Hello?! Anyone still out there??? I have been absent from the blogosphere for way too long, and for that I apologize. At first I was missing because we were in the process of moving to my suegro's house and we were waiting for our internet service to be installed. What I had hoped would only be a two week wait, at most, turned into a long, drawn-out five weeks and I was suffering from major social media withdrawals. (FOMO?!) Most of my time during those five weeks was spent packing up things at our old place while also clearing out the rooms we'd be moving to at my father-in-law's, painting, and making minor repairs before we "officially" moved in. The week our internet was finally installed, my in-laws (Alf's brother & sister) both came to visit from the US so that week was spent with the family. The week after my in-laws left we finished moving all of our stuff into my suegro's house. Now all we had to do was settle into our "new" place and I'd finally have some time to sit at my computer to work, blog, and get back to doing what I love most... sharing recipes.
Showing posts with label salsas. Show all posts
I know this is only the third week that I've been cooking with Rick Bayless, but I just have to say that I am really starting to like the man. This week's I Heart Cooking Clubs' theme was Sauces & Salsas. Since I'm still waiting for my first Rick Bayless cookbook to arrive in the mail, I turned, once again, to Rick's website for inspiration.
With so much yummy goodness to choose from, I decided to make Rick's version of one of my favorite salsas: Avocado Salsa. Rick kicks this creamy salsa up a notch with the addition of peanuts. Another of my favorite salsas is made with just peanuts and toasted chile de arbol, so I had a feeling I would love this Tangy Peanut-Avocado Salsa. Rick did not disappoint. This salsa was a HUGE hit with my entire family. My two college student nephews couldn't get enough of it. Good thing I tripled Rick's recipe.
Tangy Peanut-Avocado Salsa
(Recipe from RickBayless.com)
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
- 2 serrano chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1/2 cup water or milk
- 1 ripe avocado
Directions:
In a blender cup, puree in the peanuts, chilies, cilantro, lime juice, and water (or milk) until smooth. Add the avocado, and continue to puree until completely blended. Pour into a serving bowl and season with salt. (I used milk, because that's what I usually use to thin this salsa when I make it without peanuts.)
Enjoy!!! This salsa would be great as a dip served with tortilla chips, or as a salsa on quesadillas or tacos. (I served my salsa with tacos de carne asada.)
IHCC theme: Sauces & Salsas
My sincerest apologies for my absence (and lack of recipes) yesterday and today. My computer mouse died on me on Tuesday night while I was uploading pics for Wednesday's post, which left me unable to use my computer all day Wednesday and most of today (Thursday). But everything has been fixed and it's time to get back on schedule.
On the menu today...Flautas de Bistec! You might know them as Steak Taquitos. All I know is that they are absolutely delicious.
The most important part of any flauta/taquito is the dipping sauce. For Chicken Taquitos, only the creamiest Guacamole will do. But for Flautas de Bistec, well...you can't go wrong with a little Mexican Crema and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.
Unlike my Salsa Verde, which is mainly for tacos, this salsa does call for chile peppers. Serranos to be exact. I'm not really good at eating super spicy foods, so I only added 2 serrano peppers. Kind of spicy, but more flavorful than spicy. And definitely not a burn your mouth, call 911 kind of spicy. (Not that I can call 911 from Mexico!) If you're unsure of how much spice you can handle, add one serrano pepper at a time, tasting after each addition.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients:
Directions:
Heat a comal or griddle over medium heat; drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Roast the tomatillos, onion and serrano chilies on the comal, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender.
Transfer the roasted veggies to a blender cup. Puree in a blender until smooth. (This salsa will be on the thick side and that's exactly how you want it. A thinner sauce would just slide off the taquitos.)
Pour the puree into a serving bowl and season with salt. Enjoy!!!
And now for the Flautas de Bistec. Very simple recipe. Tender strips of bistec (thin cut steak) cooked with onion and garlic. Crispy, golden fried corn tortillas. Just thinking about how good these are is making me hungry again.
Flautas de Bistec
Ingredients:
Directions:
Cut the bistec in thin strips; season with salt & pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the bistec and cook until no longer pink.
Add the sliced onion and garlic. Continue to cook until the bistec has cooked through completely. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the corn tortillas on a griddle or comal over low heat until soft and pliable. You can also place the tortillas in a plastic bag and microwave them for 30 to 40 seconds.
Spoon a couple tablespoons of the bistec filling down center of the tortilla.
