 |
| Culinary Information and Cooking Blog |
|
Archive for February, 2010
Friday, February 19th, 2010
A Cook with Us Recipe featured on the Hispanic Food Network.
 Market Spices in Baja Mexico
A classic Mexican soup that combines the traditional flavors of tomatoes, chile, epazote, avocado, and tortillas.
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 large white onion, cut in chunks
• 4 roma tomatoes
• 6 dried guajillo chiles
• 1 t. sea salt
• 6 C. chicken stock
• 1 T. oil & oil for frying
• 2 spigs epazote
• 3 ripe avocados cut into chunks or slices
• 8 – 10 corn tortillas that are a bit dry or old
• 1/2 C. crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
• 3 limes halved
• 1/2 C. thick cream ( crema mexicana ) or sour cream
Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors slice open one side of the guajillo chiles; open up butterfly style to remove seeds. Place opened guajillo’s on a hot skillet or comal and lightly blister each side. Do not burn the chiles as they will taste bitter. Submerge roasted chiles in hot water to rehydrate and soften. Roast the garlic, onion and tomatoes on the same hot pan until browned and softened.
Place tomatoes in blender with the garlic, onion, salt, and rehydrated chiles, puree until thoroughly blended. Heat 1 T. oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Place a strainer over the pot; strain the puree into the oil, being careful not to splatter. Cook the puree for a few minutes stirring constantly. Lower heat, continue to stir until mixture thickens and changes color and darkens. Add the remaining chicken stock and epazote. Return to boil, season with salt and pepper and simmer covered for 1/2 hour.
Cut tortillas in half and cut each half into strips. Heat 1/2 inch oil in a skillet. When hot, fry the strips until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Before serving soup add the fried tortilla strips. Garnish each bowl with avocado chunks and cheese. Offer crema and limes for each diner.
Serves six
Posted in Recipes | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Filming our segment for the TV show In The kitchen was nerve racking. It’s difficult to look at yourself and I fretted and drove Frank crazy all week whining about my performance, my appearance, my voice, whatever…wish I had a re-do! But in the scheme of things it’s all good; getting our name out and working with great people, cooking and teaching Mexican cuisine is what we love to do. The show airs Sat. Feb. 20th on KXLY 4 at 1:30.
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Friday, February 19th, 2010
Filming with the Hispanic Food Network in the Cook With Us.com kitchen is FUN! Mike’s gaining his cooking chops preparing great Mexican food from our original recipes. Check out KXLY channel 4 ” In The Kitchen” on Sundays to see what we have cooking! log onto www.hispanicfoodnetwork.com for an updated TV schedule as the times have changed a bit.
Frank and I are grateful for the opportunities that have opened up for us. This time last year it was fire, destruction and loss. An end to our cooking school in Todos Santos. I know it’s a cliche, but we are proof ( many times over) that when one door closes another opens.
If you love Mexican and Latin food let us know what you would like to see us make on the show. We’d love to hear from our audience out there.
Buen Provecho, Lynne
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
Salsa de Orizaba
This is our rendition of the peanut salsa we enjoyed in Orizaba. It took quite a few tries to duplicate the taste and flavor, we hope you like the results.
• 8-10 roma tomatoes, cut in half, seeds removed
• 3 – 4 dried guajillo chiles
• 3 – 4 chipotle chiles
• 1 med. white onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1/2 c. Spanish peanuts, roasted
• 1 t. oregano, dried Mexican
• 1 Tbl. coriander, ground
• ½ t. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 t. sea salt, or to taste
Roast the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a hot comal or cast iron skillet. Turn occasionally so they blister evenly. As each ingredient softens and blackens in spots, remove from heat. Allow to cool. Remove papery skins from garlic.
While vegetables roast, submerge guajillo chiles and chipotle chiles in a bowl of very hot water for approx.15 min. Remove softened chiles from liquid, reserve one cup.
Bring 1 cup fresh water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add roasted vegetables,(tomato,onion,garlic) salt, oregano, coriander and black pepper. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates. Cool.
