"Flautas" - "Taquitos de Pollo"

Hi everybody! Here I am with another recipe to share with you! This is a very simple (and really really good!) recipe.

It's basically "chicken taquitos" but what matters is that not only it is simple to make but regardless (or because of) its simplicity it is just delicious!

I have already explained that tacos (in Mexico) do not have a "specific recipe" we call taco ANY FOOD that goes in a tortilla (flour or corn) -we just specify if it's flour or corn tortilla but they are still both tacos! we do not use HARD SHELLS in Mexico, those "pre-folded" kind of nacho shells are an American invention (not saying  is a bad invention) just not an Authentic one. So if you have tortillas in your refrigerator and even put just "onions" in it... that is already a "taco" just a "taco de cebolla" (onion taco) and I am not sure it would become very popular... but it complies with the requirements to be a taco... because it is food that goes in a tortilla... so... anyway... "Taquitos de Pollo" (also known as flautas) are VERY VERY popular in Mexico and as any other dish in Mexico there are many versions of it... so here is mine:

Makes 12 taquitos (this is usually enough for 2-3 people, one person eats 4 to 6 of these tacos)
Ingredients:
- 2 (or 3 if they are too small) cooked (boiled) and shredded chicken breasts (boil them in enough water to cover them, add salt to the water about 3 tsp. and 1/2 white onion) discard the onion and just use the meat.
- 12 corn tortillas (buy good ones, "La Banderita" is a good option, "Tia Rosa Corn Tortillas" are ok too, the best I've found are the "Fiesta" Tortillas made in their tortilleria but I don't know if there is one of those stores by you)
- 1/2 white onion
- 1/3 iceberg lettuce or 1 romaine heart of lettuce (thinly sliced)
- 1 whole red tomato (or 2 roma tomatoes)
- Crema Mexicana (Mexican Table Cream)
- Salt to taste
- Oil to fry (about 1/2 cup)

Directions:
- Warm up the tortillas (if using the microwave warm them up using paper towel in between each tortilla) and just for about 25 seconds. If using the stove just use a flat pan to warm them up (both sides) and until they are warm all the way through. This makes them easier to handle/bend/roll (even if they cool off a little while they are being filled)

- Fill them with some of the chicken and roll them tightly (place them all on a plate firmly arranged next to each other so they remain rolled)

- Warm up a non stick pan and add part of the oil (about 12 of it) until it is VERY HOT (also add a little bit of salt the oil), place the taquitos there (one by one, carefully with the seam down) once they fry on one side they will easily stay rolled because they harden. You can place as many taquitos as you want at a time, because the fact that they are close to each other helps them keep their shape but if you want to do two or three at a time is ok, just make sure they fry all the way around (turn them while they fry so they don't burn and cook evenly) They should be hard and crunchy... they should keep their shape if held from one side only. (use more of the oil if necessary, they should be fried in the oil all the way around) Look at the pics:

Place them on a plate lined with paper towel to get rid of any excess of the oil.

Plate them (4-6 on a plate) and garnish them with the onions, lettuce and tomatoes) -in that order- add some of the table cream on top of them (and sprinkle with a pinch of salt if necessary for the garnish). These go AWESOME with sliced avocado and green salsa but I had none when I made them, so if you have a good avocado at hand go ahead and try it on these.

Provecho!

Paloma

Pollo con rajas poblanas / Chicken with poblano pepper slices

I guess there is not an accurate translation for the name of this Mexican dish, at least not one that sounds appealing... or is short enough... so anyway... this Chicken with poblano pepper slices is a VERY MEXICAN dish! You can have it on its own or in corn tortillas to makee tacos! I love this in tacos! They are great if you have a big party and you have many people coming over, just have your corn tortillas (or even flour) ready and warm so everyone gets a big spoonful in their own tortilla! They will love it!

Have I ever told you how wonderful poblano peppers are? I just love them!!! They have such a rich and at the same time mild flavor, there is heat in them, obviously, but there is also some sweetness to them that gives any dish a very unique and special taste! I love Poblano Peppers! And when they are roasted directly on the flames they are soooo good!  I think "Poblano Peppers" are my very favorite.

Since I do not have FIRE ON MY STOVE right now... I have to roast them in my electric oven, to do so I just line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, place the previously washed (and pat dried) whole poblano peppers on top and bake them in a pre-heated oven at 450F.
 

 I check them after 6 minutes, turn them to the other side and leave them there for 6 more minutes and that's it! You have perfectly roasted poblano peppers. I found that even when I like my poblano peppers roasted directly on the fire of my stove top it has been pretty convenient to roast them in the oven, the flavor is definitely still there and the "peeling" part of it is much easier (plus the chilies roast more evenly).