Wrap tightly and place seam side down on a plate. If you're worried about your flautas unfolding, you can secure the tortilla with a toothpick.
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place flautas seam side down in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Transfer flautas to a heatproof plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Continue frying the remaining flautas.
Serve with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans along with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Mexican Crema for dipping. Enjoy!!!
On the menu today...Flautas de Bistec! You might know them as Steak Taquitos. All I know is that they are absolutely delicious.
The most important part of any flauta/taquito is the dipping sauce. For Chicken Taquitos, only the creamiest Guacamole will do. But for Flautas de Bistec, well...you can't go wrong with a little Mexican Crema and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.
Unlike my Salsa Verde, which is mainly for tacos, this salsa does call for chile peppers. Serranos to be exact. I'm not really good at eating super spicy foods, so I only added 2 serrano peppers. Kind of spicy, but more flavorful than spicy. And definitely not a burn your mouth, call 911 kind of spicy. (Not that I can call 911 from Mexico!) If you're unsure of how much spice you can handle, add one serrano pepper at a time, tasting after each addition.
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients:
- 20 to 24 tomatillos, husked and sliced in half
- 1 small onion, cut in quarters
- Serrano Chilies
Directions:
Heat a comal or griddle over medium heat; drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil. Roast the tomatillos, onion and serrano chilies on the comal, stirring occasionally, until soft and tender.
Transfer the roasted veggies to a blender cup. Puree in a blender until smooth. (This salsa will be on the thick side and that's exactly how you want it. A thinner sauce would just slide off the taquitos.)
Pour the puree into a serving bowl and season with salt. Enjoy!!!
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And now for the Flautas de Bistec. Very simple recipe. Tender strips of bistec (thin cut steak) cooked with onion and garlic. Crispy, golden fried corn tortillas. Just thinking about how good these are is making me hungry again.
Flautas de Bistec
Ingredients:
- 1 pound thin cut steak
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic
- 12 corn tortillas
Directions:
Cut the bistec in thin strips; season with salt & pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the bistec and cook until no longer pink.
Add the sliced onion and garlic. Continue to cook until the bistec has cooked through completely. Remove from heat and set aside.
Heat the corn tortillas on a griddle or comal over low heat until soft and pliable. You can also place the tortillas in a plastic bag and microwave them for 30 to 40 seconds.
Spoon a couple tablespoons of the bistec filling down center of the tortilla.
Wrap tightly and place seam side down on a plate. If you're worried about your flautas unfolding, you can secure the tortilla with a toothpick.
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place flautas seam side down in the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on all sides. Transfer flautas to a heatproof plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil. Continue frying the remaining flautas.
Serve with Mexican Rice and Refried Beans along with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa and Mexican Crema for dipping. Enjoy!!!
Pico de Gallo, also known as Salsa Mexicana or Salsa Fresca, is one of the most popular salsas in Mexico. And also one of the easiest to make.
Traditionally pico de gallo is made with fresh ingredients in the color of the Mexican flag (red, white, and green). I like to add even more color by using red onion. I also prefer to add fresh lime juice to my Pico de Gallo, because it enhances the flavors of the onion, tomato, green chiles, and cilantro.
Pico de Gallo is delicious served over just about anything, including tacos, quesadillas, carne asada, eggs, and even pizza. Or you can serve Pico de Gallo with bowl full of totopos (tortilla chips), because who can resist chips and salsa?!
For a fun twist, try mixing in chopped fresh mango, cucumber, grapefruit, pineapple, or tunas (prickly pears).
Pico de Gallo
Ingredients:
Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, onions, serrano chiles, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Squeeze in the juice of two limes; season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon Pico de Gallo over tacos, quesadillas, and/or eggs. Or serve with totopos (tortilla chips). Enjoy!
Traditionally pico de gallo is made with fresh ingredients in the color of the Mexican flag (red, white, and green). I like to add even more color by using red onion. I also prefer to add fresh lime juice to my Pico de Gallo, because it enhances the flavors of the onion, tomato, green chiles, and cilantro.
Pico de Gallo is delicious served over just about anything, including tacos, quesadillas, carne asada, eggs, and even pizza. Or you can serve Pico de Gallo with bowl full of totopos (tortilla chips), because who can resist chips and salsa?!
For a fun twist, try mixing in chopped fresh mango, cucumber, grapefruit, pineapple, or tunas (prickly pears).
