Weave a Thousand Flavors

Pescado a la Veracruzana ~ Fish Veracruz-Style

Pescado à la veracruzana is one of the most famous seafood dishes from Veracruz on the Caribbean coast of eastern Mexico. Though Mexico is traditionally a Meso-American cuisine, there is a tremendous Spanish influence in the food ever since Spanish conquered the Aztec empire.

The ingredients and seasonings in this dish personify this strong Spanish influence. It is a real favorite in our home and with the ease of preparation and delicious flavors and makes an excellent candidate for a weeknight meal or  when company is over.

Traditonally this dish is made with huachinango or red snapper fillets and the Veracruz sauce features Manzanella - Spanish green olives, jalapeños, and capers. It is incredible how a handful of flavors come together to create a incredibly flavorful & delicious sauce that is Veracruzana all the way.

As you know, red snapper is not what you call an economical fish and can cost a pretty packet! But don't let that put you off, I use grouper fillets all the time just like I have today and it turns out wonderfully. I prefer to reserve the red snapper fillets for when company is over.

If you love fish, I urge you to give this a go. I know that you'll enjoy this refreshing & beautifully flavored dish as much as we do.

Mexican Style Spicy Chicken Bites with Mole Dipping Sauce

With Super Bowl Sunday around the corner (Feb 3, 2013 to be precise),  I cannot in all good conscience leave you without these delicious chicken bites - ancho chile, cumin and citrus marinated chicken strips served with a creamy chocolate & chipotle chile Mole sauce.

Mole is pronounced mo-lay btw and has nothing to do with tiny furry animals.

This quintessential American phenomenon called Super Bowl is THE biggest game in American sports and will have over 163 million American rooted to their couches in front of their ginormous teles for the better part of Sunday night. That number just happens to be more than half this country's population!

Super Bowl Sunday is as much about the food, the booze, the commercials as it is about the game.

For those outside the U.S, who feel the need to be educated will find all their burning questions answered here - 2013 Super Bowl - Super Bowl XLVII - NFL.com

It just so happens that my attempt to get Thursday night dinner on the table this week throwing some chicken thighs together resulted in a major 'aha moment'.

Using staple Mexican spices to create a dry rub for the chicken and adding lime and orange for zest, resulted in mouthwatering, flavor infused chicken bites. A chocolatey Mole sauce seemed to be the perfect way to counterbalance the heat with a sweet and luscious dipping sauce.

I know this recipes comes just in the nick of time but some things are just better late than never!

Albondigas de Camarones ~ Mark Miller's Mexican Style Shrimp & Corn Dumpling Soup

Every culture has its dumplings to rave about.

Albondigas de Camarones from Mexican cuisine is an example of some of the finest. In fact I'll go so far as to say, it is one of this cuisines finest soups.

Fresh shrimp combines with succulent corn, Mexican oregano and cinnamon to make  delicate yet instensely flavored meatballs. This is then poached in a soup potent with clam juice, stock, tomatoes and the incomparable flavor of chipotle peppers.

All in all, though it makes a great addition to the winter table, the flavors are so refreshing that I can see it being a soup for all seasons. I also love the fact that it is light and not as heavy on the belly as it's meatier compadres.

I have been eyeing this recipe by Mark Miller for a very long time. For those of you who have been with me a while know that I have been a fan of Mark Miller ever since I have been a teenybopper in pig tails.

So with a plethora of Albondigas de Camarones dotting the blogosphere, it should come as no surprise that his is the one I'd gravitate towards. His techqniques follow time honored culinary traditions tempered with a healthy respect for creative liberties & modern twist. A concept, I for one admire and mirror in my own kitchen.

So without further ado, Albondigas de Camarones ~

Mouthwatering Spicy Caribbean Jerk Chicken

I think you will agree that for most part I cook yummy things.

But here is a first - even for me!

So tantalizing was this chicken when it came out of the oven that I promptly sat down on the table, served the kids and dug in. I also forgot to call Mr. Hubby to dinner  & just started eating. It was only when Mr. Hubby walked over to the table and said "What are you doing? I thought you were blogging this - what no pics?" that I went "Oh C**p, I FORGOT to blog this and too late for final pics"!

Now, I have been making a recipe for Jerk Chicken for years but one twist, thanks to my friend Zibi, sent this chicken to a whole new dimension i.e. the addition of green onions. Seriously, that was the magic that had me finger licking the marinade the night before and resulting in a chook so delicious that I forgot all about blogging.

And any dish that makes me forget about blogging, should have all of you running to the supermarket!

Now.

ALFAJORES De Dulce De Leche Cookies from Argentina

Meet Argentina's favorite street food - Alfajores.

Think Buttery Shortbreads Sandwiched with Caramel & Rolled in Coconut Flakes

Though there are many variations of this cookie all throughtout South America, the most common fillings are chocolate, dulce de leche & jam. As Dulce de Leche goes, you can of course go the super market route but  as it's all the better home made.

How to make dulce de leche at home? Follow the cooked can method in one of my previous posts. You can make one can at a time but why bother when they'll keep for a long time in the pantry, unopened or refrigerated.

I first got hooked to these darlings as we continued to frequent our favorite Argentinian  gelato place Dolcezza in Georgetown Washington D.C for their superlative gelatos, coffees and of course Alfajores. Just so you know, Argentinian gelato varies from it's Italian cousin in that's its creamier and made without eggs.

These cookies are all the rage during the holidays of course but since when do you need an excuse to enjoy these treats? These are even better when dunked in dulce de leche as you enjoy them with your cuppa.

