Mole Poblano

Recipe from my great aunt Maria Luisa Quintana de Novelo

1 guajolote
200 gr. chile pasilla
100 gr. almendra frita
1 jitomate frito
100 gr. pasas fritas
1/4 kg. manteca
1 cabeza de ajo asado
1/2 kg. chile mulato
2 chiles anchos
Ajonjolí
200 gr. pepitas tostadas
20 tomates fritos
2 plátanos largos fritos
2 tablillas de chocolate
1 cucharadita de anis, canela y clavo
Sal y azúcar al gusto

Se sancocha en manteca el guajolote, previamente limpio y en trozos; se saca y se pone a hervir en otra olla.

En la misma manteca se procede a freír los chiles (desvenados, tostados, remojados y molidos). Después, ahí mismo (una vez sacado lo anterior), el tomate y el jitomate, previamente molidos, se frien. Posteriormente se agregan, ya molidos, el ajonjolí, las pepitas, la almendra, las pasas y los plátanos. Se deja freír hasta que salga la grasa.

Al último se agrega el anis, la canela y el calvo, así como el chocolate, poca sal y azúcar al gusto. Se le agrega poco a poco el caldo del guajolote (antes de poner el caldo, la casa estará impregnada de aromas). Al último se le agregara la carne de guajolote y un pedazo de codillo cocido y, si se quiere, carne de puerco.

Ya que esta bien sazonado, se le da una rociada de agua fría para que le salga la grasa.

Se sirve con tamales blancos y de frijol y tortillas calientes. Use ajonjolí para adornar.

Flan

3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
6 tablespoons sugar
2 and 1/2 cups milk

Caramelized Sugar:
10 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons water

To make the caramelized sugar, heat the sugar and water in a small skillet over a medium-high flame, stirring constantly, until the sugar has turned a golden color. Remove from the heat immediately and pour into 6 ovenproof custard cups or one large mold, lining the sides of the mold.

To make the flan, beat together lightly with a wire whisk the whole eggs and the yolks. Add the lemon rind, sugar, and milk. Pour mixture into the mold lined with caramelized sugar.

Cook in a baño maria. Place the mold or cups in a pan with at least 2 inches of hot water. Cook on top of the stove over a medium flame for 1 hour. Transfer to a 350 degree F oven and continue cooking 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the flan comes out clean. Remove the mold or cups from the water and cool, then refrigerate.

To serve, loosen the sides of the flan with a knife and invert onto dessert dish.

Tortilla Soup

Recipe by Dianna Kennedy's The Tortilla Book

2 medium tomatoes, broiled or 1 1/2 cups canned, drained
1/3 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon peanut or safflower oil
6 cups chicken broth
12 tortillas, cut into strips
3 chiles pasillas, fried and crumbled
6 heaping tablespoons of cheese (queso Chihuahua)
2 springs epazote (if available), fresh or dried

Blend the tomatoes with the onion and garlic. Heat the oil and fry the tomato puree over a fairly high flame for about 3 minutes, stirring it all the time. Add the broth, adjust the seasoning, and simmer for about 5 minutes longer. Remove and keep warm.

Heat more oil and fry the tortilla strips, about one third at a time so that they are fried evenly, until they are just beginning to stiffen but are not brown. Drain well.

Add  the tortilla pieces and epazote to the broth and simmer for about 5 minutes, the tortillas should be soft but not falling apart.

Garnish each bowl of soup with some of the cheese and a sprinkling of the chiles.

Cauliflower with Garlic and Anchovy

Recipe by Mark Bittman in The Minimalist Entertains

1 large head cauliflower, at least 2 pounds, trimmed of green parts and cut or broken into florets
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 to 10 anchovy fillets, to taste, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste, optional
Minced fresh parsley leaves

Place the cauliflower in a steamer above an inch or two of boiling salted water. Cover and cook until it is just tender, about 10 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.

