Month: December 2008

Adobo de Achiote (Achiote Paste)

/ Ren

Originally a Mayan mixture, achiote paste is responsible for the distinctive red hue of Puerco Pibil  and other foods common to the cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula.

Achiote seeds, whole allspice, black pepper, Mexican oregano, cider vinegar, garlic and Celtic sea salt.

Finely grind the achiote and place into a bowl.  Grind the allspice, pepper and oregano and add to the achiote.  Add a little cider vinegar to form a damp powder.

Mince garlic then mash with salt.  Work the mashed garlic back into the achiote and moisten with orange juice to form a thick paste.

Refrigerate and store up to about 4 months.

A bow-hunting co-worker brought me some South Texas venison yesterday, so I’m thinking of making something along the lines of a Venado en Pipián Rojo (venison with pumpkin seeds and achiote).

Pan Seared Pork Medallions with Port, Wild Mushrooms and Fried Sage (favorite)

/ Ren

Wild mushrooms, stock, sharp feta or goat cheese, fresh sage, pork tenderloin filets, garlic, shallot, S&P and port.  Assorted vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, fennel and beans.

Toss the vegetables with S&P and a little bit of olive oil.  Roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning once.

Saute mushrooms, garlic and shallots in butter until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Season filets with S&P and saute in olive oil until well browned and internal temperature reaches 140 degrees, about 8 minutes per side.  Set aside.

Deglaze the pan with port, scraping up all the brown bits.  Add stock and bring to boil.  Reduce volume by half.

Meanwhile, fry the sage by making a thin batter of 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup water and S&P.  Holding the stem between your thumb and forefinger, dip the leaves into the batter and then into hot olive oil.  Fry for a minute or so then transfer to a plate to drain.

Add the filets and mushrooms back to the pan with the port and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Serve topped with crumbled goat or feta cheese and fried sage.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Coconut Chicken Curry

/ Ren

Moisten unsweetened organic coconut with maple syrup- just enough to give it a pale tan color, then place into a 250 degree oven until dry and deep golden brown in color, about 30 minutes.

Poach skinless bone-in chicken in stock with celery, onion, carrot and peppercorns until just cooked.  Transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool. Reserve the stock.

Gather cardamom, corriander, cloves, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Toast the whole spices in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they pop, then grind and combine with the other ground spices.

Saute onions and spices in ghee until onions are soft.

Add reserved poaching stock and the juice of 1 lemon to the pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Add torn, poached chicken, raisins and coconut milk and continue to simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Add garbanzo beans, stir and simmer another 5 minutes.  Adjust seasoning.

Serve with basmati rice and top with scallions, chopped peanuts and toasted coconut

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Carne Guisada

/ Ren

Stew meat, stock, fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers and spices.

Simple.  Delicious.

Brown about 1 pound of local grass-fed beef in a spoonful of annatto oil.

Add in about 4 chopped tomatoes, one or two chopped chipotles en adobo and a cup of good beef stock and simmer, stirring occasionally until meat is tender, about 90 minutes.

Add fresh jalapeno, cumin, Mexican oregano, parsley and cilantro and simmer 5 minutes.

A dollop of crema Mexicana or a spoonful of agave nectar will cool it down if its too spicy for you.

Serve with tortilla chips, rice, beans or whatever suits your fancy tonight.

Lacto-fermented Buckwheat Pancakes with Orange Honey Butter

/ Ren

Fermentation allows carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to break down into probiotics containing beneficial bacteria, promoting digestive health and a strong immune system.

Kefir (substitute plain yoghurt or buttermilk), egg, butter, Celtic sea salt, baking soda, soft spring wheat berries (r) and hulled buckwheat (l).

Grind the grains into a medium-fine flour and place into a non-reactive bowl.  Cover with an equal amount by volume of kefir, add a spoonful of whey and cover with a plate and allow to sit at room temperature (68-75 degrees) for 12 to 24 hours.  You can see bubbles break the surface as the fermentation process begins.

When ready to prepare, add the egg, melted butter, salt and baking soda.  Thin the batter with filtered water if necessary.

Ladle batter into a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat- turn when edges are just getting brown.

Serve with orange honey butter (blood orange juice shown reducing above; honey and butter added at the end) or maple syrup, basted eggs and spicy tempeh strips.

Rating  ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –