VEGETABLE SALAD
This salad is an aromatic side dish and is also an optimally interesting topping—for example, with frijoles, enchiladas, and meat dishes.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
½ pound (250 g) white or Chinese cabbage
5 oz (150 g) radishes
1 onion
2 bunches chives
2 Serrano chili peppers
2 bunches cilantro
3 limes
PREPARATION
1. Clean the cabbage, wash it, then chop it very finely or shred it. Clean the radishes, wash them, and cut them into fine slices. Peel the onion and chop it. Wash the chives, shake them dry, and cut them into roulettes. Wearing kitchen gloves, halve the Serrano chili peppers lengthwise, remove the seeds, and finely chop the pulp.
2. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and chill until serving.
3. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and finely chop the leaves. Squeeze out the limes, stir the cilantro and salt into the salad, then serve.
MARINATED ONIONS
With this basic recipe, you can start to do a lot of things: it works well with grilled meat and also works as a filling.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
½ of a garlic clove
½ Serrano chili pepper
1–2 cloves
5 peppercorns
½ teaspoon oregano
1 cup (250 ml) bitter orange juice (alternatively, use orange and grapefruit juice, plus some squirts of lime juice)
1 pound (500 g) onions
coarse sea salt
PREPARATION
1. Brown the garlic for a few minutes on very low heat in a cast-iron skillet with the cut surface facing downward until it is soft. Do not let it burn. Then push out the pulp from the husk.
2. Brown the Serrano chili peppers in a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes on low heat. Let them cool a little bit, then, while wearing kitchen gloves, remove the white membrane from the chilies, cut them up lengthwise, and remove the seeds and stems. Coarsely chop the chilies.
3. Lightly heat the cloves and the peppercorns in a pan, then finely grind them in a mortar or mash them with a rolling pin.
4. Stir in the mashed spices with the oregano, the garlic pulp, and the Serrano chili peppers. Then stir in the bitter orange juice and finely puree everything with a hand blender or in a food processor. Season with one teaspoon sea salt.
5. Peel the onions, cut them into fine rings, and part these into segments. Lay the onion slices into a large bowl and sprinkle on the marinade. Let them infuse for one hour at room temperature.
ROLLED DOUGH FLAT CAKES
Hardly any dish has been associated so much with the Mexican borders like the burrito. Interestingly, burritos have not been typically Mexican for that long. Because wheat first came during the beginning of the seventeenth century by way of the Spanish conquerors in Mexico.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
4 wheat flour tortillas
¼ pound (120 g) mozzarella
½ pound (200 g) cooked rice
½ pound (200 g) Frijoles borracho or vegetarianos (page 70/71), drained
½ pound (200 g) meat filling as desired (see Scott’s Tip)
WHEN SERVING:
crème fraîche
cheese
Mexican salsa
PREPARATION
1. Lightly heat up the tortillas on a grill or in an oven grill until they assume some color.
2. Finely cut the cheese.
3. Lay out the tortillas on a countertop. Coat them first with the rice, then with Frijoles borracho o vegetarianos, and lastly with a meat filling, as desired. Sprinkle the cheese over the tortillas.
4. Now, roll up the tortillas to form cylinders, arrange them onto plates, and serve with cheese, Mexican salsa, and crème fraîche.
SCOTT’S TIP:
As a meat filling, Al pastor (page 105), Arrachera (page 85), Cochinita pibil (page 130), or Carnitas de Pato (page 129) all are outstanding with this dish.
BREAKFAST ROLLS
There are two kinds of tortillas: tortillas made from cornmeal and tortillas made from wheat flour. Wheat flour tortillas are used for burritos. Because these tortillas do not have too much of a flavor by themselves, you can be somewhat hearty with the filling.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
8 eggs
1 thick bunch chives
2 tablespoons butter
4 wheat flour tortillas
¼ pound (120 g) aromatic grating cheese (Gouda)
3–4 tablespoons crème fraîche
½ pound (200 g) Carnitas (page 129) Papas con rajas (page 92)
½ pound (200 g) Cebollas encurtidas (page 109)
salt and freshly ground black peppers
WHEN SERVING:
Salsa, if desired
guacamole (page 51)
totopos (page 28)
PREPARATION
1. Beat the eggs with three tablespoons water. Wash the chives, shake them dry, and cut them into fine roulettes. Beat the roulettes into the egg wash with an egg beater and then salt and pepper everything generously.
2. Heat the butter in a large cast-iron skillet. Work the eggs slowly into the pan by stirring them into scrambled eggs and then take them out of the pan when they are bound together, but have not yet dried out. Afterwards, put the eggs aside.
