Category: Side Dish

Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Cheesy Shrimp Tacos

Encamaronadas

 (Loren’s recipe)
From Season 9, Mexico—One Plate at a Time
Servings: 15 tacos

INGREDIENTS

  • 12ounces (2 medium-small round or 4 or 5 plum) ripe tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch pieces
  • Fresh serrano chiles to taste, (roughly 3 to 5), or even more if you like it really picante), stemmed, seeded if you wish, and finely chopped
  • 1/4cup chopped cilantro, thick bottom stems removed
  • 1large garlic clove, peeled and very finely chopped
  • 1small white onion, finely chopped
  • 1tablespoon Mexican hot sauce (such as Valentina or Tamazula), plus extra for serving
  • 1tablespoon ketchup
  • 2teaspoons fresh lime juice (optional, but you might like the zing it adds)
  • Salt
  • About 1/3cup vegetable oil, divided use
  • 1pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined if you wish, and chopped into pieces a little smaller than ½ inch
  • 15 corn tortillas
  • 8ounces shredded Mexican melting cheese (full-flavored Chihuahua or Jack cheese work best)

INSTRUCTIONS

Making the” salsa. Scoop the tomatoes, chiles, cilantro, garlic and white onion into a bowl and mix well. Stir in the hot sauce, ketchup and optional lime juice. Taste and season with salt, usually about a scant teaspoon.

Making the shrimp filling. Heat a very large (12-inch), heavy skillet—nonstick works really well—over medium-high. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the oil and when it is hot, add the “salsa” vegetables. Cook, stirring regularly, until everything softens together, about 5 minutes. Scoop in the shrimp and stir until they are barely cooked through (they can still be slightly translucent at the center)—about 3 minutes. Scoop the shrimp mixture into a bowl, wash and dry the skillet, and return it to medium heat.

Assembling the encamaronadas. Heavily film the bottom of the skillet with oil. When hot, lay in a tortilla. After a few seconds, flip it, then scatter a couple of tablespoons of shredded cheese over one side, top with a generous tablespoon of the filling. Use tongs to fold the uncovered part of the tortilla over the filling, forming a turnover. Gently press flat. Continue to make encamaronadas in the same fashion until the skillet is full, frying them until crisp—2 to 3 minutes per side. As they become crisp, remove them to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve right away with more Mexican hot sauce.

Posted on » by Dino » Theme:

Rick Bayless’ “Easy But Tasty!” Arroz con Chorizo y Lentejas (Chorizo Rice with Lentils)

Notes

Since we no longer have a stand-alone rice cooker we used our Instant Pot® to make this. I didn’t take notes on the changes we made, but I would note that the lentils were fully cooked after the first step. To prevent them from becoming a soggy mess, we took them out and added them at the end after everything else was cooked. It was easier to start the 2nd step right in the Instant Pot® without having to dirty a skillet.

Also noteworthy is the Merquén spice mix I brought over. It made its way to a friend of ours via a visitor from Chile. It’s often used as a condiment on lentil dishes in Chile. Merquén is the traditional Spice of the Indigenous Mapuche Tribe in Chile. It is a mix of smoked Goat Horn peppers, coriander, cumin, and salt.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup lentils, preferably the black beluga or green French lentils
  • 4 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
  • 1 cup rice (I prefer medium-grain rice here)
  • ½ cup chopped green or knob onions (about 2 onions)
    Or ⅓ cup chopped regular or garlic chives
  • Salt
  • (optional) Merquén spice mix

Directions

  1. Place the lentils and ¾ cup water in a rice cooker and cook for about 20 minutes or until the rice cooker turns to the “keep warm” mode; the lentils should taste about half done.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large (10-inch) skillet set over medium heat, cook the chorizo, breaking up any clumps, until it has begun to brown, about 7 minutes. Stir the rice into the chorizo and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until it has turned from translucent to milky white, about 3 minutes more.
  3. When the lentils are ready, scrape the chorizo and rice mixture into the rice cooker along with the onion (or chives), 1 teaspoon salt and 1 ¾ cups water. Cover the rice cooker, once again turn it to “cook” and let the rice cook until the appliance switches to “keep warm” mode, 15 to 20 minutes.
  4. Taste a grain of rice: it should be very close to done at the core. If not, sprinkle a little water, recover and cook 5 minutes more. Gently fluff the mixture with a fork, reaching all the way to the edges at the bottom, to release steam and slow the cooking (though of course it can hold up to an hour or so in “keep warm” mode.)
  5. You’re ready to serve.
Posted on » by Michael » Theme:

Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Couscous

Throw together a deliciously spiced and super healthy dish in no time flat.  This recipe is great as a side dish or vegetarian meal.

 Prep Time 15 minutes
 Cook Time 15 minutes
 Total Time 30 minutes
 Servings  people
 Calories 472 kcal
This vegetarian recipe from Erren's Kitchen for Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Couscous is delicious on its own or makes a delicious accompaniment to a tagine and any other Moroccan style dish.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium red onion chopped
  • 1 yellow bell pepper chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped into cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon celery salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • cayenne pepper optional, to taste
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 14oz can chickpeas drained
  • 6 Peppadew Piquante peppers chopped, mild or hot
  • 1½ cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • A good handful fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 cup instant couscous

Instructions

  1. In a medium-size skillet heat the oil over medium heat.

  2. Add red onion, yellow pepper, and carrot sauté 10-15 minutes or until all the vegetables are your desired tenderness

  3. Add the garlic, sauté another minute.

  4. Mix in the salt & pepper, paprika, ground coriander, turmeric, celery salt, cumin ground cinnamon and cayenne pepper (if using). Stir fry until fragrant (about a minute).

  5. Add the frozen peas and cook briefly. Stir in the piquante peppers and chickpeas.  Followed by the stock.

  6. Add the chopped parsley and stir in the couscous.  Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Fluff and serve.

Recipe Notes

This recipe calls for instant couscous.  Instant couscous is cooked by covering it with water and leaving it to sit for 5 minutes.  Read the package instructions for your couscous.  If the directions and measurements, do not match my instructions, just adjust the liquid measurement accordingly (to the amount of couscous in the recipe), add the spices and follow then follow the package instructions.

Nutrition Facts
Moroccan Spiced Vegetable Couscous
Amount Per Serving
Calories 472Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g5%
Sodium 780mg33%
Potassium 621mg18%
Total Carbohydrates 77g26%
Dietary Fiber 13g52%
Sugars 10g
Protein 17g34%
Vitamin A70.3%
Vitamin C111.4%
Calcium8.9%
Iron28.5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.