What's Cookin' Mexico???

19 July, 2012

July Potluck with I Heart Cooking Clubs

I have been putting off writing something for this week. I selected Empanadas for this week from Rick Bayless' cookbook Authentic Mexican. We make Empanadas all of the time, but we make them very differently from the way that Rick does in this book. Boris makes them more Argentinian style with Raisins and Caramelized Onions and serves them with Chimi Churri Sauce. The flavors are incredible! I know that I adapt and change the recipes each week, because I understand Rick's style. He is true to Mexican cuisine, and the one thing you will discover from Mexican kitchen to Mexican kitchen is "Sazon". Sazon is the magical touch that each person adds to their dish. It is their own flavors, method of seasoning... the love that they put into the dish. So, I was not going to participate this week in the Potluck because I did not want to make Picadillo Empanadas. Picadillo is the Mexican version of Sloppy Joe in my book and I only ever make it when I am fresh out of ideas. But then I read the side notes that Rick includes in his book and I had a renewed spirit to share this recipe. Here is what it said:

"Traditional Variations: Empanadas with Local Flavors: Practically all Mexican communities make Empanadas and fill them with what they have or can afford ... the possibilities are inexhaustible." Found on the right side of page 150 in Authentic Mexican by Rick Bayless

So, with that I feel that I have Rick's permission to share with you our version of Empanadas.

Argentinian Style Empanadas
1 lb Ground Beef
1/4 lb Ground Pork
1 large Onion
1/4 cup Golden Raisins
1/2 cup Red Wine
1/4 Brandy
Oregano, Bay Leaf, and Thyme tied into a bundle
Puff Pastry

Simmer the Raisins in the Brandy for 5 minutes. Caramelize the Onion, Brown the meat, when the meat is half cooked add the red wine and the herb bundle. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the bundle and season with salt and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet to let the meat cool.

Once cool cut the puff pastry into squares, spoon in filling, fold into triangles and seal with a fork. Bake according to puff pastry instructions.

Load up with cooled filling

Fold into a triangle

Lightly pinch the edges to begin to seal

Seal with a fork = ready for the oven!

Serve with Chimi Churri Sauce

18 July, 2012

Wordless Wednesday

I just love summer, flowers, fresh market produce and warm days.

Ahhhh!

What is your favorite part of summer?

17 July, 2012

Something Different

Normally on Tuesday's I share with you Tiangis Treats, lots of goodies that I discovered at the market. But with Summer in full swing back in the states you have a lot of produce on hand as well. Maybe too much and in search of some inspiration perhaps? So I thought that I might mix it up today and share with you one of my favorite food blogs out there; The Traveler's Lunchbox.

Melissa is such a fantastic writer and the way she describes the food and the experience...sigh.... I can only aspire to be able to make you so hungry after you read one of my posts. Her recipes are excellent, fantastic flavors and easy to follow. I hate when you read a nice sounding blog, you make the effort to gather the ingredients and then you follow the recipe and it is a total flop! I have tried many of her recipes, because after reading about them how can you not? And they are all delicious!

"Bahn Mi for Beginners" from The Traveler's Lunchbox

The first post that I read and what brought me to her blog was Bahn Mi. Bahn Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich chock full of flavors that just burst in your mouth with each bite. I read the article and almost didn't finish the whole thing because I had already clicked over to another screen and was searching flights to Seattle so I could go and have the same sandwich that she did. It was either that or I was going to eat my computer screen. Thankfully I calmed down and finished reading the blog and to my relief, as well as for my pocket books, there was a beautiful recipe at the bottom of the page. The ingredients went direct onto my shopping list! For my birthday that same year we went to San Francisco, CA to find a shop that specialized in Bah'n Mi we ordered two of everything and split them between the 4 of us until we were ready to split in the middle ourselves. It was so much fun! But truth be told this recipe is better than what we hunted down in San Francisco and I make it again and again with no complaints from anyone in the house... other than it takes a long time to make all of the fixin's and sauces...but that's me being impatient because I know how wonderful it will taste when I am finished, if I could just hurry up and finish! Hee hee.

"Having Some Bun" from the Traveler's Lunchbox

After such success with the Vietnamese sandwiches I was curious to discover more Vietnamese food, I searched the recipes and came across Bun which is a noodle dish, very different from Pho. This is one of my summer time favorites. Other than the pork there is hardly any cooking involved, you eat it cold... it is the perfect summer lunch. It is cool and refreshing, but also extremely flavorful. I love the textures in this dish as well. When no one is home I slurp the noodles and let the peanuts crunch and the bean sprouts pop and I mmmm and ahhh and all around just enjoy my meal, loudly! Normally if I make the Bah'n Mi I make Bun as well or vice versa. A lot of the ingredients are the same in both recipes and so it is just natural that both hit the weekly menu.

So, for this week I challenge you to try something different. Even if it is not these recipes go to the farmers market, be brave! Try something you don't know what to do with, like Kale or Fishsauce. Take it home, have an experiment with you kids...who knows they might eat it!

PS- All images are taken from The Traveler's Lunchbox and links are provided to the pages where they were taken from. Please go and visit her page! Secondly I feel like I must point out that Melissa and I are not friends, not that I would not want to be... I just really have never met her. So often people write blog posts about their friends Blogs, which is sweet. I do not want this post to be confused in that way. I am just truly a fan of The Traveler's Lunchbox and have been for years. I try to share with you many things that we enjoy in our home, share about our everyday life, our interests, ect. These two recipes are often replicated in our home and so I wanted to share them with you. I hope that you enjoy!

>>>Here is our Bun! (The sandwiches disappeared too quickly for photographing) I served everything separate and each person gets to build their own dish. The only thing I was missing was Dikon Radish and I sure missed it! I also made a rosemary and mint infused Lemonada to go with it - Delicious!