lunaticsinge.com - Mexican Entrees

Burgers Al Pastor

Ingredients:

6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and soaked

2 teaspoons marjoram, dried

2 teaspoons oregano, dried

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 small white onion, chopped

salt and ground black pepper

2 lbs. extra-lean ground pork

vegetable oil

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds.

1/2 cup mayonnaise

8 sesame seed hamburger buns

1 cup cilantro leaves

1. Drain the chiles and put them in a blender with the marjoram, oregano, garlic, one-fourth of the chopped onion, and the pineapple juice, and puree until smooth. Season the marinade generously with salt and pepper.

2. Put the pork in a large bowl and pour he marinade on top. Using a wooden spoon, mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

4. Divide the pork mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Oil the grill pan. Working in batches, grill the burgers until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the burgers to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let rest for about 8 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, brush the grill pan with a little more oil and grill the pineapple slices until golden brown, 2 minutes per side.

6. Spread mayonnaise on the cut sides of each bun and warm on the grill pan for 2 minutes.

7. Top the bottom of each bun with a burger, a slice of grilled pineapple, some cilantro, and some of the remaining chopped onion. Cover with the bun tops and serve. Serves 8.

Mexican Meatloaf with Salsa Glaze

Meat Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lb. ground beef

6 oz. raw chorizo, casing removed

2 large eggs, beaten

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup Mexican crema or sour cream1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs

Salsa Glaze Ingredients:

2 medium tomatoes, cored

1/4 medium white onion

2 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 serrano chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

1 tablespoon mustard

Salt

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. To make the meatloaf, heat the olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and chopped garlic. Cook stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Ad the beef and chorizo, stir to combine.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in the ketchup and crema. Pour over the meat mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and mix thoroughly with clean hands.

4. Pat the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch loaf pan. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meatloaf registers 160 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and carefully pour off any accumulated pan juices.

5. Meanwhile, to make the salsa glaze, heat a heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add the while tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, and serrano. Cook. turning frequently, until lightly charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Peel the garlic cloves and transfer to a blender with the charred tomatoes, onion, and serrano. Pulse until chunky, then pour into a small skillet. Stir in the brown sugar, chipotle chile, and mustard. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt.

6. Invert the meatloaf onto a cutting board. Slice the meatloaf and arrange on a platter. Spoon the salsa glaze over the top and serve. Serves 6 to 8.

2 A.M. Hot Dog

Ingredients:

4 beef hot dogs

4 slices thick-cut bacon

2 cups white onion, finely sliced

4 Serrano chiles

Chipotle mayonnaise

4 hot dog buns

1 cup tomato, finely chopped

Mustard

Ketchup

1. Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Wrap each hot dog with a slice of bacon to enclose the sausage completely. Cook the hot dogs until the bacon is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and wrap tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm.

2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon drippings from the pan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add the serranos and cook for 5 more minutes.

3. To assemble each hot dog, spread some mayonnaise on each bun. Put a hot dog in each bun, top with some caramelized onion, a serrano chile, and some fresh tomato. Serve with ketchup and mustard. Serves 4.

Chicken in Easy Adobe

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 small white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

10 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

Salt and ground black pepper

1 (4 lb.) whole chicken, back-bone removed, flattened slightly

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chiles and cook until darkened on both sides, about 1 minute.

3. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil. Cook until the chiles are soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat a large oven-proof grill pan over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, run half of the adobo mixture all over the chicken. Sear the chicken, breast side down, until grill marks appear. about 6 minutes. Turn the chicken breast side up and transfer to the oven. Roast the chicken, basting with the remaining adobo sauce every 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted registers an inner temperature of 180 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Serves 4.

Cilantro Scallops

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup lime juice

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 tablespoon red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. jumbo sea scallops (u/15 count)

Salt and ground black pepper

Lime wedges

1. In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup of the olive oil, lime juice, soy sauce, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and garlic. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the marinade, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and sear until lightly browned and opaque in center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Discard the marinade. Transfer the scallops to a platter and serve with lime wedges. Serves 4 to 6.

Chili Rellenos

Ingredients:

6 poblano chiles, charred and peeled

8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Salt and ground black pepper

Vegetable oil

4 large egg whites

4 large egg yolks, beaten

1 (15.5 0z.) can peeled tomatoes, drained

1 small white onion, cut into 8 wedges

2 garlic cloves, peeled

3 cups chicken broth

1. Carefully cut a lengthwise slit in each poblano and scoop out the seeds. Cut the Monterey Jack into 2-inch-long sticks that are about 1 inch wide. Stuff each poblano with 2 to 3 sticks of cheese, depending on the size of the chile, enclosing it tightly.

2. Put the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the chiles in the flour.

3. Pour 2 inches of oil into a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat to 375 degrees F.

4. Meanwhile, using a hand-held mixer, beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Beat the yolks into the whites along with 1/2 teaspoon alt. eat for 3 minutes on high speed until they hold stiff peaks. Holding each poblano by the stem, dip it into the egg mixture to oat completely.

5. Fry the poblanos, turning once, until golden brown all over, about 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels to drain.

6. Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Divide the poblanos among 6 plates. Spoon the sauce over the chiles and serve. Serves 6.

NOTE: To char poblanos chiles (or any other fresh chiles), simply place them over a gas flame or underneath the broiler and cook until they are blackened on all sides. Enclose them in a plastic bag and let stand for 10 minutes (this will steam the peppers and make them easier to peel).