Chayote Sancochado (Steamed Chayote)

I haven't been blogging much, doesn't mean I haven't cooked, but it's because well my camera is busted still like doesn't work for sh#t, and I haven't made time to buy a new one :/ (anyone wanna mail me one for free hehe just kidding... well not really lol.)

Well I took my Dad's camera yesterday when I was making this very simple vegetable side dish. I wasn't sure to post it because it is so simple, but sometimes people want to know the simple things, or simply know them but never think about it. It's essentially Chayote, steamed in a pot with a little water, you can serve it with squeeze of lime and salt if your on a diet LOL. or if not with a couple pats of butter and some salt. For Cubans it would be best enjoyed with"Mojo de Ajo" (Cuban garlic sauce) but the other two ways mentioned would also be good. This can be a side to just about anything atleast it would fit into any Latin or Spanish meal as a vegetable side no matter the time of the day.

To those that don't know what "Chayote" is it is also known in english as "Alligator Pear", when raw it's texture is hard and crisp yet somewhat slippery? THe taste I can describe it as a cross between a cucumber and Italian or Mexican squash, I've never consumed it raw however. It can be peeled, the center core removed, cut into chunks or however and added to soups or stews. It can be sauteed on it's own,with meat, used in stir-fried, or steamed it is truly very very versatile.

Ingredients:
-3 large Chayotes
-water (enough to fill the pot about 1 inch or 2)

To serve once cooked:
-some butter and salt OR a squeeze of lime and salt OR Mojo de Ajo (Cuban Garlic Sauce)

Directions:
(1) Wash really well, cut in half, then wash again, drain.
(2) Place in a pot with enough water to cover one inch, bring to a boil on high heat, cover, and lower heat to medium.
(3) Steam for 30 minutes until tender.
Here's 4 segments left, my mom was quick to grab some for herself before i was able to even take pictures hehe(4) Serve with a squeeze of lime and salt, or some butter and sprinkle or salt OR if your used to/ or love the pungent Cuban garlic sauce and don't mind the dragon breath feel free to smother it with "Mojo de Ajo"
PLEASE NOTE... the Chayote you can remove the center core if you want, my mom likes to eat it so I leave it, because it will turn tender if cooked long enough, the skin of the chayote for this recipe I leave it on since after steaming a long time it also turns tender. However the front tip and back tip for sometimes will not turn tender and are often cut off after steaming, it's up to you :)

P.S.
I'm labeling this as both Mexican and Cuban because pretty much I've seen Cubans cook it and also Mexicans enjoy it. However serving certain steamed or boiled vegetables (usually root vegetables) with Mojo/ garlic sauce is a Cuban thing :)

If interested in other recipe check out my post for "Guiso de Chayote" (sauteed Chayote squash, I cooked it with pork)

Also it's used in 3 different vegetable soups I've posted check out:
(1) Cocido de Res (Mexican Vegetable and Beef Soup)
(2) Cocido Salvadoreno (Salvadorian Vegetable and Beef Soup)
(3) Caldo de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Stew)

Arroz Blanco Con Vegetales (White Rice w/ Vegetables)

Every time I go to gatherings, birthdays or parties where food is involved and where the majority of people are Mexican or Salvadoran I always see this mixed white rice and vegetable dish as a side. I've never really made it, nor does my mother but we love it, just never really knew how it was prepared.

It seems everyone makes it slightly different and there are variations, but the common elements is all of use chicken bouillon or powder as flavoring and onion. The rest can sort of vary.

This is the version that I am very satisfied with, the rice is slightly toasted in butter with onions giving it a toasty buttery slightly sweet taste I love it :D

Ingredients:
-2 cups long-grain white rice
-1/2 cup butter
-1/2 onion minced
-4 cups water
-2 heaping teaspoons chicken bouillon
-1 cup mixed small mixed frozen vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, and green beans)

Directions:
(1) Heat a pot or deep-pan on medium high heat, add the butter, when butter melts, add your rice and minced onion. Stir constantly or you'll get burned pieces of rice keep stirring until rice is slightly golden and onions are transparent.
(2) At this point, add your water, raise heat to real high, stir in chicken bouillon, taste for salt the chicken powder or bouillon is pretty salty.

