Panela Cheese covered with Chipotle and Green Onions

A light and tasty appetizer that is not mainly made of veggies?
Is it impossible?
Well if you have tried Mexican Panela Cheese also known as Queso de Canasta (Basket Cheese)before, you  will have noticed how smooth and light it is. This soft fresh cheese is made of cow milk and absorbs the flavors  of the food it is served with. In Mexican cuisine it´s often used in salads and some traditional dishes like enchiladas and tortas.
I love to serve it as an appetizer because its lightness and texture. This recipe looks attractive to the eye and irresistible to the palate.

 

Ingredientes

1 lb. of Panela Cheese (National brands in USA such Cacique or Goya sell it packaged, or some Mexican-Latin Super Markets carry it by pound in the Deli section)

1/2 cup of olive oil divided in 2
 
3 tablespoons of Chipotle Sauce

2 Chipotle peppers chopped  (from a can)

1 cup of chopped green onions

2 garlic cloves pressed

2 tablespoons of  chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon of oregano

Salt and pepper

Put the cheese in the center of a baking dish (metal or glass). 
Using a knife make some incisions on the surface of the cheese, so  the olive oil  and other seasoning can be completely absorbed.
Drizzle 1/4 cup of  the olive oil on top of the cheese and sprinkle the oregano. Season with salt and pepper.
Pre heat oven at 350 F.
Cover the cheese with foil and put it in the oven for 15 minutes.
In a little bowl mix the 1/4 cup of olive oil, the pressed garlic cloves, the chopped peppers and the chipotle sauce with a whisker. 
Take the cheese out of the oven, uncover it and pour the mixture on top of the cheese.
Put the cheese in the oven for another 10 minutes, this time uncovered.
Take it again out of the oven and let it cool down to room temperature. 
Cover with the green onions and chopped cilantro.
Serve with crackers and have a one marvelous appetizer.

 Almond Yogurt Mousse Served with Fresh Strawberries

This light Panna Cotta style dessert melts blissfully in the mouth. The combination the almond and strawberries flavors and the texture of the yogurt make the dessert an irresistible mix of ingredients. Since it doesn’t have all the calories of the traditional Panna Cotta made with heavy cream it can be the perfect wrap up after a rich meal.  It will satisfy the craving for sweets without adding heaviness or regrets after finish eating.



 

 Ingredients

2 cups of plain yogurt French style

1 can of 12 oz of evaporated milk

1 cup of white sugar

3 teaspoons of liquid almond flavor

2 envelopes of .25 oz of unflavored gelatin

6 tablespoons of water

1 lb of strawberries cut in half

4 tablespoons of white sugar for the strawberries

1 half of a lime

Crushed almonds to garnish (optional)

In a large bowl mix the yogurt, the sugar and the almond flavor.  Incorporate the ingredients with a whisker until the flavors are incorporated.

In another bowl sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it stay for 5 to 10 minutes.

Using the microwave or the stove warm up the evaporated milk, do not boil it, just warm it. And then add it to the bowl that contains the gelatin.  Mix with the whisker.

Pour the evaporated milk mixed with the gelatin to bowl that contains the yogurt and using the whisker again mix all the ingredients.

Serve in individual cups or in a big glass or aluminum container. Chill them in the refrigerator until they are firm. The process will take at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile put the strawberries in a bowl, add the sugar and the lime juice. (If you are not very fond of acidic flavor, the lime juice can be replaced by a teaspoon of the almond flavor.  However I do prefer the contrast of sweet and sour in this dessert, given that the yogurt itself has some acidity) Mix the ingredients; cover the bowl while the strawberries release its delicious juices.

 

 Once the Mousse is firm, it is ready to serve.  Sprinkle some of the crushed almonds and add the macerated strawberries. 

Be ready to pleasure your palate.

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Zucchini

This is a simple and yet very savory recipe with an Italian touch. I tried the first version of this plate n Brooklyn, New York in a typical Italian family restaurant.  This dish was a “conquistador” of my palate.  The flavor of the Balsamic vinegar impregnating the soft (and many times bland) meat of the chicken breast made it very special. In my version, I decided to incorporate zucchini rounds to add some green  vegetables that would absorb the balsamic vinegar flavors.  The results are enough to seduce any taste buds looking for a sophisticated and intense flavor.

Ingredients

4 - 6 portions

2 lbs of bone and skinless chicken breast

1 medium white onion sliced in thick rings cut in half

4 Zucchini sliced in thin rounds

¼ cup of Olive Oil

½ cup of Balsamic Vinegar

2 crushed garlic cloves

Salt and Pepper to season

1 tbsp. of dried oregano to garnish (optional)
1 gallon plastic bag

This recipe starts marinating the chicken the night before or at least three hours before cooking the chicken. In the plastic Ziploc bag mix the garlic and the Balsamic vinegar. Then add the chicken, salt and pepper to season.
You will notice how the the meat of the chicken starts to look darker once the vinegar is partially absorbed. 

