Cindy’s Supper Club: Meals from Around the World to Share with Family and Friends

To make the marinade, make a garlic paste with the garlic cloves and salt. Transfer the paste to a bowl, add the vinegar, lime zest and juice, achiote paste, oregano, cumin, allspice, and pepper, and mix well. Place the pork in a nonreactive dish, pour in the marinade, turn the pork to coat all sides, and then cover the dish. Or, put the pork in a resealable plastic bag, pour in the marinade, force out the air and seal the bag, and then turn the bag to coat all sides of the pork. Refrigerate the pork for 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

To cook the pork, preheat the oven to 250°F to 300°F, depending on how long you want the meat to be in the oven (the lower the heat the longer the cooking, of course).

While the oven is heating, prepare the pickled onion. In a glass or ceramic bowl, combine the onion, lime juice, salt, and oregano with water to cover, mix well, and then squeeze everything together a few times. This will help the onion and lime juice blend. Let the onion stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.

Warm the banana leaves to make them pliable by quickly running them back and forth over the flame on your stove top for a few seconds (this is the best way) or by placing them in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes, checking them after 1 minute. Line a large baking dish with the leaves, allowing the excess to overhang the sides. Pile the meat in the center of the leaves and pour any marinade in the bowl or bag over the top. Bring the leaves up around the meat to cover loosely, and then carefully pour the water around the outside of the leaves into the dish.

Cover the dish, place in the oven, and cook for 3 to 4 hours, depending on the oven temperature. Check the dish occasionally and add more water if it has evaporated. The pork is ready when it is moist and meltingly tender. Remove the dish from the oven, unwrap the meat, let it cool until it can be handled, and then, using a pair of forks, pull the meat apart into rough shreds. Keep the meat warm.

To serve, warm the tortillas by steaming them or holding them over a flame on the stove top (see headnote). Pile some of the shredded pork on each tortilla, sprinkle with a little cheese, and top with some cilantro and a few slices of pickled onion. Serve right away with the lime wedges, rice, beans, and salsas on the side. Be sure to have lots of napkins on hand.

BEANS TWO WAYS

Whether you’ll be making saucy beans or refried beans, you need to start by making a batch of pot beans. For the best results, cook the pot beans a day advance, as their taste and texture will improve overnight. The starches in the beans sour easily, so always get your pot of beans on a rack to cool the moment they have finished cooking and then refrigerate them as soon as possible, unless you’ll be using them right away. I buy black-and-white-mottled Vaquero beans, an heirloom cousin of the anasazi bean, from Rancho Gordo, a company based in the Napa Valley, but cooks in Yucatán typically use black beans. | SHOWN HERE | MAKES 3 CUPS SAUCY BEANS AND 3 CUPS REFRIED BEANS

POT BEANS

1 POUND DRIED VAQUERO OR BLACK BEANS

1 YELLOW OR RED ONION, THICKLY SLICED

1 EPAZOTE SPRIG (OPTIONAL)

10 CUPS WATER

SALT

REFRIED BEANS

3 CUPS POT BEANS, MASHED UNTIL SMOOTH WITH A POTATO MASHER

⅓ CUP PUMPKIN SEEDS, TOASTED (SEE BELOW) AND GROUND

½ HOJA SANTA LEAF, FINELY SHREDDED (ABOUT ¼ CUP, OPTIONAL; SEE ARROZ VERDE FOR MORE ON HOJA SANTA)

1½ TO 2 CUPS BEAN LIQUOR

2 TABLESPOONS CANOLA OIL

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

SAUCY BEANS

1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED

½ RED ONION, THINLY SLICED

1 SERRANO CHILE, STEMMED, SEEDED IF DESIRED, AND MINCED

2 PINCHES OF DRIED MEXICAN OREGANO

3 CUPS POT BEANS

1½ CUPS BEAN LIQUOR, OR MORE IF NEEDED

To cook the pot beans, pick over the beans for any stones, grit, or misshapen beans, then rinse the beans well. In a large pot, combine the beans, onion, epazote, and water and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for 1 to 2 hours, until tender. Check often toward the end of cooking and add more water if needed. When the beans have finished cooking, you want to have at least 3½ cups of the bean liquor for making the refried beans and the saucy beans. Place the bean pot on a wire rack and uncover. Stir them occasionally so they release their heat quickly. When cool and tender, taste and season with salt.

