30 - 45 min.

Motuleño Eggs

Motuleño Eggs
Print Recipe
4.50 from 4 votes

Motuleño Eggs

Motuleño Eggs recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 12, Episode 5 “Ode to the Egg”
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Antojos, Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Eggs, habanero, peas, Yucatán Peninsula
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided, plus 1 teaspoon for the eggs, more if needed
  • 1 white onion finely chopped
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste, plus more for the eggs
  • 4 ounces diced deli ham
  • 1 to 2 fresh habaneros or to taste
  • 3/4 cup fresh peas or thawed frozen peas
  • 1 to 2 very ripe large plantains peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1/4” slices
  • 8 toasted or fried corn tortillas
  • 8 eggs
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup Colado Black Beans or refried beans, warmed up
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Instructions

  • To make the sauce, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Once it shimmers, add the onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it starts to soften, then add the tomatoes and salt. Cook for 15 minutes, with the lid on, stirring occasionally until the tomatoes start to break down and change color.
  • Add the ham and habaneros, cover, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes, until the sauce has a more cooked aroma and looks darkened. Add the peas, cover, and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes, turn off the heat.
  • To cook the plantains, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the plantain slices and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until softened, cooked through, and beautifully browned and caramelized. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
  • You can crisp the tortillas by shallow frying in a couple of tablespoons of oil, or you may heat them for a few minutes on a dry skillet or comal over medium heat, until completely toasted and crunchy.
  • To cook the eggs, I like to use a small nonstick pan with a lid. Set over medium-low heat and add a teaspoon of oil. Once hot, add a couple of cracked eggs at a time, season with salt and pepper and cover with the lid. Cook until egg whites are completely cooked and egg yolks are cooked but still runny if cut with a fork, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can also cook the eggs easy over if you prefer.
  • To serve, place two toasted or fried corn tortillas on each plate. Cover them with 1/4 cup warm refried beans. Top one of them with two fried eggs, a generous amount of the tomato sauce, add a chile if you’d like, and sprinkle with queso fresco. Cover with the second tortilla spread with beans, as if it were a crunchy tortilla sandwich. Arrange the plantains on the side and serve at once.

Notes

Huevos Motuleños

Sweet Lime Roasted Chicken with Broccolini

Sweet Lime Roasted Chicken with Broccolini
Print Recipe
4 from 7 votes

Sweet Lime Roasted Chicken with Broccolini

Sweet Lime Roasted Chicken with Broccolini recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 12, Episode 1 “The Nectar of the Mayan Gods”
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken, chile de arbol
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 garlic cloves skin on
  • 3 to 4 chiles de árbol
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 cups sweet lime juice or substitute with half lemon juice and half lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon GOYA® White Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup GOYA® Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons GOYA® Pure Honey
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste, plus more to season broccolini
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste, plus more to season broccolini
  • 1 3- to 4- pound whole chicken
  • 1 cup chicken broth or water
  • 1 1/2 pounds broccolini or broccoli cut into stems

Instructions

  • In a preheated comal set over medium heat, toast the garlic cloves, until skin is charred and garlic has softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Also toast the chiles de árbol, about 20 to 30 seconds per side. And the oregano for a few seconds. Peel the garlic and place in the jar of a blender along with the chile de árbol, oregano, sweet lime juice (or lemon and lime juice), vinegar, oil, honey, salt and black pepper. Puree until smooth. Reserve 2/3 cup of the marinade.
  • Spatchcock the chicken – to do this, remove the chicken backbone with kitchen shears. Flip skin side up and flatten the bird by pressing down on the breast. Before flattening make a small cut into the breast bone plate, so that when you flatten the bird, it cracks evenly down the middle. You will hear a crack as you press.
  • Place the chicken in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet skin side up. Pour the rest of the marinade over the chicken. Marinate anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours. If more than 30 minutes, cover and place in the refrigerator, and you can flip a few times as it marinates.
  • When ready to roast, preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • Place the chicken skin side down, add the chicken broth and roast for 25 minutes. Pull the baking sheet out of the oven, flip the chicken and arrange the broccolini around it. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and broccolini, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place back on the oven for 20 minutes. The chicken should have browned on top and be fully cooked (at least 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh) and the broccoli should be roasted and tender.

Notes

Pollo Rostizado con Lima y Brócoli

Potato Hash with Corn, Chorizo and Eggs

Potato Hash with Corn, Chorizo and Eggs
Print Recipe
4.34 from 6 votes

Potato Hash with Corn, Chorizo and Eggs

Potato Hash with Corn, Chorizo and Eggs from Pati's Mexican Table Season 11, Episode 7 "Cantina Culture"
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Chorizo, Eggs, Potato
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo or longaniza casings removed, chopped
  • 1 cup corn kernels fresh or thawed from frozen
  • 1 to 2 jalapeños stemmed and sliced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large white onion halved and slivered
  • ¾ pound Yukon Gold or russet potatoes peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 eggs

Instructions

  • In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo for about 3 to 4 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until it starts to crisp and brown. Add the corn and jalapeños, stirring to coat in the rendered chorizo fat, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the jalapeños soften and corn begins to brown. Scrape the chorizo, corn, and jalapeños into a bowl and set aside.
  • Pour the olive oil into the same skillet and reduce heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, until they are completely wilted and their edges have begun to brown. Incorporate the potatoes, add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for another 15 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked and mixture has browned a bit more. Incorporate the chorizo, corn and jalapeño mixture.
  • In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Pour over potato and chorizo mixture and cook, stirring to give it your desired scrambled texture and until it cooks to your liking. I like my eggs soft cooked, not runny, but not dry, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve while hot.

Notes

Huevos con Papa Hash, Elote y Chorizo

Skillet Corn Tamal with Duck Fat and Roasted Garlic

Skillet Corn Tamal
Print Recipe
4.41 from 5 votes

Skillet Corn Tamal with Duck Fat and Roasted Garlic

Skillet Corn Tamal with Duck Fat and Roasted Garlic from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 11, Episode 6 “Pioneering from Farm to Table”
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: duck, garlic, honey
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 8 cups corn kernels fresh or thawed from frozen, preferably white corn, divided
  • ½ cup chicken broth divided
  • 1 whole head of garlic roasted until completely soft and peeled (can use the roasted garlic from the duck recipe linked below)
  • 1 ½ cups masa harina
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1 cup duck fat rendered from Spicy Honey Garlic and Orange Roasted Duck divided, or can use unsalted butter or lard
  • 2 tablespoons grated piloncillo or brown sugar

Instructions

  • In the jar of a blender, coarsely puree 4 cups of the corn kernels with ¼ cup of the chicken broth and the peeled roasted garlic and puree until completely smooth, scrape onto a bowl. Add the remaining 4 cups of corn kernels and ¼ cup chicken broth and pulse to blend into a very coarse mixture. Scrape onto the same bowl. Set aside.
  • In a bowl, mix the masa harina, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • To the bowl of a stand mixer set with the paddle attachment, add 3/4 cups of the duck fat and the piloncillo or dark brown sugar. Start beating over low speed until well mixed. Incorporate the masa harina mixture and beat for a minute. Incorporate the corn mixture, increase speed to medium, and continue beating for 5 to 6 minutes. Until completely mixed.
  • Preheat the oven to 375℉ with the rack in the middle position. Set a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the remaining ¼ cup duck fat. Once hot but not smoking, pour in the corn mixture. Let it cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Then carefully cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes, until the top gains a bit of a golden brown color. Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

Tamal de Elote en Cazuela con Manteca de Pato y Ajo Rostizado

Roasted Tomato Rice with Cumin and Oregano

Roasted Tomato Rice with Cumin and Oregano
Print Recipe
4.17 from 6 votes

Roasted Tomato Rice with Cumin and Oregano

Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: rice
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the roasted tomatoes:

  • 1 ½ pounds ripe cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon crushed dried piquín chiles
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds crushed with a mortar or knife
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt

For the rice:

  • 2 cups jasmine white rice
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
  • 3 cups chicken broth vegetable broth or water
  • ½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

Instructions

To make the roasted tomatoes:

  • Preheat oven to 450℉. Place tomatoes on a small baking sheet and cover with the garlic, piquín, oregano, cumin, olive oil and salt. Toss well. Place in the oven and let the tomatoes roast until completely wrinkled, mushy and slightly charred, about 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven.

To make the rice:

  • Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Once hot, add the rice and stir to coat as it cooks for a minute. Make room in the middle and add the onion, stir to mix with the rice, and continue cooking until the rice grains change color to a deep bright white and feel heavier and make a louder sound as you stir, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, orange juice, and salt and stir. Increase heat to medium high, and once it is bubbling strongly, add the roasted tomatoes with all their juices on top. Give it the gentlest stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed and you see no more at the bottom of the pan. Turn off heat and keep covered until you serve.

Notes

Arroz con Jitomates Rostizados en Comino y Orégano

Chicken Livers with Chipotle Caramelized Onions

Chicken Livers with Chipotle Caramelized Onions
Print Recipe
4.86 from 7 votes

Chicken Livers with Chipotle Caramelized Onions

Chicken Livers with Chipotle Caramelized Onions from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 11, Episode 2 “Sisters, Stew and Sass”
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: caramelized onions, Chipotle
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound chicken livers
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 3 large white onions slivered
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt divided, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce from chipotles in adobo sauce
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • Chopped fresh chives for garnish, optional
  • Fresh oregano leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Place the chicken livers in a bowl and gently cover with cold water. One by one, using a chopping board and a sharp knife, remove any connective tissue and cut them into lobes. Place them into a different bowl and cover with cold milk. Let them sit anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight, if more than an hour, cover and place in the refrigerator.
  • When ready to cook the livers, gently drain and place on a chopping board or sheet pan covered with paper towels and pat dry.
  • In a large non-stick skillet set over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cook stirring regularly for about 35 to 40 minutes, until completely softened, caramelized, and their color has turned to light brown and they are slightly browning more along the edges. Scrape into a bowl and reserve.
  • Season the livers with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil and raise heat to medium high. Cook the livers for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until just cooked through but browned outside. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and butter. Once melted, add the vinegar and cook, scraping the pan for about 10 to 15 seconds. Add chicken broth, chipotle sauce, tomato paste, and Dijon and stir until well mixed, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan. Cook for a minute, until it strongly bubbles. Add the cooked onions, stir well to thoroughly combine with the sauce. Incorporate the chicken livers and any of their juices, toss to combine, and let it all cook for a minute. Turn off the heat, garnish with fresh chives and oregano. Serve with rice.

