Chipotle Rice and Beans

This is a perfect simple and hearty meal.  The combination of rice and beans offers a complete protein, and who doesn’t love chipotle peppers?

(adapted from Veganomicon)

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained

2 yellow onions, peeled

1 tbsp olive oil

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus about 2 tbsp of sauce

salt

2 cups cooked rice (any variety)

Put the beans in a large saucepan with 3 cups of water and one of the onions, halved.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the other onion, and heat the oil over medium in a large skillet.

Saute the onion until very soft, about 10 minutes.  

Chop the chopotle peppers, and add them to the onions with the sauce.

Cook for an additional minute or two, then turn off the heat.

Just before the beans are done, taste and season with about 1/2 – 1 tsp salt.

Stir in the onion mixture, and heat through.

Serve ladled over rice.

Conchas

The first time I visited a Mexican grocery store, some beautiful rolls with an attractive pink topping caught my eye.  I ADORE pan dulce, and can’t resist picking up at least a couple any time I go to a Mexican grocery store.  It didn’t occur to me until very recently that I should attempt to make my own.

The dough is incredibly easy to work with, and the flavor is superb.  The dough has a hint of cinnamon, and the pink topping (which is baked on) is sweet with a light vanilla undertone.  Not only will it make your kitchen smell glorious, if eaten when still warm there’s a good chance one of these will melt all your problems all away. Yep, all of them.  They’re just that good!

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

1 envelops active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup evaporated milk
3/8 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 or 5 drops red food coloring

In a large bowl, stir together the yeast and warm water. Mix in the milk, 3/8 cup sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, salt, egg and half of the flour. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
Turn the dough out onto a floured counter to knead as soon as it pulls together enough.
Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Place in a large greased bowl, and turn the dough to coat.
Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Make the topping while the dough rises.
In a medium bowl, beat 2/3 cup sugar and 1/2 cup butter until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flour until the mixture is the consistency of thick paste, then stir in the vanilla and food coloring.
When the dough is done rising, cut into 12 even-sized pieces.
Shape into balls, and place on a greased cookie sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart.
Divide the topping into 12 balls, and pat them flat. Place circles of topping on top of the dough balls patting down lightly.
Use a knife dipped in warm water (to prevent sticking) to cut grooves in the topping like a clam shell.
Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for about 16 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.

Tofu, Spinach, and Mushroom Enchiladas

This is a nice, lighter, vegetarian alternative to the typical (but still delicious!) red sauce, meat, and cheese enchiladas.  Don’t skimp on the red onion slices on top – they add a delicious flavor contrast and irresistable crunch.

If you think you’ll really miss the meat, substitute about a cup of diced cooked chicken for the tofu (that’s what the original recipe called for).  I’m pretty crazy about tofu and I think it’s perfect here though!

(adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and quartered

1 1/2 lbs tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut into quarters

3/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 cups vegetable broth

8 ounces button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

10 oz spinach, stems removed

12 oz extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and cut into 1 cm-thick slices

salt

12 corn tortillas

1/2 tsp sugar

1 cup crumbled queso fresco – I like Casero (or use feta or goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With the food processor running, drop in the garlic and jalapenos one piece at a time, letting each piece get finely chopped before adding the next.  

Add the the tomatillos and cilantro and process until smooth.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high.

Add the tomatillo puree and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture has reduced to the consistency of thick tomato sauce.  Add the broth and simmer over medium for about 10 minutes.

Heat a large nonstick frying pan or skillet over medium high and add the tofu slices. Brown on both sides, then remove, let cool, and cut into 1 cm cubes.

With the heat still on, add 1 tbsp oil to the frying pan.  Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, until they begin to brown.

Add about three quarters of the onion slices (reserving the rest for garnish) and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent.

Add the spinach and tofu, and season with salt.  Cook until the spinach is wilted, then remove from the heat.

Warm the tortillas on a baking sheet in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove and wrap in a towel to keep warm.

Season the tomatillo sauce with salt (about 1 tsp) and the sugar.  

To assemble the enchiladas: dip a tortilla in the sauce, then place it on a plate.  Spoon 2 tbsp of the tofu-spinach filling into the center, roll up, and place seam-side down in a 13 x 9 inch pan.

Repeat with remaining tortillas, then pour the remaining sauce evenly over the whole pan.

Bake for about 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle with the onion slices and cheese before serving.

Two Salsas

I love chips and salsa, but I don’t feel like one salsa is enough.  So here are two recipes: one is red, one is green; one is spicier, one is mild; one is all fresh, one has some roasting.  They are both very simple and quick.

[adapted from Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless]

Fresh tomatillo salsa:

In a food processor, combine:

6-8 medium tomatillos

1/2 a small white onion, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 a jalapeno chile, stem, veins, and seeds removed

1/2 tsp salt

Pulse until you have a coarse puree, then transfer to a bowl and serve with chips.

