Stacked or Unstacked Enchiladas for Relish

Our current book selection for Cook the Books Club is Relish: My Life in the Kitchen, a Graphic Memoir by Lucy Knisley.  Cartoon formatted books are not my usual go to read, or cookbook for that matter.  I found some of it entertaining and humorous, some recipes a bit questionable, and a few that made me want to give a try.  The pickle episode was funny, but in actuality, pretty bad.  I've never seen such a complicated and strange procedure for making pickled vegetables.  Cooking the cucumbers first?  1/2 gallon apple cider vinegar?? She says that her grandmother made incredible pickles, and further that both she and her mom were never able to duplicate the process.   It totally made me want to email her a good recipe for naturally fermented pickles, which is probably what her grandmother made.  Here it is for anyone interested: https://honeyfromrock.blogspot.com/2010/10/they-cant-be-that-easy-pickled.html

Ups and Downs of Where I Come From

 

Our Cook the Books Club selection for February/March is Where I Come From, Life Lessons from a Latino Chef, by Aaron Sanchez.  This round hosted by myself, and it has to be said, I was inspired right from the start.  On the first page of his Introduction, Sanchez states: "There is nothing about the food of Mexico that is dull or muted  - Cinnamon. Chocolate. Chile  Earth.."  

I had plans for some left-over roast chicken, Chicken Enchiladas, which I usually top with a decent brand of canned green chili enchilada sauce.  Horrors!  But slightly doctored up, when I'm not in a hurry.  In this instance I thought, yes, I have the chocolate, which we actually grow and process, I have the cinnamon, ditto, and the chilies are in the sauce. Viola!  We'll go with that thought.  I first pounded some roasted, ground cacao in my big, trusty mortar, with a bit of cinnamon, added some cumin and sautéed the spices for a few minutes in earth.  No, ha ha, bacon fat.  Stirred in minced onion and then garlic, after that I added it all to the sauce, which was now taking on the color of muted chocolate.  But, nothing dull or muted about the taste!! Transformed by those iconic spices of Mexico.

May Highlights In My Kitchen

 I left you with the brining  ham last time, so here it is cooked up

The highlights of May. My version of In My Kitchen! Sprinkled through the various meals I fixed are a few books, and I read some very good ones in May; several on my new Kindle and a couple from our newly re-opened public library.  Actually the ones I got through Kindle were via the public library Overdrive program. We now book an appointment at the library, then go to the front doors, wearing a mask, to collect our books.:)  These last two months have been just hilarious. Ha ha.

 A Roots Soup, which was absolutely delicious!

I read a couple of Martha Grimes' novels, her books are always enjoyable, several by C.S. Harris with her Sebastian St. Cyr, English Regency period mysteries, and a new favorite author, Donna Andrews, who has an iron-mongering artist sleuth, with a totally hysterical family, whose Crouching Buzzard Leaping Loon was my most recently read. I heartily recommend these for any of you who want less angst and dread in your lives, to be replaced by humor. 

The Discovery of Chocolate, Taste of Mexico Stew

Our current Cook the Books Club selection, hosted by Simona of Briciole, is The Discovery of Chocolate, by James Runcie.

In this fantastical tale, chocolate is indeed discovered, by Europeans anyway. Based on historical events, this is the very inventive, and frequently implausibly fleshed-out, tale of one, Diego de Godoy, a young Spaniard who joins up with a ship bound from Spain for the exploration and plunder of the New World with Hernan Cortes. Diego embarks on the journey, to impress and hopefully, win the right to marry his young and rather superficial Spanish sweetheart, despite his low class. She will wait for him to return with a treasure from the New World, something fabulous and worthy of her beauty and love.

Though Diego’s treasure turns out to be chocolate, he also finds true love when he meets Ignacia, a native woman in Mexico. This meeting leads him on an incredible, five hundred year journey, due to an "elixir of life" she mixes into his cocoa drink.

