Mexican/Tex Mex Food.
 

Well I looked and I cant see anything so I will start one out with enchiladas.

I am a purist when it come to them and as far as I am concerned nothing but corn tortillas will do.

It is easy.
Grow some corn let it dry treat it with lime or lye-----------.
How about just going to the store and buy some.:lol:
I like to flip the tortillas in a little hot oil fill them with one pound ground chuck, 1/2 big chopped onion, fresh chopped jalapenos seeds removed and cheese.
Fold over.
Get some good enchilada sauce 16 ounces or more with more ground beef and mix it up and heat for a bit.
Pour meat sauce over this disaster in a big skillet and heat for 20 minutes at 400 in the oven.

Take out of oven and put another cup of onions and a pile of cheese on top.
Spoon the sauce in the pan back over this mess and heat for about 10 minutes or until everything is nice and melted.
I think I have about 9 or ten of the critters.
Serve eat and take a nap.:lol:
[ATTACH]45431[/ATTACH]



worth

Warning!!!!!!
 

Don't make this stuff and drive it is like an overdose of sleeping pills.
It is all I can do to post this as I feel my body slowly slipping away to dream land.
I only had two of them.:(

At least I no what I will be eating for the next two days.:lol:

Worth

That looks awesome. I love a good home made enchilada and a nap !

I can't tell the difference between high-quality store-bought corn tortillas (El Milagro is a good brand) vs. homemade. I can absolutely tell the difference between store-bought flour tortillas and homemade and so I always make flour tortillas from scratch.


[I]This is my Beef & Cheese Enchilada recipe I have been developing over the last year. Makes enough for 2-3 people.[/I]

[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]Enchilada Sauce[/COLOR][/B]

Combine in a skillet and bring to a simmer:[list][*]3 tbsp vegetable oil[*]3 tbsp flour[*]2 tbsp sweet/non-hot chili powder[*]1 tbsp chipotle/smoked chili powder[*]1 tsp cumin[*]1 tsp garlic powder (finely ground, no salt)[*]½ tsp oregano[*]¾ tsp salt[*]1/8 tsp cinnamon[*]½ tsp brown sugar[/list]Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, stirring frequently.

Add and simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently to break up clumps:[list][*]2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock[/list]

[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]Heat Tortillas[/COLOR][/B]
Heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a skillet to 350°F and then dip corn tortillas, one at a time into the oil for 3-5 seconds each side, then transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.


[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]Beef Filling[/COLOR][/B]
In a medium saucepan sauté until softened (5 minutes):[list][*]½ cup finely diced yellow onion[/list]Add, breaking up with spoon until most of the pink is gone:[list][*]½ lb ground beef (chuck or 85%)[/list]Drain off most of the fat and stir in:[list][*]1 tbsp chili powder[*]1 tsp cumin[*]1 tsp oregano[/list]

[b][COLOR="DarkRed"]Fill the Tortillas[/COLOR][/b]
Prepare each warmed tortilla by spreading a large spoonful of enchilada sauce over one surface and then fill with:[list][*]¼ cup cheese[*]2 tbsp beef mixture[*]fresh cilantro[*]splash of lime juice[/list]

[B][COLOR="DarkRed"]Bake[/COLOR][/B]
Arrange tortillas in 11x7 baking dish, and then top tortillas with more sauce and then scatter Mexican cheese blend over the top. Bake in oven at 325°F for 15-20 minutes on middle rack until cheese is melted and enchiladas are warmed through.

Plate 2-3 enchiladas per person and then drizzle with extra sauce. Serve with prepared Goya Mexican Yellow Rice and warmed Refried Beans.

Hatch Green Chile stew:
I never measure the ingredients for this.
Brown about 1 pound lean pork, such as tenderloin. Throw in a crockpot along with an onion, few cloves minced garlic, 1tsp cumin seeds. Add about 1-2 pounds of Hatch Green chiles, roasted and peeled. If chiles are mild, consider adding something spicy, such as habaneros or Thai chiles to taste. ( I used my very hot fermented pepper sauce, which also adds layers of flavor). Let simmer with 1 quart chicken broth all day. Add water if needed.About 1-2 hours before serving, add 2-3 large potatoes, cut in bite sized pieces. Taste and add salt. Adjust heat according to taste with hotter peppers or even some roasted and peeled green bell pepper if too hot for your taste.
Shortly before serving add about 1/4 cup flour mixed into a slurry with water, let simmer until thickened. ( I've also used mass as thickener and probably prefer the taste of masa).
Optional-one can of rotel tomatoes. I prefer without, which is more authentic. Hubby likes the tomatoes.
Serve with hot corn tortillas, chopped fresh cilantro and some chopped sweet or green onion. I also like grated cheddar as a topping.
With the leftovers you can make huevos rancheros. I put tortilla on bottom of plate, add a fried or poached egg, cheddar or Mexican cheese and, if desired, serve with cooked black or pinto beans. This is one of our favorite breakfasts.
My mother used to make smothered bean and hamburger burritos using Stokes Green Chile. It's my benchmark for green chile and I try to replicate as closely as I can the flavor.
I recently purchased a bunch of Hatch chiles. I may go back for more to roast and freeze. Not as hot as the chiles I grew in AZ but still with that great green chile flavor.
Had a hard time finding corn tortillas and only one brand of flour tortillas here in my new small town. I ordered masa and a tortilla press and will start making my own. Flour tortillas are amazing fresh off the skillet!

