I'm Back! / ¡Ya Volví!

 

It has been a while since I last posted a recipe, I think it’s time to come back. 

I have been away from my blog because I’ve been busy renewing a long passion of mine; hiking. I love walking and used to hike all the time but because of other priorities I stopped doing it. On February 2, 2015, I went on my first hike after being away from the trails for about 10 years. It was hard but it felt great!

My first hike was only a mile long and it took me a long time to do it. I could only hike during the weekends, which was fine because in the beginning, I was so out of shape that I needed the whole week to recover from any short hike. Now, after a year, I can climb mountains and can go on more than one hike per week. I can walk long distances much more easily and have taken a few backpacking trips, which I never did before but have discovered that I love it.

I’ve done the Mission Trails 5-peak challenge and found a #52hikechallenge on the web and decided to do it. The challenge is to go out and walk 52 hikes in 52 weeks; one per week. However, I’m working on a personal goal this year. I want to walk at least 52 hikes before August. My husband and I, together with other family members, are planning a big backpacking trip to the Sioux Hustler Trail in BWCA Wilderness, Northern Minnesota and I’m using my weekend hikes as training. I have done 21 so far…I have a lot more to walk.

Do you make New Year resolutions? I don’t but this year is different. I have set a couple of goals I want to be able to achieve this year; to be more active and to eat better. I really need to work on these so I can improve my overall health. With these goals in mind, I’m going to start doing a lot more cooking so, I guess this could mean posting more often…I’ll try. Here is a recipe for a healthy lunch or a light dinner. I found this soup in the book that came with my blender and adapted it to my taste. It is easy to make and it is delicious.

Hummus Soup

(for 4 portions)

3 cups of vegetable broth (chicken broth can be used)

1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 1/2 Tablespoons tahini paste 

1 Tablespoon chopped garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients into the jar of a blender and secure the lid. Blend for a couple of minutes at a high setting or until everything is smooth. Pour into a pot and bring soup to a simmer over a medium-low heat and cook for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot with croutons or pita chips and enjoy. 

I accompanied mine with warm bread topped with greek yogurt, sprinkled with zaatar and a little olive oil. It was delicious!

Winter Soup / Sopa de Invierno

I’m making a quick stop to write a recipe for a soup that some friends asked me for.

After the Halloween celebrations we usually end up with leftover pumpkin and winter squash and so, I like to make this soup which is great for these winter days. It warms the body and the spirit, and is delicious!

Winter Squash Soup

2 small winter squash, peeled and diced (I used a combination of butternut and white pumpkin)

½ white onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

2 sprigs of thyme (or your favorite herb)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chicken broth (to keep this vegetarian, I used vegetable broth)

2 Tablespoons cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a large baking sheet, toss first 7 ingredients together. Spread on a single layer and bake for 30-40 minutes or until vegetables have softened and are brown in places. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Add vegetables to a food processor or a blender. Add the cinnamon and blend to a smooth puree, adding the broth as needed to help the blender and to obtain the desired consistency (thicker soup would need less broth).

Pour the soup into a pot and simmer over medium heat. Add more salt and pepper to taste. At this point, if using, add the cream and cook until soup is heated through. Serve hot and garnish with a sprinkle of smoke paprika.

Free México / México Libre

Photo by Ana Red

Free México!

Pozole is a hardy soup made with hominy. It is most commonly made with pork and red sauce but in some parts of México is also made with chicken and green sauce. It is very traditional to serve pozole for the celebration of Mexican Independence, my family usually prepares this on September 15 to proclaim independence. We all love a good pozole de puerco (the pork kind) however, today I'm presenting an alternative that I'm sure will be appreciated by our vegetarian friends. I have posted this recipe before but I think it is appropriate to bring it back during this holidays.

This pozole is an unconventional one. It was inspired by a recipe from the book, Al Calor del Sabor, but I use my own sauce and prepared my own nixtamal with blue corn. Using chanterelle mushrooms instead of meat makes this pozole a treat that even my vegetarian husband can enjoy. 

Chantarelle Pozole

1 lb. blue or white nixtamalized corn (I made my own nixtamal from dried corn but it can be bought already made; it is called hominy or pozole)

1 medium white onion

5 garlic cloves

2 sprigs fresh oregano (or 1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano)

Salt to taste

3 guajillo dried chiles

5 red New Mexico dried chiles

3 garlic cloves, with peel

1/2 medium white onion

1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

Salt to taste

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 lb. chantarelle mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

For garnish:

Sliced radishes (I used black radishes but any kind will be good)

Shredded green cabbage (or iceberg lettuce)

Chopped red onion 

Lemon juice

Hot Sauce (your favorite)

Clean the nixtamal, place in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, fresh oregano and salt. Slow cook for approximately 2 hours or until the corn has grown in size and has become soft. Add water as needed to keep corn covered.

