Guacamole (Goowah - Caw - Moe - leh)

Every Mexican family has their own rendition of Guacamole, and this one is mine. This one does not even come close to what my Mother, Grandma, and Aunt used to do... (Come to think of it, I don't think this is even close to how my SISTER makes hers...)

It is very important that the ingredients be fresh and at their peak of ripeness. The main ingredient in Guacamole is avocado.

Choose the rough textured dark green skin Haas variety. Haas avocados have a buttery texture to them. The large green smooth skin variety from Florida simply will not do. These are rather fibrous and watery and to me, taste more like grass.
You will need the following tools and ingredients:

A large bowl for mixing and presentation
I like to use my 7" Santoku Knife for cutting, chopping, and dicing.
5 Very ripe medium-size Avocados, peeled and pits removed
1 Medium size ripe Red Tomato, seeded and diced.
1/2 Cup or one small White Onion diced.
2 fresh Jalapeño Chiles, roasted, skinned, seeded and finely minced.
1 tspn dried Mexican Oregano crumbled
1 tspn dried Cumin
1/2 tspn Chile Powder
1 tspn minced Garlic
1 tspn Basil Pesto (Optional)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley
A fork or spoon for folding and combining
A Lime juicer hand thingie... (technical, huh?)
3 TSpns fresh Lime juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

We had company drop in so this quick guacamole was almost literally "thrown" together.

I normally organize everything prior to assembling any dish.

You can see the finely chopped white onion in the bowl, minced garlic on the cutting  board. Ready to be chopped are: An extra large jalapeño, two of five Haas Avocados, 1 Roma tomato, my jar of basil pesto sits patiently ready to be used...

Let's do more...

...Okay...

The minced garlic, the finely chopped jalapeño, and the red Roma tomato are now in the bowl as well...

Let's not stop now...

We're almost there...

Next we add Avocados, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley, and the Basil Pesto.

Now we add the spices and begin to combine the ingredients in the bowl with a large spoon.

I have my handy lime juicer thingie at the ready

...you'll be surprised at how quick this process actually goes.

Let's not stop now...

Oh alright.  I admit it... I HAD to show off my lime juicer thingie...

It's a great tool!

...okay...

Let's finish this...

....Where did it go???

This almost disappeared before I came out of the kitchen!

YUM!

If you cover and let this sit in the refrigerator about twenty minutes the flavors will have time to combine. Do NOT add the salt until just before serving. Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy...


You now have one of the best Guacamole recipes ever. BUT... feel free to adjust this to YOUR liking.


Recipes are only a guide. You can add or take away anything that does not appeal to you.

This is very rich in spices and heavy on the Avocado as well...
¡Buen Procecho!

MEXICAN RICE (ARROZ MEXICANO)

Hola!

Most people will call this Spanish Rice...  Why?  Spain is like across the Atlantic Ocean. The majority of the ingredients in this delicious dish come from here. The America's. Doesn't that sound elegant? THE America's! Makes me proud...  anyway, this is one of THE basic dishes that is usually a side dish unless you want to make it a skillet dinner by adding roasted chicken. If you do that it becomes Arroz con Pollo, or Chicken with Rice. The variations are as endless as your imagination...

I remember my mom preparing this dish at least twice a week. Sometimes three times a week. It was my father's favorite. Full of flavor. Filling. Inexpensive. And quick.

Mom would start the dinner meal around 4:30 in the afternoon... She would head to the kitchen. Grab her colorful apron so as not to soil her Moo-Moo... (which was also colorful). She would then turn on the radio to her favorite Mexican station KUNO and would listen to the music her favorite singer, Pedro Infante... Where ever I was in the house, I'd come to the kitchen and help her. I loved to listen to her sing. She had a very soft and gentle soprano voice. It's funny but to this very day, if I hear Pedro Infante's music, I can smell tortillas on the griddle... It's a very warm and tender memory for me...

You will need the following ingredients and tools to prepare this delicious dish:

1 Tspn  Olive Oil (Extra Virgin Organic)
1 ½ Cups White Long Grain Rice
1 tspn Garlic (minced)
½ Large Pickled Jalapeño Chilli (diced)
1 Large Red Roma Tomato
½ Package Frozen 3 Pepper & Onion Blend Vegetables (large dice)
1 tspn Sea Salt
½ tspn Black Pepper
½ tspn dried Thyme
½ tspn Mexican Oregano
1 tspn Cumin
1 ½ tspn Chile Powder
1 14 oz. Can Chicken Broth plus hot water to equal 3 Cups
1  9.5" skillet with a tight fitting lid for cooking the dish.
1  7" skillet for toasting spices

Juice of 1 Lime (optional)
½ Bunch Fresh Cilantro (Finely chopped) - (optional) or for Cilantro Rice
½ Bunch Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley (Finely chopped) - (optional)
You will note that I did not use Tomato Sauce. My Nana never used it, My Aunt Beatriz always used it instead of water, My mother used it only when she added fresh chicken for "Arroz con Pollo."

