Arroz con Leche

1 cup rice
3 cups water
A dash of salt
1 stick of cinnamon (about 8 cm. long)
A dash of lemon or orange peel (optional, I usually don't add)
4 cups of milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg (optional)

Cook the rice with the water, salt and cinnamon stick on the stove. Once the water has almost evaporated, reduce heat and slowly stir in the milk, sugar and vanilla. I some times beat an egg into the milk before pouring into the rice. Once the rice thickens, remove from the stove and let cool, and then refrigerate. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving chilled.

Note: I used brown sugar, which gave the arroz con leche a darker color.

Gelatinas

Recipe from my aunt Mague.

2 tablespoons gelatin
½ cup cold water
1 can (about 400 g) condensed milk
1 ½ cups pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla
Milk

Sprinkle the gelatin in half a cup of cold water; do not stir. Heat until boiling to fully dissolve the gelatin. Then, in a blender, mix the condensed milk, vanilla, and pecans. Add the dissolved gelatin. Add milk until total mixture equals 4 cups of liquid. Pour into a mold and refrigerate until firm.

Note: Use 2 tablespoons of gelatin per 4 cups of liquid. Can substitute the pecans for Rompope, Kahlua, etc.

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.

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.

Rajas con Crema

6 chiles poblanos
1 onion, sliced
Butter or vegetable oil
l/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cream

Place the chiles on a large griddle over medium-high heat. Roast until the skin blisters and turns black. Remove chiles from griddle and place in a plastic bag, allowing them to sweat for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool. Peel and discard the outer skin of the chiles; halve length-wise and remove the seeds and veins. Slice into thick strips. Set aside. 

Heat the butter or vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook the onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the poblano strips, salt and cream to the saucepan. Cook at a simmer until hot, about 5 minutes more.

Optional: add corn kernels and/or sliced mushrooms to the rajas.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

This recipe is from my aunt Mague.

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups finely chopped pecans
2 cups sifted flour
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and powdered sugar in mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and pecans. Remove from mixer and stir in flour by hand being careful not to overmix. Form into small balls and place on a buttered cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until just beginning to get the slightest bit colored on the bottom. Remove upon the first sign of color and set on a rack to cool. When cool enough to touch place in a bowl with powdered sugar on top and bottom and toss gently. Occasionally toss with sugar while cooling, trying to get as much sugar as possible to stick. When cold, place cookies in airtight container and cover until ready to serve.

Salsa Ranchera y Huevos Rancheros

Recipe from the Manhattan restaurant Hecho en Dumbo for The New York Times 

Yield: About 1 quart

1/2 ounce dried guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
6 ripe plum tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 green poblano chili, roasted, stemmed, seeded and diced
Salt

In a bowl, just cover dried chilies with boiling water and let steep until tender, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours. Drain off and reserve soaking water. Purée chilies in a blender, adding soaking water as needed to make a smooth paste. Strain to remove skin bits and set aside.

In a pot, combine tomatoes, garlic, 1/2 cup onion, cumin and 2 tablespoons of guajillo purée. (Remainder can be refrigerated up to 1 week.) Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a simmer, and simmer until tomatoes collapse, about 10 minutes. Purée in a blender, then pour into a skillet.

Bring to a simmer and stir in remaining 1/4 cup chopped onion, diced poblano chili and salt to taste.

This sauce can be used to prepare Huevos Rancheros. Simply heat oil in a skillet. Fry corn tortillas for a few seconds. Place on towels to drain and cover to keep warm. Heat the salsa in a small saucepan. Meanwhile, in the same skillet, fry the eggs. Place each tortilla on a plate. When eggs are cooked, place each one on a tortilla. Cover with salsa.

Salsa Roja

Recipe from the Manhattan restaurant Hecho en Dumbo for The New York Times

Yield: about 3 cups

2 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (or 1 28-ounce can tomatoes)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 to 8 dried chiles de árbol
1 small onion, sliced
1 garlic clove
6 cloves
1 or 2 pieces Mexican canela, or 1/4 teaspoon each ground cinnamon and allspice
Salt

To make salsa: If using fresh tomatoes, place in a pot of simmering water and let cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain, remove stem ends, and purée with a blender.

In a skillet, heat oil until shimmering. Add chilies, onion, garlic, cloves and canela (or spices), sprinkle with salt and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened and golden, about 8 minutes. Add tomato purée or canned tomatoes and simmer, stirring often, until thickened and slightly sweet, about 15 minutes. Taste for salt. Purée with a blender until smooth.

Salsa Verde

Recipe from the Manhattan restaurant Hecho en Dumbo for The New York Times

Yield: About 2 cups

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds tomatillos, papery husks removed, cut in half
8 to 12 serrano chilies (depending on heat tolerance)
1/2 onion, peeled
1 garlic clove
6 whole sprigs cilantro, stems included
Lime juice

In a wide skillet, heat oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add tomatillos, chilies, onion (cut side down) and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, turning often, until vegetables are browned, turning to black, and seared on all sides.

Add cilantro and purée with blender until smooth and creamy, adding a little water if needed to loosen. Season to taste with salt and lime juice. The sauce should be tart and spicy but rounded in flavor.