In the meantime prepare the sauce. Clean the dried chiles, cut in half and remove the seeds and veins. In a dry cast iron skillet toast the chiles about 3 seconds on each side until aromatic. Take care not to burn them or they will be bitter. Soak the chiles in a bowl of boiling water for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile roast the onion and garlic in the same skillet until they are blackened, about 3 minutes. Peel the garlic. Transfer the onion and peeled garlic to a blender, add the oregano, cumin and salt. With tongs lift the chiles from the soaking water and add to the blender. Taste the chile water, if is not bitter add 1/2 cup of this water to the blender plus 1/4 cup of plain water. If the chile water is bitter just add 3/4 cup of plain water. Purée to a smooth sauce. Pass the sauce thought a strainer or a food mill into a bowl and set aside.

In a large dutch oven heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and mushrooms until well caramelized. Add the sauce and cook for a couple of minutes. Removed the onion, garlic and sprigs of oregano from the nixtamal and discard. Add the cooked nixtamal with its water to the mushroom mixture. Correct seasoning and cook together for about 10 more minutes until all flavors had incorporated. 

Serve hot topped with desired garnishes.

La Cocina Mexicana de Pily

"México Lindo y Querido"

Natalia Charra

Mexican cuisine is very popular around the world and this is a testimony of the wonder and deliciousness of our food. People outside México appreciate our food not only for the constant process of searching for and discovering the right combination of ingredients, but also because our cuisine demonstrates the great imagination of our people.

Mercado

The richness of Mexican cuisine comes from far and wide across our country and it has been brought to the world by many of us who have left our homeland but have kept México close to our hearts through its food.  We specially remember and honor our food during our Mexican Independence holidays which are celebrated in the month of September.

Don Pedro's kitchen

During this month, I try to cook only Mexican meals for my family. Caldo, as we call soup, is one of my favorite things to serve. A caldo is more than a soup, it is a meal in a bowl and it’s very common in Mexican kitchens. Who does not remember the delicious sopa de fideo (noodle soup), or the incredible caldo de res (a hardy beef stew with chunks of vegetables), or the healing powers of a hot Mexican caldo de pollo (chicken soup)? Pozole is the soup most commonly prepared to celebrate Mexican Independence but this time I’m sharing my recipe for chicken caldo, a delicious chicken soup that brings me closer to my “México lindo y querido”.

Chicken Caldo with Pasilla Pepper 

2 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic clove, minced

6 cups of water

2 chicken breasts, cleaned

2 sprigs of thyme, finely chopped

Salt to taste

2 pasilla peppers, seeded and deveined
10-15 tomatillos milpero (I like the very small and purple in color), cleaned and halved.

3 small carrots, chopped

3-4 small zucchinis or summer squash, chopped

3 small potatoes, peeled and quartered

In a medium pot over slow fire, heat the oil. Add onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add the chicken, water, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.

While the chicken cooks, soak the peppers in boiling water for 10 minutes. When soft, place in a blender with the tomatillos and a little bit of the soaking water and purée to make a sauce. Pass the sauce through a fine strainer to separate the solids and set aside. 

When the chicken is tender, remove from the pot and set aside to cool for a few minutes.  Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Cook until vegetables become fork tender. Shred chicken and return to the pot. Add the zucchinis and pasilla sauce. If needed, correct the seasoning and simmer until the chicken and all the vegetables are cook thoroughly. Serve hot.

Enjoy these picture of México lindo and don't forget to follow the link to Pily's blog to colaborate with her in showing the beautiful things México has to offer and to find great Mexican food recipes.

I love the clean streets of a small town

Tequila, Jalico

Santa Maria del Oro, Nayarit

Yaca Tree

Adobe House in Huaynamota. Nayarit

Delicious Mangos from Huaynamota Groves



Sombreros

The Griddle Said To The Pot... / El Comal Le Dijo A La Olla...

...lets make some American classics.  

In 1897 Campbell's made tomato soup popular in America. Its soup has been enjoyed by countless children and adults alongside grilled cheese sandwiches. Although Campbell's Condensed Tomato soup is okay, I prefer homemade soups so I learned to make my own. Accompany the soup with the simple but legendary grilled cheese sandwich and you have a satisfying and scrumptious treat any time of the day.