Combine the oil, anchovies, garlic, and crushed red pepper, if you are using it, in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the anchovies begin to break up and the garlic begins to color, about 5 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and raise the heat to medium-high. Continue to cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes more, until the cauliflower is coated with the oil and heated through. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

Rack of Lamb With Pimentón, Garlic and Olive Oil

Recipe by Mark Bittman for The New York Times

1 rack of lamb (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium slice rye bread, broken into pieces.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the lamb of excess fat, but leave a layer of fat over the meat. Cut about halfway down the bones between the chops; this allows the meat between them to become crisp.

Put the oil, garlic, paprika and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a food processor and purée; add the bread and pulse a few times to make rough crumbs. Rub this mixture over the meat side of the rack and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan and into the oven; roast for 18 to 20 minutes. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer straight in from one end into the meatiest part. If it reads 125 degrees or more, remove the lamb immediately. If it reads less, put the lamb back for 5 minutes, no more. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve, separating the ribs by cutting down straight through them.

Yield: 4 servings.

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

Recipe by Mark Bittman in The Minimalist Entertains

1 thick slice good bread
1 small chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano, about 1 ounce
1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, more or less
3 tablespoons butter, extra virgin olive oil, or a combination
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 500 degrees; while it heats, put bread in, and check frequently until it is lightly toasted and dry. Coarsely grind or grate bread and cheese together (a small food processor is best), and keep crumbs larger than commercial bread crumbs.

Rinse asparagus, and break off woody bottoms. Lay stalks in a baking dish that will hold them in two or three layers. Toss with bits of butter or the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in oven.

Roast 5 minutes, then shake dish to redistribute butter or oil. Roast 5 minutes more, then test for doneness by piercing a spear with point of a sharp knife; it should slide in but meet a little resistance. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made as much as two hours before serving; just leave asparagus at room temperature).

Turn on broiler and place rack as close as possible to heating element. Top asparagus with cheese-crumb mixture and run under broiler to brown, a minute or two. Serve hot or at room temperature.

This recipe is easily varied. For instance, forget the topping and toss the spears with 1 tablespoon of minced garlic when you add the oil, then roast. Skip the broiler step. For roast asparagus with soy and sesame, use 1 tablespoon peanut oil instead of olive oil or butter. Halfway through roasting, add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to the asparagus, toss gently and finish roasting. When the spears are cooked, top with about 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds and run under the broiler until they pop, about 1 minute. Finish with a teaspoon or two of soy sauce.

Scallop Ceviche

Recipe by Mark Bittman in The Minimalist Entertains

1 pound perfectly fresh sea scallops, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3 tablespoons peeled and minced bell pepper, preferably a combination of red, yellow, and green
1 teaspoon minced lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt
Cayenne to taste
2 tablespoons minced cilantro, optional

Toss together all the ingredients, except the cilantro, and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve, garnished with the cilantro, if you like.

Fettuccine With Sausage And Fried Sage Leaves

Recipe from The New York Times

1 pound fettuccine
4 hot Italian sausages (I recommend substituting with vegetarian sausages) 
About 24 sage leaves
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
About 1 cup heavy cream
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan

Bring four quarts of water to a boil for the fettuccine. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, simmer the sausages in water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool.

Fry the sage leaves in the olive oil in a skillet until they are crisp. Drain them on paper towels, leaving the oil in the skillet.

Chop the sausages in chunks and saute them in the oil until the pieces are browned, adding the garlic toward the end so that it gets golden but not burned. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine until al dente.

Pour off the fat from the skillet and add the cream. Bring it to a boil, scrape up cooking juices and return the sausage to heat through. Correct seasoning.

Drain the pasta and put it in a heated serving bowl. Pour the sauce on top. Toss and sprinkle with sage leaves. Serve with Parmesan passed separately at the table.

YIELD: 4 servings

String Beans With Ginger and Garlic

Recipe from The New York Times

Salt
2 1/2 pounds string beans (French-style slim haricots verts work especially well), trimmed
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger (about 6 inches ginger root, peeled)
4 medium-size garlic cloves, minced

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Working in two batches, boil beans until just tender but still crisp and bright green. Start testing after 4 minutes or so, being careful not to overcook. When done, plunge beans into ice water to stop cooking, lift out immediately when cool and drain on towels. (Recipe can be made to this point up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated, wrapped in towels.)