While the tomato mixture cooks, chop or crush the roasted peanuts in a molcajete or with a mortar and pestle. (set aside)
In a blender puree the guajillo and chipotle chiles and crushed peanuts in one cup of reserved liquid. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add the tomato mixture to blender and pulse just until blended. Serve salsa at room temperature or refrigerate for up to one week.
Makes 3 cups
Posted in Recipes | No Comments »
Sunday, February 7th, 2010
Feb. 2008
Orizaba
Pico de Orizaba the highest mountain in all of Mexico towers 18,800 feet above the city. We are told isolated villages tucked among the majestic peaks of the snow capped volcano are home to a people that trace their ancestry back to the Aztecs. Quite different down in the flats where the city is bustling; streets and shops packed with townsfolk. The colorful municipal market hums with activity as merchants stock their stalls with the most amazing array of fresh produce, farm cheeses, and freshly slaughtered meats and poultry. I stand mesmerized watching an old old woman stooped over a simmering clay caldron. She stirs the brew with a wooden spoon that looks as ancient as she. A deep red sauce bubbles to the brim, a delicious aroma fills the air, enticing me to try a bowl of the steaming pork adobo. So rich and satisfying it warms my soul as I watch the old woman nod approvingly as I dig into my breakfast. We explore for three days following the rushing river that courses through town, each side bordered by crumbling whitewashed buildings. There is a feeling of decay about this place that contrasts sharply with the modern merchandise displayed in shop windows and fashionably dressed teenagers, cellphones in hand.
It is time to bid adios to Orizaba. Time to catch a bus out of town. We enjoy traveling on Mexican busses; first class tickets are inexpensive and you can count on clean, comfortable and punctual service. We lean back in the seats and wile away the hours reading, watching old American films or gazing at the ever-changing landscape rolling by. This station is modern and spacious, reverberating with all the commotion of a well-run travel outpost. We buy our tickets, but with time to kill before departure wander over to a nearby restaurant. Young waiters in starched white shirts serve the house specialty, Mexican BBQ. The requisite salsa and chips is brought promptly to our table. We dip into the sauce and are immediately surprised by a unique subtle flavor that we can’t quite identify. Our waiter tries to explain the concoction as we nod unsurely. Shyly he returns to our table with a paper napkin, the ingredients printed neatly in Spanish. Aha! Cachuate! (Peanuts) is the secret ingredient. Carefully I fold and stash the napkin for the long trip back home.
Posted in Travel stories | No Comments »
Saturday, February 6th, 2010
The “Cook With Us” test kitchen is getting a real workout. Frank and I have just completed two cooking videos. The first, cochinita pibil a succulent pork dish; the second, Jalapeno achiote bread. This is new territory for us, so any suggestions or comments are much appreciated . We are having fun with another new venture, filming instructional cooking videos with host Mike Gonzalez from the Hispanic Food Network. The opportunity to showcase the recipes we have developed over the years while teaching the intricacies of traditional Mexican cuisine gives us great pleasure. The first segment will air tomorrow, Sunday ( 2/ 7/ 10) @ 10:00 on local channel 4 ( KXLY). Mike will be making Salsa de Orizaba, a spicy peanut and chile based salsa. Stay Tuned !
Join us Sat. February 27th for a hands-on cooking class at the Greenbriar Inn. The focus of the class is “Sopas de Mexico”. Have fun while learning to prepare delicious soups with unique ingredients and traditional techniques. Class includes instruction and the prepared meal. If you would like more info. just e-mail info@cookwithus.com or call.
Posted in Cooking Classes | No Comments »
|
|
Cook With Us Blog is proudly powered by
WordPress
Entries (RSS)
and Comments (RSS).
Copyright ©2006 - Cook With Us, E-Mail: info@cookwithus.com
Call us at 208-665-0282, P.O. Box 3017, Coeur d' Alene,
ID 83816
Website by Seltice Systems LLC
|
|