(3) When it comes to a rolling boil add vegetables, wait for it to boil again, give it a quick stir, cover then lower heat to low. Do not uncover for 25 minutes, uncover, check your rice it should be done now.
(4) Serve as a side to any meal, any meat stew, pan-fried or grilled meats, fried fish, beans, salad or sauteed vegetables anything it goes pretty well :)

P.S.
I know it's a lot of butter, you can reduce the amount if you'd like, but it makes it taste sooo good, oil can be used in place of the butter as well but it won't be the same :) just be sure you have enough oil or butter to be able to toast and coat the rice well.

Ejotes Guisados (Mexican Sauteed Green Beans)

This is a very simple, humble vegetable side dish that goes well with almost any meal. In Mexican cooking like I've mentioned in one of my previous posts vegetables sauteed with just onion, garlic, tomato and salt is very common. Any vegetable or combination of vegetable you have on hand can be used. Sometimes people like to spice up these types of dishes by adding chili peppers and freshly ground black pepper and or freshen it up with some freshly minced cilantro towards the end. The choice is yours.

Here I present the most simplest form, using some green beans, it is simple and goes well with almost any meal :)

Today I prepared this for dinner, along with some "Frijoles de la Olla" (mexican pinto beans), having my Cuban heritage I had to have my "Arroz Blanco" (white rice steamed with olive oil and salt), and my mom pan-fried some Bassa fish filets the same way she prepares her Salmon except she floured them and we served with Alioli (Spanish garlic mayonnaise ha ha yes my Spanish heritage came up in this meal too I'll share the recipe in the future). For dessert we had some "Camotes en Piloncillo" (sweet potatoes in unrefined cane sugar syrup) So the meal was a combination of Cuban, Mexican and Spaniard cooking much like myself ha ha ;)

Ingredients:
-1 1/2- 2 lbs. green beans (washed, ends removed and cut into whatever size you like)
-1/2 large onion minced
-2 cloves garlic minced
-3 small or 1 large tomato finely diced
-salt to taste
-extra-virgin olive oil

the optional ingredients:
-freshly ground black pepper (for some heat)
-1-2 green chili peppers finely minced (such as serrano or jalapeno) if you like spicy
-1/4 of a bunch of finely minced cilantro (to add some freshness)

Directions:
(1) Heat olive oil on medium high heat, sautee minced onions and if using the green chili peppers add them at this point, cook this down until onions are tender and translucent maybe 7 minutes, add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant and golden.

(2) Finally add diced tomato and let it cook down another 3-5 minutes (cooking the onion, garlic, and tomato with patience makes a big difference, this is a dish with very simple ingredients let them shine and be patient you can trim and clean the green beans while your cooking this down, just keep and eye on it so it doesn't burn and if it's cooking to fast lower the heat so you can have time to prep your green beans)

(2) At this point add your cleaned, trimmed green beans, and salt to taste and black pepper if using, stir well, keep heat at medium and cover for about 10- 15 minutes, Stir it every 4-5 minutes.
(3) This dish will be done when green beans are slightly tender or as tender as you'd like you may also garnish with cilantro. Enjoy :)
P.S.
I know I haven't blogged in awhile but I'll try to post more often, I've been cooking, but also been up to a lot more lately. But I have plenty new to share :)

Also... if you liked this recipe check out my post for "Espinacas Guisadas" (Mexican sauteed spinach), Verdolagas Guisadas (Mexican sauteed Purslane), and "Calabacitas Guisadas" (sauteed Mexican squash one of my favorites my mom makes)

Sopa de Elote (Mexican Corn Soup)

This is a quick and simple Mexican corn soup. My mom calls it literally " corn soup" (sopa de elote) but to me it's more of a stew, I can describe this soup as a rich creamy sauce enveloping sweet corn kernels.

I honestly never remember eating this growing up, but my mother told me she made it once when I was younger and this is the second time she's made it since I was born also that it's one of her favorite ways to use fresh sweet corn, but for one reason or another never gets to making it because she ends up throwing corn in soups and eating it just boiled and buttered or I'll use it before she does for other dishes.