3. Lightly heat up the tortillas on a grill or in an oven grill until they assume some color. Grate the cheese.
4. Lay out the tortillas on a countertop and coat them first with the scrambled eggs in the middle. Over this, spread on the meat (Carnitas) or the potatoes (Papas con rajas) onto the eggs, and on top of that, dress this with onions, and as the final step, sprinkle cheese on top and spread the crème fraîche.
5. Roll the tortillas tight to form cylinders. As desired, either halve or wrap them in aluminum foil in order to eat the tortillas by hand.
6. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and totopos.
CRÊPES WITH A MUSHROOM FILLING
Aside from tortillas, you can also add filling in these paper-thin egg pancakes, which are also typically Mexican.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
2 tablespoons butter
⅔ cup (150 g) flour
⅔ cup (150 ml) milk
2 eggs
1 bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1–2 Pasilla or Arból chili peppers
3 tablespoons extra olive oil
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1⅓ pounds (600 g) mushrooms
3 tablespoons flour
⅞ cup (200 ml) milk
½ cup (100 g) crème fraîche
½ cup (120 g) shredded Manchego
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. For the crêpes, melt the butter in a small pot. Work the salt, ½ cup (125 ml) milk, and the eggs into the flour with the help of a hand mixer until it forms a thin batter.
2. Wash the cilantro, shake it dry, and finely chop the leaves. Stir in two tablespoons it into the crêpe batter. Let the batter sit at room temperature for one hour while covered, then carefully stir in the rest of the milk, as desired.
3. Heat up some of the vegetable oil. Fry up some of the batter to form a thin crêpe. Repeat this process until all of the batter is used up. Pile the crêpes on top of each other on a large plate.
4. For the filling, cut up the chili peppers lengthwise. While wearing kitchen gloves, remove the white membrane and seeds, and finely chop them. Heat one tablespoon the olive oil in a pan and quickly fry the chilies, then lift them out of the pan and let them dry on a paper towel. Crumble them up afterward.
5. Peel the onion and garlic clove and finely chop them. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a pan. Sauté the onions and garlic in the pan until they are glazed.
6. Clean the mushrooms and finely chop them. Fold the mushrooms into the onion mix, salt, pepper, and then simmer for ten minutes while covered.
7. Combine the milk with the flour into the pan and leave it to simmer on low heat for five minutes while constantly stirring, so that small clumps form. Stir in the crème fraîche und the Manchego and simmer until the sauce forms a creamy consistency. Salt and pepper.
8. Cover the crêpes with the mushroom filling, roll them up, and arrange them on plates with the seams facing downward. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the crêpes and serve.
MEATBALLS WITH SALSA VERDE (Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa)
With these meatballs, which are poached in Mexico, and not roasted, there are so many regional varieties: with zucchini, with and without hard boiled eggs, with tomatoes, carrots, and finely ground, raw rice instead of breadcrumbs . . . Here is a recipe from Milagros. This tastes great with rice.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
3 tablespoons milk
½ cup (125 g) breadcrumbs
1 cup (250 ml) Salsa verde (page 54)
1 cup (250 ml) beef or chicken broth
5 eggs
1 medium-sized onion
2¼ pounds (1 kg) mixed ground meat
1 bunch cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Put the milk in a small bowl and soak the breadcrumbs in this.
2. Bring the Salsa verde and the broth to a boil in a medium-sized pot, in which the meatballs should be able to fit later. Then leave them to simmer on very low heat for ten minutes. Salt as desired.
3. Boil three eggs for ten minutes and then chill them with water, then peel and finely chop them. Whisk the rest of the eggs. Peel the onions and finely chop them. Combine the ground meat with the soaked breadcrumbs, the whisked eggs, and the onion pieces in a bowl.
4. Wash the cilantro and shake it dry. Put aside some leaves for decoration, finely chop the rest of the cilantro, and then put this in with the ground meat. Spice the mass of meat.
5. Part the ground meat into tablespoon-sized portions, press them flat, and lay some diced egg cubes in the middle of each portion. Press together the ground meat around this filling to form small balls.
6. Poach these balls (in desired amounts, portion-wise), for twenty minutes in the simmering Salsa-verde broth until they are soft. In the meantime, stir the meatballs often, then uncover them again. Serve on a dressed plate with the rest of the cilantro leaves sprinkled over the meatballs.
