Showing posts with label hibiscus. Show all posts
Cinnamon and dried hibiscus flowers add a merry and bright twist to the classic hot toddy for a delicious holiday treat.



A very merry December to all! With the holiday season in full swing, I only had one thing in mind while choosing a recipe for The Secret Recipe Club... Something festive for the holidays! My assignment this month is A Fit and Spicy Life written by Mellissa whose tagline perfectly sums up her blog, "A lot of cooking, a little wine, and workouts to keep it all inline." Full of health-conscious recipes like Ramen Noodle Salad, Ginger Carrot Soup, and her Spinach, Mushroom & Onion Mini-Frittatas, you'll also find fitness tips and wine recommendations on her weekly Wine Wednesday series.

Secret Recipe Club: Cinnamon Hibiscus Hot Toddy

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This week for #SundaySupper we are celebrating Labor Day, which for those of you outside the US is celebrated on the first Monday of September.  I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, because here in Mexico it's just another Monday.  In Mexico we celebrate Labor Day (Dia del Trabajo) on May 1st.  

Just because I don't get to celebrate US Labor Day anymore, doesn't mean I don't think about it.  Remember what I always say...You can take the girl out of the US, but you can't take away her love of American holidays.  To me Labor Day has always been the "unofficial" end of summer.   And every first Monday of September, I long for that one last cookout with family and friends to bid farewell to summer.   We actually had our farewell cookout of the summer last weekend, where I whipped up these Margaritas de Flor de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) to toast the unoffical end of summer.  

lacocinadeleslie.com

 Margaritas de Jamaica 
(Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) 

Ingredients:
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • Limes
  • Tequila
  • Salt or granulated sugar

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar.  Add the dried hibiscus flowers and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool completely.  Strain the Hibiscus Flower Syrup into a decorative glass pitcher/caraffe or an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use.    

To make the margaritas: Dip the rims of chilled glasses in lemon juice.  Then dip the moistened rims in salt or sugar, depending on whether you prefer your margaritas sweet or salty.  (I like to add a little grated lime zest to my salt and/or sugar for extra flavor.)  Fill glasses with ice.  Squeeze the juice of 1 lime in each glass.  Pour in 2 oz. of tequila, then fill glass with Hibiscus Flower Syrup.   Stir gently to combine.  Enjoy!!! 

lacocinadeleslie.com

For more Labor Day menu ideas, be sure to check out what my #SundaySupper friends have cooked up for you this week.

Refreshing Drinks

Amazing Appetizers and Sides

Enviously Good Entreés

Delicious Desserts

Thank you to Crazy Food Stunts for hosting this week's #SundaySupper Labor Day celebration.  And as always, don't forget to join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.



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Margaritas de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Margaritas) #SundaySupper

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Will Smith (famous actor/rapper) once said, "It's summer, summer, summertime!  Time to sit back and unwind."  Well, I can't think of  better way to unwind (with the kiddies) on a hot summer afternoon than with a cool and refreshing icy treat .   My good friend and partner-in-crime Girlichef couldn't agree more, because she chose Nieves as our theme for this month's edition of She Made/Ella Hace.  

Heather (girlichef) made us a grown-up treat...a Lemon Drop Granita made with vodka!  But whenever I think of summer and icy treats, I think of the summers I spent when I was 4, 5, and 6 years old in San Luis, Sonora and Nieves Raspadas (snow cones), also known as Raspados.  I don't remember eating much else, besides my beloved Huevos con Chorizo, all summer long.  I must've eaten at least 3 nieves raspadas a day.  And who could blame me?  Nieves Raspadas are sweet, cool, and refreshing, and they were just the thing to help a little kid beat the glaring heat of the Sonoran desert.

Back then my favorite almíbares (syrups) for nieves raspadas were strawberry and tamarindo.  To this day, I still love those two flavors, but now that I'm all grown up I have a new favorite...Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower syrup).  It's sweet and kind of tart, with subtle floral undertones.  And it's such a pretty shade of bright magenta.

I love Nieves Raspadas SO much, I'm going to be dedicating a full week to them on the blog starting this Monday, June 24th.


Almíbar de Jamaica para Nieve Raspada
(Hibiscus Flower Syrup)

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 cups sugar

Directions:
Combine the dried hibiscus flowers with the water and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.  Spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of syrup over a cup of shaved or crushed ice.  Enjoy!!! 


Don't forget to visit Girlichef's blog to check out her Lemon Drop Granita.  And be sure to tune into my Cocina next week, as I'll be sharing more recipes for Nieves Raspadas.



