Fajitas (Carne Asada)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon, fresh comino seeds (cumin)

6 black peppercorns

5 cloves, peeled fresh garlic

¼ cup, olive oil

2 tablespoons, white vinegar

2 fresh squeezed, lime juice

1/2 cup, orange juice

1/2 cup, water

½ teaspoons, salt

1 cup cilantro, chopped (no stems)

1 jalapeño, minced

3 lbs, skirt steak (fajitas, skirt steak)

Directions:

In a small sauté pan, over medium high heat, toast the comino seeds and black peppercorns for about 30 seconds. You will smell the hint of oils releasing. Remove from heat, and add them to a molcajete (mortar and pestle).

Add the garlic, and grind into a paste. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir, this is to make sure you remove all the paste from the molcajete and pour into a bowl.

Add all the other ingredients into the bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour in marinade into a gallon size zip-top plastic bag. Add fajitas and seal, removing as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight or up to 24 hours.

Remove the fajitas from the marinade, and discard excess marinade. Grill the fajitas, on high heat, somewhere around 500 degrees.

Grill for 7 to 10 minutes per side. Flipping only once. The cooking time is an estimate and is going to depend on the thickness of your meat.

Once done, remove from heat and let rest, covered with a tented piece of foil for 10 minutes. Slice as thinly as possible, against the grain, and serve. Enjoy!

Tip:  You can also marinate fajitas in a bowl. Just make sure the meat is covered. Serve on heated flour or corn tortillas! Topped with guacamole, and Pico de Gallo! cooked onions and green peppers Use a small preheated cast-iron skillet to serve and just before taking to the table squeeze fresh lemon juice over the meat. For a healthier alternative serve with whole wheat tortillas, low fat sour cream, reduced fat Mexican shredded cheese, fresh pico de gallo and Guacamole. 

Best Ever Homemade Guacamole - Avocado Dip

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

8 large, Hass avocados

½ lime, fresh squeezed lime juice

¼ cup, Roma tomato, minced

¼ cup, white onion, minced

¼ cup packed, cilantro, minced

3 large cloves, garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon, sea salt

¼ teaspoon, fresh ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon, ground comino (cumin)

1/2 jalapeno, slice lengthwise, seeds and veins removed, finely minced

(Leave the seeds and veins if you like it hot and add the whole finely minced jalapeno! For even spicier Guacamole use a Serrano pepper.)

Directions:

Mince the tomato, white onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and garlic. Using a large bowl add the onions, tomato, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, salt, black pepper, lime juice, and comino (cumin).

To prepare the avocados, pop off the dried stem from all the avocados and discard the stem. 

Slice the avocados in half. And carefully remove and discard the pit.

Scoop out of shell with a spoon. Place in the bowl with the other ingredients.

Then using a fork mash avocados and mix to desired chunky consistency.

Tip: Serve with your favorite tortilla chips for a dip, or use with your favorite Mexican dish. Great on fajita tacos! I take this dish to all my family gatherings! It disappears!

Best Ever Pork Tamales

Sausage & Kale Calamarata

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients
1 500g pack Calamarata dried pasta
2 tablespoons, sea salt

For the sauce
3 tablespoons , Extra virgin olive oil
2, garlic cloves sliced
½ teaspoon, chili flakes
1 large, yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup, white wine
4, Sweet Italian Sausages, (Mild or Hot, your preference)
¾ pound, fresh kale
4 tablespoons, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Salt to taste

Directions:
Fill a large pot with 1 1/2 gallons of water and bring to a boil.

Heat a pan and add a tablespoon of the olive oil, chili flakes and garlic. When it starts to sizzle add the onions, once they starts browning add the wine and let evaporate.

Slice the sausage links in half lengthwise and peel off the casing, add to the pan, mix and cook for about 10 minutes

Chop the kale into strips and add to the sauce, stir it in, slightly lower the flame and cook for 10 minutes. If in need of moisture add a few tablespoons of hot water from the large pot.

Once pasta water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of sea salt and pour the pasta in, keep stirring so that it doesn’t stick. Cook for the suggested time on pack, try one noodle before draining, you want to cook it ‘al dente’.

Once pasta is ready, drain but keep about ¼ cup of cooking water. Add pasta and cooking water to the sauce and stir at high flame for a few minutes.

Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and garnish with shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!! 

Puerto Rican Arroz con Gandules (Rice with Pigeon Peas)

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups long grain white rice (washed and rinsed well)
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons Recaito
1/4 cup chopped pork salt

1/4 cup chopped bacon
2 tablespoons Spanish olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can green pigeon peas, drained
1 envelope sazon with culantro and achiote
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground comino (cumin)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon

Directions:

Start by heating the oil in a pot at high heat, and when the oil is nice and hot, add the salt pork.

When the salt pork is cooked but not crisp, add the bacon. 

Once browned, add Recaito, (a unique cilantro-based seasoning base that enhances the flavor) onions and garlic, olives, capers, comino (cumin), oregano, black pepper and envelope of sazon. Stir fry all together for about 1 minute.

