Cochinita Pibil is a favorite Yucatan, Mexico, pork dish.

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com

Every time we make cochinita pibil for friends, they rave “this is the best Mexican pork we’ve ever eaten! The meat is rich and succulent with a unique earthy flavor imparted from achiote, a seasoning paste, made from annatto seeds and other spices. Pulled pieces of this luscious pork tucked into a tamale with a sliver of raw potato, a slice of roasted poblano chile, a manzanilla olive, then steamed inside a corn husk or a banana leaf; This may be the best tamale you’ll ever eat!

Don’t be intimidated by the recipe. If you don’t want to wrap the pork in banana leaves, baking the pork in an ovenproof dish covered tightly with tinfoil is perfectly acceptable. This will keep in the juices and allow the meat to stay moist and tender. The most important ingredient “achiote” paste cannot be substituted. Look for it in Mexican grocery stores or supermarkets that have a decent Mexican food section.

Cochinita Pibil / Pit Roasted Pork
Pork baked in banana leaves, steamed in a pit (pibil) or cooked in a sealed dish in the oven. Either way it’s prepared, this savory earthy meat is a real treat!

Marinated Onions:
• 3 red onions thinly sliced
• 1 ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• ¾ cup fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Pork:
• 3 lb. lean boneless pork shoulder or butt roast
• Salt and pepper to season pork
• 3 oz. achiote paste
• ½ cup lime juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 8 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, dried
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 Poblano chiles, roasted, skinned & seeded (optional)
• 2 large banana leaves

PREPARE PORK; Cut the meat into slabs or cut into stew size pieces and place in a large bowl. Rub meat with salt and pepper.

PREPARE MARINADE: Break up the achiote paste into a small sauté pan placed over low heat. Slowly pour in the juices and stir to completely dissolve the paste. Add the salt, garlic and oregano continue to cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. Pour this liquid over the pork and marinate for at least 1 hour.

PREPARE BANANA LEAVES: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Hold the banana leaves over an open flame on the stove for a few minutes until they soften, or submerge in very hot water, this will clean and make the leaves pliable also. Line a heavy baking dish or Dutch oven with the leaves, placing one the long way and the other in the opposite direction with the leaves overlapping the dish. Place the marinated pork onto the leaves; place slices of poblano chile over the meat, then fold the ends of the leaves back over the meat. Use another leaf to cover again making sure to tuck the leaf over and around the dish, this important step will help retain moisture during cooking. Pour about ¼ cup of water in the pot. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for two hours or more until very tender. Serve with marinated red onions on the side.

Serves 6

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Festive Mexican Flag Rice

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com
 

A colorful display of green, red, and white rice is a perfect patriotic side dish. Each rice represents one color of the Mexican flag.

Recipe by Cookwithus.com and Fridas Fiestas

Mexican Flag Rice  

Green Rice / Arroz Verde

This deliciously creamy rice derives its green color from fresh cilantro and spinach.

  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped spinach
  • 1 serrano chile, chopped
  • 2  cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon  salt
  • 3 tablespoon corn oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 ½ cups long grain rice
  • 1/4 cup minced onion
  • 2  cloves garlic chopped

 Soak the rice in very hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain again thoroughly.

 Place the spinach, cilantro, chile and broth in a blender and blend until the vegetables are pureed.  Add milk and salt, blend again. 

Sauté the rice in hot oil for about a minute or so, add onion and garlic and cook another minute stirring constantly until the rice sounds like sand as it is stirred.

Add contents of blender, stir well, turn heat to high and bring to boil.  Cover pan and lower heat to low simmer and continue to cook for approx. 20 min.  Remove from heat; allow rice to steam covered for 10 min.  Gently stir the rice and ENJOY!

Makes 4 cups

   White Rice / Arroz Blanco
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ small white onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped fine
• Juice of half a lime
• 2 cups chicken stock

Soak the rice in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain again. Pat the rice dry with a paper towel. Sauté the rice in hot oil for about a minute, or until translucent, add the onion and garlic and continue to stir and sauté for another minute or so. Add the celery, lime juice and chicken broth, bring to a boil and cover pan. Lower the heat and simmer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, approx. 20 minutes.
Serves 4

Red Rice / Arroz Rojo
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 2 tablespoons corn oil
• 1 tomato
• ½ onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 celery stalk,
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 1 1/2 cups tomato juice
• Juice of half a lime
• Salt and pepper
Soak the rice in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, rinse, and drain well again. Pat dry with a paper towel. Puree the tomato, onion, and garlic in a blender.