Note:

  • I like to chop any leftover chicken livers into chopped liver. I also like to have some extra roasted cherry tomatoes to reserve. Then I’ll spread the chopped liver on some toasted slices of bread and top with roasted cherry tomatoes.

Notes

Higaditos Encebollados y Enchipotlados

Carne en su Jugo

carne en su jugo
Print Recipe
5 from 7 votes

Carne en su Jugo

Carne en su Jugo recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 4 “Los Mariachis”
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bacon, beef, corn tortillas, guacamole, serrano chiles, tomatillos
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound tomatillos husked and rinsed
  • 1 to 2 fresh serrano chiles stemmed
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves and upper part of stems
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • 1 pound thick bacon slices chopped
  • 2 pounds sirloin steak thinly sliced and cut into small bite size pieces
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 2 to 3 cups chicken or beef broth
  • 5 to 6 cups Frijoles de Olla or beans from the pot (cooked pinto beans)

To serve:

  • Finely chopped white onion
  • Finely chopped cilantro
  • Quartered limes
  • Warm corn tortillas optional
  • Fresh chunky guacamole optional

Instructions

  • Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until completely cooked through and soft. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatillos and chiles to the jar of a blender along with the cilantro and a teaspoon of salt. Puree until completely smooth and set aside.
  • In a large casserole or Dutch oven, fry the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, add the streak to bacon fat and cook until it starts to render all its juices. Once it does, add the onion and the broth. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes.
  • Incorporate the tomatillo puree and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, until meat is completely tender and broth has seasoned.
  • Serve the carne en su jugo in bowls along with a ladle of cooked pinto beans, and top with the crisp bacon. Place chopped white onion, cilantro, and lime wedges on the table for everyone to add as they please. You can serve with warm corn tortillas and a side of fresh guacamole.

Notes

Meat, Pinto Bean and Bacon Stew

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Homemade Corn Tortillas
Print Recipe
4.75 from 8 votes

Homemade Corn Tortillas

Homemade Corn Tortillas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 8 “The Heart of Tequila”
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Basic Recipe
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: corn tortillas, masa
Servings: 16 tortillas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (231g) masa harina
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 2/3 cups warm water plus more as needed

Instructions

To make the dough:

  • In a large, shallow mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Gradually add the warm water, stirring with your hands to make a cohesive dough.
  • Using your hands, mix and knead the dough in the bowl until it’s smooth and somewhat firm, about a minute or so. If the dough sticks to your hands and feels wet, add more masa harina a teaspoon at a time. If it crumbles when you roll a piece into a ball, add more water a teaspoon at a time.

To shape the tortillas:

  • Preheat a comal, a cast iron or nonstick pan, or a griddle, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until evenly hot.
  • Cut two round or square pieces of food-safe plastic – from a plastic produce or zip-top bag – to a size about 1/2″ larger than the diameter of your tortilla press (see “tips,” below). Set aside.
  • Divide the dough into 16 pieces (about 35g to 40g each) and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a clean work surface and cover them with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to keep them moist.
  • Working with one ball of dough at a time, place one piece of plastic on the bottom of the tortilla press, place the ball of dough, and top it with the second piece of plastic. Gently, squeeze the handle of the press until the dough is about 1/16” to 1/8” thick and about 5” in diameter. To achieve a nicely round tortilla, jiggle the handle of your press just as you near the bottom. You may need to press it a couple of times to get the desired thinness.

To cook the tortillas:

  • Open the tortilla press, peel off the top piece of plastic, and then take the tortilla on the bottom piece of plastic next to the comal, so that you can pass the tortilla to one hand as you remove the bottom plastic with the other hand and quickly but gently lay the tortilla on the hot pan. Don’t worry if it isn’t perfectly flat (you’ll get better as you practice), and don’t try to move it, which will cause it to tear. Return the piece of plastic to the bottom of the tortilla press.
  • Cook the tortilla until it releases easily from the pan and its color has lightened and become opaque, 40 to 45 seconds; you don’t want the tortilla to brown or become freckled at this point.
  • Using a spatula or your fingers, flip the tortilla and cook it until the bottom starts to brown and freckle, 70 to 90 seconds more.
  • Flip the tortilla one more time and cook it until it puffs, 10 to 15 seconds. If the tortilla doesn’t puff on its own, gently poke it a few times near the center. Once it puffs, let the tortilla cook for 15 seconds longer, until fully set and soft.
  • Remove the tortilla from the heat and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, or transfer it to a cloth-lined tortillero.
  • Repeat the pressing and cooking process with the remaining dough.

Notes

Tortillas de Maíz

Conchas

Conchas
Print Recipe
3.91 from 11 votes

Conchas

Francisco Migoya’s Conchas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 7 “Getting to the Roots”
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Antojos, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: sugar, vanilla
Servings: 15 conchas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • ½ cup (115g) whole milk, cold
  • cup (75g) water
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) instant dry yeast
  • cups (480g) bread flour
  • 4 eggs cold (190g)
  • ½ cup (120g) unsalted butter softened
  • cup, plus 2 teaspoons, (75g), sugar
  • teaspoons (12g) fine salt
  • teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract

For the topping:

  • cups (200g) powdered sugar
  • 1⅔ cups (200g) pastry flour
  • ¾ cup, plus 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon (200g) vegetable shortening
  • teaspoons (10g) vanilla extract

Optional flavorings:

  • ¼ cup, plus 2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons (60g) any freeze-dried fruit powder such as dragon fruit
  • ¼ cup, plus 2 teaspoons (30g) cocoa powder
  • 2 tablespoons (12g) matcha powder
  • 1⅛ teaspoons (3g) any powdered spice such as cinnamon, pumpkin spice mix, etc.
  • teaspoons (3g) any citrus zest
  • teaspoons (3g) any tea finely ground

Instructions

To make the dough:

  • Dissolve the yeast in the milk and water in an electric mixer bowl using a whisk. Put the remaining ingredients on top. Start mixing on low speed using the hook attachment.
  • Once the dough ingredients have formed a homogenous mass, turn the speed up to medium high for 10-15 minutes until the dough reaches full gluten development. To check if the dough has reached this stage, first check if the dough looks smooth and uniform in the mixer. The second is whether the dough is “slapping” the sides of the bowl while it mixes. The third and definite test is to perform the windowpane test, which consists in taking a small piece of dough and gently stretching it with your fingers to get it to stretch as thinly as possible without tearing. If it can form a thin translucent membrane without tearing, the dough is ready to come off the mixer.
  • While the dough mixes, prepare a flat sheet pan by lining it with a lightly oiled non-stick rubber mat or plastic wrap.
  • After mixing the dough, take it out of the mixer and place it on a flat work surface area that has been lightly greased with spray oil to keep it from sticking. Perform a four-fold on the dough (this consists of flattening the dough with the palms of your hand into a square or rectangle shape as best as you possibly can folding each end in towards the center of the dough to create a smooth surface), then place the folded dough on the prepared sheet pan, seam side down.
  • Lightly oil the surface of the dough with spray oil and cover it with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Flatten the dough as best you can to about 1 inch/2.5cm using the palms of your hands. Cover the dough again with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight in refrigeration.

Meanwhile, make the topping:

  • Sift the powdered sugar and flour together in a mixer bowl, then add the shortening on top plus the vanilla extract and whatever additional optional flavorings. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed until the dough comes together to form one mass.
  • Place the concha topping dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Roll the dough out to 4mm. Place on a sheet pan and into the freezer for 15 minutes (this helps with achieving a clean cut disc).
  • Cut the cold concha topping with a 2.4 inch/6 cm round cutter (weighing about 15g each). Place each topping disc on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silpat and keep at room temperature until needed. If you are not using within 6-8 hours, wrap the sheet pan in plastic and place in refrigeration. It is important to note, when going to assemble the topping onto the dough balls, the topping must be at room temperature so it can be secured easily to the dough and stamped/scored in an even and clear design.
  • Alternatively, you can form the concha topping into 15g balls and reserve on a small sheet pan, wrapped with plastic, at room temperature, until needed. If you are not going to use the topping that day, keep it wrapped well with plastic in refrigeration.

To assemble the conchas:

  • Once it’s time to take the concha dough out of the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap and flip it out onto a clean worktable. Peel off the non-stick rubber mat or plastic wrap that was used to line the sheet pan. Using a bench scraper or small knife, divide the dough into 70g pieces and shape each piece into a ball.
  • Place the dough balls onto three or four separate half sheet pans lined with oiled parchment paper with enough space between the dough balls to expand during proofing and eventually baking; five balls maximum per sheet pan, ideally four if you have enough sheet pans.
  • Take one disc of previously rolled out and cut concha topping. Center and place on top of a dough ball then press down lightly so it attaches well to the top and sides of the dough.
  • NOTE: If you do not roll out and pre-cut your concha topping, you can also use a tortilla press or your hands. Place a 15g room temperature ball of concha topping between two lightly oiled plastic sheets and press it gently using a tortilla press to about 2.4 inch/6 cm. If you do not have a tortilla press, press the topping with your hands, that are lightly oiled, until you achieve the proper diameter disc. Center and place the concha topping disc on the dough then press down lightly so it attaches well to the top and sides of the dough.
  • Directly after securing a disc of topping on the dough, use a concha cutter and press it onto the topping, forming the traditional shell-like pattern. If you do not have this cutter, use the tip of a paring knife to score the pattern on the topping. Continue, one at a time, securing a topping disc to the dough and stamping/scoring the topping directly after.
  • NOTE: It helps to achieve a nice even design with the topping if it is stamped/scored right after placing on the dough while the topping is still room temperature. Since the dough is cold, the topping quickly takes on that temperature as well making it firmer. The colder the topping gets, the more difficult it is to achieve a nice design on your conchas.
  • Proof the dough: If you are doing this at room temperature, cover the dough with a lightly tented clean plastic bag or a clean kitchen towel. It will take between 2-3 hours. If proofing in a fermenter/proof box, set it to 27℃/80℉ with 75% relative humidity it will take 1-1.5 hours.
  • During the last 30 minutes of proofing, turn a convection oven on to 175℃/350℉ or a still (home) oven to 190℃/375℉.
  • Bake in the convection or still oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