How to peel and seed poblano peppers:

First of all I suggest you use latex gloves when dealing with any kind of pepper (unless it's just the nice and innocent green bell pepper), once you have roasted your poblano peppers you have to immediately put them inside a bag of plastic so they "sweat" and the peel becomes easier to remove, (besides their temperature won't be so hot once they have been in the bag for a little bit and that will make them easier to handle)

 ... If you are going to use your peppers to make "chiles rellenos" then you have to be very careful when you remove the seeds/veins, making sure you use a harp knife to open them on one side and then with your fingers remove all the seeds and as much as you can of the veins without tearing them anywhere else.

If you are going to slice your peppers (like we will be doing in our recipe below) you don't have to be so careful with them (still treat them nicely so the flesh is nice and not mushy and your slices are as "even" as possible) and you can remove the seeds/veins with your hands or a knife.

So... here is the recipe:

Pollo con Rajas Poblanas (Chicken with Poblano Pepper slices)

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
  
• 1/2  white onion (chopped)
  
• 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
• 2 cups of fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 chicken bouillion cube
• 1/4 cup (more or less) of milk (to adjust thickness of the sauce)
• 6 Roasted, Peeled and Seeded Poblano Peppers (Please follow the instructions on the post above to roast, peel and seed the peppers) - cut in slices. (each slice should be about 1/2")
• 2 Cooked and Shredded Chicken breasts
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

Directions:

- Melt the butter in a pretty wide skillet, I use a non-stick one, you can use a cast iron too or even a paella pan.
- Sautee the onion until it's translucent. Add the garlic and sautee with the onion for approximately 15 seconds stirring constantly (make sure it does not burn)
- Add the corn and cook in med-low heat for about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper (use less salt than you usually would because the chicken bouillion will add more salt to this dish)

- Add the cream cheese, cream and mix until it begins to form a creamy sauce (add milk to adjust thickness if necessary, just about 1/4 - 1/2 cup not more)

 - Bring to a boil and turn down the heat to low, add the chicken bouillion cube, stir so it blends with the cream. Add the poblano pepper slices and chicken. Toss it all in the pan making sure everything is covered by the cream. Cover and keep cooking for about 5 more minutes.

  
- Remove from the heat and top with the mozzarella cheese if desired.

You can have rice as a side for this dish and lettuce/tomato/pepino salad or you can have it as the perfect filling to make tacos with corn tortillas! I know it's a lot of work involved in this, but it's pretty simple to make once you get used to the whole roasting/peeling/seeding part... Besides, the flavor it's indescribable! Trust me! You have to try this!

Enjoy!!!!

Paloma.

Fire in my food - Chicken and mushrooms in a Chipotle cream sauce

Hello everyone, as most of you know (if you read this blog) I now lack the basic fire every Mexican needs on our stoves... but... I still have the fire in my heart and in my food! So... yes, I wasn't happy when we had to lose our gas stove and start using an electric one but had to wipe my tears and move on! right??

I have been happy that with my new gained attitude I've also gained confidence with my cooking with "electricity" ... so I have been busy in my kitchen and here it is one of my latest meals I thought I should share with you ... I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Chicken and mushrooms in a Chipotle Cream Sauce: (2 or 3 servings, depending on the size of the chicken breast and the size of your appetite)

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breast (no bones, no skin) sliced vertically in thin (about 1/2 inch) strips
• 4 oz. fresh white (or baby portobello) mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• about 3 oz philadelphia cream cheese
• 2 chipotle peppers (from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce) you can use more or less depending on how you handle the heat, taste a little bit first, start with one, taste it and adjust. I use about 1 1/2 so it's enjoyable and still has a kick!
• 2 tbsp. butter (unsalted)
• Milk (as needed, not help the sauce get the right consistency and thin it if needed)
• Salt and black pepper to taste.
• 1/2 chicken bouillion cube
• 1/2 clove of garlic

(Here is my can of chipotle peppers)

Directions:

- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper (use less salt than you usually would because the chicken bouillion adds salt too and you don't want it to be salty... so taste as you cook)
- Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, once the butter is melted and warm enough cook the chicken strips there, don't stir, just place the stripes on the skillet, cook them 5 minutes on one side (making sure they cook at least 1/2 way through)  - cook uncovered-
- Turn the chicken strips on the other side and add the mushrooms slices, cook for 3 more minutes -your chicken should have a beautiful not too light not too dark golden color on both sides - make sure the mushrooms cook as evenly as possible.
- While the chicken cooks (or you can make the sauce previously to not be in any hurries) you can make the sauce, put the heavy cream, creem cheese, chipotle pepper, some milk (about 1/4 cup), garlic and chicken bouillion in the blender, blend until it looks like a creamy sauce.
- Pour it over the chicken once the chicken has cooked making sure it covers everything, mix it and let it stir for about 5 minutes in low heat to make sure it all gets the flavor, if the sauce is too thick you can adjust with a little more milk, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary (a little more salt or black pepper as you prefer)

I serve it next to a white rice with vegetables and butter and a fresh lettuce/tomato salad.

