Carnitas

From PatiJinich.com


Ingredients

• Half a white onion peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cumin
• 4 whole cloves stems removed
• 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
• 1 tablespoon lard vegetable shortening or oil
• 4 to 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt cut into 4-inch chunks, fat on!
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

In the jar of a blender, place the water, onion, garlic cloves, marjoram, thyme, black pepper, cumin, stemmed whole cloves and 1 tablespoon salt. Puree until smooth. 

Set a large Dutch oven or heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Add the lard (or vegetable shortening or oil), and once it has heated up, add the pork chunks and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Brown the meat on all sides, stirring and flipping as each side browns, about 10 minutes. 

Pour the onion mixture over the meat, let it come to a simmer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the orange juice and sweetened condensed milk, add the 2 bay leaves, and give it a good stir. Let it come to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low to low and cover. 

Cook covered, stirring and scrapping the bottom of the casserole 2 to 3 times along the way, until the meat is completely cooked and coming easily apart if you pull one piece, about one hour and a half. Remove the lid, cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Scoop out the carnitas with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat behind, and serve in a bowl or platter. Shred with a fork, if desired, before tucking into tacos. Or do like we do, serve straight from the pot. 

Serve with warm corn tortillas and pickled jalapeños or salsa verde cruda on the side. 

My Notes: These were super tasty. It was a bit greasy so maybe setting them over a wire rack before serving would be useful. MXF

Corn and Black Bean Weeknight Nachos

From Smitten Kitchen

Servings: 4 but I won't tell anyone if 3 of you polish it off
Time: 45 minutes

•     2 ears corn, husked
•     1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
•     1 large poblano
•     Nonstick spray or 2 teaspoons oil
•     2 generous cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated monterey jack cheese
•     2 generous cups (about 8 ounces) coarsely grated cheddar cheese
•     1 12-ounce bag tortilla chips, the thicker the better
•     Toppings
•     Thinly sliced jalapeno (1 used 1/2 a big one)
•     Thinly sliced radishes (I used 2 medium)
•     1/2 a white onion, minced (you can toss it with a little lime juice and salt to lightly pickle it, if desired)
•     Handful fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
•     Diced tomatoes
•     Shredded lettuce
•     Sliced avocado
•     Lime wedges
•     Hot sauce

Over a gas flame or on a grill over high heat, char corn all over until at least half the kernels are blistered, and poblano until skin is blackened. Let both cool slightly then cut the corn kernels from the cob. Remove the skin and seeds from the poblano and cut it into very thin ribbons. (For a large one, you might only use half.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat your largest baking sheet with foil (which I did not, and wish I had) and lightly coat it with oil. Arrange 1/3 of chips on tray and sprinkle 1/3 of corn, black beans, poblano strips and cheese over it. Repeat twice. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese has melted and blistered all over. Use this time to prep your toppings.

When nachos are cooked, you can sprinkle a few toppings over (I used the jalapeños, radishes, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and avocado) or just bring everything to the table and let everyone fix their own.

My Notes: I didn't follow this exactly because...it's nachos. But I used it as a guide. Everyone loved them. Easy to make and a really fun dinner for all. MXF

Arroz con Pollo

 

Cook's Country

• 1     cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
• 1     onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1     Cubanelle pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped (3/4 cup) 
• 5     garlic cloves, chopped coarse
• 1     teaspoon ground cumin
• ½     cup mayonnaise
• 3 ½     tablespoons lemon juice (2 lemons), plus lemon wedges for serving
• Salt and pepper
• 6     (5- to 7-ounce) bone in chicken thigh, trimmed
• 1     tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2     cups medium-grain rice, rinsed
• 1     tablespoon Goya Sazón with Coriander and Annatto
• 2 ½     cups chicken broth
• ¼     cup pimento-stuffed green olives, halved
• 2     tablespoons capers, rinsed
• 2     bay leaves 

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process cilantro, 1/2 cup onion, Cubanelle, garlic, and cumin in food processor until finely chopped, about 20 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer sofrito to bowl.