Drain the beans, reserving the beans and their liquor. You should have about 6 cups beans and about 3½ cups liquor. If you won’t be using them right away, refrigerate them in a covered container as soon as they are cool. Refrigerate the bean liquor in a separate covered container.

To make refried beans, in a bowl, stir together the mashed beans, pumpkin seeds, and hoja santa. Add 1½ cups of the bean liquor and stir well, adding more liquor as needed to achieve a smooth, almost saucelike consistency. In a sauté pan, heat the oil over high heat. Carefully add the bean mixture (when it hits the hot oil, it will splatter) and shake the pan to rotate and thoroughly heat the puree through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

To make saucy beans, in a saucepan, combine the garlic, onion, chile, oregano, beans, and bean liquor and stir to mix. Place over medium-high heat and bring just to a boil. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until all of the flavors have developed and melded nicely. Add more bean liquor if the pan seems to be getting too dry. Serve right away.

TIPS AND TRICKS

TOASTING NUTS, SEEDS, AND SPICES

TOASTING WHOLE SEEDS AND SPICES RELEASES THEIR ESSENTIAL OILS AND ADDS MORE FRAGRANCE TO THE FINISHED DISH. TO TOAST ON THE STOVE TOP, PLACE WHOLE SEEDS OR SPICES IN A DRY SAUTÉ PAN AND COOK, TOSSING OR STIRRING FREQUENTLY, OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT UNTIL VERY AROMATIC AND A SHADE DARKER. ALWAYS TOAST EACH TYPE SEPARATELY, AS THEIR TOASTING TIME WILL VARY.

TO TOAST IN THE OVEN, PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350°F. SPREAD THE NUTS OUT IN A SINGLE LAYER ON A DRY BAKING SHEET. COOK UNTIL GOLDEN, GENERALLY ABOUT 5 TO 10 MINUTES.

ARROZ VERDE

(GREEN RICE)

I think this dish looks better when it is made with white rice rather than brown, but you can use the latter. If you do, you will need to increase the cooking time and the amount of stock. Most brown rice, if it has been soaked in cold water for 30 minutes before cooking, takes about 20 minutes longer to cook than white rice, and you will need to increase the stock by ½ cup. If using a rice cooker, follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Fresh poblano chiles (usually labeled pasilla chiles in California) are almost always available where I live. If you cannot find them, jalapeños will also work. Hoja santa, literally “sacred leaf,” is a tropical large-leaved aromatic herb. Also known as yerba santa, it can be found in Mexican and Central American groceries. It grows like a weed in Texas, New Mexico, and California; keep your eye out for it if you live in those areas. | SHOWN HERE | SERVES 6

2 CUPS LONG-GRAIN WHITE RICE (SUCH AS BASMATI OR JASMINE)

1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED

2 TEASPOONS SEA SALT

4 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK OR STORE-BOUGHT REDUCED-SODIUM BROTH

3 OR 4 POBLANO (PASILLA) CHILES, OR 6 TO 8 JALAPEÑO CHILES, ROASTED, PEELED, SEEDED, AND CHOPPED

2 OR 3 ROMAINE LETTUCE LEAVES, OR 1 OR 2 HOJA SANTA LEAVES, CHOPPED

1 CUP CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO, LEAVES AND TENDER STEMS ONLY

¼ CUP OLIVE OIL

½ TO ¾ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

Put the rice in a good-size bowl, add water to cover, swish the rice around with your hand, and drain. Repeat the rinsing and draining until the water runs clear.

