MAIN DISHES

Each one of the main dish recipes has been in my family for years, each one are comfort foods for most Mexicans, what I mean by that is, I’m pretty sure every Mexican has tried dishes. During any travels, I am certain that just the slightest smell and taste will pleasantly remind them of home.

I invite you to eat the cleanest animal protein according to your body needs, if it is winter maybe more animal fat, and for summer more vegetables and fresh fish.

I invite you to go with the seasons and with what your body wants; listen to it, love it and feed it with love and good food.

I hope you enjoy these recipes with your loved ones as much as I do.

 

Chicken broth is quick and easy to make and very comforting when you feel sick. We are what we eat. Each different type of food provides certain energy to our body. Think about the chickens. They are fast and light, so I think eating chicken broth when we feel tired or sick can help us feel quick and uplifted. Whatever the reason you make the broth, I recommend using high quality, free range, grass fed chicken with no antibiotics.

Caldo de Pollo

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·4 pieces of organic chicken, washed

·Water

·1 handful cilantro

·1 clove garlic

·¼ onion

·1 carrot, diced

·1 potato, diced

·1 handful brown rice

Serving Suggestions

·½ onion, finely chopped

·1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

·2 limes cut in half

·Salsa roja

·Tortillas on the side

Procedure

1.In a large pot put chicken and all other ingredients. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

2.Serve hot and garnish with onion, cilantro, limes and salsa, to taste. Enjoy with tortillas.

 

The word “fajitas” is known beyond Mexico. This is a healthy version with lots of ideas to create your own favorites. Enjoy them with a salsa and beans.

Fajitas

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

·1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·2 teaspoons olive oil

·½ onion, sliced

·Suggested Ingredients of choice*

·2 red tomatoes, de-seeded and sliced into strips

·1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips

·1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips

·1 cuaresmeño chile, de-seeded and sliced

·Protein such as fish, chicken or pork

·Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1.Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté garlic until it begins to turn golden.

2.Add the onion, stir constantly until juice is released and onion becomes transparent.

3.Add ingredient(s) of choice, let cook for 15 minutes.

4.Add the tomatoes, reduce heat and cover. Cook 5 minutes or until tomatoes release their juices.

5.Add the bell peppers and Cuaresmeños with salt and pepper. Stir well, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes to heat through.

6.Serve hot and accompany with beans, salsa and tortillas.

* Approximate protein cooking time is as follows – vegetables 5 minutes, fish 5 minutes, chicken 15 minutes, pork 15 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

 

This is my grandmother’s original recipe. I now make this recipe without the meat and the flavor is still very rich and unique. If you choose to use meat, certified organic grass fed is best.

Mole de Olla

Preparation time: 20 min

Cooking time: 50 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·1 lb boneless beef shank* (optional)

·¼ onion, chopped

·3 cloves garlic

·1 ear of corn quartered

·2 guajillo chiles

·3 moritas chiles

·1 pasilla chiles

·½ teaspoon of cumin

·1 tablespoon olive oil

·½ onion, finely chopped

·1 cup green beans

·1 chayote sliced

·2 medium sized squash, quartered

·1 sprig epazote

·Sea salt

Serving Suggestions

·½ onion, finely chopped

·1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

·2 limes cut in half

·Tortillas

Procedure

1.In a pressure cooker combine meat*, onion, two cloves garlic and corn and cook for about 35 minutes.

2.In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil. Add chiles, lower heat to medium, and cover. Cook for 10 minutes, or until soft.

3.Remove seeds from chiles and place in a blender. Blend with garlic, and cumin. Strain and set on the side.

4.Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté onion until golden. Add chile, garlic, cumin blend from step 3. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until heated through.

5.Add steps 3 and 4, the green beans, squash, chayote, salt and epazote to the mix with the meat and let it simmer until cooked, about 15 minutes.

 

I think Veracruz has the best seafood in all of Mexico. I learned to make this delicious meal when I was living in Veracruz. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Pescado a la Veracruzana

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 min

Serves: 2

Ingredients

·2 medium fish fillets*

·4 tablespoons olive oil

·2 ripe red tomatoes, de-seeded cut into strips

·1 green bell pepper, de-seeded cut into strips

·½ onion, sliced into strips

·1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·6 green olives, cut in half

·6 capers (optional)

·Salt and ground pepper

Procedure
In the Oven

1.Preheat oven to 350F.

2.Place fish on a large baking sheet covered with foil. Baste with olive oil.

3.In a medium bowl stir together the remaining ingredients and pour over fillets.

4.Cover the fillets with foil, and bake for 25 minutes or until fish is cooked.

5.Serve hot with rice and steamed vegetables.

Can be served on toasted tortillas, on a plate, or in tacos.