DOUBLE-DECKER TORTILLAS
This dish is really easy to make and is very hearty and filling.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
8 wheat flour tortillas
⅓ pound (150 g) middle-aged Gouda cheese
⅓ pound (150 g) Feta cheese
1¾ cups (400 g) Arrachera (page 85) (or Carnitas, page 129, Tinga de pollo, page 126, Verduras asadas, page 93)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
WHEN SERVING:
crème fraîche
guacamole (page 51) and/or
salsa of choice
PREPARATION
1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Lay out four tortillas next to each other. Finely grate the cheese or crumble it, combine the cheeses and sprinkle this over the tortillas.
3. Dress your desired topping on top of the cheese and lay this on top of the extra tortillas.
4. Lightly oil a grill pan, brown the gringas in it for about two minutes, then carefully flip them and brown them again.
5. Divide the gringas into fourths and serve immediately with crème fraîche, guacamole, and/or your salsa of choice.
FILLED CORNMEAL TORTILLAS
The filling for these tacos can be prepared several days in advance. You should enjoy these tacos immediately after preparation, since they simply taste the best this way.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
12 small cornmeal tortillas
1¼ cups (300 g) Cochinita pibil (page 130), alternatively, 1¼ cups Barbacoa de pollo (page 90)
½ cup (120 g) Cebollas encurtidas (page 109)
PREPARATION
1. Warm up the tacos in the oven.
2. Then lay them onto four large plates. Coat with Cochinita pibil or Barbacoa de pollo and Cebollas encurtidas.
3. Serve immediately.
ENCHILADA DE POLLO CON MOLE POBLANO
ENCHILADAS WITH A CHICKEN FILLING AND MOLE POBLANO
Chilies and chocolate are associated with Mexican cuisine, and rightfully so. The finely spiced and tangy dark chocolate seasoned sauce is a flavorful companion to many dishes.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound (500 g) chicken breast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅞ cup (200 ml) Mole poblano (page 95)
⅞ cup (200 ml) chicken broth
1 shallot
¼ cup (60 g) crème fraîche
8 tortillas
1 onion
salt
WHEN SERVING:
Mole poblano (page 95)
crème fraîche
Feta
PREPARATION
1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Rinse off the chicken breast with cold water, leave it to fully dry, and cover it with one tablespoon vegetable oil, then salt. Wrap it tight with aluminum foil and let it cook through for twenty to twenty-five minutes in the oven. Unwrap it from the foil and let it cool for a bit.
2. Heat the Mole poblano with the chicken broth in a pot and simmer for about five to ten minutes until it thickens somewhat.
3. Peel the shallot and finely chop it. Finely pick apart the meat. Warm this all up in a pot with the crème fraîche. Salt to taste.
4. Heat the extra vegetable oil in a pan and quickly flip the tortillas over in the pan until they become somewhat crispy. Peel the onion and cut it into paper-thin rings.
5. Using tablespoon portions, spread the Mole poblano over the tortillas. Finely pick apart the chicken meat and spread over the tortillas, then roll them up. Serve with Mole poblano, crème fraîche, and crumbled Feta.
ENCHILADAS WITH SALSA VERDE (Tomatillo-Cilantro Salsa)
This recipe for enchiladas with a freshly prepared salsa verde originates from the western part of the Mexican inland.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
1 pound (500 g) chicken breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt
1⅔ cups (400 ml) salsa verde (page 54)
1 shallot
⅔ cup (160 g) crème fraîche
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 tortillas
¼ pound (100 g) Feta
WHEN SERVING:
Salpicón (page 108)
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Shower the chicken breast with cold water, let it fully dry, rub on the vegetable oil, and salt. Tightly wrap it in aluminum foil. Let the breast cook through in the oven for twenty minutes. Unwrap it from the aluminum foil and let it cool down somewhat.
2. Heat the salsa verde in a medium-sized pot and let it reduce on very low heat for fifteen minutes.
3. Peel the shallot and finely chop it. Finely pick apart the meat. Warm both of these up with ¼ of a cup of crème fraîche in a small pot, then salt.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan and quickly flip the tortillas over in the pan until they are somewhat crispy. Then flip them over in the salsa, fill them with chicken meat, and roll them up.
5. Fill the rolled tortillas in a casserole dish with the creased side facing downward and brush them with salsa verde. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and let them bake in the oven for ten minutes.
6. Crumble the Feta and serve with the rest of the crème fraîche on top of the enchiladas.
TORTILLAS WITH SALSA ROJA (Tomato-Chili Salsa)
For this dish, you should use tortillas that are a bit old and stale, because they are the best at absorbing the salsa. A perfect use of leftovers!