Courtesy Francisco Migoya

Pellizcadas

Pellizcadas
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Pellizcadas

Pellizcadas recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 7 “Getting to the Roots”
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Antojos
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cotija cheese, masa, queso fresco, refried beans
Servings: 18 pellizcadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (231g) masa harina
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 2/3 cups warm water plus more as needed
  • vegetable oil

Toppings:

Instructions

To make the dough:

  • In a large, shallow mixing bowl, combine the masa harina and salt. Gradually add the warm water, stirring with your hands, to make a cohesive dough.
  • Mix and knead the dough with your hands in the bowl until it’s smooth and somewhat firm, about a minute or so. If the dough is sticking to your hands and feels wet, add more masa harina a teaspoon at a time. If the dough crumbles when you roll a piece into a ball, add more water a teaspoon at a time.
  • Cut the side seams of a quart-sized zip-top bag or plastic produce bag so that it opens flat along the bottom seam and then cut along the bottom seam to make two pieces of plastic. You can reuse this bag every time you make pellizcadas, sopes or tortillas. Set aside.
  • Divide the dough evenly into 18 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a clean work surface and cover them with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel to keep them moist.
  • Preheat a comal, cast iron skillet, nonstick pan, or a griddle, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until evenly hot.

To press the pellizcadas:

  • Working with one ball of dough at a time, sandwich it in between the plastic bag pieces on the bottom plate of a tortilla press. There should be a piece of plastic under the ball and another piece of plastic on top of the ball. Gently close the tortilla press until the dough is about 1/4” thick and about 3” to 4” in diameter. You may need to press it a couple times to get the desired thinness.

To cook pellizcadas:

  • Peel the top layer of plastic away from the pellizcada. Remove the pellizcada along with the bottom layer of plastic and place it in your palm with the plastic side up. Peel away the plastic and quickly, but gently, lay the pellizcada on the preheated pan. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, until opaque and speckled, and they can easily be flipped without sticking to the pan.
  • Remove from the heat and place it on a flat surface or cutting board. At this point, it will not be cooked all the way through. Using a kitchen towel or cloth napkin to protect your fingers from the heat, press and gently pinch a rim around the edge of the pellizcada; the masa should still be soft enough to do this.
  • When finished forming all the pellizcadas, add oil to the comal or skillet, or brush each pellizcada with oil, and cook for one minute more on each side or until it’s cooked through and freckled with brown spots.
  • To serve immediately, remove pellizcadas from the heat and top each with a tablespoon of warm refried beans, some chicharrón en salsa, crumbled cheese, and chopped onion.
  • To serve later, wrap pellizcadas in a clean kitchen towel, seal in a plastic bag and refrigerate for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for longer storage. Reheat on a hot surface (comal, pan, or griddle) for a few minutes before serving. If desired, reheat in a bit of oil to crisp up the outside of the pellizcada.

Pollo a la Valentina

Pollo a la Valentina
Print Recipe
4.75 from 8 votes

Pollo a la Valentina

Pollo a la Valentina recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 2 “Food Meets Art”
Cook Time45 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken, jalapeno, Potato, Tomato
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 4-5 pound chicken cut into serving pieces
  • 1 half of a white onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
  • 4 to 5 large potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
  • pounds ripe tomatoes
  • teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 tablespoons brine from the pickled jalapeños
  • 5 tablespoons safflower oil divided
  • 1 head romaine lettuce leaves rinsed and dried, thinly sliced
  • 4 to 6 radishes halved, thinly sliced
  • Pickled jalapeños and carrots
  • Bolillos or birotes, homemade or store bought, to serve

Instructions

  • In a large pot, place the chicken pieces, along with the onion, garlic, bay leaves, and 2 teaspoons of the salt, and cover with water. Set over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium heat, add the cubed potatoes and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken is just cooked through and the potatoes are soft. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken into a strainer and let cool. Transfer the cubed potatoes into another strainer and let cool.
  • In a medium saucepan, add the tomatoes and cover with water. Set over medium-high heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until completely cooked and soft. Transfer the tomatoes to the jar of a blender along with the oregano, pickled jalapeño brine, and the remaining teaspoon of salt and puree until smooth.
  • Rinse and wipe dry the same saucepan used for the tomatoes and set over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, once hot, add the pureed tomato sauce and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until darkened in color and thickened in consistency. Scrape onto a bowl.
  • In a large non-stick saute pan set over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the oil. Once hot, dunk the potatoes into the tomato sauce, then place in the saute pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until crisped and browned. Scrape onto a large platter and set aside.
  • Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the saute pan, and one by one, dunk the chicken pieces into the tomato sauce, then add to the saute pan. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side, flipping as need be, until completely crisped and browned. Place on the same platter as the potatoes.
  • Reduce heat to medium, pour in the remaining tomato sauce and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, while it bubbles and thickens. Pour the thickened tomato sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
  • Serve with the potatoes, shredded lettuce, radishes and pickled jalapeños. Bring bolillos or birotes to the table to eat along with the chicken, sides and garnishes.

Bolillos

Bolillos
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Bolillos

Bolillos recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 10, Episode 1 “Welcome to Guadalajara”
Cook Time20 minutes
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bread
Servings: 8 rolls
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 1/4 cups (340g) all-purpose flour
  • 3 leveled teaspoons instant yeast
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 1/4 cups (284g) lukewarm water

Instructions

  • Mix and knead all of the ingredients — by hand, stand mixer with dough hook, or bread machine — to make a smooth, elastic dough.
  • Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 to 60 minutes.
  • Gently deflate the dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a ball and divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 85g each).
  • One by one, gently flatten each piece a little by pressing it with your fingers against the surface. Bring all the edges inwards, pinching it into a ball shape and pressing to seal. Flip it to have the sealed part on the bottom and roll it a little bit over the top to make it round, then place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet keeping the sealed part on the bottom. Continue with the rest of the dough. Once you are done, brush or spray the 8 balls with water so they will not dry out, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) one baking sheet.
  • Working with one piece of dough at a time, use your hands to flatten it into a 4” to 4 1/2″ round. Starting at the bottom edge, lift the two “corners” and fold inward, as if making a folded triangle. Press lightly to seal, then roll up and over again and repeat by folding the bottom edge inward, continuing as if you are making a folded triangle. When finished, you will have a somewhat oval piece of dough that is chubbier in the center.
  • Use the palms of your hands to roll out the ends of the oval further, making the ends much thinner than the center.
  • Place the bolillos on the prepared baking sheet as you shape them. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough.
  • Brush or spray the 8 shaped bolillo balls with water so they will not dry out, cover and let rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes.
  • When ready to bake, brush or spray the bolillos with water one more time and take a sharp knife, or lame, and score the bolillos with one long slash from end to end, about 1/4” deep. The bread may deflate a bit; that’s OK, it’ll pick right up in the hot oven.
  • Bake until golden, about 20 to 22 minutes.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a rack.
  • Store bread, securely wrapped, at room temperature for a couple days or so; freeze for longer storage.

Notes

Mexican Bread Rolls

Roasted Tomatoes on Everything

Roasted Tomatoes on Everything
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Roasted Tomatoes on Everything

These roasted tomatoes can be used on avocado toast, pasta, grilled asparagus, an egg scramble or a cheese omelet.
Cook Time45 minutes
Servings: 2 cups approximately
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe cherry tomatoes
  • 1 to 2 dried chiles de árbol stemmed, thinly sliced
  • 3 to 4 shallots about 1/2 pound, outer layer peeled, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F.
  • On a small baking sheet, combine the tomatoes, chiles de árbol, shallots, garlic, oil, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
  • Place in the oven and roast for 45 to 50 minutes, until tomatoes have completely softened and almost fallen apart and are charred on the outside.
  • The roasted tomatoes can be used on avocado toast, pasta, grilled asparagus, an egg scramble or a cheese omelet.
  • Note: It is important that the tomatoes be ripe for full flavor. If they seem hard or a bit unripe, leave them in a bowl on your countertop for a few days so they can continue ripening until fully colored and softened. 

Notes

Jitomatitos Rostizados para Todo

Carne con Chile Burritos

carne con chile burritos
Print Recipe
3.58 from 7 votes

Carne con Chile Burritos

Carne con Chile Burritos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 5 "Flour Power"
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef, brisket, burritos, carne, chile, chile colorado, flour tortillas, mexican crema, Pico de Gallo, queso fresco, Sonora, Sonoran
Servings: 8 to 10 burritos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the meat:

  • 6 pounds beef brisket trimmed of some of the fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 5 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

For the carne con chile:

  • 10 to 12 dried chiles colorados a.k.a. New Mexico chiles, California chiles and dried Anaheim chiles, stemmed and seeded (if unavailable, substitute guajillos)
  • 2 large ripe roma tomatoes about 1/2 pound
  • 2 peeled garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 5 dried chiltepin chiles if available (ideal but can skip them if you don’t find them)
  • 2 dried chiles de árbol stemmed
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 4 cups beef broth from cooking the meat
  • 2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

For the burritos:

  • 8 to 10 flour tortillas
  • Sliced or diced avocado
  • Queso fresco crumbled
  • Mexican crema
  • Pico de gallo salsa or salsa of your choice
  • Shredded romaine lettuce

Instructions

To cook the meat:

  • Place the meat in a large pot and cover with at least 12 cups water. Add the white onion half, 5 garlic cloves, bay leaves, salt and black peppercorns. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Skim off any foam that rises to the top, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the meat is completely cooked through and tender enough to pull apart easily with your fingers, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat from the broth and place in a bowl. Strain the broth into a separate bowl or container. Measure out 4 cups and freeze the rest for another use. Once the meat is cool enough to handle, shred into smaller bite size pieces and remove and discard the fat. Set aside.