[QUOTE=Tracydr;431209]Had a hard time finding corn tortillas and only one brand of flour tortillas here in my new small town. I ordered masa and a tortilla press and will start making my own. Flour tortillas are amazing fresh off the skillet![/QUOTE]
:shock:
Good lord they line the streets with tortillas where I live.:lol:
I would have thought they would be everywhere by now.
Where are you going to get the masa flour?

Is it chili or chile? :lol:

Keep the recipes coming.8-)

Worth

Moctezuma's Authentic Soft Corn Taco.
 

Authentic Soft Corn Taco.
[ATTACH]45463[/ATTACH]

About 1/4 pound of iguana, armadillo, peccary sausage or substitute store bought hot breakfast sausage.
About 2 tbl spoons chili powder.
1/2 large chopped onion taken from Spaniards.
3 large duck eggs.
On hot rock or skillet cook chopped up sausage about half way.
The add the chopped onion and chili powder and mix up.
After about cooked put in the eggs and scramble.

Put corn tortilla on another hot rock or skillet and heat up on both sides.
Spoon the sausage into the tortillas fold over and serve to hungry warriors with a side of chilli sauce.

I like to use the Valentina brand made by some folks down south.

Worth
[IMG]http://arizonachilepepperco.com/catalog/images/Untitled-2.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Worth1;431213]:shock:
Good lord they line the streets with tortillas where I live.:lol:
I would have thought they would be everywhere by now.
Where are you going to get the masa flour?

Is it chili or chile? :lol:

Keep the recipes coming.8-)

Worth[/QUOTE]

Yeah. I can't find anything Hispanic here. Coming from AZ, we were in Mexican food starvation mode.
We ate at a restaurant in town and hubby has eaten at two others in Pembroke. Let's just say they were all the same. Literally, every item on the menu contained the same greasy, bland ground beef. Everything had flour tortillas. The sauce slathered on everything tasted like Cambell's tomato soup. The salsa, I'm sure was a can of Rotel tomatoes/green chiles. Everything slathered with processed cheese.
It made cheap, frozen Mexican TV dinners seem delicious and Taco Bell seems like gourmet Mexican food!
I was just thrilled to find habaneros, serranos and Hatch green chiles ( albeit all were extremely mild).
The guy at the biggest grocery store didn't know what tortillas were. I found them in the dairy section!
Ordered a tortilla press the next day. Hoping it arrives tomorrow, along with the masa.
Thank god for Amazon!
I'm also hoping that the Fort Bragg commissary has more selection. They probably will.

I never measure things when making recipes that my mother taught me. If that doesn't bother people I'll be happy to post more.
I love making fresh salsas, pico de gallo and especially ceviche.
I never thought salmon ceviche would be all that good but I made it this summer. The salmon just melts in your mouth, like good sashimi salmon should.

I think the peppers are chiles and the chili is a Tex-Mex stew. ( with or without beans but usually red).
Green chile stew is chile because it's a stew with green chiles as the primary ingredient. That's how I figure, anyway.:D

It doesn't bother me for you to post stuff without precise measurements.
My god it isn't the atomic bomb it is food.
Food is dynamic.:yes:

I never could make bread or pasta until I tossed the recipes. :lol:

Worth

Tracy,
I don't measure when cooking unless following somebody else's recipe for the first time....or baking. So go for it...I don't mind at all.

This has become a regular dish since my SCA started offering Tomatillos for a lot less than what the supermarket typically charges for them --

Chicken Enchiladas

9 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 medium white onion
1 serrano chile
1 yellow chile (guero)
(I've been using a golden cayenne from the garden in place of both )
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 store-bought rotisserie chicken breasts, skinned and shredded (to yield 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the tomatillos, onion, serrano, yellow chile and 3/4 cup water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and boil until the tomatillos turn olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos, onion and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Put the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas, seam-side down, in one layer snugly inside the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.