Proceed to warm the olive oil at medium heat, in a skillet with enough room to spread all the pieces of chicken. Take the chicken out of the bag and discard the rest of the marinade mixture.

Sauté each side of the chicken breast for three minutes until it starts to brown. It will start to release some juices that are the result of the marinating  process.

Once the chicken is golden brown, add the onions. Stir the ingredients to incorporate the flavor of the onions and the chicken juices.  When the onions start to caramelize, you can add the zucchini rounds on top of the chicken and onions. Cover the skillet, lower the heat and without stirring the ingredients. Just turn off the fire and let them simmer for at least 5 minutes. And let them sit for another to 10 minutes. The zucchini will be cooked but still firm and impregnated by the flavors of the balsamic vinegar, onions and chicken.
Serve individually or in a big plate. Sprinkle with dried oregano to add Italian flavor.

The results are a great, elegant and very affordable dish that can be served with mash potatoes, pasta, spinach salad or white rice.

   

 

Pastel Azteca – Aztec Cake

 

Since I was a girl until my early twenties I lived in Chihuahua, Mexico.  And every Saturday of all those years, my family and I used to have dinner in my Aunt Nena´s house, her specialty was Mexican food: Enchiladas, Chile Colorado, Picadillo (her version of ground beef with potatoes) served with fluffy handmade tortillas de harina (flour tortillas), Caldillo de res ( Northern version of beef soup) and Pastel Azteca. Sitting at her table was more than sharing a meal. It was a rite to share wisdom, laughter and the anecdotes. Those gatherings shaped my personality, my points of view and my taste for homemade food.  Sadly those times are gone. My aunt, my grandma and other members of the family are no longer here. I live far away and have my own family. However those old Saturday nights will always live inside me and my memories.  When I am yearning to have one of those family dinners back, then I cook one of the dishes that my smart and witty Aunt Nena would cook. One of her best dishes was this Pastel Azteca or Aztec Cake. This meal is made of layers of fried corn tortillas soaked in red chili sauce, topped with meat, cheese, and sliced green chilies.   These ingredients melt into each other after the “cake” is baked for 30 minutes, creating an exquisite truly Mexican flavor. I have made some adaptations to the original recipe, for example I have used chicken instead of beef, added some spice like the cumin, added corn kennel, and the Mexican cream to garnish.  The results are great! It is a tasty, crunchy and warm dish that brings satisfaction to the palate and the soul.

 Ingredients

15 corn tortillas        

½ Kg shredded chicken breast or beef skirt steak (about 1 pound)

2 cups of enchilada sauce (store bought or home recipe)

½ cup of canola or vegetable oil, plus 2 tbs. for the sauce

½ kg shredded Chihuahua (substitute with Muenster)

3 big Poblano peppers toasted, peeled, shredded

1 cup of white or yellow corn kernel

½ cup of diced white onions

1 clove of garlic

Salt, black pepper and ground cumin for seasoning

Mexican cream for garnish

GETTING THE LAYERS READY

TORTILLAS -First warm the oil in a skillet at medium heat for about 5 minutes until it is really hot.  Fry the tortillas one by one, and set them apart.  You can wipe the excess of oil with a napkin in between each tortilla.

CHILES- In another skillet or grilling pan roast the Poblano Chiles.  This process can be long, since the pepper has to be charred all over. Once the skin of the chile looks burnt, they are put inside a plastic bag for about 10 minutes. Once the chiles are removed of the plastic bag they have sweated and the skin is very easy to peel off. You can peel then off under running water.  I particularly peel them off first and then wash the remaining skin and seeds away with the help of the water.  In some Mexican supermarkets you may find the frozen peeled Poblano Chiles, however the flavor is never the same.  When the chiles are clean you slice them in strips. *The original recipe calls for Anaheim Chiles, however Poblano are very tasty and easier to find.

 

CORN -You can use frozen white  or yellow corn kernel or boil the corn and then cut and separate the kernel.

SAUCE - In a Mexican supermarket you can buy Enchilada Sauce or prepare the sauce with Chile Ancho (look for a separate recipe in another post).  For this recipe you will have to buy the big 29oz can.  In a medium pot warm 2 tbs. of canola or vegetable oil at medium heat and sauté one clove of garlic. Once the clove is fried, you have to remove it and then add the content of the can to the pot.  Add a dash of cumin, pepper and salt. Stir the mix occasionally until it boils. Remove it from the heat.

CHEESE -Grate the cheese, either Chihuahua or Muenster.

MEAT -Shred 1 kg of cooked chicken breast or beef skirt.  Mix it with the diced onions and season it with a dash of cumin, salt and pepper.

Once all the ingredients are in line, divide them in two, except for the chicken which has to be divided in 3 parts.  Soak the tortillas in the sauce and line them in a rectangular baking pan 11” x 14” like the one used for lasagna.  Place the first 6 tortillas at the bottom, then on top spread the meat with the onions, add a layer of the chile strips and corn kernel, and sprinkle the grate cheese covering the ingredients. 

