Menudo Rojo (Red Mexican Tripe Stew)

Menudo in Mexican Cuisine is a soup made primarily of beef tripe (cows stomach) and beef foot or pork feet (depending on preferance) boiled with garlic, onion, spices and herbs which vary from cook to cook. There are two versions one in a rich red broth (which is what my mother makes) and a white one in a rich clear broth. Some versions include hominy in the stew other's completely omit it. (This depends on what part of Mexico you are at) it truly is a dish that varies a lot whether clear or red, or seasoned very simply with just salt, onion, garlic or versions with an array of spice blends and herbs.

The way it is served also varies from region to region, some serve it with flour tortillas, others with corn tortillas, some even with Bolillo (Mexican version of french bread/ rolls) garnishes, etc. can vary.

Anyways the version I grew up eating was ALWAYS in a red broth, made from dried chiles and tomatoes, and spices down here in Southern California at Restaurants, stores, family friends only twice in my lifetime have I had it with Hominy (once in a household in Texas that hosted a "Posada" and another time my mother's friend Carmen who asked for Hominy in it) The version my mom grew up on though was always red as well, and excluded the hominy and was served with corn tortillas.

Though growing up enjoying this soup occasionally we never prepared it at home ha ha, but over time asking around we got a real good recipe, and got around to making it, the recipe came from a family friend who's originally from Sinaloa, Mexico.

One day my mother was at her friend Carmen's house and Carmen's son delivered the most delicious Menudo my mom claims she has had, it was very fragrant, didn't have any gamey smell from the tripe or beef foot, and has a very complex taste that married well with everything she demanded to learn the recipe, and from that day fourth she's been making Menudo (it's only been about 2 years hehe) what makes this version of Menudo so special I think is the fresh mint in combination with the bay leaves which helps kill any off taste the Menudo may have, and the mint makes it more soothing to the stomach, it's also spiced with a combination of coriander seeds, cumin, and pepper which gives it a taste that's hard to describe but I'll tell you it's amazing. Then finished off by stirring in a strong red sauce of dried chile California which are actually very mild. The broth is always rich from the bones and cartilage in the pig feet, and the gelatine as well which is present in the stomach, the pectin in the chilies and tomato contribute to it's richness as well.

I also wanted to add that this soup is often used as a hangover cure too hehe, and is seen as very nutritious and healthy. Also very good for bone health. Enjoy the recipe is as follows :)

Ingredients:
-4 lbs. beef tripe
-4 lbs. pork feet or beef foot (well cleaned ask butcher to remove toes, and slice down the center)
-1 whole large onion (outer skin peeled off)
-1 head of garlic (peel outer skin, leave whole)
-3 bay leaves
-1 bunch of fresh mint leaves and stems well washed
-1 tablespoon coriander seeds
-1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
-2 tablespoons salt (more to taste)
-16 dried "Chile California" (California chiles or New Mexico Chiles)
-2 large ripe tomatoes or 4 small roma tomatoes

Ingredients to serve:
-Finely minced onion (to serve in individual bowls)
-fresh limes (to squeeze over, the amount you add is to taste)
-dried oregano (to crumble over)
-fresh corn tortillas (you can roll them up and dip them in the hot broth as you eat and take a bite)

Directions to clean tripe and pigs feet:
(1) It is very important to clean the tripe real well, you buy it already cut up and cleaned, but afterwards remove any excess fat (like huge chunks of fat that maybe attached), rinse them in cold water several times, along with the big feets, and soak them in cold water, vinegar, and salt, swoosh them around and let them rest a bit like 10 minutes.
Then drain and wash well again, and drain using cold water. Set aside. At this point the tripe is ready to use.
(2) Get those pig feets you have to get each individual one, and this sounds gross but get a clean razor and remove any hair you may feel it still has (the stores usually shave the feet real well and stuff but sometimes there's some they miss). Now add the feet in a large pot with enough water to barely cover
and bring to a boil 10- 15 minutes, then drain (this is done to remove all impurities from it) Set aside they are ready to use.
Directions for boiling tripe and pigs feet:
(1) Heat a very large pot (VERY LARGE) half-way with water, add your garlic, onion, bay leaves, mint leaves, coriander seeds, ground cumin, ground black pepper, and salt.
When this comes to a boil, add the cleaned pigs feet and the tripe.

and the tripe.