In a Skillet

1.Heat oil in a large frying pan. Cook and stir garlic and onion until just golden and onions release their juice. Lay fish in pan. Cover and cook for approximately 5 minutes each side.

2.Remove cover, add remaining ingredients and cook for additional 10 minutes or until fish is cooked.

Can be served on toasted tortillas, on a plate, or in tacos.

* In keeping with the theme of freshness in my book, I always advise people to avoid buying your fish at the supermarket if possible. Find a local provider who deals directly with fisherman or handles daily shipments fresh from the coasts.

 

Baking this dish in the oven gives the banana leaf the opportunity to release its wonderful flavors into the fish. Pan searing is another easy method, so I’ve provided instructions for both. Ginger is not necessarily a Mexican flavor, but it has so many health benefits and truly exquisite taste, I could not resist sharing this variation.

Pescado Empapelado

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

·4 green onions, remove greens and slice bulbs in half

·1 clove garlic

·1 jalapeño pepper, de-seeded

·Juice of 1 lime

·1 tablespoon olive oil

·Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

·2 medium fish fillets

·2 banana leaves, softened*

·2 sprigs cilantro

·1 lime, cut into thin slices

Procedure
In the Oven

1.Preheat oven to 400F. Line baking sheet with foil.

2.In blender or food processor, blend together onion, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, salt and pepper to create a paste. Coat both sides of fish with paste and set aside.

3.Lay banana leaves on prepared baking sheet and place a fillet in the center of each. Garnish with lime slices and a sprig of cilantro. Carefully close leaf with a piece of the same banana leaf, like closing a gift.

4.Bake fish in the oven for about 25 minutes.

5.Serve immediately with steamed vegetables, if desired.

In the Skillet

1.Make paste as above. Allow fish to marinate in the paste at least 30 minutes.

2.Place fillets in a hot skillet over medium heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Flip fish, cover pan and turn down heat to low. Cook an additional 10 minutes.

3.Serve immediately.

* Soak in hot water to soften and make easy to handle. Can wrap foil around banana leaf to help hold in place. Variation: I like to add fresh ginger (juice or minced) to the paste mixture.

 

My mother, grandmother and I enjoy preparing this delicious and nutritious dish quite often. Although this casserole is rich in flavor, thankfully it is easy to make. I‘ve added leftover quinoa and the combination was great.
Quinoa is an ancient grain and has been consumed for about 8,000 years. It is one of the fastest cooking grains with also the highest nutritional profile. It contains all eight amino acids, which makes a complete protein. It has protein equivalent to milk, is high in vitamins B and E, iron, zinc, potassium, and calcium.
It is also gluten free, easy to digest, and to top it off strengthens our kidneys, heart and lungs!!

You can understand why this is one of my favorite seeds!
I’m even thinking of doing a book of quinoa recipes!

Squash Casserole

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25

Serves: 2

Ingredients

·2 tablespoons olive oil

·¼ onion, finely chopped

·1 clove garlic, minced

·4 squash, diced

·3 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced

·Salt and pepper to taste

·Fresh cheese or feta (optional)

Procedure

1.Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic, until juices are released and garlic turns golden brown.

2.Add squash. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

3.Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer 5 minutes or until heated through.

4.Serve hot on healthy toasted tortillas, tacos or alone and garnish with cheese if desired.

Variation

If you need additional protein, add quinoa to the mixture. Cooking quinoa is simple: Rinse 1 cup quinoa well while you prep ingredients for casserole. Put quinoa in a pot to boil with 2 cups of water. Once the water starts to boil, cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir quinoa into casserole before serving.

 

The original recipe calls for chicken or beef, but I decided to create a vegetarian version and substitute with nopales, carrots, and Jamaica. Choose your favorite ingredient to suit your taste. The flavors are excellent with, and without meat. If you choose to use chicken or beef, try to look for organic, grass fed, cage free choices.

Enjoy!!

Tinga

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·5 red tomatoes, de-seeded

·¼ onion

·1 clove garlic

·1 chipotle chile

·Ingredients of choice*

·1 onion cut into strips

·1 clove garlic, finely chopped

·Olive oil

·Salt and pepper to taste

·Fresh cheese or feta

*Ingredients of choice

·Slice 5 nopales into strips and place in a pot. Boil with enough water to cover, plus ¼ onion, 1 clove of garlic and a pinch of baking soda. Cook for 20 minutes or until soft.

·4 grated carrots and Jamaica flowers cooked previously, by boiling in water for 15 minutes, then removing and slicing the flowers.

·Shredded cooked chicken.

·Shredded cooked beef.

Procedure

1.Add to blender or processor tomato, onion, garlic and chiles. Purée, and set aside.