To make the carne con chile:

  • Place the chiles colorados, tomatoes, and 2 garlic cloves in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the chiles have plumped up and rehydrated, and the tomatoes are fully cooked and mushy. Transfer the chiles, tomatoes, garlic and a 1/2 cup of their cooking liquid to a blender. Add the chopped white onion, chiltepin chiles, chiles de árbol, oregano and salt. Puree until completely smooth.
  • Heat the lard or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add the flour and stir together well to create a roux. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two until bubbling and lightly browned. Add the chile colorado puree. Cook, stirring often, making sure the mixture doesn’t stick and burn on the bottom of the pan, until it has thickened and darkened slightly, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and the shredded cooked meat and bring to a simmer, stirring. Reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and continue to cook, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pot until the sauce has thickened and the meat is well seasoned, coated with the chile mixture, and so tender it is falling apart, about 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat.

To make the burritos:

  • Heat the tortillas on a preheated comal or skillet. Top with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the carne con chile and roll into burritos. Once assembled, you can heat them for another minute if you want them a bit toasted, or eat them soft, just as soon as they are assembled.
  • Serve with sliced or diced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, crema, salsa and lettuce, and let people garnish to taste.

Notes

Burritos de Carne con Chile

Corn, Cheese and Chile Verde Tamales

Corn, Cheese and Chile Verde Tamales
Print Recipe
3.78 from 9 votes

Corn, Cheese and Chile Verde Tamales

Corn, Cheese and Chile Verde Tamales recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 10 "Sabores Norteños"
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: anaheim chiles, cheese, chile verde, Corn, corn husks, elote, masa, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, poblanos, queso, rajas, Sonora, Sonoran, tamal, Tamales
Servings: 15 tamales
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the fresh corn masa:

  • 4 cups white corn kernels fresh or thawed frozen
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup corn flour for tamales or masa harina
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

For the filling:

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 cup slivered white onion
  • 1 pound fresh Anaheim chiles roasted, sweated, peeled, stemmed, seeded and cleaned, sliced into thin strips
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

To assemble the tamales:

  • 30 dried corn husks plus more for lining the steamer
  • 1 1/2 cups grated melting cheese such as asadero, quesadilla, Oaxaca, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella

Instructions

To make the fresh corn masa:

  • Coarsely puree the corn kernels along with the evaporated milk in a food processor or blender. The mixture should be a bit chunky, not completely smooth.
  • Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat at medium speed until very soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and beaters.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina, the baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and alternate adding the ground corn mixture with the masa harina mixture. Once all is incorporated, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, increase the speed to medium and continue beating until completely amalgamated, creamy and fluffy, about 7 to 8 more minutes.

To make the filling:

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until it begins to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the sliced roasted Anaheim chiles, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft and all of the flavors have combined. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl.

To assemble the tamales:

  • Remove about 30 good size corn husks from the package and place in a large bowl of hot water. Soak for a couple of minutes, or until they are pliable, and drain. One by one, lay out a corn husk with the tapering end towards you. If the husks seem thin, layer a second corn husk on top. Leaving a 1 to 1 1/2-inch space at the bottom, a minimum of 1/2 inch space on the sides and a little more than that at the top, spread about 1/4 cup masa into an approximately 2×3-inch rectangle. The masa layer will be a little thicker than 1/4 inch. Place a very generous tablespoon of the Anaheim and onion filling along with a very generous tablespoon of the grated cheese lengthwise down the middle of the masa.
  • Pick up the two long sides of the corn husk and bring them together (you will see how the masa swaddles the filling) and fold the joined edges to one side, rolling them around the tamal. Fold up the empty tapering end, from the bottom up. This will form a closed bottom and the top will be left open. If the tamale won’t hold, you can tear strips from unused tamale wrappers and tie them around the bottom. Gently press from the bottom to the top to even the filling out, without squeezing too hard.
  • If not steaming right away, place on a plate or sheet pan, cover with plastic, and refrigerate. You can assemble them a day ahead of steaming. You can also steam them ahead and reheat (see below).
  • To prepare the tamalera or steamer: Place water in the bottom pan of a steamer, so that water is under the steamer basket or rack, and bring it to a simmer. If you want to be reassured that the water hasn’t all evaporated during the long steaming time, place a penny in it so you can hear it dancing around. Line the steamer with one or two layers of soaked corn husks.

To cook the tamales:

  • When you have all tamales ready, place them as vertically as you can in the prepared steamer with the open end on top. If there is space left in the steamer, tuck in some corn husks, so the tamales won’t dance around. Cover with more corn husks, cover tightly with a lid, and steam covered for 1 1/2 hours. Allow the finished tamales to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. You know the tamales are ready when they come away easily from the husks. They will still be moist, and as they are released from the husks, you will see the moisture, like when you remove good moist muffins from their paper baking cups.
  • Finished tamales will stay warm for about 2 hours in the steamer. They can be made ahead and stored for several days in the refrigerator, well wrapped. They can also be frozen for months. In either case, reheat in a steamer. For refrigerated tamales, it will take about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes for frozen tamales.

Notes

Tamal de Elote con Rajas y Queso

Beachside Snapper

Beachside Snapper
Print Recipe
4.60 from 5 votes

Beachside Snapper

Beachside Snapper recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 8 "Super Sonoran"
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: anaheim chiles, Beach, corn tortillas, fish, lime, mexican crema, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, Pescado, red snapper, snapper, Sonora, Sonoran, tacos, whole fish, Worcestershire sauce, Zarandeado
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 to 5 pounds whole red snapper split in half and deboned, with the skin left on
  • 1 ripe tomato
  • 1/2 white onion peeled and quartered
  • 6 garlic cloves unpeeled
  • 2 fresh Anaheim chiles
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Mexican crema
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil for brushing the aluminum foil
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1 yellow bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded and cut in 2-inch matchsticks
  • 1/2 red onion peeled, slivered

To serve:

  • 10 to 12 corn tortillas homemade or store bought
  • 2 or 3 limes quartered
  • Your favorite hot sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the tomato, white onion, garlic and Anaheim chiles on the baking sheet and roast under the broiler for about 10 minutes, turning the vegetables halfway through, until charred and the tomatoes have begun to release their juices. The garlic will probably be done before the other vegetables. Remove them from the heat when charred. Alternatively, you can char everything on a preheated comal, skillet or griddle set over medium-low heat, or on a grill. Remove from the heat.
  • Transfer the Anaheim chiles to a bowl and cover tightly or to a plastic bag, and seal. Allow to sweat for 10 minutes, then peel, stem and seed. Peel the garlic when it’s cool enough to handle.
  • Place the roasted vegetables, including any juices from the baking sheet or bowl, in a blender. Add the lime juice, mayonnaise, crema, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, butter, salt and pepper. Puree until completely smooth.
  • Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Brush the foil with vegetable oil.
  • Rinse the fish fillets, pat dry, and place skin side down on the baking sheet. Reserve 1/2 cup of the sauce and spread the rest very generously over the fish, creating a very thick layer.
  • Bake the fish anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes –- depending on the thickness of the fish, until the fish is cooked through and flakes easily when poked with a fork, and the sauce is nicely browned and a little crusty on top.
  • Meanwhile, preheat a comal over medium heat, and in a medium bowl combine the bell peppers, slivered red onion and reserved sauce. Toss well.
  • Heat the corn tortillas on the hot comal for about a minute per side, or until they are heated through and beginning to speckle and very lightly toast on both sides. Place in a tortilla warmer or wrap in a clean kitchen towel.
  • Place the bell pepper/sauce mix and the tortillas on the table along with the quartered limes and your favorite hot sauce.
  • Bring the fish to the table as soon as it is ready. Let everyone assemble their tacos with a piece of fish, the peppers and sauce, a squeeze of lime and hot sauce to taste.

Notes

Pescado Zarandeado

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos
Print Recipe
4.67 from 6 votes

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos

Double Stacked Shrimp and Cheese Tacos recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 7 "Legends of the Sonoran Sea"
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, cheese, Chiles, corn tortillas, Mexico, Oaxaca cheese, pati’s mexican table, Shrimp, Sonora, Sonoran, tacos
Servings: 6 to 8 double tacos
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 to 3 chiles de árbol stemmed, keep the seeds (more to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste, plus more for seasoning the shrimp
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil divided, plus more to cook the tacos
  • 2 pounds medium shrimp rinsed, shelled, and butterflied
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 12 to 16 corn tortillas
  • 3 cups melty shredded cheese such as mozzarella, asadero, Oaxaca, quesadilla, or Monterey Jack
  • 1 large ripe avocado halved, pitted, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Combine the tomatoes, garlic and chiles de árbol in a medium saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes and garlic are completely soft and the chiles are plump and rehydrated. Transfer to a blender with 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the oregano, tomato paste and salt, and puree until completely smooth.
  • Heat the 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the tomato puree, cover partially and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and darkened, and the flavors have intensified. Turn off the heat.
  • Season the butterflied shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add half the shrimp and quickly sear for a minute or so per side. They should be browned and just cooked through. Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be rubbery. Scrape into a bowl. Melt another tablespoon butter and oil together and repeat with the second batch.
  • Heat a comal, griddle or large skillet, preferably nonstick or cast iron, over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of oil to the surface.
  • One by one, lightly sauce the tortillas: briefly dip them into the tomato sauce, making sure the entire tortilla is coated (I like to use a pair of rubber tipped tongs but you could also just use you hands) and lay as many as will fit on the comal or griddle without overlapping. Top each tortilla with 2 to 3 tablespoons shredded cheese. Leave for a couple of minutes, until the cheese begins to melt and the bottoms of the sauced tortillas begin to dry and brown a little. Then, using a spatula, stack two sauced, browned and cheese-topped tortillas, one on top of another.
  • Don’t worry if the tortilla that you scrape up to stack on top of the other one sticks and tears a little bit or if it is not sitting evenly on top. Spoon some seared shrimp on top of each stack, gently fold with a spatula and continue cooking for a couple of minutes, until the cheese has completely melted and begun to ooze out and create a crust.
  • Remove from the heat and serve hot. Top with slices of ripe avocado.