(2) Cover and allow to simmer for about 3 hours until tender (you don't want to over cook it or let it get too tender it's nice to have that chew and not just jello)

(3) Meanwhile prepare the red sauce that you will add to the stew towards the last 30 minutes- 1 hour of cooking, made from the dried "Chile California's" and tomatoes along with garlic and onion
you remove the stems and seeds from the chiles, and cut the large tomatoes in half then cover with enough water to boil and allow to simmer about 10- 15 minutes. Then blend in small batches with 1/2 a raw onion and 2 raw garlic cloves peeled.
strain the mixture and set aside
(4) After 3 hours check your tripe and feet, if they are as tender as you'd like (seriously a long time ago my mom cooked this for like 5-6 hours and the texture was just too soft for our liking so 3 hours was good) it should look like below
At this point remove the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and any big pieces of whatever you stewed the meat with and add the strained red sauce
stir and the broth should turn a rich red color
simmer an additional 30 minutes
when done serve in bowls with minced onion, oregano, lime and fresh corn tortillas :)
I like to serve mine with lots of fresh minced onion, oregano, and freshly squeezed lime juice.
PLEASE NOTE:
(1) For my readers in Spain who may not have access to these dried chiles you can use a combination of "Pimientos Choriceros secos" and "Nora Peppers" and access to corn tortillas is probably scarce so good crusty bread would do. I'm sure you'd still get a wonderful dish substituting those :)

(2) For any Mexicans that want this broth to be spicy substitute dried Guajillos for some of the Chile California. Maybe about 6.

(3) For those that like to add Hominy you can add 1 large can of Hominy (it's pre-cooked whole corn kernels but it's a different type of corn like the one used for Pozole) it has to be added 1 hour prior to turning the stew off, because they aren't completely cooked. My mother however omits it.

Mole Verde de Carmen (Carmen's Green Mexican Curry)

Mole (pronounced Mole-ay) is a term used to describe complex Mexican sauces that usually have a variety of dried chilies, chocolate, nuts, and spices used to cook turkey, chicken or pork depending. The best way I can think of to describe it to people not familiar with Mexican Cuisine is that "Mole" is a type of Mexican "curry" with tons of variations, some are almond based, some yellow from using corn masa, different shades of red depending on the peppers, some dark shades of brown of black, etc. and one of the very unique one's that deviate from the typical is "Mole Verde" a.k.a. green mole, which is based on a variety of leafy greens, green tomatillos, and sometimes green pumpkin seeds.


The recipe I share with you today is Mole Verde, and it is by far my favorite recipe for Mole Verde. This recipe has been passed to my mother by her dear friend Carmen, whom is a 96 year old Mexican woman originally from Guadalajara, Mexico who learned this recipe from her mother so it dates back at least 100+ years, she like me and my mother has much love for the kitchen, and has taught my mother a thing or two about Mexican Cuisine. Her recipe for "Mole Verde" is by far the most healthiest, simple, and delicious version I have had.

The sauce unlike some Mole Verde's I've tried is extremely smooth, because the greens are cooked prior to blending as well as the tomatillos, recipes that blend everything raw then simmer tend to not produce smooth sauces, they tend to be grainy to some extent. Also it isn't heavily spiced, it's the natural flavor of the different greens and vegetables that give this sauce it's flavor which are pre-dominantly mostly from the smokey taste from the poblano peppers, peppery tones from the radish leaves, it get's slight citrus taste from the cilantro, and the special green/ herb in here is "Epazote" which has a very strong taste and flavor, I can describe it as earthy, strong pungent smell? It's very hard to describe the taste, extremely unique. Like maybe "brothy"? So I guess I can describe it as smokey and peppery without being spicy, as well as an acidic fresh bite from the cilantro to balance the earthiness and brothiness of the Epazote, then I forgot to mention the meaty citrus taste of tomatillos, and we all know how good onions and garlic are too, all this is just married the right way together to produce a healthful, flavorful and savory green sauce that is stewed with meat. It's just one of those things you gotta try.

And just a heads up for all those having all these healthful New Years resolutions or who need a break from the sugary, rich and fatty diet of the new years and Christmas (although sugary, rich, and fatty is me almost every day) this is a real healthy great recipe to try because for one in this version of Mole Verde everything is boiled nothing is fried or has fat added to it, it incorporates tons of healthful greens, and can be made with chicken which is generally accepted to be a more "diet" conscience alternative for many (when the skin is removed) I however just eat everything in moderation but just a heads up for those who aren't like that ha ha.