When ready to cook, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add half the beans, half the ginger and half the garlic, and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are heated through and ginger and garlic are softened and aromatic. Sprinkle with salt, and remove to a serving dish. Repeat with remaining oil, beans, ginger and garlic. Serve.

Baked Apples with Oatmeal and Brown Sugar

Recipe from O, The Oprah Magazine

1 lemon , cut in half
4 large red apples
3/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
4 teaspoons butter
1 cup oatmeal
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Whipped cream , optional

Preheat oven to 375°. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into a large bowl with 2 cups cold water. Peel top third of each apple. With a small knife and working from the top of each apple, carefully carve out a large "bowl," including the core, about 2 inches in diameter, leaving the bottom of apple intact. Reserve all cut-away pieces. Place carved apples in lemon water. Chop cut-away apple pieces into small chunks, removing any core or seeds. Toss with 3 tablespoons honey and cinnamon; set aside.

Combine remaining 9 tablespoons honey with 1/2 cup hot water and stir until well blended. Stand apples, cut side up, in a 9" x 9" shallow baking dish. Place 1 teaspoon butter in bowl of each apple and pour honey and water mixture on top. Cover dish with foil and bake until tender, 25 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring 1 3/4 cups water and a pinch of salt to a boil. Add oatmeal and apple pieces, and stir until mixture returns to a boil; reduce heat and cover. Cook until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Remove apples from oven and carefully fill with oatmeal mixture. Top with brown sugar. Place under the broiler 1 minute, just until light brown sugar is bubbly and dark brown. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.

Sweet Potato and Pecan Pie with Cinnamon Cream

Recipe from O, The Oprah Magazine

Topping:
1  egg
3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
1/2 tablespoon firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon margarine or butter, melted
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 cup chopped pecans

Pie:
1 pounds (2 medium) sweet potatoes, baked, peeled, and kept warm
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1 can (14-ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2  eggs
1  (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell

Cinnamon Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon granulated sugar

To make topping: In a small mixing bowl, combine egg, corn syrup, light brown sugar, margarine, and maple flavoring; mix well. Stir in pecans and set aside.

To make pie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, beat warm sweet potatoes with margarine until smooth. Add condensed milk, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and eggs; mix well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon topping evenly over pie. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Cool. Serve warm or chilled.

To make cinnamon cream: In a medium-size bowl over ice, whisk heavy cream. Add cinnamon and sugar, and whisk to medium-stiff peaks. Serve alongside pie.

Honey-Roasted Squash

Recipe from O, The Oprah Magazine

5 pound(s) mixed winter squash
1 piece(s) (2 inches) ginger, peeled
1/4 cup(s) honey
2 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees, and position rack in middle of oven. Line a jelly-roll pan with foil. Cut each squash in half and scoop out seeds and fibrous flesh from inside. Then cut each half in half again and transfer cut side up to the prepared pan.

Thinly slice ginger and then slice again into thin matchsticks and set aside. In a small saucepan, stir together honey, butter, ginger, and 1/4 cup water. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Brush over squash and drizzle any remaining mixture on top. Sprinkle salt over squash.

Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning and basting squash every 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown and fork-tender. (Add a few tablespoons of water to pan as squash roasts if it seems to be burning.)

Place squash on a serving dish and drizzle evenly with pan juices.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Recipe from Sur la Table

1 (3-pound) butternut squash
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
1½ tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large Fuji or golden delicious apple, cored, peeled, and chopped
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
5 cups chicken stock or top-quality chicken broth
1 cup canned pumpkin purée (unseasoned)
2 tbsp finely grated orange zest
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp light or dark brown sugar
½ tsp freshly ground or grated nutmeg
¼ tsp ground mace
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
Coarse sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Cut the squash in half, then cut each half in quarters. Scoop out and discard the seeds and pulp. Rub the squash pieces with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and set on a roasting pan, cut side up. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Roast, turning the pieces several times, for about 1 hour, until the squash is easily pierced with a fork. Allow the squash to cool, then scoop the tender flesh from the skins. Set aside.

Heat the butter with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the apple and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until partly tender but not browned. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, until the onion is tender.