Notes

Tacos Bravos de Toño

Beef, Potato and Anaheim Chimichanga

beef, potato, and anaheim chile chimichanga
Print Recipe
4.29 from 7 votes

Beef, Potato and Anaheim Chimichanga

Beef, Potato and Anaheim Chimichanga recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 6 "Sonoran Family Favorites for Sami"
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Course: Antojos, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beef, chimichanga, flour tortillas, mexican crema, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, Potato, queso fresco, Sonora, Sonoran
Servings: 8 to 12 chimichangas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the cooked meat:

  • 2 pounds beef chuck round or stewing meat, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled
  • 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

For the seasoned cooked meat:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chopped white onion
  • 3/4 pound, 3 medium, potatoes peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt divided
  • 1/2 pound ripe roma tomatoes cored and diced
  • 4 fresh Anaheim chiles roasted, peeled, seeded and diced

For the chimichangas:

  • 8 to 12 large flour tortillas
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
  • 1 cup crumbled queso fresco
  • Mexican crema optional
  • Diced tomato optional
  • Ripe diced avocado optional
  • Sonoran Roasted Salsa or salsa of your choice

Instructions

To cook the meat:

  • Place the meat in a large soup pot or casserole and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Skim off any foam. Add the halved onion, garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, oregano, coriander and cumin seeds, and stir well. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and shreds easily. Remove from the heat.
  • Remove the meat from the broth, set aside, and strain the broth. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the broth for later use and store or freeze the rest if you want to use it for something else. Once the meat has cooled enough to handle, shred or chop into smaller pieces.

To make the seasoned cooked meat:

  • Heat the oil in a large wide casserole or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and the potatoes, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions have softened and the potatoes have begun to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add the chiles and the other 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is nicely seasoned and blended together. Stir in the shredded meat and reserved meat broth and cook until the broth is mostly absorbed, the potatoes have completely softened, and the mixture is nicely amalgamated and delicious. It should be moist but not wet.

To make the chimichangas:

  • Heat a comal, griddle or skillet over medium low heat for at least 3 to 4 minutes. Heat the flour tortillas a couple at a time (or 1 at a time if that’s all you can fit in the skillet or on the griddle in a single layer) for about a minute per side, until completely heated through. Remove tortillas and one by one, top with a couple of generous spoonfuls of the shredded cooked beef. Roll to enclose the filling, and after the first roll, fold in the sides and continue to roll, making an elongated burrito-shaped package.
  • Once the packets are ready, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, place the chimichangas in the pan seam side down and fry for a minute on each side, until lightly colored. Serve garnished with lettuce, queso, and if desired crema, tomato, avocado and salsa.

Notes

Chimichanga de Guisado de Res

My Favorite Queso Fundido paired with Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila

Jaw-dropping. As soon as you set it on a table it will fly off. Guaranteed. Especially if I am around!

Queso fundido is the epitome of an antojo. What we Mexicans call a food craving that can be eaten anytime of day as a quick snack, or a full meal if eaten in a big enough amount. Antojo literally translates to craving, and I don’t know a single Mexican that doesn’t drool over the thought of a queso fundido.

Queso fundido is not a cheese dip. Queso fundido is not a cheese sauce. Queso fundido is the real deal. It is real cheese. Tons of it. You throw a combination of deliciously flavorful melty cheeses onto a baking dish or a traditional earthenware cazuela. Then place it on a heat source — it can be on a burner, in the oven, under the broiler — until the cheese not only melts, but becomes super bubbly on top and starts making a crust all around the edges.

Wait. Then come the toppings. The most typical and popular toppings in restaurants in Mexico City, where I grew up, are poblano rajas, chorizo and mushrooms. They are separate offerings, so you choose if you want your queso with chorizo or with rajas or mushrooms. Different restaurants have their variations, for example, it can be rajas with caramelized onions, different kinds of chorizo, cultivated or wild mushrooms cooked with epazote or dried chiles, to name some.

When I make queso at home, I like to make a combo of my favorite toppings. No one can stop me and no one should stop you! My take combines caramelized onions and poblano chiles, throws in a bit of seeded and diced tomato for an added juicy bite and tons of crisp chunks of flavorful chorizo.

Most people I know like their queso fundido on flour tortillas. But it is you and your guests’ choice if they want corn tortillas, too. If you have some some salsas and guacamole, place them on the table for optional add ons.

Whichever way, have your Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila out to chase your queso fundido tacos and to wash down that queso fundido. I like to serve it neat or on the rocks as it has such a smooth taste.

Once everything is on the table, all bets are off. Run for it, if you want a chance to make a queso fundido taco before it disappears.

Poblano Rajas Chorizo Queso Fundido

poblano rajas chorizo queso fundido
Print Recipe
3.86 from 7 votes

Poblano Rajas and Chorizo Queso Fundido

The popular Mexican antojo, or craving, Queso Fundido topped with chorizo, onion, poblano rajas, and tomato. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, Chorizo, Queso Fundido
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more to grease the baking dish
  • 1/3 pound Mexican chorizo casings removed, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1/4 white onion halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 poblano chile roasted, sweated, peeled, cut into strips
  • 1 ripe Roma tomato cored, seeded, cut into small dice
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1 pound (or 4 cups) combination of shredded Mexican-style melty cheeses such as Asadero, quesadilla and Oaxaca (can sub with mozzarella, Muenster and Monterey Jack)
  • 8 to 10 flour or corn tortillas
  • 1 ripe avocado sliced
  • Serve with salsa of your choice optional
  • Pair with Gran Centenario Añejo Tequila neat or on the rocks

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chorizo, cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces with a couple of spatulas or wooden spoons until crisp and brown. Remove from the heat and scrape into a bowl.
  • Set a rack on upper third tier of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Return the skillet to medium heat, add the butter and once it melts, add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, for 6 to 7 minutes, until they have wilted and begun to brown around the edges. Add the poblano pepper strips, tomato, and salt, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl.
  • Place shredded cheese in a gently oiled shallow baking dish that can comfortably hold it. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until completely melted. Remove from the oven. Top with the crispy chorizo and poblano rajas mixture. Place back in the oven and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes, until cheese is oozing and browned along the edges and part of the top.
  • Meanwhile, preheat a comal or large skillet over medium-low heat. Heat the tortillas, making sure they are not on top of each other, until completely warmed, puffed and slightly browned. Place in a tortilla warmer or wrap in a clean cloth or kitchen towel.
  • Remove the queso from the oven and place on the table along with the warm tortillas, ripe avocado slices, and salsa of choice, if desired. Let everyone assemble their tacos!

Notes

Queso Fundido

Chickpea Poundcake

Chickpea Poundcake
Print Recipe
3.88 from 8 votes

Chickpea Poundcake

Chickpea Poundcake recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 12 “Home Cooking Sinaloa Style”
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: banana, canela, ceylon, chickpeas, cinnamon, garbanzo beans, poundcake, whipped cream
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the poundcake:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground canela or true cinnamon
  • 6 eggs separated into yolks and whites
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas rinsed and pureed*
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour plus more to flour cake pan
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Pinch kosher or sea salt

For the banana and whipped cream topping:

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 5 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground canela or true cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 bananas peeled and sliced into thick rounds

Instructions

To make the poundcake:

  • Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper, then grease the bottom and sides with butter and sprinkle with flour, shaking off any excess flour.
  • In the bowl of a mixer set with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, a couple minutes. Incorporate the sugar and cinnamon and continue beating until well mixed and fluffy, a few minutes more. Add the egg yolks and pureed chickpeas and continue beating.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add into the mixer and continue beating until well incorporated and you have a homogenous batter.
  • In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they hold stiff peaks, or do it in the mixer in a clean bowl using the whisk attachment. Fold the egg whites into the chickpea batter gently, until completely incorporated.
  • Pour into the prepared cake pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out moist but not wet. Cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Invert from the cake pan onto a plate, then invert from the plate onto a platter so the cake is right side up.

To make the banana and whipped cream topping:

  • Whip the heavy whipping cream along with the 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar until it holds stiff peaks.
  • In a small bowl, combine the 2 remaining tablespoons confectioners’ sugar with the cinnamon.
  • Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the banana slices and cook on one side until caramelized and brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  • Serve a slice of cake with the browned bananas and a dollop of the whipped cream. Shake the cinnamon and confectioners’ sugar mixture on top using a small sieve or fine-mesh strainer to sprinkle evenly.
  • *Note: When rinsing the chickpeas, remove as much of the outer skin as possible, as this creates a smoother puree.

Notes

Panqué de Garbanzo

Bizcotela Vestida

Dulce de Leche Flower Sugar Cookie Sandwich
Print Recipe
3.40 from 10 votes

Bizcotela Vestida

Bizcotela Vestida recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 9 “Mocorito, The Land of Chilorio”
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Cajeta, cookies, Dulce de Leche, pati’s mexican table, vanilla
Servings: 30 sandwich cookies
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter at room temperature, sliced, plus more to grease baking sheets
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 8 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • Pinch kosher or sea salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 1/2 cups white coarse sugar or sugar crystals
  • 1 cup cajeta or dulce de leche homemade or store-bought

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a mixer, beat the butter along with the granulated sugar at medium speed for a couple minutes until smooth, creamy, and puffed up. Add the vanilla and the eggs one at a time, beating until well incorporated.
  • In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • With the mixer running at low speed, add the flour mixture and milk in multiple additions, alternating between the two. Continue beating until well incorporated and you have a homogenous dough. Turn off mixer and gather dough into a ball.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with the two racks set in the lower and upper thirds. Pour the sugar crystals onto small plate and grease a couple non-stick baking sheets with butter.
  • Use your hands to make small balls of dough of about 1 1/2- to 2-inches. Flatten slightly and cut 5 short lines around the edge of the disk with scissors, as if making petals, without cutting all the way into the center. Press down gently in the center to make a flower shape. Then flip over and press the top into the sugar crystals and then place right side up on the baking sheet. Repeat with all the dough balls, leaving about an inch of space between the cookies on the baking sheet.
  • Bake cookies for 30 to 32 minutes, until cooked and barely beginning to brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack.
  • Once cool, make sandwiches with a couple teaspoons of cajeta or dulce de leche in between of two cookies with the sugar side facing outwards.

