Oh man, I am behind on posting! A few weekends ago was a friend’s birthday, and it was the perfect opportunity to bring together a fun group of people for an evening of celebration. Birthday girl’s request was for a Mexican-themed meal, so Mexican-themed meal it was.
My friend, Logan, can cook his butt off. I mean, this guy produces food that puts several restauranteurs to shame. His kimchi and roast pork quesadillas were mouthwatering, and his mole with papas fritas brings a tear to the eye. I kid you not, this man has skill.
He was a tough act to follow, but alas, the show must go on. On tap for a group of 10: tamale pie, cilantro pesto enchiladas, cornbread, and bean salad. I was only going to post one or two recipes, but they were ALL delicious. And like a mother can’t pick a favorite child, how was I supposed to narrow down to just one recipe?!
Tamale Pie
From Moosewood Celebrates
Pie
2 cups onions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 minced fresh green chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups water
1 cup stemmed and diced green beans
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes (Moosewood recommends peeling, but I live those babies intact!)
1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Filling
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
½ cup diced red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup buttermilk
2 tbsp canola oil
Preheat the oven to 350F. In an ovenproof skillet or soup pot, saute the onions, garlic, salt, and chile in the oil until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin. Add the water, green beans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the lime or lemon juice, transfer to the prepared baking ban, and sprinkle on the cheese.
In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, corn, bell peppers, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Pour the topping over the stew and cheese and spread to cover evenly.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the topping comes out clean. Serve hot.
Cilantro Pesto Enchiladas
Pesto
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed
4 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup walnuts
salt to taste
Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Feel free to add more garlic/olive oil/parmesan to your liking.
Filling
3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
12 ounces cream cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies or 1 fresh serrano, diced
20 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
pesto (see recipe above)
Directions
Heat filling ingredients in a skillet until the cream cheese melts Fill the corn tortillas (you can use flour shells, but they tend to get a bit mushy), roll, and line up in a 9x13 baking pan.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro pesto with broth and cream. Cover enchiladas with sauce, saving some sauce to be poured after baking. Top with grated parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minute at 350F.
Add additional sauce and serve immediately.
Mexican Corn Bread
From Jane Brody’s “Good Food Book”
1 cup yellow corn meal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg white
2 whole eggs
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, combine the corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white and whole eggs, and combine them with the corn, buttermilk, butter, cheese, and peppers. Stir this mixture into the reserved corn meal mixture, until the ingredients are just combined.
Grease a 9-inch square pan or cast-iron skillter, and heat it for several minutes in the preheated oven before pouring batter into it. Return the pan to the oven, and bake the bread for about 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Mexican Bean Salad
From Allrecipes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Directions
In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.
My friend, Logan, can cook his butt off. I mean, this guy produces food that puts several restauranteurs to shame. His kimchi and roast pork quesadillas were mouthwatering, and his mole with papas fritas brings a tear to the eye. I kid you not, this man has skill.
He was a tough act to follow, but alas, the show must go on. On tap for a group of 10: tamale pie, cilantro pesto enchiladas, cornbread, and bean salad. I was only going to post one or two recipes, but they were ALL delicious. And like a mother can’t pick a favorite child, how was I supposed to narrow down to just one recipe?!
Tamale Pie
From Moosewood Celebrates
Pie
2 cups onions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 minced fresh green chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cups water
1 cup stemmed and diced green beans
2 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups cubed sweet potatoes (Moosewood recommends peeling, but I live those babies intact!)
1 tablespoon fresh lime or lemon juice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Filling
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
½ cup diced red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup buttermilk
2 tbsp canola oil
Preheat the oven to 350F. In an ovenproof skillet or soup pot, saute the onions, garlic, salt, and chile in the oil until the onions start to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin. Add the water, green beans, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Stir in the lime or lemon juice, transfer to the prepared baking ban, and sprinkle on the cheese.
In a bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, corn, bell peppers, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and oil. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Pour the topping over the stew and cheese and spread to cover evenly.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until a knife inserted in the topping comes out clean. Serve hot.
Cilantro Pesto Enchiladas
Pesto
1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed
4 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup parmesan cheese
½ cup walnuts
salt to taste
Put all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth. Feel free to add more garlic/olive oil/parmesan to your liking.
Filling
3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
12 ounces cream cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies or 1 fresh serrano, diced
20 corn tortillas
Sauce
1 cup canned chicken broth1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
pesto (see recipe above)
Directions
Heat filling ingredients in a skillet until the cream cheese melts Fill the corn tortillas (you can use flour shells, but they tend to get a bit mushy), roll, and line up in a 9x13 baking pan.
In a separate bowl, mix cilantro pesto with broth and cream. Cover enchiladas with sauce, saving some sauce to be poured after baking. Top with grated parmesan cheese and bake for 30 minute at 350F.
Add additional sauce and serve immediately.
Mexican Corn Bread
From Jane Brody’s “Good Food Book”
1 cup yellow corn meal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg white
2 whole eggs
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
¼ seeded and chopped jalapeno pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a large bowl, combine the corn meal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the bowl aside.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white and whole eggs, and combine them with the corn, buttermilk, butter, cheese, and peppers. Stir this mixture into the reserved corn meal mixture, until the ingredients are just combined.
Grease a 9-inch square pan or cast-iron skillter, and heat it for several minutes in the preheated oven before pouring batter into it. Return the pan to the oven, and bake the bread for about 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Mexican Bean Salad
From Allrecipes
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn kernels
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 clove crushed garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Directions
In a large bowl, combine beans, bell peppers, frozen corn, and red onion.
In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime juice, lemon juice, sugar, salt, garlic, cilantro, cumin, and black pepper. Season to taste with hot sauce and chili powder.
Pour olive oil dressing over vegetables; mix well. Chill thoroughly, and serve cold.
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