[Kimmie]

Thanks so much Marmalady for your wonderful recipes.

Tell me, we can't get Mexican cheese up here. What would be a good substitute?

[Pete]

Suzanne, Every couple of months or so I hit one of the tortilla factories here in Chicago (most major cities nowadays have at least 1 or 2). They are always happy to sell fresh masa to the public. In fact most of these places do quite a bit of business selling directly to hispanics. Since there is no way I can ever use 10 pounds of dough at one time, I usually break it into 2 pound blocks and freeze it. It works fine for making tamales, sopes or other things. Best to use fresh though for making tortillas. I also keep masa harina around for many other purposes such as tamale casserole, or crusting chicken and fish.

As for chipotles, though I often use the canned, in adobo, I prefer the dried. I first toast them in the oven until they puff up then I rehydrate them, I find the flavor much more complex that way.

While I lived in Atlanta, I worked for Kevin Rathbun at NAVA as part of his opening team. Kevin is from Dallas and is one of Stephen Pyles proteges. I learned so much about Southwestern cuisine and chiles during my tenure there. I have often thought about opening a Southwestern place myself, but then I would miss my French cuisine, my German-American cuisine, my New England influenced cuisine.........................

[panini]

Ya'll have about a week if you need me to send me you products you can't find.
Marm,
may want to try pulling 1/2 chix for soup. Sauteing cilantro with your onions add ++. sweat till dry add fresh lime juice. Nothing wrong with finding a piece of lime in the soup either. Sorry!! not trying to change your recipe. a little roasted corn?? Your right, stick to baking!!! adding a little fine ground masa, flavor-thickener,
sorry.
Must have summer dring, rice milk,straw,cinn,van I'll post the name later, I don't want to misspell it.

[Pete]

Panini, you are thinking of horchata I believe.

[marmalady]

Pannini, None of my recipes are written in stone, I change them around constantly.

quote:
"a little roasted corn?? Your right, stick to baking!!! adding a little fine ground masa, flavor-thickener, " I'm confused - maybe it's a little too early in the morning - but - do you mean ground masa in the soup? Done that - and dry roasting it first adds another flavor punch - but some folks can't get masa, so the stale tortilla works well, too; in fact, 'historically', my guess would be that the tortilla soup recipe was a 'leftovers' throw together, using whatever they had on hand. And 'a little roasted corn?? Your right stick to baking' - ????????? Where? What baking?


Kimmie, if you can't get Mexican cheeses, you could use crumbly farmers cheese or even a mild feta for the 'queso fresco', or goat cheese. Monterey jack can be used for any melting cheese, or a mild cheddar, or even gouda. "Manchego" is a Spanish hard cheese used for grating; you can sub Romano for that.

Pete - thanks for the fresh masa tips; Suzanne should be able to get fresh dough -I know there are tortilla factories in Jersey, just haven't investigated them. I use dried chipotles, too; it just depends on what I'm trying to accomplish; I use my drieds usually when I'm making a complex sauce with other dried chiles involved; if I'm just making up a dip, or quick sauce, I think the adobo sauce adds another flavor.

[monkeymay]

We do it down home Mexi style-
We're actually having a big co-ed baby shower Cinco de Mayo with about 50 people at my house, firing up the grill and setting it all up buffet style on the big table in the backyard. So far the menu looks like...

Turkey in mole sauce (got a 25 # on sale - it'll be perfect for this)
Carne asada and grilled shrimp for tacos
All the garniture for tacos - tomatoes, onions and cilantro, shredded cabbage
avocados and limes with corn tortillas
Grilled Salvadorean pork sausages(I get these at the carniceria- they're about 3"long, tied off with corn husks, sweet and vinegary - yum!)
Cheese and green chile tamales from La Indiana in East L.A .(the BEST!)
Nopalitos - cactus salad with tomatoes, onions and cilantro
Black beans cooked with epazote and cumin, topped with crema
Yellow rice
Pico de gallo and roasted tomato/chipolte salsa
Lots of guacamole (my cousin has an avocado ranch)
Big fruit platter of mexican papayas, strawberries and pineapple
We're drinking -
Jamaica- hibiscus flower tea
Beer - Negro Modelo and Tecate in cans with lime
Tequila -Probably Chinaco or Patron for chilled shots
Cuervo 1800 for margs

I think that should hold us!