Nuevo León Style Tamales

It's Potluck week at IHCC (I Heart Cooking Clubs) and I'm doing tamales.  Way too long since my last go around.  Those were Carnitas with Black Bean Tamales.  These were inspired by some excellent pork - wild boar brought me by a hunter friend.  A whole leg (what ham is made from for you folks not up on "know your cuts of meat".  Does anyone remember where that came from?  The old David Letterman Show, I think.  So you might say it was inspiring a whole cartload of meals.  And this has cleared out the lot.

From Rick Bayless - Nuevo León Style Tamales, which may be found in his excellent and extremely well-researched book,  Authentic Mexican.  I varied mine by using a formula for making the dough without lard.  For which recipe I am sadly without a source.  Someone over at the now defunct "Daring Cooks" event.

Tamales are quite an involved process, which can be broken down into 2 days worth of steps if you like.  Firstly soaking the corn husks.  Next making filling, by shredding the cooked pork and adding various spices, and seasonings.

Chilaquiles Verdes or Tortilla Casserole with Green Sauce

It's a real bonus when what you have, especially items that need to be used up, coincide with an easy, quick and delicious Mexican meal.  The IHCC theme this week was a Potluck with any of the past chefs, and Rick Bayless was my choice with his excellent book, Authentic Mexican.

I had just enough chicken, chicken broth, left-over tomatillo green sauce, the tortillas, and etc. etc.  Perfect.

Pork Medallions in a Dark Chocolate Chipolte Sauce

Our current (August/September) Cook the Books Club selection is The Secret Book of Frida Kahlo, by F.G. Haghenbeck, hosted by Debra of Eliot's Eats.  I began his novel, intrigued to learn more about the famous artist.  My interest in her was originally piqued by a mole demonstration I attended at the Kona Chocolate Festival several years ago.  The very charming Mexican chef prepared a recipe for Mole Poblano which he said could be found in the book, Frida's Fiestas.  And after tasting his delicious meal, I ran right out (via Amazon) to get that book, which is indeed a beautiful one, filled with wonderful recipes, art and photography, much of it taken at her famous Blue House, and co-written by Frida's step-daughter, Guadalupe Rivera, who states in an Epilogue that the purpose of her writing was to offer "a different aspect of Frida's way of life, the joyous one."

That said, I must admit to dismay and a bit of revulsion at the other side of her life, as revealed in  Haghenbeck's novelized account of Frida's mostly painful and amoral life.  It was difficult finding very much to relate to or admire in the book, dragging on as it did with sordidness and pain. Not a fun or uplifting read.

In spite of the awkwardness of  the writing (due partly to translation?) and fictionalized bits, dream sequences, etc., it seems to be a true enough rendering, at least in spirit, of Frida's life, according to her more accurate biography, Frida by Hayden Herrera, upon which the movie was based.

Inspiring though, as far as food goes, lots of recipes and references to wonderful meals.  I just love eating and cooking Mexican.  How to choose??  Then whilst reading one of my little mystery thrillers, there happened to be a mention of "Pork Medallions in a Dark Chocolate Chipolte Sauce".  Now that grabbed my attention.

Tinga Poblana - A Smoky Pork and Potato Stew

 This is Potluck week at IHCC, (I Heart Cooking Clubs) and I selected a wonderful recipe from Rick Bayless out of his Authentic Mexican Cookbook.  Which, after perusing the library book with extreme covetousness, for weeks already,  I now have coming via Amazon.  My very own copy.

Mango-Lime Margarita - Happy Cinco de Mayo!!

This was meant to be a Curtis Stone Pineapple-Lime Margarita, for the IHCC Wet your Whistle theme, but all our pineapples are half-size at the moment and totally unripe.  However, and that's a ginormous however, I had one perfectly ripe and delicious mango.