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Almíbar de Jamaica (Hibiscus Flower Syrup) for Raspados {She Made/Ella Hace}

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We're only two weeks in, but I am really loving summer vacation.  Sleeping in until 8am, hanging out all day with my 4 favorite people in the world (my kiddies), and spending time with visiting friends & relatives from the US...It really doesn't get much better!  Mid-morning, the kiddies and I walk downtown to do our grocery shopping for the day.  Once we're done, we sit in El Jardin (the town square/plaza) to do a little people watching.  Sometimes, when it's really hot, we'll stop at the paleteria (ice cream & popsicle shop) for agua fresca, ice cream and/or paletas (ice pops) to help us keep our cool.

In the afternoons, I'll sit out on the sidewalk enjoying the cool afternoon breeze while watching the kiddies play with all the neighborhood kids.   Again, when it's really hot, we'll buy an icy cool treat from whoever stops by first: the ice cream truck or the paletero (popsicle vendor).  But sometimes when it's too hot to walk the two blocks to the nearest paleteria and we don't even feel like venturing out to our sidewalk, the kiddies and I head into the kitchen to make our own paletas.  And that's just what Girlichef and I are making for this month's installment of She Made / Ella Hace.

 Our favorite paletas to make this summer have been these Paletas de Jamaica y Limón (Hibiscus Flower & Lime Ice Pops).  The subtle floral taste and aroma from the dried hibiscus flowers combined with the tartness of the lime juice make for one tart and refreshing paleta.  And the color is just stunning.   



Paletas de Jamaica y Limón (Hibiscus Flower & Lime Ice Pops) 
(Recipe adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless)

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup dried hibiscus flowers
  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar; mix together until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Cook the dried hibiscus flowers in the sugar water over medium-low heat until  .  Let cool to room temperature.  Stir in lime juice.  Pour into paleta molds or small plastic/paper cups.  Let freeze for about 35 to 40 minutes before inserting sticks.  (Or if you're using plastic cups and are afraid you'll forget to insert the sticks, cover the plastic cups with a small piece of aluminum foil.  Pierce the center just barely with the tip of a knife.  Insert popsicle sticks or plastic spoons.)  


Freeze for 3 hours or overnight.  Enjoy!!! 



 Now go visit Girlichef's blog to check out her recipe for Paletas de Crema y Cereza con Tequila (Sour Cream, Cherry & Tequila Ice Pops)!  


If you're looking for more paleta recipes or have a popsicle recipe you would like to share, Girlichef is hosting The Summer of the Popsicle 2012.  Visit her blog for more details. 


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Also sharing this post with:

IHCC Theme: Nieves!
The Summer of the Popsicle 2012

The Summer of the Popsicle 2012 at girlichef.comRick Bayless @IHCC button rounded



Paletas de Jamaica y Limón {She Made/Ella Hace}

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I love the week leading up to Christmas.  I'm usually busy baking wonderful goodies to share with my family. Christmas in Mexico is filled with all sorts of yummy treats.  Everything from Buñuelos to Tamales to Ponche Navideño. Sigh...Ponche Navideño!  Christmas wouldn't be complete without it.  I can't recall a Christmas that Ponche Navideño wasn't served.  (Both in Mexico and the US.)

Ponche Navideño is a hot beverage, laden with fruits, served during the holidays. The base for Ponche Navideño can be made with either Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flower) or Tamarindo.  Both are absolutely delicious, but the color of Ponche Navideño made with hibiscus flowers is so bright and festive. It's the perfect beverage to serve with Christmas dinner.

But I have a confession to make.  As much as I love to drink Ponche Navideño, I've never actually made it.  This was my first time and it was delicious!  My hubby couldn't believe that I had never made Ponche before.

A key ingredient in making Ponche Navideño are tejocotes, a bright yellow-orange fruit which are sold at mercados (markets) all over Mexico during the holidays just to be used in Ponche. Another ingredient used in making Ponche is sugarcane.  It's been awhile since I've been to the States, so I don't know if sugarcane is even available.  I'm lucky because we have a vendor just around the corner that sells bags of cañas (sugarcane) already peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks.  But don't let these hard to find ingredients stop you from trying this delicious beverage.  As with most recipes, use what you like and try to incorporate what is in season. (Did someone say cranberries?!)