That's what we've been doing all Sunday afternoon!

Smokin' NOT Hot 'POSOLE ROJA' ~ A Rich & Smoky Mexican Pork Stew with Chiles & Hominy Corn

To welcome the joy of a thick, rich steaming bowl of Pozole (pronounced po-zo-lay) in your life you'd have to get rid of one important presumption that,

Chiles are hot

In most of Asia this holds true. If a chilli ain't hot, why bother!

It's only when you've been accquainted with the Southwestern and Mexican chiles like Guajillo, Anjo, Chipotle & Casabel that the opposite holds true - these chiles are smoky, rich and complex not hot.

At the heart of a great Pozole is a dried chile paste which gives it a thick texture, vibrant color and unforgettable earthy aroma. Here I've used dried Guajillo peppers that have been soaked in boiling water, turned into a fine paste and added into the simmering stewed pork. To this add the incredibly flavorful kernels of Hominy corn and you have an exquisite Pozole.

Guajillo chiles (pronounced Gwaa-hillo) are the backbone of Mexican-style cooking lending their classic smoky, rich and complex flavors to any dish. Especially fantastic with pork, these chiles have a 'heat reading' of 6000 scoville units.

Hominy corn is dried maize kernels that are treated and are available in cans in Latino or Mexican grocery stores.

Where to buy dried Chiles?

I buy all my chiles at Penzeys Spices and can vouch for their quality but feel free to shop at your neigbourhood Mexican/Latino stores.

Thank goodness for my years in the Southwestern USA where I learned so much about Mexican and southwestern cuisines I hope you'll find comfort from a cold blustery evening in the welcoming bowl of Pozole.

Dangerously Good ~ Cantina Carnitas, Soft Tacos & Pico De Gallo

When it comes to some eats I suffer from a predilection of culinary snobbery. For those of us who lived or have for any length of time lived it those states of the US that abut the Mexican border, we've had the opportunity to taste some seriously good Mexican grub.

Not the kind that is regularly dished out to the unsuspecting folk in other parts of the world but the kind available in little cantinas, barrios and little abuela-owned hole-in-the-wall places. You know the kind that is just an ordinary eatery in places like Nogales from where you can see Mexican sprawl in your line of sight.

So you will forgive me when I don't jump up and down in glee when you suggest we go for 'Mexican' in let's say - Maine. I mean no offense but I wouldn't dream of getting lobster rolls in Arizona - so there, we're even!

Now before I offer you the recipe for some of the very best Carintas you will ever chow down, let me explain something. There is no true and blue recipe for Carnitas - it's a recipe that has evolved naturally with each family adding their own special twist. I know families who marinate theirs in orange juice, many in beer, some loaded with hot serrano chiles and some who barely spice theirs at all.

But one thing remains the same in all these recipes is the method of cooking the pork that renders it so tender and then finished to a beautiful mahogany brown. I have known many families to cook their pork and then fry it up in lard which is actually  the traditional way.

My Carnitas has evolved over our time spent in the Southwest. And I won't tweak it, change it or mess with it for all the Dos Equis in the world. The pork is spiced, marinated in beer overnight and then slow cooked for about 6 hours. Once shredded, I add no additional fat and saute it in its own juices till the meat is a rich mahogany brown.

The meat is served over griddle warmed corn tortillas with a touch of ghee  (oh yes! clarified butter has been used traditonally for a very long time) - double layers of corn tortillas to soak up the juices of course!

Finally topped with Pico De Gallo - what makes mine dangerously good? In additon to the usual ingredients of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapenos, the trio of -lime, beer, & sugar work their magic and takes this Pico De Gallo to a whole other level. 

Pork butt is the meat of choice which by the way has nothing to do with piggy bottom. It's rather the upper portion of the shoulder.

Enough talk - it's time to put the Carnitas where the mouth is!

A Cake of Three Milks - Tres Leches Cake from Latin America

Also known as Pastel Tres Leches or Pan Tres Leches in Spanish, this cake consists of a sponge cake which is then soaked in three milks - evaporated milk, condensed milk and heavy cream. Thus the name, the Cake of Three Milks. The texture of the cake is not soggy even though it is soaked overnight in milk.

My years in India, Australia and Singapore, I was completely oblivious of the existence of this cake and pretty much most foods from Latin America. Needless to say, two decades ago, latin foods had not yet reached the far corners of the world on Main street. This is almost impossible to comprehend in today's world, a world shrunk to the size of a peanut sometimes it seems.

So my first introduction to spoonfuls of this heavenly cake took place about five years ago at potluck at my son's martial arts dojo and as I heard the Sensei go into vivid detail about how she spent all this time fixing it and soaking it and what have you, I remember walking away with not only the delicious flavor but a heavy dose of apprehension and overwhelmingness that pretty much translated to "Yah, like I'm ever going to make that!"

Safely, said that was the last time any thought was given to Tres leches for a long long time. And then, Alton Brown happened to the food Network and his recipe changed everything. First of all, in his quirky laid back way, he took all the ouchie away from the whole process and as I heard him talk about it all I heard was - "Make a cake, soak it in milk, whip up the cream, smear the cake and voila - done"

And I thought, now this I can do!

So thank you Alton Brown for this wonderful recipe. I have made two additions (what did you expect?) and quite honestly I won't have it any other way - adding ground cinnamon and nutmeg and reducing the amount of suagr used in the topping. In my book, Tres leches just went from great to fantabulous!

So though I'm not done looking for the next frontier in tres leches, here's step one on that ladder!