Sauté the rice in hot oil until translucent and the grains separate. Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper and sauté until thickened. Add the celery, parsley, tomato and lime juice. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove celery and parsley before serving.
Serves 4

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Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera Celebrate Mexico’s Independence.

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According to accounts from the book Fridas Fiestas, on Sept. 16th, 1942 the Rivera household is in full swing preparing a grand dinner for Diego’s old revolutionary comrades  to celebrate  Mexico’s Independence day, a rousing national holiday. Grand military parades, rodeos, carnivals and  food vendors fill the packed streets of Coyoacan where everyone is happily setting off firecrackers and dancing in the streets.

Frida sets her dining  table with her usual creativity.  On a beautiful white lace tablecloth she scatters miniature Mexican flags of red white and green. She brings out her best green serving platters from Michoacán and sets out her favorite white dishes from Puebla.  Her edible centerpiece fills a  beautiful ceramic bowl filled with green, white, and red prickly pears, juicy green limes, and sparkling red pomegranates cut in half to expose their beauty. Fridas life was her art and this still life centerpiece becomes one of her famous paintings. 

Frida’s cook prepares authentic dishes for the esteemed guests that are customarily served on this auspicious day when Mexico declared it’s political  independence from Spain in 1910.  The party menu includes; Chiles en Nogada*, snapper soup, national flag rice,* corn pudding with chiles in cream, and refreshing “agua frescas”* to drink.  It is a patriotic menu as all the ingredients for these dishes are the same colors as the Mexican flag. 

* These recipes included on this website

frita-stilllife                                                       Frida Kahlo still life 1951

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Poblano Chiles stuffed with Picadillo

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com

Picadillo is a spiced meat filling made with fruit and usually nuts. It can be used for chile rellenos, empanadas, and  other specialty Mexican dishes. This recipe adapted from Fridas Fiestas was served at the wedding of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

  • 16 poblano chiles, roasted, seeded, and deveined
  • all-purpose flour
  • 5 eggs separated
  • corn oil or lard
  • 3 lbs. ground pork
  • 1 large white onion, halved
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 6 Tablespoons lard or oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 zucchini, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. tomatoes, seeded, chopped
  • 1 cup cabbage, shredded
  • 3/4 cup blanched almonds, chopped
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • Tomato broth ( see recipe )

Prepare chiles:  Char chiles on an open flame or under a broiler. Place in a plastic bag, seal and let chiles steam for about 10 – 15 minutes. Remove chiles from bag, carefully peel off skin using the back of a spoon.  Avoid running under water to remove the skins as you will also remove the nice tasty charred bits. Make a lengthwise slit in the chile, remove the seed cluster with a knife being careful to leave the stem intact. Clean out the seeds and membrane, place the prepared poblanos on a cookie sheet, and place in the freezer while making the filling. They are easier to fill and batter when cold.

Prepare Picadillo: Cook the pork with the onion halves, garlic and salt and pepper to taste for about twenty minutes. Drain off liquid and remove onion. Heat the oil or lard in another saute pan. Add the onion, carrots, and zucchini and cook until onion is transparent. Add the tomato, cabbage, almonds, raisins and pork. season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about twenty minutes until the mixture has thickened and the tomato is cooked through.

Stuff Chiles: Stuff the chiles with the picadillo filling, then dust with flour. Beat the 5 egg whites until stiff. Beat the yolks lightly with a pinch of salt and gently fold into the whites to make a batter. Dip the chiles into the batter and fry in very hot oil until golden. Drain on paper. Serve with tomato broth.*

serves eight

Tomato Broth for Stuffed Chiles

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 10 roma tomatoes, charred, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup queso cotijo cheese, crumbled

Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and carrots until softened. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the oregano and continue to cook until the broth is flavorful and the tomatoes cooked through. Ladle broth onto a plate and place the chile on top.  Garnish with a sprinkle of Mexican queso cotijo cheese or parmesan as a substitute.

