Guacamole & Salsa; Recipe

One of the greatest pairings in food has got to be Guacamole and Salsa; they go so well with beef, pork, lamb, goat, fish and tortilla chips. Last night I made awesome steak tacos with Guacamole and Salsa that took just half an hour to make. Thanks to the legendary Diana Kennedy… Anyone can cook authentic Mexican food at home. My good friend Jay Erisman gave me her cookbook a few years ago and I have been trying her recipes ever since. Here is my modernized version of Guacamole and Salsa maintaining all of Diana’s original ingredients.

Enjoy!

Guacamole

Ingredients

3-4 Ripe avocados

1 Medium onion

2-3 Serrano chiles finely chopped

1 Large handful cilantro

Juice of one lime

1 Tsp salt or more to taste

In a blender or food processor combine quartered onion, serranos, cilantro, salt and juice of ½ lime. Blend until finely chopped. In a bowl, mash avocados with a potato masher or fork until only small chunks remain. Next add serrano, cilantro, onion and lime juice mixture. Do not add all at once; about ¾ usually is but this way we can make it to our own taste and consistency. Add remaining lime juice if needed.

Salsa

Ingredients

3-5 garden tomatoes chopped

1 medium white onion finely chopped

2-3 serrano chiles finely chopped

1 handful chopped cilantro

Juice of 1-2 limes.

1 Tsp salt- add salt to your own taste or none at all.

In a bowl combine all ingredients and let rest in the refrigerator for about ½ hour. For a more liquid salsa combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Swordfish with Grilled Pineapple Habanero Salsa; Recipe

Ingredients

Swordfish Steaks about an inch thick

Grilled Pineapple Habanero Salsa Recipe

Olive oil to coat

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. Coat swordfish steaks with olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides. Grill over medium high heat for 2-3 minute per side. Do not over cook, dry fish is terrible. Serve with Grilled Pineapple Habanero Salsa.

Grilled Pineapple and Habanero Salsa; Recipe

I came up with this recipe to accompany grilled swordfish. My friend and “Foodie” Jay Erisman makes a killer Pineapple Habanero Salsa that he brings into work for people to snack on. I make a desert called Grilled Pineapple Skewers. I married these two recipes to come up with this salsa.

Ingredients

1 Pineapple sliced in 1/2″ rings

1 Large white onion

2 Habanero peppers

1 Clove garlic minced

1 cup cilantro

Salt to taste

Grill pineapple, onion and habanero peppers until caramelized and peppers are lightly charred. Let Cool. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Pulse until chopped well. Do not over mix! Add salt to taste. Chill in refrigerator and serve with grilled seafood such as shrimp or swordfish.

Shredded Beef Tacos; Recipe

Shredded Beef Tacos; Recipe

Tacos, Tacos, Tacos! Who doesn’t love tacos? I have a love for tacos; all kinds of tacos. Steak, chicken, fish, carne adobada, lengua (beef tongue), chicharone (pork skin), chivo (goat), chorizo con juevos (sausage and egg), carnitas; you name it! Here is a simple way to enjoy tacos at home using one of my favorites cuts of beef; the versatile Chuck Roast.

Ingredients

1 Chuck Roast 2-3 pounds trimmed of excess fat

1 onion quartered

2-3 cloves garlic smashed with a knife

1/2 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

Fresh garden salsa

Fresh guacamole

lime wedges

Cilantro

Chopped serrano chilies

Homemade Hot Sauce

Corn or Flour Tortillas

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Heat a dutch oven to medium high. Salt and pepper both sides of Chuck Roast. Brown chuck roast on both sides for about 4-5 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cover half way with water. Cover and place in 325 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. After 1 1/2 hours turn over the chuck roast and return to oven. Cook chuck roast for another hour and remove to shred with two forks. Return the roast to oven uncovered for another 30 minutes. Remove after 30 minutes stir and shred the chuck roast some more and return to oven for a final 30 minutes.  The liquid should be gone leaving only the fat from the chuck roast. Remove from oven and cover. Prepare tortillas and serve with fresh salsa, guacamole, cilantro and fresh lime wedges. Add homemade hot sauce if you like a little more heat. The shredded beef should be very tender.

Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados
1 medium onion
2-3 serrano chiles finely chopped
1 Handful cilantro
Juice of one lime
1 Tsp salt or more to taste

In a blender or food processor combine quartered onion, serranos, cilantro, salt and juice of ½ lime. Blend until smooth. In a bowl, mash avocados with a potato masher or fork until only small chunks remain. Next add serrano, cilantro, onion and lime juice mixture. Do not add all at once; about ¾ usually is but this way we can make it to our own taste and consistency. Add remaining lime juice if needed.

Carnitas at Jaimes in Arandas Mexico

Salsa

3-5 garden tomatoes chopped
1 medium white
2-3 serrano chiles finely chopped
1 handful chopped cilantro.
Juice of 1-2 limes.
1 Tsp salt

In a bowl combine all ingredients and let rest in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.
For a more liquid salsa combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

Enjoying chivo tacos (roasted goat) in Ocotlan de Morelos, Oaxaca Mexico.

