Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 fresh poblano or Anaheim chiles
• 14 ounces potatoes
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• Oil, for frying

Directions:

Make a slit down one side of each chile. Place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat, turning them frequently until the skins begin to blister. Place the chiles in a strong plastic bag and tie the top to keep the steam inside. Set aside for 20 minutes, then carefully peel off the skins and remove the seeds through the slits, keeping the chiles whole. Dry the chiles with paper towels and set them aside.

Scrub or peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/2 inch dice. Place in a large saucepan, cover with water, and heat them over medium heat. Once they start to boil, lower the heat and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Do not over cook. Drain them thoroughly.

Put the cream cheese in a bowl and stir in the grated cheese with 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add the potato. Filling can either be mixed gently for a chunkier filling or mashed for a smoother filling. Spoon the filling into each chile. Put them them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour until the filling becomes firm.

Put the egg whites in a clean, greasefree bowl and whisk them to firm peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the yolks until pale, then fold in the whites. Scrape the mixture onto a large, shallow dish. Spread out the flour in another shallow dish and season with remaining salt and pepper.

Heat the oil for deep frying to 375 degrees. Coat the chiles first in the flour and then in egg before adding carefully to the hot oil. Fry the chiles in batches until golden and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I had a rough time with this recipe. I had problems getting the skin off the peppers, so most of it stayed on. I also had a hard time getting the batter to cover the peppers. I would definitely go with 4 eggs for 6 peppers. Also, don’t crowd the pan when frying - the peppers will turn out soggy.
The potato filling was different than most Mexican restaurants (I think they do just cheese), but I thought it was really good.

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup long grain rice
• 7 ounces chopped tomatoes in juice
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 fresh green chiles (jalapeno, Serrano, fresno, ect)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen peas (optional)
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Put the rice in a large heatproof bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover the rice. Stir once, then let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer to a strainer over the sink and rinse the rice under cold water. Set aside to dry slightly.

Meanwhile, place the tomatoes with juice,  onion, garlic, and chiles in a food processor or blender and process until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy saucepan, add the rice and cook over medium heat until it becomes a light golden brown. Stir occasionally to ensure the rice does not stick. Add the tomato mixture and stir over medium heat until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the stock and salt and continue  to cook, stirring occasionally, until all the liquid has been absorbed (do no stir too often at this point or the rice will break down). The whole cooking process takes about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, add the peas (if using), and cover with a tight fitting lid. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Season with black pepper.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 chipotle chiles
• 6 cups button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt, to taste
• Cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Soak the dried chiles in a bowl of hot water for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Drain, cut o stems, then slit the chiles and cut out the seeds. Chop finely.

Trim the mushrooms, then clean them with a damp cloth. If they are large, cut them in half.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles. Saute for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the mushrooms and fry for 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste and garnish with cilantro.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used chipotles in adobo sauce (only one and it had plenty of kick). Also, I sauteed the onion, garlic, and chile in about a tablespoon of oil, and then when I added the mushrooms, I added a bit of chicken stock. It cut down on the oil and gave the mushrooms a nice flavor.

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 - 1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or loin, cut into large pieces
• 1 recipe refried beans
• 2 cups salsa verde
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 cup grated jack or cheddar cheese

Directions:

Put the pork in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil then cover, lower heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain and let cook slightly, then shred using two forks. Put in a bowl and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread a thin layer of salsa verde into the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon 1/8 of the refried beans onto a tortilla and top with 1/8 of the shredded pork. Roll it up to make an enchiladas and then place it seam side down in the baking dish. Fill and roll and remaining tortillas and add them to the dish. Pour the remaining sauce onto the enchiladas to cover completely. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion
• 1 lime
• 1 medium head of cauliflower
• 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 4 Serrano chiles, seeded and finely minced
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
• Salt, to taste
• Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Chop the onion very finely and place in a bowl. Zest the time into the bowl. Cut the lime in half and add the juice to the onions. Set aside.

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Place in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. While the cauliflower is cooking, place the tomatoes in a pan and add the chiles and sugar. Heat gently for a couple minutes, then add the onion and lime mixture. Salt to taste and stir until heated through. Drain the cauliflower and transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the tomato salsa and sprinkle feta on top. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 1 4.5 ounce can chopped green chiles
• 2 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes (can also used stewed or whole)
• 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 8 corn tortillas
• 2 cups enchilada sauce
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses
• Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Directions:

Boil chicken in a large pot of water for 15 to 20 minutes, until cooked through. Remove chicken to a platter and allow to cool. Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute. Add shredded chicken to pan, and combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom a 13 by 9-inch pan with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place enchiladas in pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Broil the enchiladas for 2 minutes for a toasty cheese topping.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon minced onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the oregano, chili powder, basil, ground black pepper, salt, cumin, parsley, salsa and tomato sauce.
Mix together and then stir in the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.