But let me tell you now that I've tried it, I guarantee this stew will appear more often in my household when corn is in season :)

Ingredients:
-6 ears of corn
-3 Roma tomatoes
-2-3 cloves garlic sliced
-1 tsp. chicken bouillon
-water (as needed)
-1 onion minced
-any type of cooking oil or extra-virgin olive oil
-salt to taste
-1/2 cup sour cream or Mexican cream salted or unsalted or 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:
(1) Peel corn ears, remove all the kernels and set aside. (With the corn hairs/ corn silk you can actually reserve it to make "Corn Silk Tea" see my post for it :)
(2) In a blender blend Roma tomatoes, garlic, chicken bouillon with enough water to submerge it/ cover.
(3) In a large deep-pan heat oil and sautee onion until golden and caramelized on medium high heat for about 5 minutes. When golden add the blend of tomatoes, garlic, water and chicken bouillon. Bring to a rolling boil about 1-2 minutes.
(4) Bring to a rolling boil, add corn, stir well, enough water to barely cover the corn and cover and simmer for about 30 minutes on medium low heat.
(5) When 30 minutes pass and corn is tender, scoop out about 1 cup of corn with some liquid and blend it and add back to soup. This will make it thicken and give it a nice body.
(6) Lastly whisk in or mix really well the heavy whipping cream or sour cream whatever you have to make it nice and rich :)
Enjoy, you can serve with a dollop of sour cream or unsalted or salted Mexican cream, my mother has a strong preference for unsalted Mexican cream but we ran out served it without :)
PLEASE NOTE:
-If your interested in this recipe or like it you may want to check out my post for "Guiso de Maiz Tierno" (Cuban Corn stew) I may re-do my post for the Cuban corn stew because I liked the technique my mother used in which she blended some of the corn kernels to thicken and make the soup richer. Or if not in a mood for a soup I really enjoy steaming yellow rice with corn "Arroz Amarillo Con Maiz" (Cuban Yellow Rice and Corn)

Tortitas de Camaron en Chile Colorado Con Nopales (Mexican Shrimp Fritter and Cactus Stew)

Again I will say we have lots of Nopales (cactus pads) as you guys already probably know, so here's a dish I'm posting for "YayaOrchids" who kindly asked for this dish :)

In this dish shrimp fritters are made from a fluffy egg batter and ground dried shrimp, and simmered in "Chile Colorado" a flavorful smooth, smokey, rich Mexican red sauce, married with julienned nopales.

The version I present today is a very simple and "typical" version, it's what you would get at any Mexican eatery.

This is my mother's recipe for the typical traditional one, but let me tell you, my mother has a special one she makes RARELY which is more elaborate, complex, and non- traditional when I say rarely I mean like once a year rare, she made it already this year when I wasn't present so I'm out of luck, but when she makes it again I'll catch her in the act and make a post.

Ingredients for fritters:
-1 packet 4 oz. ground dry shrimp powder
-5 egg whites
-5 egg yolks
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-2 tablespoons flour

Ingredients for the sauce:
-8 dry chile california or guajillos (depends on how spicy you want it Californias have no spiciness, guajillos are hot, if you wish a combination of both can be used)
-2 dried chile pasillas
-15 dry "chile japones" or dry "chile de arbol" (optional I added them because I only had Chile California's and no Guajillos so I used them to make the sauce spicy)
-water
-1/2 onion
-2 cloves garlic
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1 teaspoon cumin
-1/2 teaspoon cloves
-1 heaping teaspoonful chicken bouillon

Ingredients to prep cactus: -8-12 cactus pads cleaned, washed, thorns removed, julienned
-2 cloves garlic
-1/4 onion
-water
-2-3 teaspoons salt (to taste)

Directions:
(1) Prep your sauce, get a medium pot, fill with water and leave on high until it comes to a boil, meanwhile remove stem from all dry chilies, and remove the seeds and veins from the California chilies, pasillas, BUT NOT from the "chile de arbol" or "chile japones" leave those whole but without stem. When water is boiling add all the dry chilies, stir well, let boil about 1 minute then turn off heat and cover. Allow to rest 10- 20 minutes. Set aside.