Chorizo Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Hot Sauce; Recipe

Chorizo Breakfast Tacos with Homemade Hot Sauce

I love Chorizo con Juevos! There are two main types of Chorizo. Chorizo from Spain is a dry cured sausage and very different from the South American Chorizo sausage most frequently cooked with eggs. Last week my friend “DP” Vasquez told me how good chorizo was in fried potatoes. At the same moment I had an epiphany remembering the failed skillet burritos from McDonald’s. I’m gonna do my own breakfast skillet tacos with homemade hot sauce!

Ingredients

4 Ounces Mexican chorizo

I like this brand because it comes in 3 4oz servings.

1 Small red potato cut into half inch pieces

1 Egg scrambled in a bowl

2 Ounces chopped onion

2 Ounces chopped bell pepper

1-2 Ounces olive oil

2 Flour or 4 corn tortillas

Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe

Black pepper to taste

Start the Chorizo and Potatoes at the same time in separate skillets. I use a small non stick pan for the chorizo.

Heat a skillet or non stick pan over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook breaking up the chorizo as it cooks. Remove from heat to add to the cooked potatoes.

Heat a skillet to medium high (just over medium). Add olive oil first then potatoes and season with black pepper. DO NOT ADD SALT; your potatoes will stick if you add salt and there is plenty of salt in the chorizo. Fry potatoes until golden on both sides. Add onions and bell peppers and cover. When onions and bell peppers are almost done add cooked chorizo. Cook covered for several minutes. Add beaten egg to potatoes and cook until the egg is done and incorporated into the potatoes. Serve in warm tortillas. I like to heat my tortillas in a cast iron skillet for about 30 seconds a side. This recipe calls for the use of two burners so the microwave will do just fine.

Top the tacos with some good hot sauce.

Makes 2 Tacos

Wooooooooo!

Chorizo con Huevos Mexican Breakfast

Chorizo con Huevos! MMMMMM!

Chorizo con Huevos; Scrambled eggs with Mexican Sausage

Breakfast couldn’t be any easier! There are two main types of Chorizo; European and Latin American. In Mexico Chorizo is uncooked and cased like a sausage. In Europe Chorizo is a hard smoked sausage. We are using the Mexican style here, fragrant and mildly spicy with clove and chilies.

Ingredients

I like this brand because it comes in 3 4oz servings.

4-6corn tortillas

4-oz Mexican Chorizo

2-3 scrambled eggs

Mexican hot sauce

 

Fry Chorizo over medium heat until fully cooked breaking it up with spatula. Add beaten eggs or scramble eggs in pan with Chorizo.

Microwave 4-6 corn tortillas wrapped in a paper towel for 45-60 seconds.

Use two tortillas for each taco and top with the salsa of your choice. I think it took me about 10 minutes to make this, maybe less.

Enjoy!

Mexican Grill: “Arrachera & Carne Adobada”

Trimming my Arrachera at Carneceria Jimenez Chicago, IL.

Arrachera a La Parilla (Grilled Skirt Steak)

2 pounds skirt steaks with silver skin removed. Most Mexican carnecerias will put your skirt steaks through a tenderizing machine for you.

½ cup vinegar

1 clove garlic minced

½ teaspoon Goya Adobo con Pimienta

Preheat the grill to high.

Cut skirt steaks into single serving size, about 4 ounces.

Combine vinegar garlic and adobo and steaks in a large bowl and let marinate for 15-20 minutes

Oil grates and grill steaks for 2-3 per side

Serve immediately, accompanied by the tortillas, guacamole, and salsa, wrapping the steaks and condiments in the tortillas.

Carne Adobada

6 guajillo chiles or ¼ cup pure chile powder
½ cup white vinegar, distilled
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
1 piece pork loin, boneless or tenderloin,
8 corn tortillas (6 inches)

Tear the chiles open and remove the veins and seeds. Soak the chiles in the vinegar for 30 minutes, or until soft.

Combine the chiles, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves in a blender and process until smooth.

Cut the pork loin into thin 1/4-inch pieces. Pound each piece with a meat hammer until flat. Combine pork with the adobo mixture in a baking dish. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 4 to 6 hours.

Preheat the grill to high.

When ready to grill, oil the grill grate. Grill pork turning with tongs, until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Grill Tortillas for about 20-30 seconds per side and place in aluminum foil or covered bowl.

Serve immediately, accompanied by the tortillas, guacamole, and salsa, wrapping the pork and condiments in the tortillas.

Finished Carne Adobada.

Guacamole

4 ripe avocados
1 medium onion
2-3 serrano chiles finely chopped
1 Handful cilantro
Juice of one lime
1 Tsp salt or more to taste

In a blender or food processor combine quartered onion, serranos, cilantro, salt and juice of ½ lime. Blend until smooth. In a bowl, mash avocados with a potato masher or fork until only small chunks remain. Next add serrano, cilantro, onion and lime juice mixture. Do not add all at once; about ¾ usually is but this way we can make it to our own taste and consistency. Add remaining lime juice if needed.

Salsa

3-5 garden tomatoes chopped
1 medium white onion finely chopped
2-3 serrano chiles finely chopped
1 handful chopped cilantro.
Juice of 1-2 limes.
1 Tsp salt

In a bowl combine all ingredients and let rest in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.
For a more liquid salsa combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.