Notes

Dulce de Leche Flower Sugar Cookie Sandwich

Potato Hash Cake

Potato Hash Cake
Print Recipe
4.50 from 6 votes

Potato Hash Cake

Potato Hash Cake recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 8 “El Chepe, Railway to the Past”
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: onion, pati’s mexican table, potato hash, potatoes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter to grease the baking dish
  • 4 pounds red bliss potatoes peeled and grated
  • 1/2 white onion grated
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more to dust the baking dish
  • 3 eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Olive oil to brush the top of the potato hash

Instructions

  • Grease a small baking dish or quarter sheet pan with butter and dust all over with flour, shaking off any excess flour.
  • Set rack in the middle of the oven and preheat at 400°F.
  • Place the grated potatoes in a strainer and press out as much moisture as you can — repeat a couple times until almost dry. In a medium bowl, mix the strained potatoes, onion, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, and baking powder very well.
  • Press the potato mixture into the prepared baking dish. Brush olive oil generously over the top.
  • Place in the oven and bake until completely cooked and golden brown on top and bottom, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Notes

Hash de Papa al Horno

Pinto Bean Soup with Masa and Queso Fresco Dumplings

Pinto Bean Soup with Masa and Queso Fresco Dumplings
Print Recipe
4.80 from 10 votes

Pinto Bean Soup with Masa and Queso Fresco Dumplings

Pinto Bean Soup with Masa and Queso Fresco Dumplings recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 7 “Jinetes, Adventure in the Mountains”
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cilantro, green onions, masa, mexican crema, mint, onion, pati’s mexican table, pinto beans, queso fresco, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons canola or safflower oil divided
  • 1/2 white onion chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 pound (about 2) ripe Roma tomatoes cored and chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt divided, or to taste
  • 3 cups cooked pinto beans with 1 cup of their cooking broth
  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth divided
  • 1 cup corn masa flour preferably the masa harina mix for tamales, but masa harina for tortillas also works
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
  • Mexican crema optional, for garnish
  • Sliced scallions mint, cilantro and crushed dried chiltepín chiles or chiles de árbol, optional, for garnish

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large, heavy soup pot or casserole over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until it has completely softened, the edges are golden brown, and there is a toasted and sweet aroma wafting from the pot. Add the garlic clove and and cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant and has colored. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes have cooked down to a soft, thick paste.
  • Add the beans along with 1 cup of their broth, as well as 4 cups of the chicken or vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover partially and simmer for 10 minutes. The beans should be completely soft and the broth thick and soupy.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the masa for the dumplings. In a medium bowl, combine the corn masa flour with the water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Knead together with your hands. The dough will be very coarse and seem dry. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, queso fresco, cilantro, and mint, and mix together until the dough is very soft and homogenous, about 1 minute. Set aside.
  • Working in batches, puree the pinto bean soup in a blender until completely smooth. Pour back into the soup pot and whisk or stir in the remaining 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
  • Begin forming the dumplings. Scoop up enough masa to make 1-inch balls, roll them between your hands (moisten your hands with water if they stick and, one-by-one, gently drop them into the soup. Once all the masa balls have been shaped and added to the soup, gently stir with a wooden spoon to make sure none stick to the bottom. Cover the pot partially with a lid and let the soup simmer gently for 15 to 20 more minutes until the masa dumplings are cooked through. They will thicken the soup as they simmer.
  • Taste the soup for salt and add more if need be. Serve hot, garnishing each bowl with a spoonful of fresh Mexican cream if desired. You may also sprinkle on some sliced scallions, mint, cilantro, and crushed chiltepín chiles or chiles de árbol for a punch of heat.
  • Note: If you are lucky enough to live next to a tortilleria or store that sells fresh corn masa, already mixed, go for it! You will need about 3/4 pound. Just mix it with the queso fresco, oil, mint, cilantro, and salt. If you can’t get ahold of fresh masa, rest assured that the corn masa made with masa harina for tamales or tortillas will still be excellent. If you have a choice between corn masa flour for tamales or for tortillas (they are two different products; masa harina for tamales will say so on the package), go for the tamal mix for these dumplings. The masa harina for tortillas is finer than the flour for tamales, but it will still work.

Notes

Sopa de Ombligo 

Turnip Roots and Greens

Turnip Roots and Greens
Print Recipe
4.80 from 5 votes

Turnip Roots and Greens

Turnip Roots and Greens recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 3 “South by South of the Border with Vivian Howard”
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pati’s mexican table, sausage, turnips
Servings: 5 cups
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces semi-dry country-style link sausage removed from casings
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 quarts water
  • 2 pounds turnip roots with their greens attached
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook until the sausage starts to brown. Pour in the water, cover, and bring it up to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, wash the roots and greens thoroughly. If you’re using Purple Top or another variety of large turnip, separate the roots from the greens and cut the roots into quarters. If you’re using Hakureis, you can leave them whole.
  • Make sure you still have 2 quarts of water in the saucepan and add the roots and greens at the same time. They will not be completely submerged right away, but check back in a minute or two and stir things around. The greens will have cooked down, and both the roots and greens should be submerged in the cooking liquid. If they are not, add just enough water to barely cover them.
  • Simmer covered for about 10-15 minutes. You’re looking for the roots to be quite tender and the greens to be soft. Once they’re done, drain off all but 1/2 cup — pot liquour is the life-fixing chicken soup of the South.
  • Add the salt. If you have a collard chopper, roughly work through the roots, greens and sausage. The end product ain’t gonna be pretty, but it is delicious. If you don’t have a collard chopper, get one, and use a large fork in the meantime. Serve warm.

Notes

Courtesy Vivian Howard

Chipotle Oyster Soup

Chipotle Oyster Soup
Print Recipe
4.67 from 9 votes

Chipotle Oyster Soup

Chipotle Oyster Soup recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 2 “Altata, Hidden Gem by the Sea of Cortez”
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: carrots, celery, chile de arbol, chipotles in adobo, leeks, onion, oysters, seafood, seafood broth, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped white onion
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery divided
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped carrot divided
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks divided
  • 5 garlic cloves finely chopped or pressed
  • 2 tablespoons about 4 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce and their sauce, chopped, or to taste
  • 1 chile de arbol stemmed and chopped, seeds included
  • 1 1/2 pounds about 6 Roma tomatoes, roasted and charred, chopped
  • 1 pound about 12 to 15 shucked oysters and their juices
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 5 cups shrimp or seafood broth or substitute vegetable or chicken broth
  • Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
  • Quartered limes to serve

Instructions

  • In a large casserole or soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Incorporate 1 cup each of the celery, carrot, and leeks (reserving half a cup of each for later use), cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the vegetables have wilted. Make room in the middle of the pot and add the garlic, chipotles in adobo, and chile de arbol, cook for a minute, then mix with the vegetables and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes, the juices from the oysters, salt, and oregano and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes, until it is all simmering and thickening a bit. Add the broth, once it comes back to a simmer, continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
  • Once it cools off a little, puree in batches in the blender until completely smooth. If you want a very silky soup, strain back into the soup pot.
  • Bring the pureed soup back to a simmer over medium heat, add the remaining half a cup each of the celery, carrot, and leeks and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Incorporate the shucked oysters, cook for 1 minute until barely cooked through and turn off the heat.
  • Ladle into soup bowls, garnish with cilantro and offer your guests a quartered lime to squeeze in fresh juice before they eat.

Notes

Sopa de Ostion Enchipotlada

Spicy Clam Chorizo Pasta

Spicy Clam Chorizo Pasta
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Spicy Clam Chorizo Pasta

Spicy Clam Chorizo Pasta from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 6 "Loreto: Baja’s Hidden Gem"
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chorizo, clams, mexican pasta, pasta, pati's mexican table
Servings: 4 to 5 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 to 5 dozen small littleneck clams
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1/2 pound chorizo casings removed and chopped
  • 1 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 5 garlic cloves pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 chiles de arbol stemmed, chopped (keep the seeds), or more to taste
  • 1 cup light beer that you like to drink
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Instructions

  • Rinse and scrub the clams under cold water, making sure they are closed and unbroken. Discard any that aren’t closed. Drain well.
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot or casserole set over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chorizo, breaking it into smaller pieces with two wooden spatulas or spoons, and fry until it begins to crisp and brown, about 4 minutes. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
  • Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil to the rendered chorizo fat and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for a couple minutes until softened. Add the garlic and chile de arbol and cook for a minute, until the garlic is fragrant and the chile de arbol begins to toast. Pour in the beer, add the salt, and once it comes to a simmer, incorporate the drained clams. Let it come to a simmer again, cover with a lid, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until the shells open.
  • Remove the lid and transfer the clams using a slotted spoon into a bowl, including the ones that may have fallen from the shells. Raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the beer-clam liquid for 6 to 7 minutes, so it strongly simmers and a lot of the alcohol evaporates. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste and honey. Stir well, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once in between.
  • Meanwhile, bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, about 9 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove about 3 dozen clams from their shells and discard those shells. Remove the lid from the pot with the sauce and incorporate the cooked chorizo, shelled clams, and the clams still in their shells. Mix well.
  • Strain the spaghetti and add it to the sauce. Toss until it is coated. Transfer to a serving platter or individual bowls and garnish with the parsley and cilantro and serve.

Notes

Pasta con Salsa Picante de Chorizo y Almejas

Sardine Empanadas

Sardine Empanadas
Print Recipe
4.34 from 12 votes

Sardine Empanadas

Sardine Empanadas from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 7 "La Paz: The Heart of Baja Sur"
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Empanadas, fish, pati's mexican table, sardines
Servings: 20 Empanadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen puff pastry
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white onion chopped
  • 2 cups white button mushrooms cleaned and diced 8 ounces
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup ripe Roma tomatoes chopped about 1/2 pound
  • 1/2 cup manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos chopped
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños chopped
  • 2 cans (3-4 ounces) of sardines in oil broken into chunks
  • 2 eggs separated
  • All-purpose flour for rolling out puff pastry

Instructions

  • Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw on your countertop.
  • Heat the oil in a medium casserole or a sauté pan set over medium heat. Once hot, cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until it softens. Incorporate the mushrooms, sprinkle in the salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the juices come out and they begin to dry out, and the mushrooms start browning a bit. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until they start breaking down and becoming mushy and soft. Add the olives and jalapeños, mix well, and cook for another minute.
  • Remove from the heat, add the sardines, combine well and set aside.
  • Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks in two small bowls. Use a fork or a whisk to beat them separately.
  • Place the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Lightly sprinkle flour on the countertop and rub some on the rolling pin. Roll out the puff pastry to thinner than 1/4-inch and use a 4-to-5-inch round mold to cut circles. Add a generous tablespoon of the sardine filling in the middle of each round. Brush a bit of the beaten egg white around the edges each round. Fold each one into a half moon shape and press the sides.
  • Using a fork, press the side of the empanada to help seal and decorate it. Brush the egg yolk on top of the empanadas and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Place the empanadas in the oven. Bake anywhere from 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops of the empanadas have puffed and are a shiny golden brown.