[Suzanne]

Oops, yes, I can get fresh masa in Brooklyn. But what I meant was that I was looking for other ways to use masa harina besides tortillas and gorditas, which are the only recipes I have.

This thread is making me soooooooooooooo hungry!!!!!!!!

[marmalady]

Suzanne - let me do some sleuthing for you.

Monkeymay - Do you use fresh napolitos? or the canned? If fresh, could you 'splain how to peel & cook them? They've just become available in my neighborhood latino market, and I'd love to try fresh ones. Your 'que sounds awesome!!! i love turkey mole - are you making your own, or using one of the jarred mole sauces?

[panini]

Marm, your right< I will stick to baking, but I must tell you that I eat at least 4-12 authentic Mexican meals a week. 3 diff. families,
3 diff styles, 3 diff. Mothers, 3 diff regions.
Tortilla soup is basically American but your right thier tortilla soup in like a minestrone(peasant) there is no recipe. The best I've had was like stew, with roasted corn,potatoes, fine ground white cornmeal, and limes etc. The others are more brothy, most of the simmered whole chix used for other dishes.
We do have people come long ways when we have tortilla soup for lunch.
So be nice to italian bakers who are 85% south of the border

[marmalady]

Pannini - I just didn't understand what you were trying to say! Thought you were telling me to 'stick to baking'!

Suzanne - From having my nose in my books just now, it looks like traditionally, masa harina is used mostly for tamale/gordita/tortilla kinds of things. However, there is this one, a la Mark Miller:

CARNITAS rAVIOLIS

Ravioli dough:
1 cup masa harina (or fresh masa)
2 cups high-gluten flour
4 eggs
1T water
1 tsp. salt

Egg wash:
1 egg yolk
1T sugar

Sauce
1 1/2 cups reduced pork stock or chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup minced red and yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup diced roasted and peeled poblano chiles
2 tsp. minced fresh marjoram
2 tsp. minced cilantro
3T soft butter

Carnitas:
2 lbs. pork butt with fat, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups water(or beer)
3T chile caribe (or jalepeno, serrano, or whatever you like)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, roasted, peeled, chopped
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. anise seed
2 tsp. cumin seed
1 stick cinnamon
1T Mexican oregano leaves

Put pork, water/beer, chiles, salt, garlic and onion in a heavy pot and bring to slow simmer. Roast spices and oregano in a dry skillet til fragrant. Grind together to a powder. Add to the pork, and continue to simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until tender, adding more water as needed. Increase heat and cook till all the water is gone, reduce heat and continue to cook, stirring til the meat is a mahogany brown. Let cool.

Pulse the meat and fat in a food processor til shredded. Divide into 40 balls and set aside.

Mid all dough ingredients together in a mixer til a coarse dough is formed; Knead by hand til dough holds together. Roll dough in a pasta machine til a very thin sheet is formed. Divide into 8 pieces, each about 4 x 10 inches.

To assemble, lay out 4 sheets of pasta and lay the balls of carnitas out in a 2 x 5 grid on the past sheets. Mix egg yolk with water and brush the other four sheets with the egg wash. Lay these sheets over the carnitas, press down between the balls of carnitas, dividing each sheet into 10 raviolis, and cut with a wheel.

To make the sauce, bring the stock to a boil, add corn and cook til stock is reduced by half. Add remaining sauce ingredients, and continue to boil brisky til the butter emulsidied. Boil raviolis in boiling salted water for 3 minute til al dente. Put sauce in bowle, and serve ravioli on top.


There is also a chocolate drink/gruel called 'atole' which is made by cooking masa harina into a thin gruel, then heating milk, mexican chocolate, and cinnamon and adding it to the gruel.

And for the grand finale-----

OAXACAN CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE

serves 10

1lb.bittersweet chocolate 8oz. butter 6 large eggs
2T finely ground espresso beans

Preheat oven to 425. Line a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
Combine chopped chocolate and butter in large pot over simmering water til melted; remove from heat.
Place eggs in mixing bowl over warm water til lukewarm. Beat with electric mixter til light in color and tripled in volume, about 3 minutes at medium speed, then at high speed for another 5 minutes.
Add half the beaten eggs and ground espreso beans to chocolate mixture and fold in. Then add remaining eggs and fold in til just a few streaks remain; do not overmix. Pour into cake pan and place in roasting pan. Fill pan with boiling water to come halfway up the pan; transfer to oven and bake for 5 minutes. Cover cake pan with foil and bake in water bath and additional 10-15 minutes. Set aside t cool n rack 45 minutes; then refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight. To remove cake from pan; place pan over low burner a minute or two; run a sharp knife around inside to loosen, and invert onto platter.

