred to a zipper-lock bag to save space in the freezer. Transfer back to parchment-lined baking sheets before baking).

7. TO SERVE: Adjust 2 oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Unwrap the empanadas and brush with the egg. (the egg gives the baked pastry a great shine and golden brown color--an attractive invitation for your guests to dig in). Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes, switching and rotating the trays halfway through the baking time. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

TO SERVE RIGHT AWAY:
Bake the empanadas as directed in step 7, reducing the baking time to about 20 minutes.