Roasted tomato salsa:

6-8 plum tomatoes

2-3 jalapenos

3 cloves of garlic (skins left on)

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 a small white onion, chopped

1 tsp salt

a squeeze of lime juice

Place the tomatoes under a hot broiler and turn occasionally until the skin is black and blistered in places.

In a skillet over high heat, cook the jalapenos and garlic until blackened.  Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

Remove the skins from the tomatoes and place them into a food processor.

Remove the garlic cloves from their skins and add to the tomatoes.  

Scrape the skins off the jalapenos, and remove the stems and seeds.  Place in the food processor, and pulse until you have a coarse puree.  Add the salt, then pulse one or two more times.

Transfer to a bowl, and stir in the onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

Best served slightly chilled.

Mexican-Style Zucchini Tacos

Zucchini tacos don’t sound terribly satisfying to me, but this recipe is awesome.  It doubles easily if you need to feed a crowd, and you can change the proportions and types of vegetables – more zucchini, less tomato, add bell peppers or carrots…there are endless possibilities!

[from "Mexico One Plate at a Time" by Rick Bayless] 

makes 24 tacos

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, chopped

1 pound ripe tomatoes, cores removed and coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 pasilla chiles

1 large ear corn, kernels sliced off (about 1 cup)

4 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2″ cubes

3 tbsp chopped cilantro 

2/3 cup heavy cream

salt

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (I use Casero)

24 corn tortillas, warmed in the oven or on a grill

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until the onion is browned.  

Puree the the tomatoes in a food processor  while the onions cook.

Add the garlic to the onion and cook for one minute, then add the tomatoes.  Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 5 minutes.   Remove from the heat and set aside.

Roast the chiles over a gas flame, turning occasionally until the skin is charred and blistered.  Place on a plate under a clean kitchen towel and let cool for 5-10 minutes.  Rub off the skin, and remove the stem and seeds.  Slice into 1/4″ strips

Set the pan of tomato-onion mixture over medium-high heat and stir in the pasillas, corn, zucchini, cilantro, and crema, and cook until the zucchini is crisp-tender (about 8 minutes).  Stir in about a teaspoon of salt.  

Serve with chopped white onion, chopped cilantro, and warm tortillas, and make your own tacos.

Tortilla soup

I am pretty much obsessed with soup, or really any food that can be eaten out of a bowl.  My freshman year in college, I ate literally every meal in the dining hall out of a bowl…and my floor-mates nicknamed me C-Bowls because of it.  

Soups are fantastic because they can suit any mood, any season, and are a great way to throw together odds and ends from the fridge.  I love this soup because it can be as simple as a rich chile-tomato broth with just the delightful crunch of tortilla strips or you can dress it up with shredded chicken, queso fresco, avocados, cilantro and Tapatio to amp up the heat.

I adapted this recipe from “Mexico One Plate at a Time” by Rick Bayless

1 lb chicken breast tenders

1 lime

2 cloves garlic

6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2″ by 2″ strips

Vegetable oil

2 dried pasilla chiles, seeds and stems removed

1 15-oz can whole tomatoes, drained

4 cups chicken broth 

1 medium white onion, sliced thinly

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp salt

6 oz cotija cheese or queso fresco, cut in small cubes

1 avocado, cut in small cubes

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

To prepare the chicken:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Slice the lime thinly and chop the garlic. Place the chicken in the middle of a large sheet of parchment paper, and toss with the garlic and a little salt.  Lay the lime slices over the chicken and fold up the paper so you have a nice little package.  Put that in a pie pan or roasting pan…I just use an old 8″ round cake pan.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.  Remove from the oven and open the parchment so the steam can escape and the chicken can cool.

While the chicken is baking, pour the oil into a large, heavy sauce pan so it is about 1/2″ deep.  Heat until a piece of tortilla sizzles immediately when dipped in the oil, but don’t let it get so hot it smokes.  Fry the tortilla strips in 3 batches, stirring the pan, until they are beginning to brown.  Remove them with a slotted spoon and dry on paper towels.

Pour the oil out so there is just a thin coating remaining, and turn the heat to medium.  Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until they are light brown.  Transfer to a blender, but don’t wipe out the pan.

Tear the chiles into pieces and stir fry in the pan for about 30 seconds, or until they are just beginning to blister.  Place them in the blender with the onions and garlic, add the tomatoes and a few tablespoons of broth, and puree until smooth.

Transfer the contents of the blender back into the pan (over medium-high heat) and stir constantly until the mixture has the consistency of tomato paste.  Add the salt and the rest of the broth, stir to mix,  and turn the heat to low.

With two forks, shred the chicken and stir into the soup. Taste the soup and add salt if necessary.  Ladle into bowls, and top with tortilla strips, avocado, cheese, and a sprinkling of cilantro.