Notes

Empanadas de Sardina 

Tarascan Soup

tarascan soup
Print Recipe
4.50 from 8 votes

Tarascan Soup

Tarascan Soup, from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 12 "Photographic Food Memories"
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beans, pati's mexican table, pinto beans, Recipe, soup, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 to 8 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For soup:

  • 1 pound ripe plum or roma tomatoes
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 (about 1 ounce) ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
  • 1/2 cup white onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt divided, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons safflower or corn oil
  • 1 pound cooked pinto beans plus 2 cups of their cooking liquid or 2 14-ounce cans cooked pinto beans plus 2 cups water
  • 3 cups chicken broth vegetable broth or water

For garnishes:

  • 1/2 cup Mexican style cream
  • 1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips
  • 1 ancho chile stemmed, seeded, diced, deep fried for a few seconds
  • 1 avocado, peeled seeded, meat scooped out and diced, optional

Instructions

  • Place the tomatoes, garlic, and ancho chile in a saucepan. Cover with water, and simmer over medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes are completely cooked through and ancho chile is rehydrated.
  • Transfer the tomatoes, garlic, and ancho chile to a blender or food processor, along with 1 cup of the cooking liquid, the white onion, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Puree until smooth.
  • Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the pureed tomato mixture and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it darkens in color and thickens in consistency.
  • Meanwhile, rinse your blender or food processor, then add the pinto beans and 2 cups of their cooking liquid (or water, if using canned beans) and puree until smooth.
  • Reduce the heat to medium and stir the bean puree, broth and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt into the thickened tomato mixture. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the soup has seasoned and has a creamy consistency. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Turn off the heat, as it thickens quickly.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with a tablespoon of the cream and top with some cheese, a handful of crumbled tortilla chips or tortilla strips, a few fried ancho chile crisps and some diced avocado. You can also place the garnishes in bowls on the table to let your guests decide how much of each garnish they want to add to their bowls.
  • The soup itself may be cooled and stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because this soup thickens a bit as it cools, you may need to add some chicken broth or water to thin it out when you reheat it.

Notes

Pinto Bean and Tomato Soup

Mary-Mex Crab Dip

Mary-Mex Crab Dip
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Mary-Mex Crab Dip

Mary-Mex Crab Dip, from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 13 "Mex’d Up American Regional Favorites"
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: Antojo, chiles toreados, cotija cheese, crab, dip, Recipe, seafood
Servings: 6 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup crumbled Cotija cheese divided
  • 1/2 cup shredded Muenster cheese
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 tablespoons chiles toreados chopped and drained
  • 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat picked through to remove any shells
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • Crackers, crostini, or chips for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a medium bowl, stir together the crema, mayonnaise, ¼ cup of Cotija cheese, Muenster cheese, lime juice, Worcestershire and cayenne until combined.
  • Fold in the chiles, crab meat, and the white and light green parts of the scallions (reserve the rest for garnish), being careful not to break the crab up too much.
  • Transfer the mixture to an oven safe dish. Sprinkle remaining Cotija cheese on the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until it is bubbly and golden brown. Sprinkle on the reserved scallions. Serve with crostini, crackers or chips.

Notes

Dip de Cangrejo Mary-Mex

Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas
Print Recipe
4.46 from 11 votes

Flour Tortillas

Flour Tortillas from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 7, Episode 3 "Ensenada’s Epic Seafood"
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Total Time42 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: pati's mexican table, tortillas
Servings: 16 Tortillas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound all-purpose flour or about 4 cups plus more to roll out tortillas
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2/3 cup vegetable shortening or lard
  • 1 cup lukewarm water

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and vegetable shortening with your hands, slowly incorporate the lukewarm water and mix until it can come together into a ball. Transfer to the counter and knead for about 2 to 4 minutes, until it is smooth like play dough.
  • Divide the dough into halves until you have 16 balls of dough. Place them on a floured sheet or board, cover with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for 25 to 35 minutes.
  • Heat your comal or ungreased cast iron or non-stick skillet over low heat. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball with a floured rolling pin, rotating 5 or 6 times until you get a 7” round.
  • Place the tortilla on the already heated comal or skillet. You will hear a faint sizzle. After 40 to 50 seconds, when there are brown freckles on the bottom side and there are air bubbles puffed up all over the tortilla, flip over. Cook for 40 to 50 seconds more, until the other side is freckled and the tortilla puffs up even more, like pita bread.

Notes

Tortillas de Harina

Sardine Empanadas

What to do with a couple cans of sardines? Do what the people from landlocked Aguascalientes do: make the tastiest empanadas.

Over the past dozen years, I have been amazed by so many things, as I’ve ventured into a deep exploration of Mexico’s cuisine to share it with the world – or whoever will listen. Its richness, its diversity, its depth, its accessibility, its generosity… One thing that has also stood out, everywhere, is the resourcefulness of its people.

You know the saying, if all you have are lemons, make lemonade. That exponentially applies to the Mexican spirit.

Take the state of Nuevo Leon that is so rich in oranges. You will find everything from orange cake, orange cookies, orange drinks, orange chicken, orange candy, to amazing orange preserves.

Aguascalientes is a place deeply inland, with no water outside its borders and no water within its borders – no lakes, no rivers. Bien tierra adentro, as we say. Historically, the only fish and seafood that has been available there, for the most part, is that which can be preserved: salted, dried, pickled, or canned. Hence, these sardine empanadas, a dish that truly embellishes the sardines.

I was intrigued when I stumbled upon this recipe as a specialty of the region. It jumped out at me like a jack-in-the-box screaming: test me please! See, I inherited a deep taste for sardines. A funny ingredient to dig, I know. Pretty basic and not much glamour about them…

Oh, but it’s the lightly salty, oily, peculiar rich taste and kind of pasty consistency to them that I grew to appreciate from two men I love. My father, whose favorite torta – and he is a heck of a torta maker – has sardines, avocado, onion and pickled jalapeños. And my grandfather, my father’s father, who was an angel that happened to land on earth – ok, fine, he was a Polish man fleeing persecution, who found refuge in Mexico when he was merely a teen – loved eating sardines on saltine crackers smeared with butter.

Pati with her Grandpa
With my grandfather, like 25 years ago…

Turns out, you really only need basic ingredients to make these empanadas. And they end up gorgeous, inside and out.

Here is a bird’s eye view of the empanadas.

sardine empanadas

You know why they have such deep and shimmering golden brown color on the top? Because in Aguascalientes, they brush the empanadas with only the egg yolks. No worries, you won’t waste the egg whites. You can use them to help seal the inner seam of the empanada.

As far as the filling: Sardines are combined with mushrooms that are seasoned and browned over softened onions and mixed with mushy cooked tomatoes, olives and pickled jalapeños. The sardine flavor is nuanced by the combination, yet not hidden. It is embellished in a way.

The mushrooms are a non-competing companion that makes the filling more substantial and adds a nice soft bite. The puff pastry becomes the perfect wrapping to envelop the savory, lightly spicy, teasingly rich mixture.

Ok, here is an inside photo, so you can see the chunky and moist filling too.

sardine empanadas

You can make them for lunch or dinner and eat them with a green salad on the side. You can also make them mini and have them as appetizers. You can eat them hot, right out of the oven. Or you can eat them at room temperature. And you know I am going to say this: they are actually also delicious cold.

The best thing is, if you have leftovers, everyone will have a delicious to-go lunch for school or work.

Sardine Empanadas
Print Recipe
4.34 from 12 votes

Sardine Empanadas

Sardine Empanadas from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 7 "La Paz: The Heart of Baja Sur"
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Empanadas, fish, pati’s mexican table, sardines
Servings: 20 Empanadas
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound frozen puff pastry
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup white onion chopped
  • 2 cups white button mushrooms cleaned and diced 8 ounces
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup ripe Roma tomatoes chopped about 1/2 pound
  • 1/2 cup manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos chopped
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños chopped
  • 2 cans (3-4 ounces) of sardines in oil broken into chunks
  • 2 eggs separated
  • All-purpose flour for rolling out puff pastry

Instructions

  • Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and let it thaw on your countertop.
  • Heat the oil in a medium casserole or a sauté pan set over medium heat. Once hot, cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes until it softens. Incorporate the mushrooms, sprinkle in the salt and pepper, and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the juices come out and they begin to dry out, and the mushrooms start browning a bit. Add the tomatoes and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until they start breaking down and becoming mushy and soft. Add the olives and jalapeños, mix well, and cook for another minute.
  • Remove from the heat, add the sardines, combine well and set aside.
  • Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks in two small bowls. Use a fork or a whisk to beat them separately.
  • Place the racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Lightly sprinkle flour on the countertop and rub some on the rolling pin. Roll out the puff pastry to thinner than 1/4-inch and use a 4-to-5-inch round mold to cut circles. Add a generous tablespoon of the sardine filling in the middle of each round. Brush a bit of the beaten egg white around the edges each round. Fold each one into a half moon shape and press the sides.
  • Using a fork, press the side of the empanada to help seal and decorate it. Brush the egg yolk on top of the empanadas and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Place the empanadas in the oven. Bake anywhere from 20 to 22 minutes, until the tops of the empanadas have puffed and are a shiny golden brown.

Notes

Empanadas de Sardina 

Ensalada de Navidad

My first formal job, after switching careers from political analysis to cooking, was as chef and cooking instructor of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC.