Ingredients for the stock:
-1 whole chicken 3-4 lbs., cleaned, washed, cut into sections (I wash it several times after cutting in sections, then the last wash I submerge it in water with a lot of salt, and either vinegar or lime and swoosh and drain then rinse with water again. I'm just real picky about chicken and pork don't like the after taste if it's not well cleaned)
-3-4 bay leaves
-1 tsp whole black peppercorns (or black pepper to taste)
-4 cloves garlic
-1/2 onion
-2 tsp. chicken bouillon
-2 tsp. salt (or more to taste)

Ingredients to finish the dish:
-1 head of Romaine lettuce washed and roughly chopped
-1 handful of fresh Epazote about 1/2 of a large bunch washed.. for some reason this herb just reminded me of weed... though it does look sorta different ha ha

-1 bunch of Cilantro
-2 small bunches of Radish Leaves washed (removed from two small store bought bunches of radish) this is what they look like
-2 fresh Poblano Peppers washed and seeded
-2 cups "tomatillo milpero" or regular tomatillos outer husk removed
-1/2 onion
-2 cloves garlic
-salt to taste

Directions for the chicken stock:
(1) Fill a large pot half- way with water, add peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, onion, bouillon, and salt bring to a rolling boil.

(2) Add CLEANED and already cut into sections chicken to the pot. Wait for it to come to a rolling boil, skim off any impurities and boil for about 30- 35 minutes. (You do not want to overcook the chicken to the point that it falls apart becuase you will cook it longer when you stew it in the green sauce and use the stock to form the sauce)
(3) After chicken has been cooked, remove from stock, strain the stock to get rid of the pieces of things used to make it. So you just get a golden clear stock. Set aside.

Directions for the rest of the dish:
(1) Get all your cleaned vegetables and throw them in a large pot EXCEPT the garlic and onion, add about 5 cups of the reserved chicken stock, you don't need to submerge them just add about 5 cups trust me, you just want to cook em down and wilt, you can thin the sauce out later as needed, cover and bring to a boil about 10- 15 minutes
When the tomatillos change color, and sorta pop then you can stop simmering it
(2) Blend all your boiled vegetables in small batches, adding more chicken stock if necessary to blend BUT don't add to much or it will be to liquidy I did it in two batches along with garlic and onion. Here's the first batch
then adding it to the pot that I set my chicken aside in, no need to strain just blend it until real smooth
and here's my second batch which I added the chopped onion and garlic to
same thing pour it into the pot with chicken
(3) Now put the pot back on the stove, and set heat to high and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer on medium low uncovered, stirring occasionally for about 20- 25 more minutes, if the sauce is to thick, add more reserved chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time until it's as thick as you want it or as thin. REMEMBER it thickens as it cools, and also REMEMBER YOU DO NOT WANT THIS TO BE SOUP either, it's a stew. After boiling 10 minutes, check and see if you want to add more salt to taste. When it's done cooking it should look like this :)
(4) You will have leftover chicken stock, you can save it for other dishes, for making soups, rices, etc. my mom used some of the leftover chicken stock to make Arroz Rojo (Mexican red rice), and some to use to make a very spicy salsa in which she used the stock instead of water, you can try and make the "Salsa de Chile de Arbol". This mole can be served in a large bowl with tortillas, and if you'd like a side of red rice, and for those who want to get super full a side of "Frijoles de le Olla" (Mexican boiled beans) or even refried beans.
PLEASE NOTE:
*This green Mole sauce is NOT spicy at all, just smokey and peppery. So for those who don't like spicy, you should try it out. We make a separate hot sauce at home to serve it with for those who love the heat. Now for the home cooks who want to make this spicy, you may add maybe 3-6 Serrano chilies depending on how hot you want it....... also I just want to add I've seen pre-made green pastes to make like "instant" mole verde at the Mexican stores... I'm sure they are good... but something about using a pre-made paste of old preserved greens makes me feel eh when I have the option to make it fresh at home, and it isn't so difficult to make at home or any harder.

P.S. Ima say it again... hehe if you'd like to help me out please vote for me to win a chance to have my own recording and be feautured on the cooking show Delicioso on "Univision" by voting for me in the below link. It is one of my dreams to be in something like that :)

http://cocina.univision.com/delicioso/episodios/article/2011-01-05/el-bloggero-delicioso

Cocido de Res Mexicano (Mexican Beef & Vegetable Stew)

This is another of my mother's highly nutritious comforting soups. It has beef bones and other cuts of beef, along with combination of various vegetables. It is strengthening and healthy. Perfect for the cold weather many may be experiencing and need a picker upper.