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Making Stuffed Chiles at our Mexican Cooking school.

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Fridas Fiestas

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Honeymoon in Cuernavaca, Mexico, August 1929

Frida and Diego settled into their new life together. Their honeymoon took them to Cuernavaca, the lovely city of eternal springs where Diego was commissioned to paint a mural on the ancient palace once belonging to Herman Cortez the Spanish conquistador of Mexico. While Diego painted, Frida dove into domesticity with her usual fervor and with the help of Lupe Marin, Diego’s second ex-wife, learned to cook Diego’s favorite dishes. It’s is ironic that Lupe took Frida under her wing as the two had in the past a jealous rivalry over Diego affections. But all was forgiven and the Rivera household became a bastion for intellectualism and artistic creativity where the two women took delight in preparing peasant style chiles en frio stuffed with chopped meat and bathed in a sweet and sour tomato sauce or re-fried beans smothered with Mexican cheese and garnished with crisp totopos. The following recipe for stuffed chiles adapted from Fridas Fiestas was a favorite for entertaining their distinguished guests and extended family.

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Oyster Soup by Frida Kahlo

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Mexican Cooking with Frida

Fridas Fiestas is a beautiful cookbook with Recipes and Reminiscences of Life with Frida Kahlo, written by Gudalupe Rivera, Diego’s daughter, and Marie-Pierre Colle.   If you are not familiar with Frida Kahlo she is a larger than life personality beloved in Mexico and famous throughout the world for her original provocative artwork and her tempestuous relationship with fellow artist Diego Rivera. They lived and worked together from 1929 until her death in 1954, welcoming politicians, extended family, noted intellectuals, and students to their now famous bright blue azul house in Coyoacan,  a suburb of Mexico City.

The book is divided into 12 months corresponding to 12 different fiestas celebrated in Mexico. Each section includes traditional recipes and remembrances of their life together.  Frida was an enthusiast, so every occasion was a reason to rejoice with food and friends and to prepare the delicious Mexican dishes that robust Diego loved to eat. I will write more about this fascinating couple and share their recipes as each monthly celebration as related in the book unfolds.

We begin in the month of August,  August 26th 1929, the year Diego and Frida were married.  Hundreds of people attended this happy festive affair where the simple balcony of their first apartment  was transformed into a magical garden with colorful displays of paper streamers and pretty paper maiche doves with pendants dangling from their beaks declaring “Long Live Frida” Long Live Diego” and Long Live Love”!

The heavily laden banquet tables were brimming with bountiful platters of homemade regional specialties;  beer, pulque and tequila flowed freely as the wedding guests broke into raucous song and endless cheers for the newlyweds.

Wedding Day menu:  Oyster soup, white rice with Plantains, Huauzontles in green sauce, Chiles stuffed with cheese, chiles stuffed with picadillo, black mole from Oaxaca, and red Hominy stew from Jalisco.

Oyster Soupoyster soup

This splendid oyster soup was served at  Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s wedding reception.

  • 1 large onion,chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 quarts oysters, shucked with liquid
  • 2 quarts chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 crusty rolls, cubed and fried

Saute the onion and garlic in butter until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened. Drain the oysters, reserving the liquid. Add the oyster liquid and chicken broth to the saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes. Add the oysters and parsley and simmer a minute more. Pour the soup over the bread croutons in a soup tureen, serve piping hot.

serves 8

oyster soupP1000784 P1000770P1000775

Oyster soup served in pottery from Michoacan;  Frank, Lynne, and Juan in front of “Casa Azul”;  Frida and Diego’s home in Coyoacan is now a museum;  Bright hues on an inside garden wall.

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Farmers Market Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com

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 A composed salad is edible artistry.  Each fresh vegetable is showcased,  each vivid color and texture contrasting beautifully together on the plate.  Mix and match, whatever suits your palette.

