Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Who Knew? Chile Relleno Taco

For many years the criterion on which I judged any Mexican restaurant was their chile rellenos and I would order them if they were on the menu.  Most of them were decent but none really stood out.

And then I saw the chile relleno taco at Taqueria San Juanito, the Mexican restaurant right around the corner from my new apartment.  I couldn't imagine what it could be so of course I had to order it.  I took it home along with the taco al pastor I ordered and opened it up to see what it could possibly be.

And as you can see by the photo above, it is a full chili relleno sitting on two corn tortillas.  I don't know what I was expecting - maybe some kind of deconstructed version - but there it was in all its glory.

And it was delicious.  I didn't really need the taco al pastor but it was tasty too so I ended up eating them both anyway.

I didn't know this was a thing although a friend told me she has seen it on other menus around the city.  If that is the case I am all for it.  The breading was crisp and not too greasy and the tortillas, which are hand made, were thick and soft and delicious.

If you ever see a chile relleno taco on the menu do yourself a favor and order it.  You will not be disappointed.

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Sweet Potato and Tomato Posole

I was looking for something new to do with pinto beans as it has been a while since I have used them.  I eat a lot of red lentils because they are so easy to prepare and a lot of chickpeas because I like them so much and they are so versatile.  Pinto beans, not so much.  They were ubiquitous in the parts of Texas where I grew up and until black beans arrived on the scene in the late '80s were the only beans I ever ate other than doctored up Van Camp's Pork and Beans.  (And the only reason those tasted good was because of the massive amounts of ketchup and brown sugar I added to them.)

Although I do not often cook with them, I still pretty much always have some dried pinto beans on hand and now that the weather has turned cold and soup and stew season is full upon us I decided it was time to cook some up in a nice hearty winter dish.  I had my eye on a recipe for a sweet potato and pinto bean soup that intrigued me because it called for basil, an herb with which I do not usually associate sweet potatoes and pinto beans.  So I decided to make it.

Imagine my surprise when I could not find any decent basil at any of my usual grocery stores here in Chicago in the dead of winter.  This led me to reconsider, and I decided maybe I would make that dish in the summer when there is plenty of fresh, beautiful basil on hand.

I then turned to another recipe I have been eying for a while that uses pinto beans.  The recipe actually calls for butternut squash, but I had already bought the sweet potato so I decided to go with that.

And it worked out beautifully.  I used my home-made chili powder which has no heat so I added half a teaspoon of cayenne which added the perfect amount of heat for me.  I used chicken broth since I had some in the freezer but I would normally use vegetable broth since I always have that on hand.

The relatively short cooking time leaves the flavors of each ingredient intact while at the same time bringing them all together for a bright, fresh flavor.

A batch of Skillet Cornbread provides the perfect accompaniment.  Add a green salad and you have a perfect meal.

Home Cookin Chapter: Soups and Stews
SWEET POTATO AND TOMATO POSOLE
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne, or to taste
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 15-oz can white hominy, draind and rinsed
1 lb cooked pinto beans, drained, or 1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed
diced avocado, for garnish
chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.

Add the sweet potato, broth, hominy, beans and tomatoes. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, umtil the sweet potato is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with avocado and cilantro.

adapted from Eating Well November/December 2012 http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/butternut_squash_posole.html

Exported from Home Cookin v9.73 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/homecook.php)

Monday, January 07, 2019

Baking Class: Lahmacun (Flat Bread with Lamb and Tomatoes)

Lamb and cinnamon is one of my favorite flavor combinations.  So when I came across a recipe for a flat bread with lamb and tomatoes with cinnamon (Lahmacun) in Saveur Magazine I knew I had to try it.  And it did not disappoint.  It is perfect for a light meal or snack and makes an impressive party treat.

Both the dough and the meat sauce come together easily and can be made ahead and refrigerated for a day or two.  It's a little bit of a production to roll out and top the dough but well worth it.

And as good as the sauce is on the flatbread, it would be just as good on its own over eggplant, sweet potatoes, or other vegetables.  It's a winner either way.
Home Cookin v9.73 Chapter: Breads and Muffins
LAHMACUN (FLAT BREAD WITH LAMB AND TOMATOES)
 
Sourdough Version:
72 g starter
204 g flour
1 tsp sugar
152 g water
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more

(For the non-sourdough version click here)

Topping:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 ounces ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 plum tomato, grated
1 small onion, grated
1 Tbsp dried mint

Combine the starter, flour, sugar, salt and water in a large bowl and stir to form a dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 6 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place them onto a floured baking sheet. Cover with a damp towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

While the dough is resting combine the oil, tomato paste, parsley, cayenne, cumin, paprika, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir vigorously with a fork. Add the lamb, garlic, tomatoes, onions, chilies and salt and mix well. Set aside.

Put a pizza stone or an inverted rimmed baking sheet in the bottom third of oven and heat oven to 475°.

Roll each ball of dough into a 10-inch disk. Brush off excess flour and transfer each one to a piece of parchment paper. Spoon three to four tablespoons of the topping onto the dough and using your fingers or an offset spatula, spread it evenly to the edges. Season with salt.

Hold the parchment paper by its edges and transfer it to the baking stone or upside down baking sheet. Bake until the dough is golden brown and the topping is cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

adapted from Saveur Number 132
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Flat-Bread-with-Lamb-and-Tomatoes-lahmacun

Exported from Home Cookin v9/73 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/)
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