If using a rice cooker, combine the rinsed rice, garlic, salt, and stock and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions. If using a saucepan on the stove top, combine the ingredients in the pan, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to the lowest setting and cook for 20 minutes. If your burners are like mine and you can never adjust the heat low enough, use a heat diffuser. While the rice is cooking, in a bowl, stir together the chiles, lettuce, cilantro, olive oil, and pepper to taste.

When the rice has finished cooking, fold in the chile mixture, mixing thoroughly. Re-cover and let steam for at least 10 minutes before serving.

TIPS AND TRICKS

HOW TO MAKE GARLIC PASTE

CUT OFF THE ROOT ENDS OF THE GARLIC CLOVES. PLACE THE CLOVES ON A CUTTING BOARD AND, ONE AT A TIME, SMASH THEM WITH THE SIDE OF A KNIFE. REMOVE THE SKINS, GATHER THE CLOVES INTO A PILE, AND SPRINKLE THEM WITH SALT. NOW, PLACE THE TIP OF YOUR KNIFE ON THE BOARD TO THE SIDE OF THE PILE OF CLOVES (THIS WILL BE YOUR PIVOT POINT) AND, HOLDING THE BLADE AT A SHALLOW ANGLE TO THE BOARD, DRAG IT ACROSS THE GARLIC, MAKING TINY CHOPPING MOTIONS AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY ACROSS THE PILE. YOU SHOULD BE SMEARING AND SMASHING AT THE SAME TIME SO THAT GARLIC ENDS UP SPREAD ACROSS THE BOARD. PILE UP THE CLOVES AGAIN AND REPEAT THE DRAGGING AND CHOPPING MOTION, THEN CONTINUE TO REPEAT IT UNTIL YOU HAVE A PULPY PASTE. IF THIS TECHNIQUE IS NEW TO YOU, WORK IN SMALL BATCHES TO MAKE IT EASIER.

XNI-PEC SALSA

This traditional Mayan salsa is based on fiery habanero chiles, which in some Caribbean markets are mistakenly labeled Scotch bonnet, a close relative. Some cooks, including me, toast the chiles over an open flame to char the skin a bit before using them.

I can sometimes find Seville oranges, also known as bitter oranges, in the market in the winter, and their juice is great in this salsa. Otherwise, a mixture of equal parts lemon, lime, and grapefruit juice can be used. This salsa is best used within a day of making. | MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

1 SMALL WHITE ONION, MINCED

1 LARGE RIPE TOMATO, PEELED AND MINCED

2 HABANERO CHILES, STEMMED, SEEDS AND RIBS REMOVED, AND MINCED (OR USE THE SEEDS AND RIBS IF YOU LIKE A LOT OF HEAT)

⅓ TO ½ CUP FRESHLY SQUEEZED SEVILLE ORANGE JUICE OR EQUAL PARTS FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON, LIME, AND GRAPEFRUIT JUICE

SEA SALT

In a bowl, stir together the onion, tomato, and chiles. Add ⅓ cup citrus juice if the tomato is particularly juicy, or ½ cup juice if it isn’t. Season with salt, cover, and refrigerate until serving. It will keep for 1 day.

CHIPOTLE SALSA

Here is one of my all-time favorite salsas. I make it with canned chipotles if I’m in a hurry and dried if I’m not. If using dried, be sure to toast them, which intensifies their flavor and makes them easier to seed if you want to temper the heat of the salsa. | SHOWN HERE | MAKES ABOUT 2½ CUPS

6 TO 8 CHIPOTLE CHILES, STEMMED

1 POUND TOMATILLOS, PAPERY HUSKS REMOVED AND WELL RINSED

1 SMALL SWEET WHITE ONION, MINCED

¼ CUP OLIVE OIL

1 CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED

½ TO 1 TEASPOON DRIED MEXICAN OREGANO

SEA SALT

Preheat a griddle, comal (round, ceramic Mexican griddle), or skillet over medium heat. Arrange the chiles on the hot surface and toast, turning as needed, for 1 to 2 minutes, just until softened. Watch closely as they burn easily, which will make the salsa bitter. If you want the salsa to be only moderately spicy, let the chiles cool until they can be handled and remove the seeds. You can also toast the chiles in a preheated 350°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until they begin to puff and are tender.

