Sopes

Do you have a Panaderia Tortilleria in your hometown? Chances are you do, they are Mexican bakeries with all kinds of delicious foods inside. We are a melting pot of cultures, even in NW Arkansas you can sample Indian, Thai, Mongolian, Szechuan, Cantonese, Salvadorian, and Mexican. I love trying new recipes and no matter where we've lived, I try my hand at regional favorites. In Texas, that included making tamales, gorditas and sopes. Masa Harina is the secret ingredient, but it's not easy to get the same results as Mamacita's kitchen turns out. Just like a Southern Grandma's biscuits, technique is key. So, since my Moma was not a Mamacita... I have trouble making something as simple as a sope!

In Mexico, the sope (pronounced “SOH-peh”) is as common as a taco for lunch. Street vendors turn them out in minutes while you wait, and salivate! They are open face sandwiches, similar to a tostada, but the sope is made of fresh masa formed into a boat shape vessel to get the delicious fillings from plate to your mouth easily. They can be hand held, but the best ones require a plate and a fork to get every last bite! 

My local Panaderia sells the sope shells, freshly made and ready to slip onto a warm griddle to crisp (or a quick dip into hot oil and drained), then topped with chopped brisket, pork or chicken it turns leftover meat into a delicacy! From Rick Bayles' Mexico One Plate at a Time, here is the simple recipe for sopes. I love the way he writes recipes, you taste the country as well as the food! This recipe is long but not complicated, it's technique that he teaches.

Sopes 
"Every culture has its small bites–sushi, dim sum, tapas, mezze. But in Mexico, these flavorful tidbits fall into a different kind of category: “antojitos,” the foods you crave. These are the snacks and street foods, as well as the special-occasion treats, that Mexicans love best–the stuff that comforts the soul and sets the heart racing."
Dough:
1 pound (2 cups) fresh corn masa for tortillas (OR 1 3/4 cups powdered masa harina mixed with a scant 1 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water) 
2 tablespoons lard or 2 tablespoons shortening 
3/4 teaspoon salt
Filling: 
1 cup brothy beans, coarsely pureed with a little broth 
8 ounces chorizo sausage
vegetable oil (for frying) 
Toppings:
green tomatillo sauce 
mexican queso fresco 
mexican crema or thinned sour cream
shredded lettuce
radishes, sliced paper thin

Forming and griddle baking the sopes: Heat a well seasoned or nonstick griddle or heavy skillet over medium. Put the mash (fresh or reconstituted) into a bowl and knead in 3/4 teaspoon salt. If necessary, knead in a few drops of water to give the masa the consistency of soft cookie dough. Divide into 5 pieces, roll into balls and cover with plastic to keep them from drying out.
One by one, form the fat little tortillas that will become the sopes: Line a tortilla press with two pieces of plastic cut to fit the plates (be on the safe side, cut them from a food storage bag; the thicker plastic usually works better for beginners). Place a ball into the plastic lined press, gently pat and press it into a evenly flat disc, about 3/8 inch thick (the original recipe says 1/4" thick, with practice maybe I can do this!) and 2 and 1/2 inches in diameter. With the fat little tortilla still on the plastic, flip it over onto one hand, dough side down and peel off the plastic. Lay the tortilla on the hot skillet and bake for about a minute per side, until lightly browned-- in doing so you are transforming the tortilla into a sope, a little masa boat!  Do the same with all of the balls, allowing each to cool and forming into sope/masa boats. Cover with plastic and set aside. 
For the Filling: Simmer the beans down to a thick bean soup consistency. Take out half the beans and mash, add back enough of the brothy beans to make a refried consistency. (Also adapted from the usual method of re-frying the beans.) In a small skillet heat 1 T. oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up any pieces. When cooked drain off fat and cover with foil-place in oven to keep warm. (I used leftover grilled chicken.)
Frying the shells: Add the oil to a heavy skillet 3/4 of an inch deep. Fry the shells one at a time until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels then place in a cast iron skillet to keep warm in the oven. Repeat until shells are done. (You just have to do this step, no baking the shells. It's a flavor thing... the crispy/soft shell, the spicy filling and the cool creamy toppings!)
Finishing the Dish: Layer in this order- Shell, refried beans, chorizo, tomatillo sauce. cheese, lettuce, radish slices, crema.