(2) While the chilies are soaking, I got a hot griddle heated it on high, then put a small layer of aluminum, I lowered to medium high and charred 1/2 an onion, and the 2 garlic cloves for the sauce. When blackened and fragrant on some sides, peel and set aside. (this is optional you can use them raw) (yes i have been multi- tasking I have to for this recipe)

(3) After chilies have soaked, add them to a blender, with the liquid they cooked in, along with the onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper, cloves, and chicken bouillon.

(4) Heat a pot on very high heat if you wish you can coat the bottom of the pot with oil or lard but that is optional I did heat some lard in the pot and when the pot is very very hot, strain the blended sauce in, bring to a rolling boil and thin out with some water or more of the cooking liquid if necessary (the sauce should be as thick or thin as you'd like so it's a matter of preference how much liquid u add). When sauce boils turn off and leave pot alone.

(5) Now prep your cactus, in a pot boil water with 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 onion, and salt, add cactus and boil until tender uncovered about 10 minutes, drain well and set aside, discard onion, and garlic. Set aside.

(6) Now prep your fritters, have a plate with paper towels to drain the fritters. Now beat egg whites to a stick peak, beat egg yolks back in 1 at a time, beat in 2 tablespoons flour a little at a time, along with 1 teaspoon black pepper. Now fold in shrimp powder.
(7) Heat enough oil to deep-fry or pan-fry (at least 1 inch of oil) on medium high, and fry the shrimp fritter batter by large scoop sized I used a large kitchen spoon, brown on one side then flip and brown on the other, set aside on plate to drain. When all are done, set aside.

(8) Now putting this dish together, bring your red sauce to a boil, add cactus that's already prepped, cooked and drained, when it comes back to a boil, slowly add shrimp fritters one at a time, they will float up and most of the cactus will stay at the bottom. Allow to simmer 3-5 minutes. Taste red sauce for salt add more if needed ( I doubt it) then turn off and cover.


(9) Serve with fresh tortillas alone, or with beans. If you wish a Mexican red rice. It's up to you.

PLEASE NOTE:
-The shrimp powder is very salty, so salt the sauce towards the end after the shrimps fritters simmer in the sauce a bit, if it needs more than add, but don't add too much as they sit their flavor and salt will infuse into the sauce more.

-I made the red sauce without tomatoes this time, because they aren't necessary and I didn't have any, but if you wish 2 ripe Roma tomatoes can be simmered together with the chilies.

Costilla de Puerco en Chile Verde Con Nopales (Mexican Pork Rib and Cactus Green Stew)

So again here in California this time of year Nopales are extremely plentiful, and we have more than we can handle. So here is yet another Mexican dish that uses "Nopales" (cactus or in this case cactus pads)

This is the green version of the red pork stew I posted a couple days back "Costillas de Puerco en Chile Colorado Con Nopales" Again this green sauce is one of the other what I call "master sauces" in Mexican cooking for stewing all sorts of meats, green enchiladas, even a base to make some really spicy hot sauces.

This is a very healthy dish to cook, it has lots of healthy greens, such as the cactus pads, green chili peppers and tomatillos, married with a little pork. You can eat this in a very simple humble fashion just a heaping bowl of this stew with some corn tortillas. If you wanna go a little further enjoy with some boiled or refried beans and if you wanna go all out make some Mexican red rice to go with it. The choice is yours.

Main Ingredients:
-4 lbs pork spare ribs cut into pieces
-salt & pepper to taste
-water (enough to barely cover)

Ingredients to prepare cactus
-15-20 cactus pads/ nopales, cleaned, and cut into medium strips/ julienned
-1/4 onion
-2 cloves garlic
-water (enough to submerge cactus pads)

Ingredients for the sauce:
-1 lbs. tomatillos or "tomatillo milpero" peeled (a tiny berry like variety of tomatillos)
-1/2 of a large onion
-3 cloves garlic
-4-6 or more Jalapeno or Serrano chilies (the spicier you want it the more you add)
-1 tablespoon chicken bouillon/ powder (optional)
-water as needed to make sauce

Ingredients to finish the dish:
-1 big bunch of cilantro, washed well, pat-dry and chopped coarsely

Directions:
(1) Add pork ribs to a large pot, cover with water just enough to barely cover it, not submerged. Season liberally with salt and pepper and bring to a boil on high heat lower to medium high, leave it alone until all the water evaporates and it renders some fat then let it brown stirring occasionally in it's own fat.

