 |
| Thanking the BBC for the Sites of the Monster Earthquakes that Struck Mexico |
Two deadly earthquakes shook Mexico this month, killing hundreds of people, injuring thousands and flattening buildings and the infrastructure of the land.
The first one took place on the 7th September, had its epicentre in Chiapas Oaxaca in Southern Mexico, measured 8.1 of the Richter scale and left 98 dead and 300 injured.
The second devastating earthquake occurred on the 19th September, very near Mexico City, in Central Mexico, measuring 7.1 of the Richter scale, leaving 308 dead and 2.619 injured.
The media are still referring to this terrible disaster with heartbreaking incidents such as the elementary school that collapsed, in Mexico City, leaving twenty-one children and four adults dead. They are, also, mentioning the colossal effort made by the rescue workers and volunteers that were working, silently, in the ruins, in order to hear and save as many children as possible.
Our warmest condolences to those who have lost family members and dear friends, our deepest sympathy to all Mexicans for the tragic events that took place in their country, and our most profound admiration and respect for the members of the armed forces and volunteers who saved so many lives.
VIVA MEXICO!
Here are a few recipes of my favourite Mexican dishes.
SOPA DE AGUACATE
 |
| Avocado Cream Soup |
A delicious Mexican soup that can be served hot or cold.
4 medium-sized ripe avocados, peeled, halved, stoned and chopped
187.5 ml (3/4 cup) thick cream
1250 ml (5 cups) hot tasty chicken stock
3 tbsp dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Garnish:
1 ripe avocado peeled stoned and sliced
Twigs of parsley or cilantro
Blend the avocado and cream until smooth. Bring the chicken stock to the boil, lower the heat and when the stock is barely simmering, stir in the blended avocado/cream mixture and cook very gently for 5 minutes more. Add the sherry, and salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste.
Serve garnished with avocado slices and parsley or cilantro twigs, and tortillas
MEXICAN TORTILLAS
 |
| Corn-Meal Flour Tortillas |
No Mexican meal is served without tortillas.
540 g (4 cups) corn-meal flour sifted with
1 tsp salt
375 ml (1 1/2 cup) water
2-3 tbsp olive oil
Place the flour/salt mixture into a large bowl and stir in the water and olive oil. Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-12 minutes, adding a little water and corn-meal whenever necessary. to prepare a smooth dough. Cover the dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes at least.
Divide the dough into 3-4 portions. On a floured surface, roll out each portion of dough into a thin sheet. Using a plate as a guide, cut the pastry into circles and pile with baking parchment in between.
Brush a large, non-stick frying pan with olive oil and cook the tortillas for 1 minute on each side or until lightly browned. Keep warm.
PIPIAN DE CAMARONES
 |
| Prawns with Tomato and Coriander Sauce |
A lovely Mexican seafood dish.
1 kg. (2 lb) prawns, shelled, deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry, shells, heads and tails reserved
375 ml (1 1/2 cup) cold water
Sauce:
45 g (1 1/2 oz) salted papitas, pumpkin seeds
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
60 g (2 oz) onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
90 g (3 oz) tinned pimento, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander {cilantro}
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
5 tsp fresh lime juice or
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
180 g (6 oz) rice, boiled in
375 ml (1 1/2 cup) chicken stock
Garnish:
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
Place the prawn shells, heads etc in cold water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the prawn stock has reduced by one-third. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Meanwhile, saute the prawns in very little olive oil in a large frying pan, until they just change colour. Sprinkle with very little salt and reserve.
Prepare the sauce. Blend the papitas to a powder, sieve them and return them to the blender and add all the other sauce ingredients and blend all together to a smooth paste.
Heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan, pour in the pureed sauce and cook, uncovered, over moderate heat, for 7 minutes. Add the prawn stock and the prawns and simmer for 2 -3 minutes or just long enough to heat the prawns thoroughly. Stir in the lime or lemon juice and taste for seasoning.
Serve the prawns and their sauce over a bed of boiled rice.
MOLE POBLANO DE GUAJOLOTE
,
 |
| Turkey in Chocolate and Chilli Sauce |
A festive dish for a party. As all the chilli varieties, mentioned below, are mild, do not be concerned about the large quantity required for this recipe. When I cannot find these peppers as is, usually, the case, I prepare the sauce with bell and Florina peppers and a tiny piece of hot, red chilli pepper.
2 kg (4 lb) turkey both white and dark meats, skinned, boned and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 pinch salt
4 dried pasilla chillies
4 dried mullato chillies or
14 dried ancho chillies
325 ml (1 1/2 cup) boiling chicken stock
120 g (4 oz) blanched almonds
120 g (4 oz) onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
75 g (2 1/5 oz) seedless raisins
1 1/2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
1 tortilla, cut into small pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and squashed
A little salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground coriander seeds
1/2 tsp aniseed
3 tbsp butter
325 m (1 1/2 cup ) cold chicken stock
60 g (2 oz ) dark chocolate
5 tbsp roasted sesame seeds for garnish.
Place the turkey cubes into a large a saucepan. Sprinkle with salt and pour in enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, reduce the temperature, cover the saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes until the turkey is almost cooked, Set the saucepan off the heat.
Meanwhle, prepare the mole. Under cold running water, pull of the stalks off the chillies, cut them in half, remove the seeds. Cut away and discard any thick ribs and chop the chillies into small pieces. Place them into a large bowl and pour the chicken stock over and soak for 30 minutes.
Blend the almonds into a a powder. Sieve them back into the blender, add the chillies with the soaking water, onions, tomatoes, raisins, sesame seeds, the tortilla pieces, the garlic clove, salt and pepper and the spices, and blend to a smooth paste.
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a large heavy frying pan. Pour in the mole and simmer, stirring constantly, for about 7 minutes. Then add the cold stock and the chocolate. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted. Cover the frying pan and set it off the heat.
Remove the turkey from the saucepan and pat dry with kitchen paper. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter, over moderate heat, add the turkey cubes and brown on all sides, Drain all the fat from the frying pan and pour the chocolate mole over the turkey, tossing it over, several times to cover it well with the sauce. Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the turkey is tender.
Serve over rice, sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds.
CHURROS
 |
| Delicious Baked Churros Dipped in Chocolate Sauce |
I use my choux recipe to prepare baked, not fried, churros.
115 g 2 cup) butter or margarine
250 ml (1 cup) water
Pinch of salt
130 g (1 cup) plain flour mixed with
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
120 g (4 oz) white sugar mixed with
1 heaped tsp cinnamon powder
Chocolate sauce:
200 ml (4/5 cup) double cream
1 tsp honey
200 g (almost 7 oz) 2 bars chocolate Pavlidou Ygeias, finely chopped
Bring the water, salt and butter to the boil. When the butter melts, remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the flour and stir vigorously until the dough forms a ball around the spoon. Return to the fire and cook stirring for 2-3 minutes more and remove from the stove and set the dough aside to cool a little.
(Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a tin with baking parchment.)
Then add the eggs to the cool dough, one at a time, stirring, until each egg is incorporated thoroughly, before adding the next. Spoon the dough into a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe small logs of dough on the prepared baking tin, 3 cm apart. Bake for about 18 minutes or until the churros are golden-brown. Then turn off the oven and leave them for 8-10 minutes to dry out.
Dust with the sugar and cinnamon mixture and serve with the chocolate sauce.
No comments:
Post a Comment