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
12 stale corn tortillas (4½–6 in. or 12–15 cm)
2 cups (500 ml) salsa roja (page 56)
1¾ oz (50 g) middle-aged Gouda
1¾ oz (50 g) Feta
⅞ cup (200 g) Arrachera (page 85)
(alternatively, Carnitas, page 129, or Tinga de pollo, page 126)
WHEN SERVING:
crème fraîche
PREPARATION
1. Divide the tortillas into eighths.
2. Warm up the salsa roja in a large, deep pan. Put the tortillas in the pan and fry them for five to seven minutes while stirring frequently until they have absorbed a lot of the liquid.
3. Grate the cheese or crumble it. Transfer the tortillas into a flat casserole dish, coat them as desired with Arrachera or another filling, and then sprinkle cheese on top of them. Gratinate shortly, then serve with the crème fraîche.
SCOTT’S TIP:
With two fried eggs on top, these tortillas transform into a filling breakfast.
CORDONIZ EN SALSA DE PÉTALOS DE ROSAS
QUAILS WITH ROSE PETALS
If you love Mexico, then you might like the book or film production of Like Water for Chocolate by Mexican best-selling author Laura Esquivel, a naturally bittersweet love story (see page 19), on which this recipe is based.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
8 kitchen-ready quails
36 almonds
1 tablespoon beetroot juice
16 natural rose petals (red or pink)
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon crushed Anise seeds
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
a few drops of rose water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Wash the quails and dry them with a paper towel. Salt and pepper the inside and outside. Fold the wings under and tie the legs together with kitchen yarn. Lay the quails next to each other in an oven-tight form and cook them for ten minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and cook them for another few minutes until they are soft. Then stab a fork into one quail leg. The leaking cooked juice should not be entirely pale pink. Keep them warm by covering them with aluminum foil.
2. For the sauce, roast the almonds for a few minutes in the oven until they turn golden-brown. Leave them to cool and finely grind them. Put the beetroot juice together with twelve rose petals and puree them.
3. Peel the garlic and finely chop it. Crush the Anise seeds. Melt the butter in a small pan then fry the garlic and Anise seeds in it for four minutes until golden-brown.
4. Stir the almond mix into the garlic butter and let them infuse while stirring often for ten minutes until the flavors combine. Then stir in the honey and the rosewater and spice the sauce as desired.
5. Press the sauce through a very fine sieve with a wooden spoon and spread it over the quails.
6. Arrange the quails onto places and serve garnished with the sauce.
FILLED CORN HUSKS
The preparation of tamales is a supreme discipline that takes up a lot of time. In Mexico, this dish is best prepared in a large round because although the recipe itself does not seem complicated, one can get caught on the intensity of the filling and wrapping. Because tamales belong to the most ordered dishes at Milagros, we have revealed our secret recipe to you. The filling has to rest for at least thirty minutes before it is rolled into the tamales. These tamales last for several hours when kept at room temperature in cling wrap.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
1–2 garlic cloves
1 can of corn (1¼ cups or 300 g)
1⅔ cups (400 ml) chicken broth
1 Serrano chili pepper
½ cup (120 g) cold lard
7 tablespoons (100 g) room-temperature butter
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⅔ cups (400 g) Masa harina (cornmeal)
10 corn husks (page 31)
Tinga di pollo (page 126)
salt
PREPARATION
1. Brown the garlic clove(s) with the shell while turning them over for five minutes in a cast-iron skillet, then peel the shell. Let the corn grains drain and dry well and brown them in a pan while turning them over for five minutes.
2. Pour the chicken broth into the pan and warm it up somewhat. Wearing kitchen gloves, finely chop the Serrano chili peppers.
3. Puree the garlic, chili, and half of the corn grains with the broth until the corn grains are reduced to very small pieces, but still have somewhat of their structure.
4. Combine the lard, the butter, and the baking powder in a bowl, then beat thoroughly so that air is worked into the mix.
5. Work in the Masa Harina, beat for three minutes, then salt. First, stir in the corn broth, then add in the rest of the corn grains.
6. Wrap the filling in kitchen foil and let it rest for thirty minutes at room temperature until the liquid is fully absorbed. Then follow the basic instructions for tamales (page 31).
CHICKEN WITH TANGY TOMATO SAUCE
This dish is very diverse; one can serve it as a main dish or use it also as a taco topping or filling in a burrito.
PRODUCES 4 SERVINGS
4 small chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves
1 onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 aromatic, ripe tomatoes
some fresh mint leaves
1–2 tablespoons pickled Chipotle chili peppers (Chipotle en adobo)
1 pinch of oregano
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt
PREPARATION
1. Place the meat with one of the garlic cloves and half of the onions (both with their shells) in a pot and coat with water. Let them well up once, then cook them well on low heat for twenty minutes. Finely pick apart the meat and measure out about three tablespoons the poached broth.