Actually, had to stop myself from eating the entire thing whilst slicing it into the blender.  First of the season and sooooo good.  I love mangoes.  Plus which, with the lime and natural acidity of a pineapple, just my personal opinion, mango is much better in this drink. A really delicious concoction, garnished with kaffir lime leaves and nasturtium flower.  Only one other slight change to the recipe - no straining.  The little bits of fruit were a plus here.  Really.  It's not pure laziness, as this was not a fibrous fruit.

I enjoyed mine while trying to find a Mexican recipe that would use ingredients we have on hand.  Not always an easy thing.  Do visit I Heart Cooking Clubs and see all the lovely drinks being served up this week from Curtis Stone, our current chef in residence.

Barbacoa Tacos Chipotles Style

Tess Monaghan is In Big Trouble, actually investigating it in Laura Lippman's  book by that name.  Her search for missing boyfriend, Crow, takes her to Texas and a love/hate relationship with that state.  Loves, loves, loves the food, and hates the actual place; though she does come in the end to more of a liking, at least for San Antonio.

 Pretty funny the way she wolfs down the local specialties at every opportunity, in between tripping over dead bodies and solving some mysteries.  At one point Tess wanted to stand up in a restaurant and shout "Where has this stuff been all my life?"

If you can get through the book without getting down and cooking Mexican, or at least going out for it, you have more self-control than I do.   Actually I didn't get past page 2, where a character is having breakfast at the Alamo; coffee, barbacoa tacos and an elephant ear pastry.  Well, okaaaaay, so we had to check out those mystery (to me anyway) tacos. 

Where the work barbecue comes from apparently.  A quick search led right up to making them, with the yummy slow-cooked and pulled BBQ beef; locating an avocado, and some crema. With of course, a good recipe to start it all off.   I wanted to use my pressure cooker, not having a slow-cooker, and to cut down down on total cooking time.  In the course of said research, I discovered that Hawaii is a Chipotles deprived state.  In fact I'd never heard of the restaurant chain prior to this.  Apparently they are famous for their Barbacoa Tacos, and there are Chipotles copy cat recipes out in cyber land.  But, perhaps I should first apologize for having two beef recipes in a row on this blog.  This one is terrific though, and puts the pressure cooker to good use.  That said, here it is:

The Daring Cooks Get Corny, Chalupas and Crusty Soft-centered Spoon Bread

 I have been looking into new ways of using cornmeal this past month.  Yes we like cornmeal pancakes a lot, waffles, tamales and even Corn Dodgers, polenta is a favorite, as well cornbread.  Still, we need to get out of our boxes.

Rachael of pizzarossa was our August 2012 Daring Cook hostess and she challenged us to broaden our knowledge of cornmeal! Rachael provided us with some amazing recipes and encouraged us to hunt down other cornmeal recipes that we’d never tried before – opening our eyes to literally 100s of cuisines and 1000s of new-to-us recipes!

The first recipe I tried was for a Crusty Soft-center Spoon Bread, which I had heard of and considered making in the past.  It sounds so yummy, I guess I just needed the impetus of this challenge to forge ahead.  Turns out to be a combination of cornbread  and pudding.  I added some grated cheese to the top, and we thought it was great.

The recipe, which was from my old Joy of Cooking, will follow. 

Next came Chalupas, a fairly obscure Mexican specialty, at least where we live, and I thought they would make a good entry for this challenge.  A type of tostada from south-central Mexico, particularly the states of Puebla, Guerrero and Oaxaca, they are much easier to make than tortillas (unless you are an accomplished tortilla maker), so tortillas for the amateur.  

Kinsey's Tequila Chili Verde

What inspires my cooking varies.  Probably like most of you.  It could be the random remark someone drops about a restaurant meal, or particular dish they had, a pristine vegetable shining out from the produce bin, or a character in a book mentions a food that strikes my fancy.

For instance,  I was recently reading an old Sue Grafton novel, G is for Gumshoe.  I think she's gotten to V at this point in her alphabet murders.  Kinsey and Dietz were eating Chili Verde at a Western style restaurant, talking about how good it was, slurping juices, digging in with gusto, mopping up with fresh tortillas.  And that was it.  I had to have some.