In a saucepan, combine the chiles, tomatillos, onion, and water just to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft and begin to burst. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Working in small batches, add the chile mixture to a blender and process until a smooth puree forms. Transfer the puree to a bowl and let cool. Add the oil, garlic, and oregano and mix well. Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving. It will keep for up to 2 days.

Clockwise, from top left: Arroz Verde; Chipotle Salsa; Queso Fresco; Fish with Tomato, Habanero, and Citrus; Nopal Salad; Pot Beans; Huevos Motuleños; Xni-Pec Salsa; Cochinita Pibil Tacos

FISH WITH TOMATO, HABANERO, AND CITRUS

I use a whole red snapper here, but you can make this same dish with Alaskan halibut fillets or cod steaks. Red snappers have a huge head, so you need a 5-pound fish to serve six people. If you are using fish steaks or fillets, plan on 8 ounces of bone-in steak or 6 ounces of fillet per person. I like to cook bone-in, skin-on fish because the flavor is better and richer and the fish is less likely to overcook. If you opt for skinned fillets, you will need to reduce the cooking time. A good rule is 10 minutes per inch measured at the thickest point of the fillet. Finally, should you opt for fish steaks or fillets over a whole fish, try to buy one big piece of fish and bake it whole for the nicest presentation. | SHOWN HERE | SERVES 6

1 WHOLE RED SNAPPER, ABOUT 5 POUNDS, CLEANED

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

3 LARGE OR 4 SMALL LIMES, HALVED

¼ CUP CANOLA OR OLIVE OIL

1 WHITE ONION, MINCED

2 HABANERO CHILES, SEEDED, IF DESIRED, AND MINCED

2 CLOVES GARLIC, THINLY SLICED

1 TABLESPOON ACHIOTE PASTE, GRATED, OR 1½ TEASPOONS ANNATTO SEEDS, CRUSHED

½ CUP FRESHLY SQUEEZED SEVILLE ORANGE JUICE (SEE HEADNOTE IN RECIPE FOR XNI-PEC SALSA,) OR EQUAL PARTS FRESHLY SQUEEZED LEMON, LIME, AND GRAPEFRUIT JUICE

2 RED BELL PEPPERS, ROASTED, PEELED, SEEDED, AND DICED

½ CUP PIMENTO-STUFFED GREEN OLIVES OR OTHER PITTED PLAIN GREEN OLIVES, SLICED

ARROZ VERDE

2 OR 3 HARD-BOILED EGGS, CHOPPED

2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO, LEAVES AND TENDER STEMS ONLY

XNI-PEC SALSA

CORN TORTILLAS, WARMED

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the fish in a shallow baking dish. Season on both sides with salt and pepper, and then squeeze the lime juice on both sides. (If you are using skin-on filleted fish, place the fish skin side down.)

In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the chiles and garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 10 minutes longer, until the onion is tender, reducing the heat if necessary to avoid browning the garlic. Add the achiote paste and cook, stirring, until the paste has dissolved. Stir in the orange juice, bell peppers, and olives, bring to a boil, and remove from the heat.

Pour the contents of the sauté pan over the fish, pop the fish into the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes (about 10 minutes if using fillets). To check for doneness, with the tip of a sharp knife, cut into the meatiest part of the fish. It should appear opaque (not translucent) and the meat should flake easily.

Serve the fish directly from the baking dish, surrounded by bowls holding the rice, chopped eggs, cilantro, and salsa and a stack of warm tortillas.

