Chiltepin House Sauce (Salsa Casera)
2 cups chiltepins
8 to 10 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 cup water
1 cup cider vinegar
Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high speed for about 4 minutes.
Refrigerate for 24 hours to allow the flavors to blend. Because it is so hot, this will last for years in the refrigerator!
Chiles de Arbol and Cider Vinegar Puree
1 cup chiles de erbol, stemmed
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
For a milder puree, rub chiles between your palms to remove most of the seeds. Chop chiles coarsely with a knife or in food processor. Put them in a bowl and pour vinegar over. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Add onion and garlic to the chiles an either cover the bowl with plastic an microwave on HIGH for 1 minute, or put them in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cover, and simmer for 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until very smooth. Let cool.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Chile Colorado
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons ground, dried Anaheim or New Mexico chile
2 cups water
2 cups tomato juice
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon salt
Warm oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute until onion is limp. Mix in the flour, whisking out any lumps. Stir in the chile and then the water, a cup at a time. Add tomato juice, oregano and salt and bring the sauce just to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The completed sauce should coat a spoon thinly and drop off it easily.
Serve warm with enchiladas, burros, chimichangas and other dishes. The sauce keeps under refrigeration for 5 to 6 days and freezes well.
Gorditas
2 cups Masa Harina
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Vegetable oil (for frying)
Thoroughly mix the Masa Harina, oil, salt and boiling water. Let dough stand for 20 minutes to firm. Shape into round, patty-like cakes, the size of uncooked biscuits. Heat 2 inch of oil in a large pan and fry them until golden brown on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Makes 16.
To use
Slice a gordita open on the edge, cutting about one-third of the way around it. Repeat with the remaining gorditas. Coat the inside of each gordita with a generous tablespoon of warm refried beans, then spoon in picadillo to fill the gorditas about two-thirds full. Top with lettuce and cheese and serve immediately, accompanied with guacamole and salsa.
Fill with green chile sauce, shredded Monterey jack cheese and avocado slices.
Fill with any favorite filling.
Fritos Pie
3 cups Fritos corn chips
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup grated mild Cheddar cheese
2 1/2 cups of your favorite chili
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread 2 cups of Fritos in a medium baking dish. Top the corn chips with half the onion and cheese. Pour the chili over the onion and cheese. Top with remaining Fritos, onion and cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pie is heated through and the cheese bubbles.
Serve the pie hot.
You can also make this by buying snack-size packs of corn chips. Slit open the side of each bag, and layer in hot chili with the onions and cheese.
Fajitas
2 pounds skirt steaks, cut into large pieces
1/4 cup Mexican lime juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Mix lime juice, garlic, paprika, peppers, salt, oil, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Put fajitas into marinade and let stand for about 3 hours. Remove meat from marinade and cook about 5 inches above hot coals and mesquite.
Slice meat into bite-size strips. Put the meat into a bowl with about 2 cups lime juice. Heat a cast iron skillet until it is very hot. Empty the contents of the bowl, sliced meat and lime juice, into the hot skillet and remove it from the heat. Take it to the table in the skillet. Serve in hot flour tortillas. Top with pico de gallo, guacamole and hot sauce.
To serve the Fajitas encebollada, or covered with onions, cook 2 sliced onions in 3 tablespoons of oil with a little garlic and about 3 whole serrano chiles until the onions are well browned.
Asado (Roast Beef)
2 pounds round steak
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 small onion, diced
4 ripe tomatoes, diced
2 green bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Pound flour into the steak, then season with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides in very hot oil. Add remaining ingredients plus 2 cups hot water. Cover and bake for about 2 hours or until tender.
Deluxe Machaca Chimichangas (Chimichangas de Machaca Especial)
4 flour tortillas, 12-inch diameter
1 recipe Machaca
2 cups mild Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup green chile, peeled, seeded, and minced
1/4 cup pickled jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
1 recipe Basic New Mexico Chile Sauce
1 cup sour cream
Shredded lettuce and chopped tomato
Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Soften the tortillas. Place approximately 2 to 2 1/2 cups of the Machaca on each tortilla; then top each with 3 cups cheese (reserve the remaining cup of cheese for the final topping), 3 cups green chile, 1 tablespoon pickled jalapeno, and roll it up.
Meanwhile, bring the chile sauce to a simmer. Fry the burritos one at a time until they are a crispy golden brown. Quickly drain the chimichangas and place them on individual serving plates. Cover the chimichangas with the chile sauce, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and then top each chimichanga with 3 cup of sour cream. Garnish the plates with the lettuce and tomato and serve immediately.