Crema topping:
2 cups heavy cream ¼ cup buttermilk

Whisk cream and buttermilk together; cover and set in warm place for at least 8 hours.
Make raspberry coulis by pureeing raspberries and sugar in blender.
To serve, spread coulis on plate; place cake in middle, and a dollop of crema on top of cake; garnish with a few fresh raspberries.

[Suzanne]

kiss kiss kiss kiss THANK YOU!

[Pete]

Suzanne, I like to just play around with my masa harina. Usually if a recipe calls for cornmeal I will sub at least some masa. It makes a great crust for fish and chicken. I sometimes will also sub out a bit of flour with masa in other recipes, it all depends on what kind of texture I am going for. When I do this I add just a touch more liquid than called for. At first your recipe may look a little on the wet side, but like cornmeal, masa tends to soak up liquid over a few minutes. Let your imagination be your guide!! Rarely am I disappointed in the results. I have even used it in a few desserts, it come out great. Try making a masa tart shell (you can find cornmeal tart shells, just sub with masa) and fill with just about anything. Lime curd, pastry cream and fresh fruit, a cinnamon custard. I have used all these and they all work really well.

[monkeymay]

Marmalady-
Nopales are easy, easy, easy...I have never used cans although I have tried the ones in the jar (so-so, kinda rubbery and sour). Usually I find them in the Mexi markets fresh, but already sliced in bags.
If you have the whole paddles, make sure they are fresh and tender - hopefully with the needles pulled!!!
To cook them, slice into 1/2"strips and simmer in water with a chopped white onion, couple of garlic cloves, pinch of Mexican oregano, and salt till tender, but with a bite, like a good green bean! They will get kind of slimy like okra does, but you can drain and rinse them if you like. To make salad, just add chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lemon or lime (jalapenos or dashes of hot sauce are good too).
I like to scramble nopalitos with eggs topped with queso fresco and hot sauce eaten with warm flour tortillas - a good hangover cure!

As for mole, I actually make my own -
not too difficult, just an involved process - we usually have it for Day of the Dead, but I didn't get to do that last year, so I am looking forward to the mess I usually make
If you are interested I will post the recipe, but I don't want to get a ration of
**** regarding ingredients and authenticity - moles are like opinions, and everyone's got one. Mine's from my Oaxacan cook's mother - a very nice woman- but she gets insulted easily and is much meaner than I am!

[marmalady]

MonkeyMay, thanks for the napoles tips! Do you cook 'em with the 'skin' on, or peel it?

And I absolutely agree with you - moles are so individual; it's like asking 10 Italians what their marinara sauce recipe is! And on top of that, there are so many different kinds of mole - black, yellow, red, pepita, etc.

Are you a Zarela Martinez fan? I think if anyone wants to delve into the truly authentic, she's the one to go to! And even she admits that mole recipes differ from village to village, and region to region.

[monkeymay]

Marmalady - I'm sorry - no peeling! Just slice and cook 'em!

As for Zarela, I'm not overly familar with her work -I have seen her on Foodtv and glanced through her books - her food looks incredibly beautiful (as is her son - that hunky chef on Melting Pot!) but I've never eaten at her place ( I never think Mexican when I go to NYC )
I 've always liked Diana Kennedy- her "Cuisines of Mexico" was one of the first Mexican cookbooks I read, and of course Rick Bayless and Mary Sue and Susan -Those Hot Tamales! -do great stuff too.I have a great book that came out in the late seventies by Elisabeth Lambert Ortiz called "The Book of Latin American Cooking" - it covers a spectrum of recipes from Mexico to Chile, and breaks down the influence the Spanish, Portugese and African had on the indigenous cooking. It's a good one.

BTW, did you ever see the article Saveur did on moles a few seasons back?
It had some really wonderful recipes - can't remember who the writer was or when it was published though - anyone?

Let me know how your nopales turn out.

Monkey