One more note Herdez is making a great new Taqueria Salsa made from tomatillos and morita peppers, just like the familar smoky sauce you find on dinner tables all over Mexico! I found it at Walmart.

La Fonda Tamales

La Fonda on Main- San Antonio

The New Year is here and just in case you didn't partake of some good luck black-eyed peas, there's still time! Thanks to Good Taste with Tanji, I can travel back to San Antonio's famous La Fonda Restaurant for my good luck...

Black-eyed Pea Tamales 

Masa Mix:
3 1/2 c. Hill Country Fare Corn Masa Mix
3/4 c. Canola oil
1/2 c. Favorite Salsa like Tomatillo or Chipotle
3 1/2 c. Chicken or Vegetable Broth (hot)
1 T. Baking Powder
1 t. Salt
Mix in electric mixer to mash potato texture. Set aside.
1 bag Corn Shucks, soaked in hotwater 20 minutes or more.

Filling:
2 cans (15 oz each) Central Market Black Eyed Peas, rinsed & drained
1/2 c. Chopped canned Jalapenos, drained
1 c. Crumbled Cotija Cheese
1/2 c. Small diced Red Bell Pepper for color
Mix and season to taste with salt & pepper.

Assemble:
2 T. Masa mix spread 4 to 5 inch sq on corn shuck base.  Leave 1/2 inch clear for masa expansion in cooking. Add 2T of filling down center and roll tamale.  Fold tail under.  Complete the 3 – 4 dozen. Place in steamer pot or basket, tail end down) of pasta pot with enough water to avoid base of basket.  Cover tightly, bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook 2 hours (checking water level every 30 minutes) till masa peels away from corn shuck. 

Rao's Sunday Sauce

via

I'm feeling a little "fluffy" after making (and sampling) the pumpkin donut holes 3 times in less than 2 weeks! I do that, wear out a good recipe and then I move onto the next one, and the next one and the next one. Dr. Oz actually addressed this syndrome recently, Pinterest Addiciton. Pinning something to excess. Guilty as charged, I do love the ability to have recipes in the wings waiting for an occasion for me to make them. I traded my cookbook addiction for Pinterest and I've not looked back, that's a good thing! Think how much money I'm going to save on cookbooks ; )

This week I made two of our old time favorite casseroles that were staples when our girls lived at home, King Ranch Chicken Casserole and Lasagna. Our daughter had surgery this week, so it gave me an excuse to make 9X13's... I love 9X13's! If you have an excuse to make either of these, don't pass it up. In fact, make one for yourself too... it's big fork good! All my recipes are printable by just clicking on the titles~

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, chopped

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 (10 1/2 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies

1/2 cup chicken broth 

2 cups diced cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken from Walmart)

12 corn tortillas, ripped into bite sized pieces

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

Preheat oven to 325°F In large saucepan, saute the onion and pepper in the butter until tender. Add soups, tomatoes, and broth. Stir to combine. Fold in the chicken until well blended. Lightly grease a 9 x 13" baking dish. Layer with 1/3 the tortillas, 1/3 the chicken mixture, and 1/3 the cheese. Repeat layers twice more. Bake for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. About ten minutes before removing from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the top; replace in oven until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Here's an easy version of lasagna that goes together quickly...

Easy Lasagna

1 pound (16 ounces) ground beef

1/2 cup diced white onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 (24 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 cup water

1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese

3 cups mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for top

1 whole egg

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

lasagna noodles(you can use no cook kind or the ones you boil for 10 minutes)

In a large skillet brown beef and onion. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Drain. Add spaghetti sauce and water and simmer for about 5 minutes. Mix ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg and parsley. Pour 1 cup of spaghetti meat sauce into a 9X13 greased casserole dish. Place a layer of the noodles and half of the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce. Cover with half of the remaining meat sauce. Add another layer of noodles, the remaining cheese mixture and the sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and more Parmesan. Cover with foil and bake 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake another 30 minutes. Let set for at least 15 minutes to cool before slicing.

If you have the time, and it really takes less than 30 minutes... you can do your own sauce and have enough for two pans of lasagna or do like me and freeze the remainder for later! I love this simple recipe and it's great for any pasta dish.