As you can tell... I'm NOT a professional photographer... but I'm not apologizing for that as I think it's important to know that these dishes can be prepared with things right out of your cupboard... I use spices from a variety of sources... including some ingredients that I grow in pots on the patio...

I DO like to organize them in little bowls for a very important reason. Once the cooking process starts, it goes rapidly and so if you are doing this alone, it's a good idea to prepare everything ahead just in case  your two hands need that extra boost so that things don't burn or scorch and ruin the dish.

You can see that this dish uses a few spices.

Fortunately most grocers now carry prepped vegetables for you to conveniently use. I prefer frozen vegetables as opposed to canned. They taste fresh from the garden. The bag you see is a combination of Red, Yellow, Green Bell Peppers and Onions. If you have to prepare this after work, this is a great convenience.

I use either the Goya Olive Oil for cooking because it's inexpensive... (read: CHEAP).

MY preference is the Filippo Berio Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I can't help it... I go Organic when ever I can...

For this recipe, I'll use a white long grain rice. You can also use a brown rice as well... just remember to adjust your cooking time since that will take about 15 to 20 twenty  minutes longer...

On the chopping board, you'll see that I have that frozen 3 Pepper & Onion blend ready for me to chop up just a little more. I have issues with ingredients in food that are larger that bite size. I generally chop everything to a dice. more palatable to my taste buds. You'll also a large red Roma Tomato, 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and half of a large pickled Jalapeño Chilli. You'll also notice my 7" Santoku knife. I really enjoy that tool. I use a white plastic cutting board because it's easy to clean and sanitize. Though I'm ashamed to admit that they are not eco-friendly. I stay away from glass ones because they are prone to breaking or chipping and they can dull the sharpest of knives. Wood boards are awesome looking and just as easy to clean and sanitize as the plastic ones and due to them being eco-friendly, I'll be buying a wooden one very soon! Bamboo cutting boards are good but the quality varies considerably... Price, I'm told, is a good indicator.

Gosh! I got carried away talking about cutting boards there...  (rolls eyes)

Back to the Mexican Rice!

Okay. I've diced the tomato and have given a large dice to the frozen vegetables. I'll set them aside until I need to toss them into the rice as it's being lightly browned...

Next... the Jalapeño Chilli is also diced and set aside for use. (I left the juices of the tomato and vegetables so that they could be further absorbed by the chilli.)

The Spices...  From left to right are 1 tspn Salt & ½ tspn Black Pepper, ½ tspn dried Thyme, ½ tspn dried Mexican Oregano, 1 tspn powdered Cumin, 1 ½ tspn Chile Powder.

 On the back burner you will see 7" skillet for toasting spices.

Pour Olive Oil onto a 9.5" skillet that has been heated over medium high heat. Immediately add the rice. You will notice that the rice will almost immediately start to turn white. Add the vegetables and the garlic. Turn on the small skillet to high heat.  Be sure and stir the front skillet with the rice. DO NOT let the rice burn. Have the Chicken broth and hot water ready. This happens rather quickly. As soon as the small skillet is hot, dump all the spices in to it and remove from the heat source stirring with a spoon. The spices are ready almost immediately. You can smell the spice combination. Immediately add them to the rice dish. 

Quickly stir in the chicken stock and water.

Bring to a rolling boil.

Turn down the heat to simmer and cover with a tight fitting lid.

DO NOT REMOVE LID OR UNCOVER UNTIL THE COOKING PROCESS IS DONE.

Approximately 20 minutes.

Use a fork in the middle of the dish once the lid is removed to make sure the liquid has been absorbed. Most of the vegetables will be at the top of the rice.

Before serving, gently fold the vegetables into the rice and add the lime juice and cilantro and flat leaf parsley if you choose.

Add more salt and pepper to taste.

You're done! You have a wonderfully fragrant and delicious Arroz Mexicano that you can serve as a side dish to a caserola de Enchiladas De Pollo en Tortillas de Maíz Verdes.

In fact, you can prepare this as the enchilada casserole is baking! This dish will be done by the time the enchilada casserole is done baking and resting.

Well at least you know that you'll be making Green Corn Tortillas pretty soon for that enchilada casserole.
¡BUEN PROVECHO!

Corn Tortillas (Tortillas de Maíz)

If you have ever bought corn tortillas from the grocery store, you will notice a some what gritty texture... Not smooth, soft, or delicate. Commercial bought corn tortillas are good for making tostadas or flautas. They are thin and do not absorb as much grease as the home made ones. To me the store bought tortillas tend to have "card board" taste...