Stir in 2 cups of the chicken stock and simmer until the apple is fully tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, nutmeg, mace and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Add the remaining 3 cups stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Dice enough of the roasted squash to make 1½ cups and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining squash and add to the soup. Cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add the milk and simmer 5 minutes longer. Allow to cool slightly. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth, returning the soup to the pot. Gently reheat the soup over medium-low heat.

Just before serving, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pumpkin seeds and toast, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes, until crisp and lightly browned (be careful, the seeds may pop out of the pan). Spoon the seeds onto a small plate to avoid burning.

Heat the reserved diced squash in a microwave for 30 seconds or warm in a small saucepan with 1 cup of the soup over medium-low heat. Spoon the diced squash into warmed soup bowls and ladle the hot soup over. Top each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds and a few grains of sea salt.

Berry Gazpacho

Recipe from Southern Living

1 (750-milliliter)  bottle Riesling wine
1  vanilla bean, split
1  bunch fresh mint
1  (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2  cup  water
1/3  cup  honey
2  tablespoons  lemon juice
1  cup  fresh raspberries
1  cup  fresh blackberries
1  cup  fresh blueberries
Raspberry sorbet
Garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, fresh berries

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Cover and chill.

Pour wine mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding bean and mint.

Process strawberries and 1/2 cup water in a blender until smooth; pour through wire-mesh strainer into wine mixture, discarding seeds. Stir in honey and next 4 ingredients; chill. Serve with raspberry sorbet. Garnish, if desired.

Honey Vanilla Pound Cake

Recipe from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 extra large eggs; at room temperature
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 cups sifted cake flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom of an 8½ x 4½ x 2½ inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3-4 minutes, until light. Meanwhile, put the eggs, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a glass measuring cup but do not combine. With the mixer on medium low speed, add the egg mixture, one egg at a time, scraping down the bowl and allowing each egg to become incorporated before adding the next egg.

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, add it slowly to the batter until just combined. Finish mixing the batter with a rubber spatula and pour it into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, turn out onto a baking rack, and cool completely.

Cream of Fresh Tomato Soup

Recipe from Ina Garten for the Food Network

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
Croutons, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Add the cream to the soup and process it through a food mill into a bowl, discarding only the dry pulp that's left. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.

Green Berry Coconut Smoothie

This recipe is from Health Coach Susan Whang and was recommended by my friend Vanessa.

1/2 cup Frozen Spinach
1/2 cup Frozen Organic Blueberries
1/2 cup Light Coconut Milk
1 Banana
1 tablespoon Ground Flax Meal
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil
1/2 cup Soy, Rice or Nut Milk

Blend all ingredients til desired consistency is achieved. Enjoy!

Spinach Lasagna

Recipe by Mark Bittman for The New York Times

12 to 16 dried or fresh lasagna noodles
3 to 4 cups tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cups cooked spinach, squeezed dry and chopped
1 1/2 cups ricotta
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella
2 cups grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

If you're using dried pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If you're using fresh pasta sheets, cut them into long wide noodles approximately 3 inches by 13 inches, or a size that will fit into your lasagna dish. Cook the noodles (6 at a time for dried noodles) until they are tender but still underdone (they will finish cooking as the lasagna bakes); fresh pasta will take only a minute. Drain and then lay the noodles flat on a towel so they won't stick.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a rectangular baking dish with the olive oil, add a large dollop of tomato sauce and spread it around. Put a layer of noodles (use four) in the dish, trimming any overhanging edges; top with a layer of tomato sauce, one-third of the spinach, and one-fourth of the ricotta (use your fingers to spread it evenly) , the mozzarella and the Parmesan. Sprinkle some salt and pepper between the layers of tomato sauce and spinach if desired.

Repeat the layers twice, and top with the remaining noodles, tomato sauce, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan; the top should be covered with cheese; add more ricotta and Parmesan as needed. (The lasagna may be made ahead to this point, wrapped tightly and refrigerated for up to a day or frozen. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)

Bake until the lasagna is bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly browned on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest a few minutes before serving, or cool completely, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze.

Note: The vegetable lasagna is a wine-killer, so you don't want to drink anything too fancy with it — Chianti, and not a great one, or a rough zinfandel or southern French wine.