(2) While pork is boiling, heat two pots with water, have your cleaned cut cactus and add it to a pot of boiling water with 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 onion and let boil uncovered 10 minutes, when done drain them and set aside, discard onion and garlic.

(3) However meanwhile, while waiting for cactus to be cooked prepare your sauce, bring water to a boil in small pot, add peeled washed tomatillos and green chilies, let boil for about 5-10 minutes until they change color.
(4) When tomatillos change color, add them carefully along with chilies into a blender, along with 1/2 raw onion, and 3 garlic cloves and chicken bouillon, blend in blender into a sauce, using the water you boiled the chilies in tomatillos in to help blend it all well, if you run out of that cooking liquid use regular water. You may or may not need to do this in batches
(5) By now your meat should have had all the water evaporate and it should be browned, if not just wait, but when all water is gone, let the pot with the ribs be scorching hot, and add the blended green sauce to the pot it will sizzle and bubble. Cover and lower heat to medium low, you may add more water depending on how thick or soupy you want your final dish, I like to have enough liquid to barely cover all the ingredients. Taste it for salt and add more if necessary, it's all to your taste. Allow pork to simmer about 20 minutes in sauce.
(6) When pork has simmered 20 minutes or is very tender add cooked drained cactus and allow to cook an additional 3-5 minutes.
(7) Turn off heat and stir in cilantro.
PLEASE NOTE:
*This is actually a very simple dish, it really isn't hard at all, just a lot of multi-tasking, but comes together wonderfully and is almost a one pot meal, all you essentially need is some store bought fresh warm corn tortillas :)

*There are about 4 ways to make the green sauce, method one is grill and slightly blacken the tomatillos, chili peppers, 1/2 onion, and garlic cloves then proceed to blend everything and follow directions. The other method is blend everything raw since it goes into the sauce method two boil tomatillos and chilies then blend and proceed with making sauce method three blend everything raw together method four use any of the previous methods, except do not blend the onion or garlic, and instead saute minced onion and garlic with meat, then add the blended sauce prepared in any method. Depending on what method you use the taste is slightly different

*This dish can be cooked without the cactus, you can simply do the pork in the green sauce

Costillas de Puerco en Chile Colorado Con Nopales (Mexican Pork Rib and Cactus Red Stew)

I usually lately don't post on a daily basis, but this week I may be posting daily depends, because we have so much cactus and down here in California it is very very plentiful right now, a good friend keeps giving us bags of cactus pads from her plant.

So yesterday I grilled some you can check the post "Nopales Asados", and this morning I made a simple "Nopales Con Huevos" (Cactus and Egg) by cutting the leftover grilled nopales, and heating them and oil and fried them with some minced onion and added beaten eggs with salt and pepper to make a scramble I ate with tortillas.

Today is day 2 of my Nopales lol. and I made a Mexican Pork and Cactus stew in a sauce we call "salsa de chile colorado" (red chile sauce?) this is a type of master sauce used in Mexican cookery for all sorts of dishes (enchiladas, stewing other meats, making certain soups, etc.) Today I used it to stew some pork ribs with cactus. It is a delicious marriage near and dear to me. Do not be intimidated by the long list of ingredients and cooking procedures this meal is almost a one pot meal with some corn tortillas and has your meat and veggies. I was able to make this delicious stew in less than an hour.

Main Ingredients:
-2 1/2 lbs. pork spare ribs
-salt and pepper to taste -water (enough to barely cover pork)

Ingredients for the sauce:
-8 dried Chile Californias (if you want it not spicy or for spicy use 8 dried "Chile Guajillos" or a blend of both) sliced open and de-seeded and veined
-2 dried "Chiles Pasillas"sliced open and de-seeded and veined
-2 ripe roma tomatoes cut small slits on skin downwards
-water (enough to cover dried chiles)
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspoon ground black pepper
-1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
-1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (optional)
-1/2 onion peeled
-2 cloves garlic peeled

Ingredients to prep. cactus:
-14 cleaned cactus pads julienned (about 2 lbs?) -water (enough to boil cactus) -1/4 onion
-2 cloves garlic

Main Ingredients Directions:
(1) Clean and wash your pork, and cut it into pieces. Now throw in a pot, season liberally with salt and pepper, add enough water to BARELY cover, and bring to a boil on high uncovered, leave it like that until all water reduces, the pork will render some fat, and start browning, lower heat to medium high. Stir occasionally.
Making the Sauce Directions:
(2) Meanwhile while pork is boiling uncovered heat 1 medium pot with some water, and 1 large one half-way with water to a boil, leave the large one alone you will use it to prep. your cactus.