 

Add pigeon peas, tomato paste, then add the water and bring to boil.

Wash rice under cold running water until water is clear and drain. Add rice to pot, chicken boullion and stir.

 

Once the liquid has began to boil and most of the water has cooked off, lower heat to lowest setting, and stir 1 more time, top with bay leaves, then cover with tight lid.

Let this cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat setting, remove cover and bay leaves, turn rice, and continue to cook at low heat for another 15 minutes until the rice is tender. Enjoy!

Tip:  Do not stir, but turn the rice with a large serving spoon. For a variation, add some cubed ham when adding the sofrito. The best part of this rice is the crust which forms on the bottom, called the pegao!

Nuevo Leon Enchiladas

Nuevo Leon is a state in Mexico and this is one of their traditional Enchiladas recipes. The Ancho Sauce in this recipe can also be used for other recipes.

Tip: Read instructions completely before cooking.

Ingredients:

16 Corn Tortillas

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 cups shredded cooked chicken, preferably dark meat, such as thighs

2 cups (10 oz.) Queso Fresco

1 cup white onion, chopped

2 cups of Ancho Tortilla Dipping Sauce  (Click for recipe)

Directions:

Heat a 9" or 10" heavy bottomed skillet and add the 1/2 cup oil.  Heat on medium high. One by one, using a pair of tongs, dip the tortillas in the hot oil until soft, should only take about 4 seconds, lay on a plate and continue until all the tortillas are dipped. See photo.

Heat the ancho sauce in a pan until warm. One by one, using a pair of tongs, dip the softened tortillas in the ancho sauce and lay on a plate. See photo.

In a large baking dish, I use 2, 2 quart rectangular baking dishes, lay a tortilla and add some shredded chicken, a little onion and some cheese. Then add 1 teaspoon of the ancho sauce, roll up, set aside in pan. Continue until you have eight in each pan. Pour the remaining sauce over the 2 dishes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and onions on the dishes. See photo.

Heat the oven to 375 degree and bake for 25 minutes.

Serves 8, 2 Enchiladas each. Can be served by themselves or with rice, beans or any side dish you would like.

Tip: Queso fresco is the most widely used cheese in Mexican cooking. The firm-textured fresh white cheese. Its name translates as "fresh cheese" and is slightly salty, with a mild, tangy taste similar to farmer's cheese. Like other fresh cheeses, queso fresco is lower in fat and sodium, despite its salty flavor, than aged cheeses. It's easily crumbled to sprinkle on dishes like enchiladas and tamales, as well as soups like black bean and tortilla. It also makes a tasty addition to cold vegetable salads. And although it softens, it does not melt when heated; queso fresco is classically used in the filling for chile relleños and quesadillas. For a snack, heat some on corn tortillas and top with a dollop of salsa.

Pork Stuffed Turkey Breast

Tip: Read directions completely before preparing.

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh ground pork

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons capers

1 tablespoon pimento stuffed olives, chopped

1/4 cup Achiote Oil (Click for Recipe)

2 .5 - 3 pound whole turkey breast meat, deboned and butterfly

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 large Reynolds oven bag
1 tablespoon flour

Directions:

See if your grocer butcher will butterfly the turkey breast for you. If not, place the turkey breast meat, skin side down, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound it with a mallet to flatten it to about 1/2 inch thick. If you do not have a mallet, use a heavy bottomed flat skillet. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap. Season the turkey breast liberally with some of the Achiote oil.

In a large mixing bowl, add pork, onion, cilantro, garlic, capers, olives and 2 tablespoons of the Achiote oil.

Spread the pork meat mixture evenly across the top of the turkey.

Starting at one of the long sides, roll up the turkey, tucking the ends in, to create a rolled roast.

Tie with kitchen twine in several places to secure the filling, then brush with more of the Achiote oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degree. Open the Reynolds large oven bag and add flour. Place bag in a baking pan with opening toward wide side of pan. Use pan at least 2 inches deep.  Place the prepared breast in bag and close bag with Nylon tie. Cut 4, about 1/2 inch slits on top of bag for air to escape.  Tuck ends of bag in pan. Place pan in oven, allowing room for bag to expand during cooking without touching heating elements, walls, or racks.  

Bake for 2 hours or until internal temperature is 170 degree. 

To serve, carefully cut open top of oven bag. Don't cut too far to the end of the bag, or the sauce can run out. Fold back the open pieces of the bag. Lift the breast out and stir any sauce left in the bag until smooth. Always support bag with pan.

Discard the twine and cut the turkey into 1/2- to 3/4-inch slices. To serve, arrange the slices on a platter.  Serve hot, warm or cold.

Tip: Achiote seeds, which are also referred to as annatto seeds, from the Annatto tree. A deep brick red in color, it has a intensely rich flavor. Achiote is available at Latin American markets and on the international aisle of some larger grocery stores.