This is a delicious meal that my husband and I love. It's not only one of the American classics but a benchmark of simplicity and great taste.

Tomato Soup

1.1/2 lb. firm tomatoes, skinned and roughly chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbs. butter

1 cup beef or chicken stock (for a vegetarian soup use vegetable stock or water)

Baking soda

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 Tbs. powdered sugar

1/2 cup double cream 

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot and fry the onion and garlic until soft and transparent. Add 1 cup of stock together with chopped tomatoes and a generous pinch of baking soda. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly and place in a blender. Process on the liquifying setting. Return the mixture to the pot through a sieve or food mill. Re-heat, season to taste with salt, pepper and powdered sugar. In a separate pan bring cream almost to boil and then add to the soup. Serve hot.

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

2 Slices of whole wheat bread

butter or mayonnaise

2 slices of your favorite melting cheese (I used gruyere)

Spread the inside of the bread with as little or as much butter or mayonnaise as you like. Top one slice of the bread with layers of cheese and cover with the other slice of bread. Grill in a panini press or a pan griddle until the cheese melts. Eat.

Spill the Beans / Suelta la Sopa

Native to the New World, beans are loaded with nutrition and protective benefits. They are rich in protein, fiber, B-vitamins and several minerals.  Beans are delicious, easy to cook, easily available, and inexpensive. There is also a great diversity of beans with a wide range of tastes and colors.


Pinto beans is what I grew up eating. There is always a pot of beans cooking on the stove in my childhood memories. My father wouldn't forgive my mom if beans were not served with every meal - he loved beans and so do I!  Up until last year pinto beans were the most used in my kitchen, and on occasions, I cooked black beans but that was it. I didn't use any other beans. Last year I visited a Farmers' Market in Tucson and I discovered a lady that was selling different kinds of beans. Since then I have been trying all kinds of new varieties, at least new to me.


The beans I cook now are not just any beans. I buy them at a very special place and they come from very special seeds. They are from Native Seed/SEARCH which is a nonprofit conservation organization based in Tucson, Arizona. They conserve and distribute  diverse varieties of agricultural seeds from southwest USA and northwest Mexico. "Ancient Seeds for Modern Needs..." is their motto. Some of their work includes Community Seed Grants and Renewing America's Food Traditions, both of which are very important initiatives in these times when food security and loss of healthy eating habits are a huge problem in America. Their work also touches me in a more personal level because, being born in Mexico and married to an American, I feel this kind of work brings my two worlds together. Through the food of my ancestors I can share my Mexican traditions and history with my American husband and his family. But to the beans! As my husband would say; "Stop rambling and spill the beans."

There are many recipes for beans but I like mine very simple so I can enjoy their individual flavors. However, there is a soup that I like so much -Tortilla Soup- but since it is traditionally made with chicken, I can not prepare it for my vegetarian husband. So, I created a Tortilla Soup made with bean broth instead of chicken. It is very simple but we love it.

First the basic recipe for pot beans:

Frijoles de la Olla

(Pot beans)

1 lb. dry beans, your favorite variety

1 medium onion, cut in half

3 garlic cloves, peeled

1 sprig of epazote (if not available use cilantro)

Salt to taste

Clean the beans by picking out any dirt or pebbles and rinsing in cold water several times until the water come out clean. (Some people soak the dry beans for several hours before cooking them. I don't. You can soak them or you can do as I do and skip this step.) Place beans in a large pot (olla) and cover with at least 6 cups of cold water, add onion, garlic and epazote and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer until they are fully tender, 1 to 2 hours. After 40 minutes check the water level and, if low, add boiling water as needed (we'll need 4 cups of broth for our tortilla soup). When the beans are completely cooked, season with salt to taste, remove onion, garlic and epazote, and the beans are ready to serve as is or to use in other recipes.

Bean Tortilla Soup

2 C. pot beans 

4 C. bean broth 

1/2 C. vegetable oil for frying 

4 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips and fried

2 small tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 green onions, chopped

1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

1 T. cilantro, finely chopped

1 t. lemon juice

Salt to taste

1/2 C. shredded cheese (preferably queso cotija)

For garnish: 1 avocado, diced

In a large pot heat beans and broth and keep them hot. In a separate pan heat about 1/2 inch of oil and fry the tortilla strips a few at a time until crispy. Remove from oil and place on paper towels to drain. In a bowl, mix all the vegetables together, add lemon juice and salt to taste. Distribute the vegetables, cheese and tortilla strips among 4 individual bowls. Ladle the hot beans and broth into each bowl and garnish with diced avocado. 

Enjoy!