Sunday Sauce 

from Rao's Restaurant NYC Cookbook

2- 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes

1 cup beef broth

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon parsley

sprinkle or two of red chili flakes, optional

salt and pepper to taste, I use 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper

Saute the onion and garlic until transparent, add the tomatoes, broth and spices and bring to boil while stirring. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. 

*Italian sausage or hamburger can be added to the sauce if desired. Just brown the meat with the onion and garlic, then add the remaining ingredients.

Beer Braised Chicken Verde

Beer Braised Chicken Verde
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano or dried oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 12 ounce bottle Mexican beer (such as Modelo Especial or Pacifico)

1 11 - 12 ounce can tomatillos, drained

2 4 - 4 1/2 ounce can diced green chile peppers

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast tenderloins

1. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add butter, cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until butter melts.

2. Add beer, tomatillos, and chile peppers. Bring to boiling. Add chicken. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, stirring every 5 minutes to break up the tomatillos. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken from the cooking liquid to a cutting board. Gently boil the cooking liquid, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, using two forks, pull chicken apart into shreds.

3. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of the reduced cooking juices; stir to moisten. Use chicken mixture as filling for quesadillas or tacos; pass the remaining cooking juices.

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Tacos el Pastor

Tacos el Pastor

1 medium peeled and cored fresh pineapple

8 dried pasilla and/or guajillo chile peppers

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoonsalt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

2 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 1/2-inch slices

16 6 inch corn tortillas

1 cup chopped onion (1 large)

Snipped fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Bottled hot pepper sauce

1.Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices, reserving juice; cover and refrigerate pineapple and reserved juice separately.

2. Remove stems and seeds from chile peppers. Place peppers in a medium bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Allow peppers to stand about 30 minutes or until soft; drain, discarding water.

3. In a food processor or blender combine chile peppers, any juice from the pineapple, the orange juice, vinegar, garlic, salt, cumin, and cloves. Cover and process or blend until nearly smooth.

4. In a 3-quart baking dish arrange pork slices in a single layer, overlapping slices as necessary. Pour chile pepper mixture over pork slices, spreading evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours. Remove pork from marinade, discarding marinade. Stack tortillas and wrap in foil.

5. For a charcoal grill, place tortilla packet on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Place pork slices and pineapple slices on the grill rack alongside the foil packet directly over medium coals. Grill pork and pineapple slices for 6 to 7 minutes or until pork slices are slightly pink in the center and juices run clear (160 degrees F), turning once. Grill tortilla packet for 10 minutes, turning once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Grill tortilla packet, pork slices, and pineapple as directed above.)

6. Coarsely chop pork and pineapple and combine in a large bowl. Fill warm tortillas with pork and pineapple mixture. Sprinkle each taco with chopped onion and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and, if desired, hot pepper sauce.
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Roasted Tomato Salsa

Roasted Tomato Salsa ~Yes, this IS that great restaurant salsa recipe! 

2 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes (about 15)

3 fresh jalapeno peppers

1 medium head garlic

1 teaspoon salt

2 medium white onions, finely chopped

2/3cup lightly packed cilantro leaves, snipped (1/4 cup)

4 teaspoons cider vinegar

Tortilla chips

1. Core the tomatoes. Place in one side of a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Halve the jalapeno peppers. Remove stems and seeds. Place, cut side down, in the other side of baking pan with tomatoes. Peel away outer skin from garlic. Cut off the pointed top portion with a knife, leaving the bulb intact but exposing the individual cloves. Add to pan. Roast, uncovered, in a 450 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and pepper skins are charred. Cool.

2. Remove tomato skins. Press to remove garlic paste from individual cloves of garlic. Place garlic, jalapeno peppers, and salt in a food processor bowl or blender container. Cover and process or blend with a few pulses until finely chopped. Add half of the tomatoes; cover and process or blend with a few pulses until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add remaining tomatoes to food processor bowl or blender container; cover and process or blend with a few pulses until coarsely chopped. Stir into tomato mixture in bowl.

3. Stir onions, cilantro, and vinegar into tomato mixture until combined. Cover and chill several hours to blend flavors. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes about 4 cups.

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