Spicy Carnitas and Black Bean Tamales

I have long harbored a secret desire to make authentic tamales.  Not exactly sure what has stopped me before now, but given an assignment, I was more than happy to rise to the occasion.  Maranda of Jolts & Jollies was our January 2012 Daring Cooks hostess with the mostess!  Maranda challenged us to make traditional Mexican Tamales as our first challenge of the year!

The initial thing is to soak your corn husks covered with water, 3 hours or overnight.  Luckily our Natural Foods Market carries them, so no problems there.  Lard however was another issue.  I'm not into buying pork or pig by-products that come from inhumane animal factories.  Since no decent lard (almost sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it?) was locally available, I decided to use duck plus bacon fat, both of which were on hand, and thinking that a bit of duck flavor wouldn't hurt.  Actually, the only thing I wasn't that totally happy with.  It goes into the tamale dough along with some broth or water and masa harina (or corn flour - which is what I had, and they turned out super).

Tamale Pie with Cacao Sprinkles and Pina Colada Sorbet

Pineapples are making their presence known around here, so we'll be making jam and sorbet and upside down cake, salsa, but best of all is just fresh, sweet and juicy.  If it gets to be overwhelming, I make wine.  These are Hawaii's select White Pineapples - on top of the pineapple charts, ambrosia really.  I have quite a few planted, in borders, around trees and in their own patch.  Every time I pull off a top, it gets planted somewhere, so over the years the numbers keep increasing.

I thought a Pina Colada Sorbet would be just the perfect dessert Sunday after my Tamale Pie.  Coconut cream, pineapple juice, some agave nectar and a bit of rum.  Outstanding really, it was light, refreshing, and tasted just like a Pina Colada.

Dancing the Champandongo

I seem, without any real forethought, to be on a South of the Border groove.  We recently had Columbian Cassava Cake, Pork Enchaladas in Green Sauce, Chicken Molé Poblano, and now, thanks to our  Cook the Books Club, a Mexican dish called Champandongo.  Hosted this time by Deb of Kahakai Kitchen, the book selection for February/March was Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel.

Her novel is a love story, as well as a fantastical, adult fairy tale, on the order of the Brothers Grimm?  It reminded me a bit of an ancient Greek tragedy, only with more sex and magic, besides recipes, which is usually fun.  I won't go into any summaries of the story here, (there is a good one one at Cook the Books' site) just read her novel, if you haven't already.

So, for a strange tale, I thought an unusual concoction was called for here.  Something not seen on the ordinary Mexican restaurant menu, and, one I'd never made or heard of.  My research didn't turn up very much on the origin of, or alternate recipes for Champandongo.  I have three Mexican cookbooks, none of which had a mention, and my online surf came up mostly with references back to the book, and tourista restaurants in Mexico that serve it  (mainly due to the books' popularity).  Though it was described by a few as delicious, albeit ugly.  So, my challenge was to keep the deliciousness, and improve on looks, if possible.  Anyway, when you get right down to it, how lovely is a slab of steak?  Ok, without prior taste memory?

Our Cinderella heroine, Tita, makes her dish with a lot of interruptions due to family strife, and suppressed rage.  Which is interesting, because here in Hawaii, a Tita is usually a woman who doesn't suppress any of it.  In fact, you'd better watch out.  If I did that, probably half the ingredients would be either left out or mixed up.  As it is, I forgot the citrus element.

Since the amount of molé called for in this was equal to what I had remaining from my Chicken Molé Poblano, it seemed doubly appropriate to make this ASAP.   Frugal sort that I am.  Also, luckily, our local natural foods store carries queso Oaxaca, very close (maybe just in my imagination) to the queso Manchego called for in Champandongo.  Sounds like a dance, doesn't it?  Put on some salsa music while cooking.  I love all these names.  This dish has also been called a Mexican Lasagna, as it layers meats, sauce and cheese with tortillas, rather than pasta.  Directions continue after the jump.