TIPS AND TRICKS

KEEPING THE FISH MOIST

IN MEXICO, COOKS SMEAR A LAYER OF MAYONNAISE ON THE FISH BEFORE PUTTING ALL THE GOODIES ON IT, AND YOU CAN, TOO. THIS WILL HELP KEEP THE FISH MOIST THROUGHOUT THE BAKING. BAKE IT IN A CAZUELA (SEE HEADNOTE FOR ROASTED SQUAB), IF YOU HAVE ONE.

NOPAL SALAD

You can find nopales (cactus pads) already cleaned in most Latin markets. If you are working with nopales that still have their spines, don a pair of thick gloves and use a sharp paring knife to cut out the spines, trim the outside edge, and cut off the tough part at the base. | SHOWN HERE | SERVES 6

2 CUPS CLEANED AND DICED NOPALES

2 TOMATOES, PEELED AND DICED

2 POBLANO (PASILLA) CHILES, ROASTED (SEE NOTE BELOW), PEELED, SEEDED, AND DICED

¼ CUP MINCED YELLOW ONION

3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL

4 TEASPOONS RED WINE VINEGAR

Bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a boil. Add the nopales and boil for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender. Drain well, let cool, transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until well chilled.

In a bowl, combine the chilled nopales, tomatoes, chiles, onion, olive oil, and vinegar and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving.

TIPS AND TRICKS

ROASTING FRESH PEPPERS AND CHILES

PEPPERS AND CHILES CAN BE ROASTED A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS. I PREFER TO ROAST THEM DIRECTLY OVER AN OPEN FLAME, EITHER OVER A GAS BURNER OR A GRILL FIRE. TO DO THIS, PLACE THE CHILES DIRECTLY OVER THE FLAME AND ROTATE THEM AS THEY BLISTER AND TURN BLACK. WHEN NICELY BLACKENED, TRANSFER THE CHILES TO A PLASTIC BAG TO SWEAT FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES. THIS WILL LOOSEN THE SKINS SO YOU CAN PEEL THEM OFF. IT’S A GOOD IDEA TO WEAR GLOVES WHEN PEELING HOT CHILE PEPPERS. YOU COULD ALSO PEEL THEM USING THE BAG AS A BARRIER. YOU CAN RINSE MINIMALLY UNDER CLEAR WATER TO REMOVE STUBBORN SKIN BITS, BUT A LITTLE CHARRED SKIN ACTUALLY ADDS GOOD FLAVOR. IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH SMALLER CHILES, USE A GRILL BASKET TO KEEP THEM FROM FALLING INTO THE FIRE.

OR, YOU COULD BROIL THEM IN THE OVEN. TO DO THIS, PREHEAT THE OVEN TO BROIL. SPREAD THE CHILES OUT IN A SINGLE LAYER (ALLOWING SPACE BETWEEN EACH OR THEY WILL JUST STEAM) AND BROIL UNTIL THEIR SKINS BLISTER AND BLACKEN ON THE TOP, 3 TO 5 MINUTES. TURN THEM OVER AND REPEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE. TRANSFER THEM TO A PLASTIC BAG AND, WELL, YOU KNOW THE REST. (A BOWL WITH A PLATE SET ON TOP WORKS WELL FOR “STEAMING” THE ROASTED CHILES—AND SAVES A BAG!)

BARBACOA-INSPIRED RACK OF LAMB

WITH CREAMED CORN AND ZUCCHINI

In Mexico, the term barbacoa refers to the slow roasting—or barbecuing—of seasoned meat, typically a whole goat or lamb, in a pit. Because digging a pit is not easy for most home cooks, I’ve taken the marinade flavors and used them on a rack of lamb or lamb chops to create an easy, elegant grilled main course with tons of flavor. (Although nontraditional, the same marinade would be good on chicken breasts or pork chops.) For the Supper Club, we serve the lamb with corn and zucchini, lime wedges, and warm tortillas, but it also good with Nopal Salad, Arroz Verde, sliced radishes, pickled jalapeños, crumbled queso fresco, and the xni-pec and chipotle salsas.