  • 2 cups fresh organic lettuce, red leaf & oak leaf (shown) torn into bite size pieces
  • 2 bunches organic baby carrots, washed, foliage removed
  • 1 bunch organic red beets, washed, foliage removed
  • 1 bunch organic radishes, washed
  • 1 cup garlic croutons, homemade or store-bought
  • 1 organic yellow sweet pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 1 organic yellow onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 20 wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 cup “Mae Ploy” sweet chili sauce

Prep Salad; Set out 4 dinner plates for the composed salad.  On one side of each plate place two leaves of butter lettuce as the bowls.  Mound the torn lettuce into and around the “bowls” or leaves of the butter lettuce.

Heat a saucepan with salted boiling water, add the beets and cook for approximately 30 minutes until tender. Check by piercing with a sharp knife. Rinse under cold water to remove the outer skins. Let cool. Cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Sear the carrots in a lightly oiled sauté pan until they  brown lightly.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Wash radishes thoroughly and slice into rounds.

Compose salad; Divide the sliced beets and the carrots equally for four portions.  On each plate fan the beets down one side and  place a bunch of carrots in the middle. Add the sliced radishes next to the carrots. 

Prepare Shrimp Skewer; On 4 metal or wooden skewers ( soaked in water) alternately thread a total of five shrimp and pieces of onion and pepper on each.  Season with salt and black pepper, baste with sweet chile sauce.  Place the skewers on a pre-heated grill over medium heat.  Cook for about ten minutes on each side until the shrimp and veggies are slightly charred.  Baste with additional sauce while cooking.  Place one skewer on each salad plate.

Garnish; Garnish each plate with a dollop of your favorite prepared dressing and the croutons. 

serves 4

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Summertime and the pickin’ is easy.

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com

Thank-you Bonnie for the luscious red raspberries.  Perfectly ripened berries are sweet but slightly tart and are delicious sprinkled on  breakfast cereals and folded into pancake batter.  With the last cup of berries I made this wonderful raspberry tea cake.  What’s great about this recipe is you can substitute just about any fruit or berry that is in season.  For my Latin friends, chunks of golden mango, baked into the crust would be luscious!

Raspberry Cake

Spring 2011 006Spring 2011 009Spring 2011 013

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 5 egg yolks 
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest or 3 drops lemon flavoring
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 5 egg whites
  • 1 cup or more of raspberries, pitted cherries, plums or mangoes
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 11 by 16 inch baking sheet ( with sides)

Whip the butter until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, vanilla, egg yolks, and lemon. Sift together baking powder and flour. Stir into butter mixture one spoonful at a time. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Spoon over mixture. Fold in gently but thoroughly. Spread the batter, 1/4 inch thick onto a prepared pan. ( a greased 11 by 16 inch baking sheet ) Cover with raspberries. Bake  for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly, dust with confectioners sugar or sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar.  Cut into squares.  Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired.

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Mexican Cooking Class Questions? Which Achiote paste is best?

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com
    Hi Lynne. I took a couple of your classes and was in your class last night (Enchilada sauce). We have company coming this weekend so I thought I would make the sauce ahead, so got my tomatoes and seasonings. I ran into a problem, however, and wonder if you could help me out or clarify one of the ingredients. I purchased (awhile back) 2 kinds of “Achiote” paste (they were in a brick form). Neither looked the same as what you took out of your box last night.I got them both at Del Leon’s. Apparently there are different types of achiote. The two I got were:1. One was achiote negro – it was black, black, black. Didn’t taste good, tasted and looked like coal. I didn’t use that in the sauce I made because my tasting the brick told me that would be a BAD idea.2. The one I put into my sauce was called, “Del Maya B La Perla Achiote condimentado yucateo – annatto seed seasoning” and it was a very light orange in color – not the deep red color that the brick of paste you had. The box mine came in was kind of red with some green on it. On the end of the box it says’ “Dissolve in your choice of: lemon juice, water, oil or vInegar to create marinade.” I thought they forgot to put on there to use it to season enchilada sauce! I went ahead and used it – I used exactly one tablespoon and it added an almost tangy, bright flavor – not at all the deep, musky, smoky flavor that yours had. It is definitely not a sauce I would serve company, just because of the flavor. It didn’t taste like enchilada sauce – I just threw the batch out. I’m not sure what type of Achiote to get now.Is it possible to find out exactly what your box of achiote says, so that I can get the right kind? I think De Leon’s had some others, but I assumed it was all one kind?