2. Peel and finely chop the extra garlic clove and the extra half of the onions. Heat up the oil in a pan. Stew both in the pan on low heat until they are glazed.
3. Remove the stalks from the tomatoes, wash them, and chop them. Wash the mint and shake it dry. Thoroughly mix the tomatoes, mint, and Chipotle chili en adobo with the oregano and the chicken broth in a food processor, then put this through a sieve in the pan with the onion and garlic pieces.
4. Combine everything together well, salt, and warm it all up with the white wine vinegar for ten minutes. Stir in the meat and let it simmer for another few minutes until the stock becomes firmer.
AROMATIC PORK
Germans are not the only ones that love pork; Mexicans love it too. In Milagros, it is served well-seasoned. The Coke is a secret tip, which gives it color and intensifies the flavor.
PRODUCES 6–8 SERVINGS
2⅓ pounds (1¼ kg) pork knuckle
1 pound (500 g) not-too-lean spare ribs
4 garlic cloves
1 natural orange
½ pound (250 g) smoked bacon
3 bay leaves
1 can of cola (1½ cups/350 ml)
1 tablespoon salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREPARATION
1. Rinse off the meat and dry it with a paper towel. Then debone the meat and cut it into about 3-inch (8 cm) sized cubes. Rinse off the spare ribs as well and dry them with a paper towel.
2. Peel the garlic cloves. Wash the orange and wipe it dry. Squeeze out the juice and peel the skin into strips.
3. Put all of the ingredients except for the coke into a stew/crock pot or Dutch oven with 1¾ quarts (1¾ L) water and let them well up once. Pour in the coke and stir everything thoroughly.
4. Let the meat stew for about one and three-fourths hours on very low heat until you can only see about ¾ inch (2 cm) liquid left in the pot. Remove the orange peel and the bay leaves.
5. Scrape the stew out from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Pick apart the meat into bite-sized pieces. Let everything simmer further while thoroughly stirring everything together until the poached water evaporates.
SCOTT’S TIP:
Wrap the meat in tortillas (see picture) and arrange them on plates. Coarsely chopped cilantro, limes, or tomato salsa go really well with this dish.
BRAISED PORK
The main feature of this Yucatán Peninsula dish: it is marinated in a lot of citrus acids and the Mexican Epazote (Mexican tea root) spice comes together here. If you still are not familiar with Epazote, be careful with your dose; like with cilantro, its flavor is not for everyone.
PRODUCES 6–8 SERVINGS
⅓ cup (80 g) salt
⅓ cup (80 g) sugar
2¾ pounds (1¼ kg) pork loin with some fat
5 allspice grains
10 peppercorns
½ cup (125 g) Annatto paste (also known as Achiote paste)
½ cup (100 ml) bitter orange juice (alternatively, orange and grapefruit juice plus some squirts of lime juice)
1–2 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
4 banana leaves
1 small bunch fresh Epazote
2¾ oz (80 g) smoked bacon, finely sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
SCOTT’S TIP:
This recipe is very versatile. You can serve it easily on corn tortillas as a taco like in our picture, or you can use it as a filling in burritos, tortillas, or quesadillas.
PREPARATION
1. Prepare a brine from 2 quarts (2 L) cold water, salt, and sugar and put the meat in the brine. Crush the allspice grains and peppercorns and stir them into the brine. Cool the meat while uncovered for twelve hours or ideally overnight. Then lift the meat out of the brine, rinse it off, and dry it with a paper towel. Do not use the rest of the brine.
2. Stir the Annatto paste in with the bitter orange juice until the paste has the consistency of a thickened cream.
3. Let the garlic clove(s) brown in the shell in a cast-iron skillet for a few minutes. First, let it cool down, then peel.
4. Warm up the oregano and the cumin seeds in a pan until their aromas are released. Crush or grind the garlic clove(s) with salt and pepper and together with the oregano and cumin seeds, stir these in with the Annatto paste.
5. Preheat the oven to 375°F (or 190°C). Wash the banana leaves, dry them with a paper towel, and lay them on a baking sheet. Wash the Epazote and shake it dry.
6. Spread the meat onto the banana leaves and coat this with the marinade. Arrange the Epazote and the smoked bacon slices over this.
7. Lay the leaves over the meat so that it is fully covered and therefore cannot dry out. Slide the baking sheet into the oven and place an oven-safe pot filled with water next to the sheet. Cook the meat for about one and a half hours until it is butter soft.