 

 Repeat this operation one more time. For the last spread of tortillas, don’t add meat, just the cheese and whatever is left of the enchilada sauce (about ½ cup).  Preheat the oven at 35O F and then bake for 25 minutes or until the enchilada sauce has been absorbed and the cheese is melted. Now is ready to enjoy and melt in the mouth.

Roasted Beets Lemon Salad

I just love the color nature has created in fruits and vegetables. One of the most vibrant is the color in the beets, is a purple and red hue that is so unique.  You can garnish a plate with beets and make it more attractive immediately.  However if I wanted to eat cooked beets and avoid the ones from the can, the boiling process was a little annoying. First wash them, boil them for a long time and then discard the rosy water that might spill on your clothes and never goes away, it doesn’t sound like fun. Does it?

 But it was until very recent that I found out you can roast beets. Roasting them sounded farfetched because I thought I needed a barbeque grill and special trays, but no, it turns out you can grill them in your oven and the results are delicious.   The fresh flavor is present, the texture is somehow crunchy, and there isn’t as much mess as there is with the boiling.  Since I learned how to prepare them I have been using them in many ways: as a side dish, in soups, etc. But my favorite way to eat them is in a salad with lemon dressing. The sweetness of the beet and the zest of the lemon create a sweet and sour flavor that is really appetizing.

*Roasted beets can be refrigerated for up to one week in a plastic container, discard them if they look dull.

Roasted Beets

I usually buy 4 large beets to use during 1 week.  WASH the beets, PEEL them and CUT THEM in thick slices (I will say 4 to 5 slice per beet). In my experience if you dice them before roasting, they get a mushy texture. PREHEAT the oven at 375 F.  In a cookie sheet or any baking tray spread 1 TBSP of Olive Oil.  PLACE the beets slices and roast them for 20 minutes.  After the first 10 minutes I open the oven and with a fork I turn the beets around so they can evenly roast. TAKE THEM OUT of the oven and LET THEM COOL for 10 to 15 minutes. You can slice them in tinnier pieces or use the whole slice.

 

LEMON DRESSING SALAD

1 Bag of Baby Lettuce Salad

2 Tbsp of finely chopped white onion    

20 cherry tomatoes cut in half

1 Cup of diced Roasted Beets

Juice from 1.5 lemons

1 Tsp of Paprika

1 Tsp of Black Pepper

1 Crushed Garlic Clove

½ Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Fetta Cheese to garnish (optional)

Salt to season

In a salad bowl, mix the onions, tomatoes and lettuce. And refrigerate it until you are ready to eat it  (the onion flavor permeates to the lettuce leaves if the ingredients are mixed before eating). In a separate container mix the oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices.  Whisk it until all the ingredients have incorporated. Let it stand for at least 1 hour. When you are ready to eat the salad, add the dressing and mix it. At the end add the beets and the cheese, so they won’t smudge while you shake the salad.  Enjoy a fresh and healthy salad.

Calabacitas con  Elote or  Mexican Zucchini  with Corn

Today it was an unusual cold day in Los Angeles; I wanted to eat something satisfying, warm and tasty, with homemade flavor.   However I didn’t want the calories that a “cozy meal” frequently has. So I took my calabacitas or Mexican zucchini as you find it in the store, and made this common and simple, but delightful plate.  I could easily say that if you have grown in Mexico there is a 90% possibility that you have eaten Calabacitas con Elote  as part of a regular lunch meal. Everybody has its recipe and there are many variations, but this is the recipe I have been using for years.

Ingredients

6 Medium Mexican Zucchinis

1 Cup Whole Corn Kernels (cooked, canned or frozen)

1 Large Tomato Diced

1 Medium White Onion Diced

3 Tablespoons of Tomato Sauce

1 Garlic Clove Chopped

3 Tablespoons of Mexican Cream or Sour Cream

¾ Cup of Water OR Vegetable OR Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Shredded Mozzarella or Chihuahua Cheese to Garnish (Optional)

In a large skillet warm the oil at medium heat for 2 minutes.  Add the onions and move around with a wooden spoon until they start to look tender and transparent.  Then add the garlic and the tomatoes. Keep moving until tomatoes become soft and smashed.  While the onions, garlic and tomatoes cook, you start to dice the zucchinis in big chunks. Put in the pieces of zucchini and mix with the wooden spoon.  Pour the water or chicken broth on top; add the tomato sauce and the cream. Mix again in order to incorporate all the ingredients.  Once the liquid in the mix starts to boil add the salt and pepper to season, then lower the heat and cover. Let it stay at low heat for about 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and let it set the flavor for another 5 minutes. Then serve and garnish with cheese if you want. The cheese will melt into the mix making it creamier.

 *The beauty of this recipe is that can easily transform in a vegetarian plate if you change the chicken broth for vegetable broth and skip the cream and replace it by soy milk.