Ponche Navideño de Flor de Jamaica - Hibiscus Flower Mexican Christmas Punch

Ponche Navideño de Jamaica

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup dried Jamaica flowers
  • 3-1/2 quarts water (14 cups)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 cinnamon sticks (3-inches in length)
  • 6 ounces tejocotes
  • 6 ounces sugarcane (cut in 1-inch chunks)
  • 6 ounces pitted prunes
  • 6 ounces pecan halves
  • 6 ounces guava (quartered)
  • 6 ounces apple (cut in 1-inch cubes)

Directions:
In 4 quart stockpot, bring water and the dried hibiscus flowers to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and let simmer 10 minutes or until the water is a deep wine color. Using a slotted spoon, remove the hibiscus flowers from the pot; discard.  Stir in the sugar and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and let simmer over low heat for 60 to 90 minutes or until the fruits are tender. (This is the best holiday air freshener!)
                                    
Taste for sweetness. Add more sugar, if necessary. To serve, ladle Ponche and fruits into cups.  (For an Adults Only beverage, add a shot of tequila to each cup!)  Enjoy!!!

      
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Ensalada Navideña

Ensalada Navideña is a traditional fruit salad served as a side dish or dessert with any Christmas dinner.  This is one of those recipes that varies from family to family.  I've had it with shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, celery, guava, and even coconut.  But in our family, less is best!  (This version would be a great palate cleanser between courses!)

Ensalada Navideña

Ingredients:
  • 4 cups apple, finely chopped
  • 1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped (I love pecans, so I used 1 cup)
  • 3/4 cup Mexican crema
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup raisins (optional)
  • 1 cup chopped celery (optional)


Directions:
In large mixing bowl, mix the apple, pineapple, pecans, crema and sweetened condensed milk, until well combined.  (I'd add the raisins, but no one else likes them!)

      

Transfer to serving bowl.  Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and garnish with pecan halves.  Enjoy!!!

   

With Love,
Leslie Limon

Ponche Navideño (Mexican Christmas Cider) & Ensalada Navideño (Apple Christmas Salad)

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Flor de Jamaica_Dried Hibiscus Flowers


This is Flor de Jamaica.  You might know it as dried hibiscus flower, but here in Mexico we just call it Jamaica.    Flor de Jamaica is mostly used to make a delicious and refreshing iced tea called Agua de Jamaica.  It's one of the most popular Aguas Frescas in Mexico and can often be found along side with Horchata and Agua de Tamarindo.  (I refer to them as the Aguas Frescas trinity.)

The very first time I tasted Agua de Jamaica was as a newlywed at a Mexican restaurant in the U.S. To be honest, I didn't care much for the taste.  It was very strong and extremely bitter.  My hubby agreed with me, but insisted that Agua de Jamaica tasted much better than what we had just had.  He also said it would be even better if we made our own, so we headed to our local Latin supermarket to purchase dried Jamaica to make our own Agua de Jamaica.

I still wasn't too convinced, but I'm a good sport and I trust my hubby.  With our newly purchased one pound bag of Jamaica, we went home, where we consulted with some of our Mexican friends and neighbors on how to prepare our Agua de Jamaica.  Every recipe our friends shared involved soaking the Jamaica in boiling water for about 30 minutes.  After that, all we had to do was let it cool, add  more water and sweeten it with some sugar and voilá...Agua de Jamaica!  Our first attempt was a huge success. Hubby was right, homemade Agua de Jamaica was absolutely delicious and it quickly became one of my favorites.  

When my suegra (mother-in-law) visited us in the U.S. for the first time, she showed me an easier way to prepare Agua de Jamaica.  Instead of simmering the flor de Jamaica on the stove, she just added a handful of dried hibiscus flowers to my sun tea jar and let it sit on the counter all morning.  By lunchtime, our Agua de Jamaica was ready.  So easy and just as delicious!  And that's how I continue to make my Agua de Jamaica all these years later.

Making Agua de Jamaica


Easy Agua de Jamaica
(Hibiscus Flower Iced Tea)

Ingredients: 

  • 1 cup dried jamaica flowers
  • 4 quarts water (about 16 cups) 
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar
Directions: 
Fill a 4-quart sun tea jar (or pitcher) with water; add the jamaica flowers.  Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon,  remove the Jamaica flowers.   Stir in the sugar until completely dissolved.  Refrigerate  Agua de Jamaica for 1 to 2 hours before serving.  Serve with ice.  Enjoy!!! 

Agua de Jamaica_Hibiscus Flower Tea




Agua de Jamaica {Hibiscus Flower Iced Tea}

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