Process mayonnaise, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons sofrito in now-empty processor until almost smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mayonnaise-herb sauce to small bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add chicken to pot skin side down and cook without moving it until skin is crispy and golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until golden on second side, 7 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate; discard skin.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add remaining 1/2 cup onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in rice and Sazón and cook until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 2 minutes.

Stir in broth, olives, capers, bay leaves, remaining sofrito, remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken into pot along with any accumulated juices and bring to vigorous simmer. Cover, transfer to oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Transfer pot to wire rack and let stand, covered, for 15 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and stir in peas, if using. Discard bay leaves. Serve with mayonnaise-herb sauce and lemon wedges.

My Notes: I made a few bad substitutions here but it still tasted pretty good. I think if I really stuck to the recipe 100% it would be really amazing. MXF

Queso Fundido

Pioneer Woman

 

• ½ pounds Hot Breakfast Sausage (such As Jimmy Dean Or J.C. Potter) Or Chorizo
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 2 whole SMALL Bell Peppers (any Color Combination), Seeded And Finely Diced
• 1 pound Monterey Jack, Grated (OR Mozzarella, Or Other Stringy Melting Cheese), Grated
• Sprinkle Of Chili Powder
• 3 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• ¼ cups Cilantro, Chopped
• Tortilla Chips For Serving

Prep: 10 mins / Cook: 20 mins

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook and crumble the sausage until brown. Remove from skillet and drain on a paper towel. Pour off any excess fat. Add onions and bell peppers to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the veggies are soft and golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

To build the skillet, place 1/3 of the cheese in a medium-sized ovenproof skillet. Add half the sausage. Add another third of the cheese, then as much of the veggie mixture as you’d like (you may have a little left over.) Add almost all of the remaining cheese, the rest of the sausage, then whatever cheese you have left. Sprinkle the top very lightly with chili powder.

NOTE: Depending on the size of your skillet or baking dish, you may have some ingredients left over. Just build so that the ingredients roughly reach the top of the skillet; they’ll shrink quite a bit once the cheese melts!

Place into the oven and start watching it about 4 to 5 minutes in. You want to bake it until the cheese is totally melted, hot, and slightly bubbling…but before the cheese starts to firm up/harden. (In other words, you still want the cheese to be extra gooey.)

Remove from the oven, top with the diced tomatoes, sprinkle on the tomatoes, and serve immediately with tortilla chips!

NOTE: Be sure to have everything ready so you can serve the queso fundido pretty much right out of the oven. It’s best when piping hot!

IMPORTANT: Wrap a cloth around the skillet handle so guests won’t burn themselves.

Mango Margarita

Food & Wine

Makes 1 drink

1 cup ice
1 lime wedge
3 ounces silver tequila
1 small mango—peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped (3 ounces)
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon chile powder, such as Tajin 
2 ounces orange liqueur
1 1/2 ounces agave nectar
3 ounces grapefruit soda

TOTAL TIME: 15 MIN 

Spread the chile powder in a dish. Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with the lime wedge; dip the rim in the chile powder to coat. In a blender, puree the mango. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve.

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

Real Simple, 2004

Makes 4 servings

    2 cups cooked corn                                             
    1 avocado diced to 1 in.                                       
    1 pint halved cherry tomatoes                                  
    1/2 cup fine dice red onions                                   
    2 tablespoons olive oil                                        
    1 tablespoon lime juice                                        
    1/2 teaspoon lime zest                                         
    1/4 cup chop cilantro                                          
    1/4 teaspoon salt                                              
    1/8 teaspoon pepper      
                                     
Place corn in a large bowl. Add avocado, tomatoes, and onion. In a separate bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the salad and serve.

MY NOTE: So easy, like a deconstructed gaucamole.  Don't skimp on the salt and pepper.