In my house we often make meat and vegetable type soups especially in the colder months. Year round we also enjoy different bean/ legume based which we also believe to be very good for you and makes you strong :) (haha now if only I lifted weights and such to get buff)

Ingredients:
-1 lbs. beef bone
-1 1/2 lbs. beef shanks (cut in half)
-1 lbs. beef spare ribs (seperate each little rib)
-1 lbs. beef stew meat (large 2 inch chunks)
-2 large beefy tomatoes chopped
-1 medium onion minced
-2 cloves garlic minced
-water (enough water to make into a stew, like enough to cover veggies)
-3 peeled medium potatoes cut in half into big pieces if small leave whole
-1 chayote cored and wedged about 1inch thick
-3 carrots cut into rounds about 2 inches long?
-1 corn cob cut into 2-3 inch rounds
-1/2 lbs. of green beans, washed trimmed
-2 Mexican squash (may sub for Italian Squash) cut in half then into 2-3 inch thick pieces
-1/2 of a large cabbage or 1/2 a medium or small cabbage cut into 1 1/2 inch medium squares
-1/2 a large bunch of spinach, washed well, coursely chopped
-1 cup cilantro coursley chopped
-salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
(1)To clean meat wash beef bones and beef meat very well in water several times, squeeze lime juice into it and plenty of salt and rub it and rinse and rub and drain a couple more times. Set aside.

(2)Heat oil in a deep-pot that your gonna use to make the soup, add finely minced onion and sautee until golden around 5 minutes, then add garlic sautee another 2 minutes until fragrant, add chopped tomato until it releases juices.

(3)Now add water, bring to boil with beef bones, beef spare ribs, beef shank, and beef stew meat bring to a boil with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on medium low covered for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. When meat is boiling skim off any darkness that rises to the top (it shouldn't even rise if you cleaned the meat like I suggested in the directions)

(4)Add potatoes, carrot, corn, chayote, green beans, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

(5)Now add cabbage and squash, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

(6)Now stir in spinach and cilantro, add more water if necessary. Stir in until it starts wiling about 5-10 minutes.

(7)Your done :) the typical way to consume is with "Arroz Rojo" (Mexican Red Rice) and hot corn tortillas along with a hot sauce to add to taste in you plate and maybe a couple lime wedges. I just ate it simply alone with hot sauce and had the my mother's version of "Arroz Con Leche" (Rice Pudding) for dessert to warm me up further.

PLEASE NOTE:
(1)These types of vegetable and meat soups and be done with Chicken, Beef, or Pork. My mom makes a really similar almost identical meatball soup called "Caldo de Albondigas" which uses the same vegetables just cut smaller and it's quicker, in it you steam little rice and mint meatballs until cooked.
(2)Another different stew you may be interested in is my post for "Cocido Salvadoreño" ( which is Salvadorian Beef and Vegetable Stew) seasoned differently and in addition to the veggies I used it uses Cassava Root (Yuca) and Yellow Plantains.

(3)You don't have to use the all the cuts of meat my mom likes to use if you want you can use just beef bone and substitute the rest of the meat for beef stew meat. You can even add some delicious ox-tail in addition to the other meats, etc.

(4)You can cut the veggies as small or as big as you want it depends on your preference.

(5)Don't drown it with tooo much water, it's suppose to have liquid but just enough to keep the veggies & meat in the stock not to drown them in. Although if you like it really soupy I guess it's okay.

Pozolé Rojo (Red Mexican Hominy & Pork Stew)

Pozole is a popular Mexican stew with Hominy and Pork. The most traditional common one is the red one, but there is a green version "Pozole Verde" (colored with tomatillos and other stuff) and "Pozole Blanco" which has a clear broth. Even though there are different versions it's generally called "Pozole" and when people refer to "Pozole" they are usually thinking of the red version which in my opinion is the most delicious. Other variation use purple hominy. In Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico the popular Pozole is "Pozole Verde" and "Pozole Blanco" in the rest of Mexico I think the red is the most popular. My mother's family is from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, but my mother was born in Michoacan (her mom was on vacation there) and spent much there although she also spent time in Guadalajara, Jalisco, but she is more fond of the red one.