Buen provecho!

Paloma.

Chicken fajitas tacos

It's been a while since I last posted here, but I am back and I hope I'll be posting more often!

Today I will share a recipe of very very easy chicken fajitas, you can make tacos with them with corn or flour tortilla (I used flour tortilla this time)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast (skinless, boneless) and cut to make about 8 smaller pieces.
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil.
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
•  Salt and ground pepper to taste (I use Kosher Salt)
• 3 bell peppers (1 green, 1 yellow, 1 red), remove veins/seeds and make thin slices.
• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 8 flour tortillas (6-inch) or 12 regular corn tortillas
• Fresh chopped cilantro (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup sour cream, for serving.
• 2 limes (cut one in wedges and the other one just cut by half)

Directions

1. Heat broiler on High, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Arrange chicken on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil; rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until chicken is opaque throughout, 7 - 9 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.
   
2. On another rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, toss peppers, onion, garlic, and remaining tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender and slightly dark in some of their edges (charred),  about 8 minutes.
   
3. Meanwhile, thinly slice chicken crosswise. Warm up the tortillas on a comal (flat griddle or pan) on medium high, making sure they don't toast but they warm up all the way through (about 35 seconds  each side). Transfer chicken and "roasted peppers" to a platter, and serve on tortillas, garnish with cilantro, sour cream and some drops of the halved lime plus lime wedges on the side.
   
   Provecho!
   
   Paloma.
   

MOLE!!!

Hola amigos! I know you are probably thinking the title for this post is weird.... but do not worry, I will not write about lumps on the skin or about an infiltrated person in a team or anything like that.... I am talking about MOLE SAUCE (Mole is pronounced like... hmmm, like "mo- as in moment" and "-le as in legs")

There are many different kinds of "MOLE" in Mexico, and some of them are nothing at all like the rest (sometimes I even wonder why they are called mole), but I would say the most popular MOLE is "Mole Poblano", it takes its name from its state of origin "Puebla" and it is such a delicious dish, you have to TRY IT! and that's the type of mole I will focus on today.

When my mom and grandma' were here these past weeks (Yes, they are already gone and I am missing them so much!) they made "mole con pollo" (mole with chicken) .... Mole Poblano is a combination of chilies, spices, nuts, seeds and chocolate, it is such a rich sauce! but it requires too many ingredients and time to make it from scratch (which of course is the best), But I must say I have never made mole from scratch... Now, there are many brands that offer good "MOLE", basically the "paste" and you can just "make it your own" by adding some little touches that will make it more "homemade like".

The Brand I suggest you to use is: "Doña Maria"

That would be the base for the sauce.

To make your own "Pollo con mole" you will need:

Ingredients:

1. 2 pounds of chicken (legs and thighs)
2. 1/2 white onion
3. 2 cloves of garlic
4. 2 tbsp. of salt
5. 1 cup of Mole Dona Maria (the whole container of 8.25 oz)
6. 1 slice of bread (white or even 1/2 hot dog or hamburger bun)
7. Approx. 2 oz. of chocolate (chocolate "abuelita", "ibarra" or "Goya" -those are the brands to use-)
8. 1/2 tsp. sugar
9. 2 tbsp. chunky peanut butter
10. 1 pinch of salt, ground black pepper and garlic powder

Directions:

Put the chicken in enough water (2 inches of water over the top of the chicken), add the 1/2 white onion, cloves of garlic and 2 tbsp. salt, cook it all together until the chicken is cooked (no pink juices running).

While the chicken cooks, fry the slice of bread in some vegetable oil and set aside, it should be just a little golden, separately fry the chocolate just for a little bit (about 2 mins).

Once the chicken is cooked, use 2 cups of the liquid of the chicken and blend it with the rest of the ingredients (mole paste, bread, chocolate, sugar, peanut butter,  pinch of salt, black pepper and garlic powder)

Put the sauce in a big pan, start the low fire until it starts bubbling, add 2 more cups of the liquid of the chicken and the pieces of chicken until it all starts bubbling, make sure the chicken legs and thighs all get covered by the sauce. (note: If it is too thick you can add one 1/2 to 1 cup of water to it)

Done! You have "Mole Poblano" right in your kitchen!