The marinade calls for three different kinds of chiles—chipotle morita, New Mexico, and guajillo. If you have trouble finding them in your local markets, you can order them from Penzeys Spices. I like to use the small, moist, reddish, smoke-dried chipotle morita chile, which, like the chipotle, is a type of dried jalapeño, because it has great flavor. If you cannot find dried moritas, look for them canned and skip the toasting and soaking steps. | SERVES 6

MARINADE

10 CHIPOTLE MORITAS, STEMMED

11 NEW MEXICO CHILES, STEMMED

4 GUAJILLO CHILES, STEMMED

6 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED

1 TABLESPOON BLACK PEPPERCORNS, COARSELY SMASHED

4 WHOLE CLOVES, SMASHED

1 TEASPOON CUMIN SEEDS, TOASTED IN A DRY PAN UNTIL FRAGRANT AND THEN GROUND

¼ CUP APPLE CIDER VINEGAR OR PINEAPPLE VINEGAR

2 TO 3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OR CANOLA OIL

2 LAMB RACKS OR 12 (2-INCH-THICK) DOUBLE-BONE LAMB RIB CHOPS, FRENCHED

SEA SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER

1 SMALL YELLOW ONION, MINCED AND MIXED WITH 1 TABLESPOON DRIED MEXICAN OREGANO, FOR GARNISH

CREAMED CORN AND ZUCCHINI

To make the marinade, preheat a griddle, comal (round, ceramic Mexican griddle), or skillet over medium heat. Meanwhile, put a kettle of water on to boil.

Working in batches, arrange the chiles on the hot surface and toast, turning as needed, for 1 to 2 minutes, just until softened. Watch closely as they burn easily, which will make the marinade bitter. If you want the marinade to be only moderately spicy, let the chiles cool until they can be handled and remove the seeds. Put all of the chiles in a wide heatproof bowl. Pour in boiling water to cover generously, and top the chiles with a heatproof plate to keep them submerged. Let the chiles soak for 30 minutes.

Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking water. Transfer the chiles to a blender, add about one-third to one-half of the soaking water, and process until a thick paste forms, adding more water as needed to achieve the correct consistency. Transfer the paste to a bowl, add the garlic, peppercorns, cloves, cumin, vinegar, and oil and mix well.

Place the meat in a shallow, nonreactive dish, season with salt and pepper, and rub liberally with the marinade. Be sure to cover all of the surfaces well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before grilling.

Prepare a medium-hot charcoal and/or wood fire in a grill. Place the racks or chops on the grill rack directly over the fire and grill, turning once, until the meat is nicely caramelized on the outside and rare to medium-rare in the center. Depending on the heat of your fire, this should take about 4 minutes per side.

Let the racks rest for about 5 minutes before cutting into chops. Arrange the chops on a warmed platter or individual plates and garnish with the onion-oregano mixture. Pass the corn and zucchini at the table.

TIPS AND TRICKS

RACK TALK

EACH LAMB HAS TWO RACKS, AND EACH RACK HAS EIGHT BONES. THAT’S FOUR (TWO-BONE) CHOPS PER SIDE. A RESTAURANT PORTION WOULD BE A PAIR OF TWO-BONE CHOPS. IF YOU WILL BE SERVING THE FISH COURSE THAT GOES WITH THIS MENU AND FINISHING WITH THE TIRAMISU OR OTHER RICH DESSERT, YOU COULD CUT THE RACKS INTO ONE-BONE CHOPS AND SERVE TWO SMALL CHOPS PER PERSON, DEPENDING ON APPETITES. YOU WILL HAVE FOUR CHOPS OR TWO DOUBLE CHOPS LEFT OVER; IF I’M PLANNING FOR LEFTOVERS, I PREFER TO KEEP THE DOUBLE CHOPS, AS THAT CUT STAYS MOISTER ON THE GRILL. IF YOU DON’T WANT TO TRY TO COOK A WHOLE RACK AND CUT IT YOURSELF, YOU CAN BUY RIB (FROM THE RACK) OR LOIN CHOPS.