CORN BREAD MUFFINS SPECKLED WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER
GARLIC BREAD SCENTED WITH CUMIN
GRILLED VEGETABLES WITH FRESH HERBS
GRILLED WHITE CORN BRUSHED WITH HERB BUTTER
SERVES 4
Mexican cooks add their own twist to rice cooked pilaf style. The raw rice is given the typical careful rinsing in order to remove the gluten and starch. It’s then cooked in a little vegetable oil. But whereas Europeans give the rice just a minute or two of preliminary sautéing, Mexican cooks sauté the rice for about 10 minutes, until it nearly becomes browned. Also, a few chopped tomatoes are added to give the rice a lovely color. In this recipe, we add a serrano chile when sautéing the rice, and then remove it, leaving behind a shadow of its heat.
1½ cups long-grain white rice
3 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, split open lengthwise and seeds removed
1 cup chopped vine-ripened tomatoes including the seeds
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water, rubbing the rice with your fingers until the water is no longer cloudy, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
Place a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and garlic. After 15 seconds, add the rice and serrano chile. Turn the heat to low, and sauté the rice for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the serrano chile. Add the tomatoes, broth, and salt. Bring to a low boil, stirring. Cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and simmer for 20 minutes, never lifting the cover.
Taste the rice. If it is still slightly undercooked, cover the saucepan, and simmer for another 5 minutes. The rice can be made up to this point 24 hours ahead, with the rice refrigerated in the saucepan in which it cooked, lid on. Return to room temperature and reheat in a 300°F oven for 30 minutes.
Left, a painting of St. John the Baptist in an old chapel. Right, twilight in San Miguel when the street lamps are lighted.
Variations
Coconut milk contributes a rich lingering flavor and intensifies the white rice color. Other types of long-grain rice that can be substituted are Thai jasmine rice and basmati rice. We’ve also varied the recipe by replacing the rice with the same amount of Israeli couscous—excellent!
Prepare the rice pilaf recipe as directed, but use 1 cup coconut milk and 2½ cups chicken broth instead of the 3 cups chicken broth. Proceed as directed.
Imagine having to pick 14,000 crocus stigmas to yield 1 ounce of saffron! No wonder it’s the world’s most expensive spice. Of course, there is inexpensive powdered saffron, but then the pilaf will not have the startling yellow color, or the elusive aroma, or the beautiful yellow-scarlet threads scattered throughout the dish. Saffron threads are sold in the spice section of most supermarkets.
Prepare the rice pilaf as directed. When adding the chicken broth, add one big pinch saffron. Finish as directed.
SERVES 8
This complex-tasting and green-tinted rice gains its flavor from spinach, cilantro, mint, serrano chiles, and orange zest. We love serving it with grilled or roasted halibut because of the dramatic color variation.
1½ cups long-grain white rice
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup firmly packed spinach
½ cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
½ cup fresh mint leaves
½ serrano chile, including the seeds (optional)
½ teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil or unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
Place the rice in a colander and rinse until the rice water is no longer cloudy, about 2 minutes.
Place the chicken broth, salt, spinach, cilantro, mint, serrano chile, if using, and orange zest in a blender. Liquefy, then set aside. This can be made up to this point 12 hours ahead of cooking, stored and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Place a 2½-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the cooking oil. When hot, add the rice, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the reserved broth mixture. Bring to a low boil. Cover, and cook the rice for 20 minutes, never lifting the lid. After 20 minutes, taste the rice. If not fully cooked, cover the pot and cook for another 5 minutes before tasting the rice again. The rice can be made ahead and refrigerated in its pot. Return to room temperature, and reheat in a 300°F oven for 30 minutes.
Clockwise from top left: The Indian pyramid site just outside of town, called Cañada de la Virgen. A conversion chapel. A cornfield plowed by animals in preparation for the summer rains. An altar inside a country church maintained by the locals. Glorious colors decorate a country church. Barrel cactus are native to the area.
SERVES 4
It’s the corn, cilantro, and pumpkin seeds that contribute a Mexican flavor to this dish. For a great variation, add ½ teaspoon ground cumin or Mexican cinnamon at the same time you stir in the currants.
1 cup wild rice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup minced green onion, green and white parts
3 ears white sweet corn, kernels cut off cob
½ cup dried currants or raisins
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
¼ cup fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
½ cup toasted pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds;)
½ teaspoon salt
Cook the wild rice according to the directions on the package. This can be done up to 24 hours in advance; refrigerate the rice.
Place a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter, and sauté the garlic for a few seconds. Add the cooked wild rice and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes. During cooking, stir in the green onion, corn, currants, chicken broth, and grated orange zest. Bring to a low boil, stirring occasionally. Cook until all the moisture disappears and the wild rice sizzles in the pan. Stir in the cilantro and pumpkin seeds and serve. You can make this up to 12 hours ahead; reheat in a 300°F oven for 20 minutes.
The agave cactus has played an important role in the history and culture of San Miguel.
SERVES 4 TO 6
The cooking directions provide two options, a cast-iron muffin pan or a cast-iron skillet. We prefer the muffin pan because more of the surface becomes crisp and because it is easier to reheat individual muffins. Serve with grilled meat or seafood that has an accompanying sauce that begs to be sopped up.
1½ cups yellow cornmeal
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, well beaten
1¼ cups buttermilk or whole milk
⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon for buttering the pan
¼ cup honey
6 ounces bottled roasted red pepper, chopped
3 ears white sweet corn, kernels cut off cob
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
3 cloves garlic, minced
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, place the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, butter, and honey. Mix well. Add the chopped roasted red pepper, corn kernels, cilantro, and garlic to the buttermilk mixture. Mix well. Then stir this into the cornmeal mixture. Stir until the dry ingredients are barely moistened, leaving plenty of lumps.