Serve hot with rice and refried beans or lettuce salad. Have corn tortillas to go with it too!

If you are enjoying this blog... share it with others... tell your friends about it.... I am really trying to share about Mexican cuisine... 

Provecho!

Paloma.

Tostadas de Pollo

Hola amigos! I just want to give a quick update from my very Mexican Kitchen.... which is even more Mexican now that my mom and grandma' are here spending some days with us!

I haven't cooked anything! but I am still eating real Mexican food! From tostadas to a potato/carrot soup, it's been great! So I thought I should share a "Chicken Tostadas" recipe with all of you...

There are different ways to make chicken tostadas, these are the ones we had last week:

Ingredients:
(for 4-6 people)
- Corn Tostadas (12)
- 1/2 a can of Refried Pinto Beans (these brands are easy to find in USA and they are very good: "La Preferida", "Goya" "Adelita" "La Costena" "La Sierra"
- Cooked and shredded chicken (you can use leg quarters or chicken breast, or even mix the two) approx. 2 pounds. (just boil your chicken with enough water, salt, 1/2 white onion and 3 whole cloves of garlic, once it is cooked, let it cool a little so you can handle it and shred it)
- 3 red tomatoes (chopped or thinly sliced)
- chopped (in stripes I would say, julianne) lettuce (about 1/2 a lettuce, or more)
- 1/2 big white onion (chopped)
- 4 oz. queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese, it's not too hard to find) (crumbled, you can easily crumble it with your fingers)
- 1 thinly sliced avocado (1 big avocado or 2 small ones)
- Mexican style sour cream (if you can not find Mexican style sour cream just use more queso fresco)
- Salsa verde (optional)
- Salt to taste

Directions:

- Spread a thin layer of the refried beans on all of your tostadas
- Add the shredded chicken (equally on all the tostadas)
- add the rest of the vegetables (lettuce first, then avocado, onions, tomatoes)
- Add the crumbled queso fresco and then each person can add the sour cream and salsa.
- Add a pinch of salt to each tostada on top and voila! You are set to go to have a wonderful Mexican meal!

Today we will be having "POLLO CON MOLE" for lunch... I will share the recipe with all of you soon! So, stay connected!

Provecho

Paloma.

Carne Asada

Good morning everyone! As I promised, I will share with you our "Sunday Dinner".... It was "Carne Asada" (Grilled meat).

For us, Mexicans, Grilling or BBQing is a WHOLE experience, it has to do with the open flames, the flavors and the aromas, forget about GAS GRILLS! (Gas is for our stoves), to grill we use charcoal or MESQUITE wood (among other types of wood) but never gas... In Mexico we can grill pretty much everything. Grilling takes us back to our very origins; actually, even when Mexico has very modern cities, like Monterrey, (which by the way got hit really badly by Hurricane Alex) many places are proud to offer really "old fashioned" and GOOD cooking, and it's all done over the open flame, Monterrey is actually known for its famous "Cabrito" (baby goat), usually cooked on a stick, directly over the fire, it is just DELICIOUS!

So, as Mexicans, we basically grill whatever we have available, from vegetables, tortillas, cheese, beans, fish or any other meats, the specialties vary from State to State (and sometimes from city to city)

So, on Sunday, hubby and I had friends over (a wonderful couple with beautiful kids!) and we decided to grill out, whenever I say "let's grill out", hubby still thinks of hamburgers and brats, but he is getting used to my grilling... Our grill isn't as big as I'd like it to be, so we are kind of limited by the space and time, but hopefully we will get one big (never gas) grill soon!

This was our menu

Guacamole
Grilled banana peppers stuffed with queso fresco (Mexican style cheese)
Chicken
Thinly sliced sirloin steaks
Mexican Chorizo
Salsa verde, pico de gallo
Grilled onions
Tortillas
and glass bottled coke (imported from Mexico)

Forgive my "fine china" I am using mostly disposable stuff to avoid the load of dishes, I don't feel like washing much stuff lately

All the ingredients we needed we got at "El Rey" a Mexican Supermarket close to our house, you can find the "Mexican coke" there too... it's not expensive and it does taste different (way better) than the American Coke (which I wonder why).

For dessert we had a very American Apple Pie (baked in a bag) we got at wonderful store The Elegant Farmer about 30 mins. away from home, they are the proud holders of the title of the "Best Pie in America" and some coffee (which I didn't drink, I just can't drink coffee yet...)

Please stay connected... I will be sharing in the following days the recipes so you can have this same menu the next time you grill.... and you will have a very authentic and really Mexican GUACAMOLE (no taco mix, no sour cream, no garlic powder!)

Provecho!

Paloma.