(3) When small medium pot boils, add de-seeded, and viened dried chiles and 2 tomatoes, bring to a boil, then allow to rest for 10 minutes.
(4) After 10 minutes, blend in a blender with the water you soaked it in along with onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper, cloves, chicken bouillon.

(5) Strain the sauce directly into the pot where the pork ribs were boiling which by now the water should be gone and they should be browned, strain it, pushing with a spoon to get as much as you can through the strainer, add more water through the strainer to get more out of it. Be sure the pork is slightly covered by the sauce, allow to boil on medium heat and add salt to taste.

Prepping the cactus pads directions:
(6) By now you should have a medium large pot boiling with 1/4 onion and 2 garlic cloves.

(7) Now have you cactus pads cleaned with spines removed, julien them into strips. (I simply pile all of them and julienne them then cut those julienne s in half to have medium sized strips)

(8) Add the cactus and boil uncovered for 10 minutes, drain them, discard onion and garlic. set aside. DO NOT rinse them, just drain them.
Directions for putting the dish together
(9) Add the prepped drained cactus to the pot of pork boiling in the sauce, and allow to boil together an additional 5 minutes.
(10) Enjoy with corn tortillas and some refried beans if you'd like.
PLEASE NOTE:
I know it seems like a lot but you can multi-task and get everything done in under an hour and you'll have this special tasty dish :) You can buy the cactus pads already peeled, cleaned, and cut. You can just boil them, but like I said the one's I got were from a friends plant.

I wasn't able to take lots of detailed pictures since I was making this on my own.

Nopales Asados (Grilled Cactus)

In Mexican cooking Cactus pads are a commonly consumed vegetable, cactus pads once cleaned can be used in a variety of dishes. In meat stews or stewed with Fava beans, salads, grilled, sauteed with meat, by itself, with eggs, pickled, etc. it is a very versatile vegetable in the Mexican kitchen.

I wanna share with you all a very simple, straight forward way we enjoy nopales at my house. Which is simply grilled, and we serve it with any meat dish preferably grilled meats, but any Mexican stewed meat or fried meat dish goes well, paired with corn tortillas and if you'd like refried or boiled pinto beans.

Ingredients:
-cactus pads (cleaned, thorns/ spines removed)
-salt and pepper to taste (or your favorite meat seasoning)
-oil to coat cactus pads

Directions:
(1) If you bought cactus pads with the thorns uncleaned or picked them yourself, simply, trim off the edges like so
then put the knife on an angle and scrape forward several times both sides,
then then scrape the towards the ends,
rinse well, and remove any stubborn thorns or brown spots with your knife, wash and pat dry.
(2) Rub oil on cactus pads, season liberally with salt and pepper or your favorite meat seasoning.
(3) Then put on a very hot griddle or nonstick pan or grill on high heat and cook 4-5 minutes on each side.

(4) Remove and set aside on a plate, pile them up til your done.

PLEASE NOTE:
*My mother likes using a meat seasoning in her Mexican cooking called "Chef Merito" meat seasoning which is a very FLAVORFUL mexican spice blend of salt, sugar, citric acid, black pepper, cumin, paprika, star anise, msg, onion powder, and oregano. She tells me it's the closest thing she has found in the USA to the meat seasonings she grew up with in Mexico. Mmmm... a steak marinaded with that spice blend, with a splash of orange juice some fresh sliced onion and minced cilantro is so delicious when cooked in a hot pan or grill (trust me that's how Vallarta seasons their meats I know it ;)

If interested in other recipes that use Nopales check out my post for:
"Ensalada de Nopales" (Cactus Salad)