Pico de Gallo
Ingredients:
- 3 large roma tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium white or red onion, finely chopped
- 2 serrano chilies, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 limes (optional)
Directions:
Combine the tomatoes, onions, serrano chiles, and cilantro in a medium bowl. Squeeze in the juice of two limes; season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Spoon Pico de Gallo over tacos, quesadillas, and/or eggs. Or serve with totopos (tortilla chips). Enjoy!
The reason I'm sharing both of these recipes together in one blog post is because the two salsas go hand in hand, and can be found served side-by-side in every taquería (taco stand) in Mexico, hence the name Salsa Taquera (taco salsa). The spicy red árbol chile salsa adds heat to your favorite Mexican dishes, while the mild green tomatillo salsa is a tasty option for those who aren't used to eating spicy foods.
The small town where we now call home is famous for producing the best chile de árbol in the world. Chile de Árbol Yahualica has a unique flavor, aroma, and spiciness unlike any other kind of chile de árbol available on the market. And it is just one of the dried chiles that I always have in my pantry. Now don't let the chile de árbol's small size fool you, this small dried chile pepper packs plenty of heat.
My favorite recipe (and probably the most popular recipe using chile de árbol) is Chile de Molcajete, a delicious roasted tomatillo and árbol chile salsa. Chile de Molcajete is one of two salsas that I make every week. (The other is my Homemade Tomato Salsa.) This salsa is called Chile de Molcajete because traditionally it's made in a molcajete (a Mexican pestle and mortar made of volcanic rock), although nowadays you can also whip this salsa up quickly using a blender or food processor. (Don't worry, I provide directions for both molcajete and blender methods in the recipe below.)
*If super spicy salsa isn't your thing, try making this salsa with only 2 or 3 arbol chiles.
Update: I'm proud to announce that in 2014 this recipe was featured on Woman's Day Magazine's website!
My favorite recipe (and probably the most popular recipe using chile de árbol) is Chile de Molcajete, a delicious roasted tomatillo and árbol chile salsa. Chile de Molcajete is one of two salsas that I make every week. (The other is my Homemade Tomato Salsa.) This salsa is called Chile de Molcajete because traditionally it's made in a molcajete (a Mexican pestle and mortar made of volcanic rock), although nowadays you can also whip this salsa up quickly using a blender or food processor. (Don't worry, I provide directions for both molcajete and blender methods in the recipe below.)
No matter how you choose to make this salsa, I'm sure it will quickly become a household favorite. The thing I love most about Chile de Molcajete, aside from it's intense and addictive flavor, is that it's super versatile. Chile de Molcajete is amazing all on it's own with an endless amount of Homemade Tortilla Chips, but you can also serve it atop eggs, quesadillas, tamales, or whatever else you can think of. I also use it to make recipes like Huevos Rancheros, Chilaquiles, and Carne de Puerco con Chile... just to name a few.
Chile de Molcajete
Ingredients:
- 12 tomatillos, husks removed
- 10 to 12 dried arbol chiles*
- 1 clove garlic (optional)
Directions:
Heat a comal, griddle or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Roast dried árbol chiles and the clove of garlic, tossing occasionally, for about a minute. Remove from comal and set aside. Rinse tomatillos and pat dry. Roast tomatillos on the same comal over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, turning tomatillos occasionally, until the skin has started to char and the tomatillos have softened.
Molcajete method: Grind the roasted chiles de árbol in a molcajete with a couple of pinches of coarse salt, until the chiles resemble red pepper flakes. Add the roasted tomatillos and garlic, lightly breaking up the tomatillos with the pestle while also mixing them in with the chile de árbol until the mixture resembles a chunky salsa. Season with more salt, if necessary.
Molcajete method: Grind the roasted chiles de árbol in a molcajete with a couple of pinches of coarse salt, until the chiles resemble red pepper flakes. Add the roasted tomatillos and garlic, lightly breaking up the tomatillos with the pestle while also mixing them in with the chile de árbol until the mixture resembles a chunky salsa. Season with more salt, if necessary.
Blender method: Puree the roasted chiles de árbol, garlic and half of the tomatillos in a blender until smooth. Add the remaining tomatillos and pulse for a few seconds until salsa is desired consistency. Pour into a bowl and season with salt. Enjoy!
Receta en español
Receta en español
Update: I'm proud to announce that in 2014 this recipe was featured on Woman's Day Magazine's website!
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