Drizzle with the Mexican crema (or sour cream) and sprinkle the cheese all over. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Concur with Tracydr about the Carolinas. They seem to think that tomato juice should be a primary ingredient in enchilada sauce. Some of this stuff borders on ketchup. There aren't enough facepalms in the world for that. I have found only one half-decent Mexican place in Charlotte -- in a little shopping center off of 51 just north of 485.

Father's Daughter, sounds yummy. I've never used or heard of guero chile.

[QUOTE=Tracydr;431304]Father's Daughter, sounds yummy. I've never used or heard of guero chile.[/QUOTE]


From what I found online, guero means blonde and the type of pepper referred to as a guero chile varies by location. My golden cayennes have a fair amount of heat and they're yellow, so I decided on one golden cayenne in place of both the chiles called for.

[QUOTE=Father'sDaughter;431307]From what I found online, guero means blonde and the type of pepper referred to as a guero chile varies by location. My golden cayennes have a fair amount of heat and they're yellow, so I decided on one golden cayenne in place of both the chiles called for.[/QUOTE]


You are right here is a well known brand where I live.
These things are good.:yes:
[IMG]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/410tM09GXOL._SS500_.jpg[/IMG]
These are also the same thing by Mezzetta.

I just bought a jar.:lol:
[IMG]http://www.mezzetta.com/uploads/products/MZ_ProductImage_Hot_Chili_Peppers.png[/IMG]

Worth

Ah, yes! My husband loves those. Any idea what variety they actually are?

[QUOTE=Tracydr;431325]Ah, yes! My husband loves those. Any idea what variety they actually are?[/QUOTE]


I can 99% guarantee they are these.
Cascabella Peppers.
They go from light green to yellow to orange to red.
A very beautiful pepper to grow and eat.
Not stupid hot either.

I cant say enough good about these peppers along with, Jamaican hot yellow and red, Bulgarian carrot and yellow mushroom peppers.

Worth
[url]http://www.tomatogrowers.com/CASCABELLA/productinfo/9218/[/url]

I can buy most of what I want in town.
The Chilli de Arbol is what I use the make pepper powder instead of Cayenne peppers it is much better.
[url]http://www.tomatogrowers.com/CHILE-DE-ARBOL/productinfo/9250/[/url]
Chili Cascavel/ Guajillo is a good one also that I have.
[url]http://www.tomatogrowers.com/GUAJILLO/productinfo/9638/[/url]


Here is who I buy from.

[url]https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCMQFjAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fiestaspices.com%2Findex.asp%3Fpage%3Dchili_peppers&ei=yhkPVLDGLoGR8gG4zYFQ&usg=AFQjCNGpCrzJU9NwvvxprKGKiG1Y371hVg&sig2=zX2HJN3Drq59RIOcegrIOg[/url]

Worth

I think that's what I grew last year but there was no label.
I put a bunch of them in some pickle brine in the fridge. My husband loves them.
I should have saved seeds but this summer has been insane.
Thanks for the tip for chile stuff.
I use about 3-4 different chiles for my chili or for tacos. I have about 2 pounds of each so it should have me set for a few months. I also brought 1 1/2 gallons of our fermented hot sauce with us. Should last at least half the year, lol. Tht stuff is burn your insides out hot!

Speaking of hot sauce, this is good stuff:
[url]http://www.hotsaucemall.com/hot-sauce/Baron+West+Indian+Hot+Sauce/HH281[/url]

I was lucky enough to spend some time in St Lucia, and Baron hot sauce is on just about every table. I know it's not Tex-Mex, but it would be really good on Tex-Mex.

I bought a Trinidad scotch bonnet sauce when we were in Bonaire. It was so good. Very fruity and complex and very hot.

Thanks for the recipes I made a lot of chili powders this year and want to try them out. If good, I'll grow more next year. I wanted to smoke some, but I never had enough peppers at one time to warrent using so much charcoal and wood. I have a smoker. I would just use it without water.
Anybody have any suggestions as to which peppers make the best chipotle/smoked chili powder?

[QUOTE=Tracydr;431426]I bought a Trinidad scotch bonnet sauce when we were in Bonaire. It was so good. Very fruity and complex and very hot.[/QUOTE]

I love jerk sauce and the Scotch Bonnet peppers are awesome! I grew a yellow. About 4 variations of the yellow exist. The one I have was rather mild. Maybe good for salsa, but not jerk. So I was really bummed about that. I bought Chocolate Scotch Bonnet seeds and they are hotter than habaneros.
So next year I expect a better sauce. I also have seeds for a red Scotch Bonnet, but I know the chocolate is hot. I may grow both next year.
The sauces from Jamaica are so good, I doubt I can ever achieve that level.
For a non hot pepper the Trinidad Perfume is a great seasoning pepper. It has the habanero flavor without the heat. Very aromatic, named correctly. Great stuffed with onions, chives and sour cream.