Butter a 6-cup cast-iron muffin pan or 10-inch cast- iron skillet and preheat for 15 minutes in the oven. When heated, pour in the batter. Bake for about 10 minutes if using a muffin pan, or 30 minutes in the skillet. The corn bread is done when a knife pushed deep into the center comes out clean. If cooked in the skillet, cut the corn bread into slices.
To serve, place in a basket lined with a cloth napkin, cover, and warm in a 225°F oven. Serve with butter and honey.
SERVES 4
Here’s garlic bread with a slight south-of-the-border taste. Choose a good country-style loaf of white bread, with a firm texture and very few “canyons” in the bread.
½ cup unsalted butter
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch chives, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-inch) loaf French bread
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the broiler, or prepare a hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill.
In a small saucepan, place the butter, garlic, chives, cilantro, cumin, if using, and black pepper to taste. Melt the butter over low heat until it bubbles around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat.
Split the bread in half horizontally. Brush on a thin layer of the butter sauce. If broiling the bread, sprinkle on the cheese. If grilling the bread, set the cheese aside. This can be done 12 hours before cooking; seal the bread in a paper or plastic bag.
Toast the bread under the broiler until golden, about 3 minutes. If grilling the bread, toast the bread cut side down. When toasted, turn the bread over and sprinkle on the cheese. Continue cooking until lightly browned on the underside. Cut into slices and serve.
A simple chapel is a destination for religious pilgrimage.
SERVES 4
This easy recipe is an excellent side dish for any of the main courses in this book. It is also very good made with garnet yams, peeled to reveal the bright orange interior, and then cut in the same manner as the russet potatoes.
3 medium russet potatoes, or 16 small round red potatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
Generous pinch of ancho or chipotle chile powder
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Cut the russet potatoes in half lengthwise, then cut each half lengthwise into 3 strips. (If using red potatoes, cut them in half.) Place in a bowl. Add the garlic, chile powder, salt, and black pepper to taste. Toss to evenly season, then add the olive oil, and toss again. The potatoes can be prepared up to this point 4 hours before cooking.
Scatter the potatoes onto the baking pan, and turn each piece to be resting on the skin side. Roast until tender when prodded with a fork, about 1 hour. Serve hot or warm.
Horses are ridden on pilgrimages in the countryside. Colorful chapels can be found throughout the area.
SERVES 4
Choose vegetables to grill that take about the same amount of time to cook. For example, hard, dense vegetables such as carrots are best matched with wedges of yellow onion, cauliflower and broccoli florets, and slices of Japanese eggplant. The goal is to cook the vegetables until lightly browned and for all of them to be removed from the grill at the same time. If this is going to be a side dish for grilled steaks or chicken, cook the meat first. It can “rest” off the heat without any deterioration of quality for the few minutes it takes to cook the vegetables.
2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
2 medium zucchini
2 large portobello mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ cup thin soy sauce
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
4 limes, cut into wedges
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill.
Cut the bell peppers into wide strips and remove the stems and seeds. Cut each zucchini into 3 long slices. Cut off and discard the mushroom stems, then cut the mushrooms into quarters. Snap off and discard the tough ends of the asparagus stems.
In a medium saucepan, combine the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Bring to a simmer and then remove from the heat. This can be done up to 8 hours ahead and kept refrigerated in an airtight container. If made ahead, bring the orange juice mixture back to a simmer.
Brush the grill (or a barbecue grate screen) with oil. Add the vegetables. Brush generously with the herb butter. Grill the vegetables until lightly browned, about 6 minutes, turning them often (ask for a volunteer to help!) and brushing with more herb sauce. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
SERVES 4
We wait to make this dish until the summer arrives, bringing with it corn so tender that it can be eaten raw. This herb butter is also delicious brushed on asparagus, mushrooms, or a mix of vegetables about to go on the grill.
HERB BUTTER
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 serrano chile (optional)
¼ cup packed fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
Finely grated zest of 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
8 ears white corn, shucked
2 limes, cut into wedges
To make the herb butter, mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the serrano chile, if using, and mince. Add the cilantro and mint and mince again. Add the butter, lime zest, and salt to the food processor. Run the machine until the mixture becomes smooth. This can be done up to 24 hours ahead; refrigerate the butter in an airtight container.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a gas or charcoal grill. Place the herb butter in a small saucepan over low heat, and heat until the butter melts. Place the corn on a baking pan. Add half of the herb butter, and roll the corn in the butter. Transfer the corn to the grill. As the corn cooks, brush with the leftover butter in the pan. When the corn browns slightly on all sides, remove from the grill. Serve with the lime wedges.
SERVES 4
Roasted vegetables are easy to make and so satisfying as an accompaniment to meat and seafood dishes. Choose vegetables that are equally dense. Potatoes, parsnips, and carrots have the same degree of firmness. But if you add summer squash, for example, the squash would cook much quicker than the potatoes. A good combination with summer squash would be summer bell pepper strips of various colors, whole green onions, asparagus, and white corn still on the cob.
2 medium russet potatoes
2 large parsnips
4 large carrots
2 medium yellow onions
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, cumin, or coriander (optional)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Peel the potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 3 long strips. Peel the parsnips and carrots, and then trim away the stem area. Cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half on a sharp diagonal into big chunky pieces. Peel the onion. Cut the onions into 8 wedges.
In a large bowl, combine all of the prepared vegetables with the oil, garlic, cinnamon, if using, crushed red pepper, and salt and black pepper to taste. Toss to evenly coat the vegetables with the seasonings and olive oil. Spread on the prepared baking sheet. Place the vegetables in the oven. Roast until tender and golden, about 1 hour, turning the vegetables over twice during the cooking time. Serve hot or at room temperature.