    By the way, I really enjoy your classes and have learned a lot. Mexican cuisine is my favorite and it is so nice to be able create meals at home that taste as good as yours. And I intend to use my husband as a guinea pig as many times as needed to come up with a tamale pie worth eating. I’m thinking one of the sauce recipes on your website would work good for the filling, just not sure which one would be best.

    Thank you for sharing your experience and expertise with us.

    Ruth Schmidt=

Hi Ruth,   I’ll try and clear up the confusion about achiote paste so your enchilada  sauce will taste exactly like the one we made in class.  The black achiote paste you purchased is actually quite tasty, it is used to make the black mole popular in Oaxaca.  The Perla achiote, which is grainy, is used more as a seasoning, the flavor is not as concentrated.

The brand I like to use and find very flavorful is El Yucateco. It comes in
a bright yellow box with red lettering, saying condimento annatto on the
English side and Achiote condimentado on the Spanish side of the 15 oz. box.
There are other fine brands, just be sure the dense brick of seasoning paste is an ochre red color with a  clay-like texture.

Hope this helps, let us know how your enchilada sauce and the enchiladas turn out.

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Mexican Cooking Class: Seafood Enchiladas baked with our tasty homemade Enchilada sauce.

Posted on by Chef Lynne - CookWithUs.com

Our recipe features fresh seafood, any favorite combination will do; scallops, shrimp, crab, or a mild whitefish, like halibut or rockfish. Try our version of red chile enchilada sauce for this dish or, if you really must, use canned or prepared sauce.

Spring 2011 021

A Cook With Us recipe
Seafood Enchilada / Enchilada Mariscos
Spring 2011 021 Pairing the best of two worlds……Baja’s abundance of seafood with the homey “peasant food” of the interior regions of Mexico.

• 12 corn tortillas, day old
• 2 cups, red chile enchilada sauce
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup of poaching broth from scallops, white fish, or crab
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 16 oz. poached seafood, chunked
• 3 pitted green olives, chopped
• 2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cup combined chile poblano and sweet red peppers, roasted, peeled, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup queso manchego cheese or Monterey jack cheese, grated or cubed
• 1/2 cup Mexican queso cotijo or Mexican hard cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

Prepare filling:
Heat butter in medium saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic, cook until soft but not brown. Whisk in the flour; cook and stir mixture over low heat until blended. (2-3 min.) Add 1 cup of cooled broth, stirring constantly until thickened. Add the seafood, olives, tomatoes and peppers and cook for 5 minutes until heated through.

Prepare enchilada:
Heat one cup of enchilada sauce in a sauté pan.

Lightly grease a Comal or skillet. Fry tortilla on each side until slightly crisp. Using tongs, place one tortilla at a time in the hot sauce. Hold 2-3 seconds until tortilla is softened. Flip over and repeat. Place on a cookie sheet.

Spoon filling onto each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in ovenproof dish. Cover with grated or cubed queso manchego or Monterey jack cheese. Bake for 10 minutes uncovered in 350 degree oven.

Add remaining sauce to pan and quickly reheat, pour sauce over enchiladas, cover pan with foil and bake for another 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Remove foil and sprinkle enchiladas with queso anejo and chopped cilantro. Serve with Mexican crema drizzled over the top.

Serves 6

Enchilada Sauce / Enchilada Salsa
This is our version of the canned enchilada sauce found on supermarket shelves. It’s easy to make and much more flavorful than the store bought variety.

• 6 roma tomatoes, charred
• 2 serrano chiles, charred
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled, charred
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon achiote paste*
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder*
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• sea salt, to taste

Char the tomatoes, serranos, and unpeeled garlic on a hot dry comal or skillet. Remove tomatoes and serranos when softened and lightly blackened, place in a blender. Remove garlic when softened; cool, peel, and place in the blender. Add one cup of broth to blender and puree ingredients until smooth.

Heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat in a deep skillet. Strain the contents of blender into the skillet. Add the rest of the seasonings and remaining broth, cook over medium heat for approximately fifteen minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens somewhat. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Makes 2 cups

*ancho chile powder may be purchased at Mexican grocery stores.

*achiote seasoning paste is available at Mexican grocery stores.

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