[QUOTE=drew51;431430]Thanks for the recipes I made a lot of chili powders this year and want to try them out. If good, I'll grow more next year. I wanted to smoke some, but I never had enough peppers at one time to warrent using so much charcoal and wood. I have a smoker. I would just use it without water.
Anybody have any suggestions as to which peppers make the best chipotle/smoked chili powder?[/QUOTE]


Drew chipotle is the word for a smoked jalapeno.
Not just any smoked pepper.:)

Worth

[QUOTE=Worth1;431435]Drew chipotle is the word for a smoked jalapeno.
Not just any smoked pepper.:)

Worth[/QUOTE]

OK, that is what i wanted to know. Thanks! I suppose they are smoked in the ripe red stage?
Still though my question now is, anybody know any good jalapeno varieties to grow? As many exist! I never grew any jalapenos.

[QUOTE=drew51;431439]OK, that is what i wanted to know. Thanks! I suppose they are smoked in the ripe red stage?
Still though my question now is, anybody know any good jalapeno varieties to grow? As many exist! I never grew any jalapenos.[/QUOTE]


Yes red ones.

I dont bother with growing them as I have said before too cheap to grow I just buy what I want.
As for the chipotle I get them canned from the store in Adobe sauce.
[IMG]http://www.formaggiokitchen.com/shop/images/chipotle-in-adobo.jpg[/IMG]
Put a small can of this chopped up in your next batch of chili and it will give it a nice hot smokey flavor.
One can like this or smaller will do for a 6 quart batch of chili.
You can buy Adobo sauce by itself and use it to marinate any type of meat.

When you say chili powder do you mean like you would use in chili with other ingredients in it?
Or do you mean just powdered peppers.

Would it be fare to say that you guys in the east and up north dont have some of these products there?:?!?:

I think this one is the most common one grown here.
At least it looks like it.
[url]http://www.tomatogrowers.com/JALAPENO-M/productinfo/9348/[/url]

Worth

Here we have close proximity to virtually every kind of ethnic restaurant as well as HUGE international markets that cater to just about any needed ingredient. There are even markets that cater to specific regional needs. With the world's busiest international airport folks from all over flock to Atlanta and have some communities carved up into their own turf. What I have yet to find is a truly authentic Mexican restaurant; almost all cater to the anglo tastes or are TexMex. Used to love to travel to San Jose when the Silicon Valley was the Santa Clara valley and enjoy blue corn tortillas and dishes with cream based sauces, not just chile or tomato based.

Too, I have traveled all over Mexico and loved the differences in the regional cuisines. The best thing ever was empanadas con pollo cooked atop a 50 gallon drum by an old, old lady. However, when she handed me arroz con pollo with countless numbers of flies making kamikaze dives into the pot, I made a starving dog around the corner of the Acapulco Princess very happy.

My secret to avoiding enteritis was a constant flow of Tequila immediately after eating. It was so hot out that it sweated right through me. Have yet to find empanadas here. When I saw all of the meat arrayed on a plywood sheet in the markets, again swarming with flies and sitting all day in the hot sun, I thought the folks there must have incredible natural immunities. Now, thanks to Rick Bayless, I would love to travel around Baja, but those days are past.

One last note, we are now seeing restaurants that specialize in the cuisines of central and south America, as well as the Caribbean countries. Delicious! Even found a real eastern NC style BBQ place now.

With the vote on the 18th in Scotland we may some day see Haggis and blood sausage. That would be a real change from the morning sausage biscuit! Wonder if I could find cuy in Atlanta.

[QUOTE=Worth1;431444]Yes red ones.

When you say chili powder do you mean like you would use in chili with other ingredients in it?
Or do you mean just powdered peppers.

Would it be fare to say that you guys in the east and up north dont have some of these products there?:?!?:


Worth[/QUOTE]


On chili powder I mean both. I make both just peppers, peppers with roasted cumin, etc.
I live near Detroit, I could go to Mexican town and get any products I want.
Every product imaginable. In Lansing we have a Mexican population too. A tortilla factory is there too. El Azteco restaurant is owned by a Tex-Mex gentlemen. Of Mexican heritage from Texas. He told me he uses his grandmother's recipes. The enchilada's are to die for. One type, [B]Enchiladas De Jocoque[/B], I have never seen anywhere else, they are my favorite. Everytime I'm near Lansing I buy 6 dinners to go. Everybody that works in the restaurants, the landscapers, the roofers are all Mexican in this state.
[URL]http://www.elazteco.me/ELAZTECO.ME/restaurant.html[/URL]