MXF

Mango and Tomato Salsa

Martha Stewart Living


Makes 1 quart

    1/2 red onion peel, chop                                       
    2 ripe mangos peel, pit, chop                                  
    2 ripe tomatoes chop                                           
    1 jalapeno chiles seeded, de-ribbed, minced                    
    2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice                                  
    2 tablespoons lime juice                                       
    1/2 teaspoon salt                                              
    1/4 teaspoon pepper                                            
    1/2 cup loose pack cilantro coarse chop                        

This piquant salsa should be prepared at least a few hours in advance to allow the flavrors to fully develop. Salsa can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigeratorfor up to three days; allow it to come to room temperature before serving.

Combine onion, mangoes, tomatoes, jalapeno, lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; toss to coat evenly, and let stand at least 2 to 3 hours. Stir in cilantro just before serving.

Pork Enchiladas

Everyday Food, 2005
Makes 4 servings
    1 pound pork loin quarter length, halve crosswise              
    1 teaspoon ground cumin                                        
    1/2 teaspoon dried oregano                                     
    Salt                                                           
    2 teaspoons olive oil                                          
    2 cups mild green salsa (or red)                               
    8 6-in. corn tortillas                                         
    3/4 cup grate monterey jack cheese                             
    1 italian plum tomato diced (opt.)    
                        
PREP TIME: 3O MINUTES/TOTAL TIME: 40 MINUTES

For a seafood variation, use one pound cooked shrimp instead of pork (skip step 1).

Dust pork with cumin and oregano; season with salt. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat; swirl to coat bottom of pan. Add pork; cook until browned on all sides and slightly pink in the middle, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before slicing thinly. Set skillet aside.

Preheat oven to 450° In a blender, puree salsa with 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add to skillet; cook over medium heat until warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Warm tortillas according to package instructions. Assemble enchiladas and place seam-side down in baking dish. Top with heated salsa mixture and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with tomato, if desired.

per serving. 474 calories 13 3 grams fat: 31.2 grams protein; 32.7 grams carbohydrates: 5 grams fiber

Avocado Pineapple Salsa

Everyday Food, 2004

APPETIZER-DIP-CONDIMENT-VEGGIE

    8 ounces sliced pineapple xx drained                           
    2 thinly sliced scallion                                       
    1 diced avocado                                                
    Salt and pepper     
                                          
Drain juice from 1 can sliced pineapple into a small bowl; finely chop pineapple and add to bowl along with 2 thinly sliced scallions and 1 diced avocado.  Season with coarse salt and gorund pepper; toss gently to combine.

MXF

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

Cooking Light, 2005

Makes 4 servings

    DRESSING:                                                      
    1/3 cup chop fresh cilantro                                    
    2/3 cup sour cream                                             
    1 tablespoon mince chipotle                                    
    1 teaspoon ground cumin                                        
    1 teaspoon chili powder                                        
    4 teaspoons lime juice                                         
    1/4 teaspoon salt  
                                            
    SALAD:                                                         
    4 cups shredded romaine lettuce                                
    2 cups chop cooked chicken breasts (ab. 2 breasts)             
    1 cup cherry tomatoes 1/2ed                                    
    1/2 cup diced avocados                                         
    1/3 cup red onions thin slice                                  
    15 ounces black beans rinse, drain                             
    8 3/4 ounces can corn rinse, drain                             
    Tortilla chip (serve on side)                                  

Total time: 34 minutes
Add a spoonful of adobo sauce for a spicier salad. Kidney or pinto beans also taste great in this dish. 

To prepare dressing, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring well.
To prepare salad, combine lettuce and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately.

serving size: 2 1/2 cups
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 249(30% from fat); FAT 8.2g (sat 2.8g,mono 2.9g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 23.3g; CHOLESTEROL 50mg; CALCIUM 106mg; SODIUM 650mg; FIBER 7g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g

MY NOTE: Could use tofu instead of chicken.