We tried Mahi Mahi fish today for the first time. Lovely mild flavour and good texture! It was served with new potatoes, rocket, broccoli and a parsley sauce with spring onions and baby tomatoes.
luv burritos so many different variations. Mexican food - they are yummy..tacos and burritos go together.
Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas. I've never made them before, and we wanted a "Night in Mexico". I made the sauce "authentically", using dried ancho and california peppers, and no flour. It was a little overwhelming, and had a slight touch of bitterness and sourness. But not too spicy hot. Next time, I'll try oven roasting them for a shorter time, before rehydrating. Maybe add a tiny bit of baking soda. The filling was good, but I think I can use the recipe I used for bean / rice / cheese bake, which is almost the same but I liked better. And that was red beans instead of black beans. It was a good first try, but I want to do better.
Home made tortillas? We tried the tortilla press for dumpling wrappers. OK, but hand rolled are still better. Curses! I'm anxious to try corn tortillas again, once I use up the store bought. And flour ones, too.
I am still shaken by the utter destruction of my childhood concepts that pasta had magical components when it was in fact just semolina and water. Masa and water may well be a very good kneading off point.
@Daniel W You can do this! How to Make Nixtamal To make nixtamal, you first begin with a batch of dried field corn kernels. Field corn is different from the sweet corn you commonly find in grocery stores. The kernels of field corn are larger and more fibrous than sweet corn and must go through nixtamalization before they can be eaten or turned into masa. Look for the field corn variety called dent corn, which you can buy in bulk from grain distributors. The second important component you’ll need to make nixtamal is called calcium hydroxide. This compound is also called pickling lime, slaked lime, or cal lime. The lime in this instance doesn’t refer to the citrus fruit, but to the mineral, limestone. Calcium hydroxide is added to water to make an alkaline solution used in food processing. You can find food grade calcium hydroxide or pickling lime at specialty stores. Ingredients 1 pound dried field corn kernels 1 tablespoon calcium hydroxide 6 cups water, plus extra as needed Directions Rinse corn kernels to remove any dirt or particles Add kernels to a large pot Add water Add the calcium hydroxide and stir Corn kernels will brighten in color as you stir Heat pot over high heat and bring to a boil Reduce heat and simmer corn for about 40 minutes, checking kernels periodically Kernels are ready when kernel skins start to separate and corn is tender enough to bite but still has a firm core. Do not overcook. Remove the pot from the heat and let corn soak for 8-10 hours Using clean hands, reach into pot and rub kernels to remove any leftover skins Drain corn well and rinse with running water, making sure to remove any skins that were missed You now have authentic nixtamal corn that can be ground to make masa dough. Nixtamal can be stored in the refrigerator for three days or frozen for up to 3 months. To make the Dough, use a food processor adding water and salt. To make the Masa Harina use a dehydrator and add water to reconstitute after long term storage. Edit: Now I am finding out they add gums to this basic recipe. This is an area outside my experience but it appears they are dough modifiers basically
I'm really enjoying my press for the corn tortillas. Instead of 1 oz balls though, I make 1 1/2 oz. ( I tried 2 oz and they were too fragile to get into the pan intact). The 1 1/2 oz size takes up the full press and I can put more filling inside ( nom nom nom) It just takes a little more care to get them in the pan without breaking. ( I melted a couple edges of the zip loc bag turning them into the pan...oops). The contrast to the store bought ones is huge. You'll enjoy them I'm sure. Maybe use your store bought up in a casserole..... I have a great mexican casserole recipe with layers of corn tortillas I could share. Then you can make fresh ones sooner.
There is a brisket with onions and potatoes in the slow cooker. There is a mix of spices and herbs that are added, along with Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and molasses. We will have a small loaf of homemade bread with it. It's a gray, misty day and feels more chilly that it actually is, so we are having "cold weather food."
Brisket once was not considered a good cut… but now slow cooked it is considered a delicacy. Yummy recipe.. when we were smoking that was a fav to smoke with apple wood. It takes a while .. I wonder if putting a small chunk of apple wood would work in a slow cooker?
@marlingardener - That sounds delicious. We are of the same cold mind comfort foods today Lady J. We are having chicken and veggie soup with fresh kaiser rolls for Hubby.
A few drops of a quality liquid smoke, like the ones that have molasses, will help that need. So will chinese chili sauce. I corned another brisket and halfway through the pieces I find myself hunting for a good rye bread and pastrami spice recipes before I take any more out of the brine. I have never steamed smoked meat the way I understand they make pastrami. Maybe my wife should be at work that day.