Makes about 2 cups.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Great for chicken enchiladas.

Recipe courtesy of allrecipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Roasted Tomatillo Chile Salsa:

• 1 pound tomatillos (about 12), husked
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 jalapenos, seeded
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 lime, juiced

Enchiladas:

• 3 poblano peppers
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken stock
• Chopped cilantro leaves
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 large flour tortillas
• 1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• Sour cream, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

For the salsa: On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.

Meanwhile, place the poblano peppers directly over the flame on a gas stove and cook, turning with tongs, until the skin is charred and blackened. (Or, if you have an electric stove, put the peppers on a baking sheet and broil, turning with tongs, until the skin is blackened.) Place the peppers in a paper bag, seal, and set aside for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the skin; then seed, core, and dice them. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and caramelized - this should take 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin then cook for another minute. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to ensure the flour doesn’t burn then gradually add the chicken stock to make a veloute. Continue stirring over a low simmer until the flour cooks and the liquid thickens. Turn off the heat, add half of the roasted tomatillo chile salsa, some additional fresh chopped cilantro and fold in the shredded chicken meat and poblano pepper.. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees and begin assembling the dish. Take a large baking dish and smear the bottom with some of the reserved tomatillo salsa. Put a scoop of the shredded chicken-enchilada mix on top of the tortilla followed by a sprinkle of the shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla over the filling and roll like a cigar to enclose it. Using a spatula place the tortillas in the baking dish and continue to do the same with all the tortillas. Finally pour over some more of the salsa and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake uncovered for about 30 minutes until bubbly and cracked on top. Garnish with cilantro and sour cream.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 6 6-inch tortillas (or 4-5 cups stale corn tortilla chips)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• Zest and juice of 1 lime, divided
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned), seeded and chopped, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
• 2 15-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 cups corn, fresh off the cob or frozen and defrosted
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese, any variety
• 4 scallions, chopped on bias
• 1/4 cup (about a handful) chopped parsley or cilantro
• Sour cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Stack the tortillas on top of one another and slice them into strips about an inch thick. Place into a mixing bowl along with 1 tablespoons vegetable oil, cumin, coriander and lime zest. Give everything a toss to evenly coat the tortilla strips then place them onto a baking sheet. Bake the strips until they’re crispy and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes.

While the tortillas are crisping up in the oven, place large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Add the corn to the melted butter and cook it until really golden brown, 8-10 minutes. (The secret to getting it good and brown here is to only stir it occasionally – let the corn sit so that the sides can brown up.) Remove to a dish, set aside, and place the skillet back on the stove top. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and then toss in the onion and garlic and cook 3 to 4 minutes to soften them up. Add in the chipotle peppers along with the adobo sauce and the tomatoes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and stir to combine. The sauce can be used as is or transfer everything to a food processor and pulse until it resembles salsa. Set aside. Place the same skillet back over medium-high heat. Add the black beans and heat them through. Using a fork, wooden spoon or potato masher, mash the beans to a paste (or however you like them), adding a little chicken stock to loosen them up.

Assemble the chilaquiles by ladling half of the salsa into a 9×13 casserole dish. Arrange the toasted tortilla strips or chips in the dish and top them off with the black beans, followed by the corn and the remaining salsa. Top with a shower of your shredded cheese and pop it into the oven to melt the cheese, about 10 minutes. When the dish comes out of the oven squeeze the juice from the lime over the top and garnish with scallions and chopped parsley. Pass some sour cream at the table to dollop on top.

Serves 6 to 8 people.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The original recipe called for 10 tortillas. I halved the recipe and only used 2 (I believe they were 8 inches though), and I thought it was enough tortillas. I used whole wheat tortillas, although any variety will work.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.

View my experience with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 1/2 cups tomatoes, chopped with their juice
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 6 tortillas
• 1 can (15 ounces) refried beans
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 6 large eggs
• Optional: Monterey Jack cheese, for garnish

Directions:

To make the sauce, heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the jalapeno pepper, tomatoes with juices, and chili powder. Cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes or until the tomatoes soften. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat. Stir in the cilantro. Set aside.

Meanwhile, warm tortillas in oven on a very low temperature so that they are warm all the way through but still soft. Warm refried beans in a small pan over medium-low heat.

Coat a large skillet with a small amount of vegetable oil. Fry eggs without flipping for about 1 minute, or until they begin to set. Cover and finish cooking, about 1 to 2 minutes longer.

To serve, place warm tortilla on each plate. Spread with refried beans. Plane an egg on top of each tortilla and top with tomato sauce. Add shredded cheese, if desired.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I did not add the cilantro to the tomato sauce. Instead of canned refried beans, I used my own recipe.

Recipe courtesy of Taste for Life Magazine