By Glane23 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4882140
Hominy - Nixtamalized Corn
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Hominy is dried corn which has been soaked in lye or lime in order to remove the hull from the kernel and to soften the kernel. Once prepared Hominy is used as a base ingredient in many mexican foods such as Masa which is in turn used to make other food ingrediants such as tortillas. The Nixtamilization process used to create hominy has the added benifit of making corn more nutritious.
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Yield: 2.2lb or 1kg
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb of dried corn.
- 2 Tablespoons of food grade lime.
- 2 quarts ( 2 litres ) of water.
Method
- Wash the corn thoroughly in cold water to remove any dirt and contaminants.
- Add the water and lime to a large corrosion proof dish and stir while heating to dissolve..
- Add the corn to the water and bring to the boil for 10 -15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to soak overnight.
- Remove the corn from the lime water and rinse the corn thoroughly by running it under cold water and rubbing it with your hands to ensure all hulls are removed.
- Drain the hominy and set aside for use in other recipes.
Pollo encacahuatado - Chicken in Peanut sauce
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Pollo encacahuatado is a delicious dish which originates from the Veracruz region in Mexico. This dish is made by cooking moist, juicy cuts of Chicken and cooking them in a creamy peanut and chilli sauce resulting in a dish with a complex nutty flavor which is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Preparation Time:
Cooking time:
Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup (235ml) of Peanut Oil.
- 1 Tablespoon of salt.
- 1 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper.
- 1/2 a cup of plain flour.
- 3 lb ( 1.4 kg ) of boneless Chicken thigh fillets.
- 2 cups of raw peanuts.
- 6 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
- 4 Chipotle Chillis
- 4 Cups of Chicken stock.
- 1/2 teaspoon of peppercorns
- 6 cloves
- 4 Roma Tomatoes diced
- 1 Medium onion diced
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F or 180C
- Mix Salt, Cayenne pepper, and flour and place on a large dinner plate.
- Roll Chicken thighs around in flour mixture until well coated.
- Heat Peanut oil in a large pan and cook chicken thighs in batches until lightly browned. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Place peanuts on a baking tray and place in the pre-heated oven for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- Toast peppercorns and cloves in a skillet over a medium eat until fragrant.
- Place Onions, Tomatoes, Garlic , Peppercorns, Cloves, Peanuts & 1 cup of the chicken stock into a blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat Peanut oil in a large flameproof casserole and fry the peanut spice mixture until it begins to thicken and become darker in color.
- Add the remaining chicken stock and the chicken to the casserole and stir to ensure the chicken is completely covered.
- Bake in a the pre-heated oven for 30 minutes until the chicken is soft and tender.
- Serve over rice.
Recado rojo - achiote paste
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Recado Rojo is a very popular red seasoning paste which is commonly used in the Yucatán region of Mexico to add color and flavor to food. The main ingredient in Recado Rojo is the Annato seed which gives it a brick red color and an earthy flavor with hints of citrus. Recado Rojo is commonly used as the base for marinades used on Pibils which are meat dishes baked in barbecue pits that have been dug into the earth.
Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Yield: 2 Cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup of Achiote seeds.
- 1 1/2 cups (355ml) of sour orange (aka Seville orange) juice.
- 12 allspice beans.
- 2 tablespoons of ground Mexican Oregano.
- 1 teaspoon of Cumin seeds.
- 1 tablespoon of black peppercorns.
- 20 cloves of Garlic.
- 2 Tablespoons of Kosher salt.
Method
- Grind Achote seed into a fine powder using a spice mill or a coffee grinder.
- Pass the resulting powder through a sieve to remove any large pieces.
- Pour 1 cup of the orange juice into the Achote seed powder, mix thoroughly and set aside.
- Toast the Allspice and Cumin in a hot skillet until they are fragrant and begin to smoke.
- Remove the All Spice and Cumin from the skillet , set aside and allow to cool.
- Place peppercorns and the toasted Allspice/Cumin mix into a spice mill or coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder..
- Add the peeled Garlic , Salt, and remaining 1/2 cup of Orange juice to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Add the previously prepared Achiete paste and the ground spices to the blender with the Garlic and Orange Juice mix and blend until the mixture forms a thick paste.
- Divide into portions for use within 3 weeks or freeze for future use.