 

Home made Corn Tortillas are an experience. They require a bit of work until you get the hang of it... but nothing insurmountable. After the first try, you'll be ready. All it takes are the right tools, the right ingredients, and a little effort to get the "masa" (dough) just right.

Tortillas have been around since before the days of the conquistadores. The name tortilla is actually a Spanish word. The Spaniards had trouble pronouncing the Aztec word tamalli, which is the original name. If you ask for a tortilla in Spain, you'll end up with an omelett! You will find these home made corn tortillas to be soft, delicate, smooth. They are great just slathered with butter or used in various recipes, since they absorb other flavors as well as impart their own delicate flavor. They are especially wonderful with coffee or hot Mexican chocolate. These are best prepared right before a meal, though they store well in the refrigerator for up to five days. They reheat nicely, but they are not as delicate as when you first cook them. I've also found that reheating them in a microwave makes them tough and not as tender. Reheat them on your stove top. I find making tortillas relaxing and I reflect on my day or think of my family as I cook. It helps me keep them close to my heart. Cooking is a joy of the heart.

I remember my Nana once telling my mother to never cook when she was angry or sad. That those emotions would be transferred to what was being cooked or baked. Out of respect for my Nana and my mother, I always put myself in a happy frame of mind before I cook. I think of all of the good things that happen to me and my friends around me.

NOTE:   I've taken pictures as I've cooked the various recipes with the help of Andrew, my partner, to give you a visual as to what to buy and what to expect along the cooking process... (I hope you find it helpful)

You will need the following tools and ingredients:

A Mixing bowl

2 Cups Masa Harina (Corn flour specifically for tortillas)

1 tsp Sea Salt

2 cups Water or Chicken Broth

A wood or cast iron/metal tortilla press

Wax Paper

A cast iron griddle

Tortilla warmers

Measure two cups of Harina de Maíz (Corn Masa Mix), in to the mixing bowl.

 Add two cups warm water or chicken broth for extra flavor.

(NOTE:) If you do not use chicken broth, add salt to taste.)

 

Mix the "masa" until it comes together and holds it's shape forming a soft dough.

You don't want it too soft and sticky. Mix in more masa mix until it holds it's shape, is soft but not sticky.

This is the fun part...  Pinch off a bit of masa. You are about to make little ping pong sized balls with the masa.

Using both hands keep rolling the masa into ping pong sized balls... 

Keep making little ping pong masa balls until you run out of masa.

You should have 15 to 16 little ping pong masa balls depending on how big you imagine ping pong balls to be...

Pictured above are two types of tortilla presses. One is anodized steel the other is wood. Both work well, though I find the wooden one a bit cumbersome.

You are now ready to start pressing the tortillas.

Place a sheet of wax paper on the tortilla press base...

Place another sheet of wax paper on top of the masa ball...

Bring the Top of the press over the masa ball.

Bring the press handle over and press firmly but not hard.

You have now completed the first step in pressing a tortilla!

With the press open, carefully rotate the tortilla so that the top of the tortilla (top is closest to the hinge), is now at the bottom. Repeat the pressing process.

Tortilla Presses are not even. If this step is left out, your tortilla will not be properly pressed. On side will be thicker than the other and therefore it will not cook evenly.

Above are two griddle styles. For cooking tortillas these are ideal. The best ones for the home are made out of cast iron. To cure your griddle, coat the top with a thin coat of  lard and bake it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and allow to cool. I like to repeat the process and once it has cooled after the second baking, your griddle is ready to use.

 

Heat your griddle before cooking your tortilla. It is heated properly when a drop of water skips across the surface and evaporates.

With a paper towel, coat the griddle with a thin coat of lard or vegetable shortening. I ALWAYS use lard. The flavor you get is the one I remember from my childhood.

Carefully peel the tortilla from the wax paper. (Remember what side of the wax paper you used.) Place the tortilla on the griddle. Cook approximately two minutes per side. (This is approximate.) I use just under a medium heat setting on my electric stove. Use a spatula to flip the tortillas over. You should see some light brown spots. 

 

 Some of your tortillas will lie flat as they cook and will have light brown flecks when they are done. 

 

...and other tortillas will magically puff up. Do not deflate it. Simply flip it over and finish cooking it.

The following photos show you the different types of tortilla warmers to keep your tortillas warm.

Straw tortilla warmers with decorative tops...

Various colored hard plastic tortilla warmers...

Clay tortilla warmer.

I sincerely hope you enjoy creating, eating, and sharing these wonderful home made corn tortillas. Once  you make these, you'll find it hard to go back to the commercial ones.


¡Buen Provecho!