My mother makes the best "Pozole", other people's Pozole (usually the one's from the store and some other's I've tried) are very bland, and some use Chicken and let me tell you Pozole with Chicken is not Pozole it is inferior to the pork kind. I like Chicken but not in Pozole. Real Pozole should be made with pork. I hear some say, "Vamos acer Pozole de Pollo" me and some others say, "Que eso no es Pozole yo no se que es eso" just look around at other Pozole recipes and look at mine... it'll be obvious mine is best ;) (hate to sound cocky but it's really delicious compared to other peoples Pozole's trust me if you like Pozole this will make you love it more, if you don't like Pozole this will change your mind, if you don't like this Pozole your crazy :)

Ingredients:
-2 6 lbs. can of Hominy
-1 1/2 lbs. meaty pork neck bone (Espinazo de Puerco) cut into large chunks
-1 lbs. pork spare ribs medium chunks
-3 lbs. pork butt/ or pork shoulder big large chunks
-2 lbs. pork feet
-1 tbsp. dried oregano
-1 tbsp. ground black pepper
-2 medium onions (peeled, and left whole)
-2 whole garlic heads (ugly outer layer removed but clean layer left, and stab it a bit)
-4 large bay leaves
-1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon salt
-12 dried California Chilies (Chile California also known as Anaheim Pepper, California Chile, it has to be dried, it has very mild almost to now heat)
-6 cloves of garlic peeled
-3 large tomatoes (or 6 canned whole peeled seeded tomatoes)
-2 tablespoons ground cumin
-water

Sides and garnishes: (prepare the sides while the stew is cooking)
-Tostadas (crispy deep-fried corn tortilla)
-Hot sauce (any type of red colored one such as "Salsa de Chile de Arbol")
-thinly sliced shredded cabbage (soaked in water chilled)
-minced onion
-radishes cut into flowers (soaked in water chilled)
-dried oregano
-avocado (optional)
-fresh wedged limes

Directions:
(1)Soak the "Chile California" overnight to rehydrate them, set them, or boil them until tender)

(2)Blend them in a blender in small batches with the tomato and garlic cloves until you obtain a thick loose sauce use some of the water from boiling to help it blend, stir in ground cumin. Set aside.

(3)Meanwhile bring one medium pot of water to a boil (to clean pork feet), and 1 large pot of water to a boil (for the rest of the stew)

(4)While waiting for pots to boil do all prep. work.

(5) Wash all the meats well, rub them with salt and fresh limes and lime juice, rinse and drain several times.

(6)In the medium pot bring pork feet and water to a boil until the nasty foam rises, now drain it and set aside the pork feet.

(7)In the LARGE POT really big, filled half way with water I would say 6 liters or more (use common sense I'm not sure), add oregano, pepper, onion, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Add pork spare rib, meaty pork neck bone, pork shoulder, and pork feet. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes.


(8)During the time it's cooking, open the two large cans of Hominy and drain and rinse, when 1 hour and 30 minutes pass remove the onion and garlic (fish them out ha ha), add the hominy, and the California Chile sauce add it BUT STRAIN IT, using some of the hot broth to help you strain out as much sauce as possible throw away the leftover, let it boil uncovered.




(9)While boiling in a seperate pot without water, remove pork feet, neck bones, and ribs because they should be very tender, but let the pork shoulder meat stay in there 30 more minutes uncovered to intensify the flavor, turn of heat, pour some broth into the seperate pot (ladle it in) to keep meat warm in the other one, and when you want to re-heat just let it simmer.

(10)When serving serve in large bowls, everyone can get the boneless pork meat in the stew with hominy and the seperate cut of meats they can choose whatever they want.

(11)Serve with the sides to taste (as much or as little as you want of any side) like some shredded cabbage on top, then a little minced onion, some ground oregano over it to taste, and hot sauce to taste, lastly some avocado if desired scooped over it.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When buying canned cooked Hominy do NOT BUY the brand "Juanita's" it is the absolute worse. Juanitas brand comes with these little heads on the corn that doesn't let it puff or soften well and it's sharp. Make sure it has no heads. I forgot the name of the brand we bought but it starts with a "Z" if you buy a brand with heads you'll have to remove em to get the best Pozole :)

ALSO: This makes a really large portion feel free to cut recipe in half, the next day it can be consumed for breakfast, my mother will seperate the hominy from the broth, heat a couple spoonfuls of pork lard on high heat until almost smoke point and sautee the hominy then pour the hot broth and meat into the pot this is called "Pozole Guisado" and is really good for breakfast the smokey pork fat gives great taste and the nutty sautee's hominy YUM!


P.S. This post was for everyone but more for one of my blog reader's who calls himself "Mamey" whom wanted a good Pozole recipe, so here it is enjoy :)