2.Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic until onion is transparent. Stir in the ingredients of choice, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

3.Add the purée and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper, cover and simmer on low heat for an additional 5 minutes to blend flavors.

4.Serve on a plate, on tostadas, or in tacos. Sprinkle with cheese.

 

This is one of my favorite dishes from my childhood. My mom used to make them with chicken or beef.
I have found a way to make them vegetarian, plus the cakes can be made without the broth and served with rice.

I invite you to try both ways and experiment with other ingredients.

Tortitas en Caldo

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 15

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·5 red tomatoes, de-seeded

·¼ onion sliced

·1 clove garlic

·¼ onion finely chopped

·4 tablespoons oil

·Salt and pepper to taste

Cakes

·1 egg

·½ cup cooked brown rice

·Ingredient of choice*

*Possible ingredients of choice

·Grated pumpkins

·Grated carrots

·Spinach, chard or kale

·Shredded chicken (no rice needed)

Procedure

1.In a blender or processor combine tomato, onion, garlic and salt and pepper. Purée and set aside.

2.Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until onion is translucent.

3.Stir in purée and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low, add salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend spices.

For Cakes

1.Mix all cake ingredients in a small bowl. Shape into patties.

2.Heat oil in a skillet, over medium heat. Add cakes and cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping halfway through frying.

3.Serve hot patties on a plate topped with reserved sauce.

 

This is one of the most emblematic dishes of Mexico, as well as one of my favorites. My mother makes a tremendous Chile Relleno. It’s a bit complicated, but if you follow the recipe step by step, I assure you they’ll be delicious. One of my secrets is the addition of fresh ground pepper.

Chiles Rellenos

Ingredients

·4 Poblano chiles For the sauce:

·5 ripe tomatoes, de-seeded

·¼ onion

·1 clove garlic

·¼ cup water if necessary

·¼ onion, finely chopped

·4 tablespoons olive oil

·Egg coating

·4 eggs at room temperature

·1 cup flour*

·Olive oil For the filling:

·Fresh cheese or tofu

Procedure

1.Roast chiles on a griddle or skillet over high heat, until they are charred. Wrap in a damp cloth or bag to steam. Set aside.

2.In blender or processor, purée tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Slowly add water (if necessary) to keep the consistency smooth and not too thick. Strain and set to the side.

3.Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until juices are released and translucent. Add the purée and bring to a boil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Let simmer over low heat or 10 minutes.

4.With disposable gloves, peel the skin off poblano chiles, carefully slice down the side and remove seeds.

5.Stuff each chile with filling, being careful not to over stuff.

6.Separate three egg yolks from the egg whites and beat until stiff peaks form. (See note)

7.Add one egg yolk and a pinch of salt back to egg coating.

8.Place flour on a plate. Dip the Poblanos in the flour first, then the egg mixture. Place the Poblanos in a hot skillet coated with oil. Allow egg coating to turn to a golden brown then turn over with tongs (grabbing from the top of the chile if possible). Once all sides are brown, remove from the pan, set aside.

9.Serve each Chile Relleno on a plate drizzled with the tomato sauce made in step 2. Serve with beans and rice.

* Rice flour can replace the wheat flour if gluten intolerant.

Note: There are kitchen appliances that help separate eggs however my grandmother taught me by hand and I prefer this method. First break the egg over a bowl, allowing the whites of the egg to run through fingers into the bowl, while keeping the yolk in your hand. Transfer the yolk to a bowl and save one for later. Beat the egg whites into a stiff foam. My mother says you should be able to turn the bowl upside down and the eggs will not drip. This may take up to 15 minutes. This is an important step as the eggs whites are the key to coating the chiles successfully.

 

Quick and Healthy Chile Rellenos

Preparation time: 15 min

Cooking time: 15 min

Serves: 4

Ingredients

·4 Poblano chiles

For the sauce

·5 ripe tomatoes, seeds removed

·¼ onion

·1 clove garlic

·¼ cup water

·¼ onion, finely chopped

·2 tablespoons olive oil

For the filling

·Steamed vegetables*

·Fresh cheese or tofu

Procedure

1.Roast chiles on a griddle or skillet over high heat, until they are charred. Wrap in a damp cloth or bag, to steam. Set aside.

2.In blender or processor, purée tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Slowly add water to keep the consistency smooth and not too thick.

3.Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until juices are released and translucent. Add the purée and bring to a boil. Add salt and freshly ground pepper. Turn to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

4.With disposable gloves, peel the skin off poblano chiles, slice down the side and remove seeds. Stuff each chile with vegetables or tofu using a spoon. Serve each chile on a plate drizzled with the tomato sauce, and garnish with cheese.

* The vegetables can be broccoli, cauliflower, corn, or squash, etc. Choose your favorite or create a tasty combination. Having left over veggies on hand makes this quick and easy.