This was 2007. A year before, I had created a curriculum that aimed to open, one class at a time, a window into Mexican cuisine, history and culture for anybody living north of the border. What I didn’t know, when I began preparing it, was that classes were to be for a crowd of 100 people, on a stage, wearing a microphone, and having a big screen at my side. I thought it would be small cozy classes for 8 to 10 people in the kitchen. As much as I had culinary training and had done extensive research on Mexican culture and cuisine, I did not have any speaker or media training.

I was a bit frozen when I got up on that stage the first couple times. So much so that, for months, before putting the boys to bed each night, instead of telling them bedtime stories, I practiced teaching the classes with them. You bet they know how the recipe for chicken tinga goes!

One of the first demo/dinners we did was themed December Holidays in Mexico City. One of the dishes was this absolutely gorgeous Christmas Salad. Oh how I have loved, since then, sharing all the things about my native country with my new home country. But if you see this clip, taken from the “How I Got to Now” episode of my new season of Pati’s Mexican Table (now available on Amazon, as well as your PBS stations), you can hear my voice tremble a bit…

This salad is emblematic of Mexican cuisine. It has unexpected ingredients, unexpected tastes, unexpected textures. It is nutritious and healthy. It is not overly laborious. It is rich. It is fresh. It is generous. It is colorful! It is deeeeeelicious! As I said that day and still say today… in Mexico we have no taco salads. But, oh boy, do we have some amazing ones! Take a peek at the incredible ingredients and combinations that have come from Mexico’s kitchens and are now at your fingertips to enrich your daily life.

This year was the 10th anniversary of my live cooking demos and dinners at the Mexican Cultural Institute. It is my 10th year there as its resident chef. It is my 10th year working with the same amazing cooking team and the fabulous staff and the Institute’s leadership. And we have attendees who have not missed a single event in these 10 years! I couldn’t be more honored and proud. I hope to be able to continue this journey along with all of you as the years pass.

I end this post, the last one of 2017, with lots of love and gratitude for letting me into your home, via this blog, my recipes or because you tune in to my show.

Siempre,

Pati

Pati Jinich ensalada de navidad
Print Recipe
4.34 from 3 votes

Jicama, Beet, Orange, and Caramelized Peanut Christmas Salad

This salad is emblematic of Mexican cuisine. It has unexpected ingredients, unexpected tastes, unexpected textures. It is nutritious and healthy. It is not overly laborious. It is rich. It is fresh. It is generous. It is colorful! It is deeeeeelicious!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beets, Christmas, Ensalada, Jicama, Mexican, Mexico, Navidad, oranges, Peanuts, salad
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium jicama (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick sticks
  • 3 pounds beets cooked, peeled, and quartered (*see note)
  • 3 oranges peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 cup caramelized peanuts coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Combine the vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified.
  • Place the jicama, beets, and oranges in separate bowls and toss each with about one third of the vinaigrette. Arrange the ingredients in a pattern on a large platter. I like to do parallel stripes, and I often start with beets in the center, placing jicama on one side and oranges on the other. Sprinkle on the caramelized peanuts and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on top.
  • * Note: To cook beets, cut off the greens and most of the stems, leaving about 1 inch. Don’t scrub them or cut off the thin root, or they will bleed their juices, sweetness, and color as they cook. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until tender. Medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter) cook in 30 to 35 minutes. For this salad, you want them crunchy, so don’t overcook. Drain, let cool completely, then peel and cut.

Notes

Ensalada de Navidad

Pescado Agridulce

Pati Jinich pescado agridulce or sweet and sour Mexican style fish
Print Recipe
4.43 from 7 votes

Sweet and Sour Mexican Style Fish

Sweet and Sour Mexican Style Fish recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 8 "In Search of La Mixteca"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: canela, cinnamon, fish, olives, tomatillos
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 cup white onion slivered
  • 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 pound ripe Roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 pound tomatillos husked and rinsed, diced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt plus more to season fish
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground ceylon cinnamon or canela
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/4 cup sliced manzanilla olives stuffed with pimientos
  • 2 pounds halibut filet skin on, cut into 6 pieces

Instructions

  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and cook for a couple minutes, until it starts to wilt. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Incorporate the tomatoes, tomatillos and sprinkle in the salt, sugar, allspice, and cinnamon. Mix well and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened.
  • Incorporate the almonds and olives and continue cooking for another 7 to 8 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  • Season fish with salt to taste. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole set over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the fish skin side down and cook for one to two minutes, until the skin begins to brown.
  • Scrape the chunky sauce over the fish, cover the casserole and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes. I like to serve it over rice or steamed potatoes.

Notes

Pescado Agridulce

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad

Print Recipe
4.45 from 9 votes

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 4 "The Mezcal Trail"
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: carne, carrots, flank steak, pati's mexican table, Pickled Jalapeños, potatoes, Salpicon, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 to 3 pounds flank steak
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 (about 1/2 pound) medium carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • 3 (about 1 pound) medium red potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 pound green beans ends trimmed, cut diagonally into thirds
  • 1 cup peas fresh or thawed from frozen
  • 6 radishes halved and cut into matchsticks
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves and upper part of stems chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted, meat scooped out and sliced
  • To taste pickled jalapeños
  • To taste chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

For the vinaigrette: (If you like salad juicy double the vinaigrette!)

  • 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil plus more to grill the meat
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced or pressed
  • 2/3 cup red onion slivered

To serve:

  • 1 head romaine lettuce leaves rinsed and chopped
  • Warm corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Brush the flank steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the meat for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium (about 145 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer). Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain and set aside.
  • Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook the carrots for about 3 to 4 minutes until tender, remove with a spider or slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Repeat with the potatoes and green beans, adding them to the same bowl with the carrots. Lastly, cook the peas for just one minute, then drain and place in the bowl with the other cooked vegetables.
  • In a bowl, whisk the vinegar with the oils, salt, pepper, sugar and garlic, until emulsified. Add the onion and let macerate for at least 15 minutes. You may cover and place in the fridge for up to a couple weeks. Shake before using. If you like your salad very juicy and dressed, double the vinaigrette!
  • Dress the lettuce with some of the vinaigrette and place on an extended platter. Pour some of the vinaigrette on to the cooked vegetables, incorporate the radishes and cilantro, mix well and place on lettuce. Place the sliced meat on top, add the avocado, dress with more of the vinaigrette. Add some of the pickled jalapeños and chipotles in adobo on the sides of the plate or to your liking. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Notes

Salpicón de Carne

Arroz con Chepil

Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Chepil Rice

Chepil Rice recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 5 "From Pueblo to City"
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: arroz, Chepil, jalapeno, pati's mexican table, rice, serrano chiles
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 cups jasmine white rice or extra long white rice
  • 1/2 cup white onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles finely chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1 cup chepil or chipilin leaves or substitute for baby watercress

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until it becomes milky white, crackles and feels heavier as you stir it in the pan, about 3 minutes. Make room in the center of the pan, add the onion, garlic and chile, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring and mixing with the rice, until the onion begins to soften.
  • Add the chicken broth and salt and stir once. Raise the heat to high, bring to a rolling boil, add the chepil leaves, stir, cover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer 12 to 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed but there is still some moisture in the pan. The rice should be cooked and tender; if it is not, but all the liquid has been absorbed, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover again, and cook for a couple more minutes.
  • Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork, and serve.

Notes

Arroz con Chepil 

Almond and Chocolate Leche Cake

Pati Jinich almond and chocolate leche cake
Print Recipe
4.15 from 14 votes

Almond and Chocolate Leche Cake

Almond and Chocolate Leche Cake recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 6 “Women of Oaxaca"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: almonds, cake, Chocolate, Sweetened Condensed Milk
Servings: 10 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 14-ounce can, plus 1/4 cup, sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the rack set in the middle. Butter a round 9-inch springform pan and cover bottom with parchment paper.
  • In a double boiler, melt the butter and bittersweet chocolate, stirring occasionally to blend. Keep an eye on it and turn off the heat as soon as it’s all melted.
  • In the jar of a blender, place the eggs and sweetened condensed milk. Puree until smooth. Incorporate the melted chocolate and puree again. Then add the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and puree again. Lastly add the boiling water and puree again.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40 minutes, until top is fluffy and springy to the touch, and a toothpick comes out moist but not wet.

Notes

Pastel de Almendras y Chocolate de Leche

Grilled Corn Salad

Pati Jinich grilled corn salad
Print Recipe
4.34 from 6 votes

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled Corn Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 3 "A Queen in the Land of Gods"
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Corn, green onions, scallions, Tomatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of corn
  • 10 scallions
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing grill
  • 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the grill to medium, or set a grill pan over medium heat. Once hot, brush with oil.
  • Cook the corn for about 20 minutes, flipping with tongs every once in a while. Also, cook the scallions for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally as well. Remove both from the heat when charred, cooked and softened. Set aside.
  • Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until charred and softened. Remove from the heat, making sure to reserve the oil and tomato juices as well.
  • Shave the corn kernels off the cobs and place in salad bowl. Cut white and light green parts of the scallions into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Add the mint, chives, vinegar, and the reserved oil and juices from the tomatoes. Mix well. Incorporate the tomatoes. Gently toss and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Elote Asado

Natilla with Fresh Berries

Pati Jinich natilla with fresh berries
Print Recipe
4.10 from 10 votes

Natilla with Fresh Berries

Natilla with Fresh Berries recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 1 "One Day in Oaxaca" 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: berries, canela, cinnamon, custard, natilla, pati's mexican table
Servings: 6 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 liter milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Ground ceylon cinnamon or canela optional for garnish
  • Berries of your choice for garnish

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan, combine the milk and vanilla. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk until thickened and the color has turned from bright yellow to pale yellow. Incorporate the evaporated milk, sugar and cornstarch, whisk until cornstarch has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and combined.
  • After about 15 minutes, the milk will begin to form a thin film on top (called nata) and start to come to a simmer. Remove from the heat at this point.
  • To temper the egg yolk mixture, constantly whisk the egg mixture while adding the hot milk into the bowl one ladle full at a time. Then return it all into the saucepan and set over medium heat. Continue to cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring constantly with a spatula or whisk and making sure mixture doesn’t stick to sides or bottom of the pot, until it has thickened to the consistency of a very thin pudding.
  • Remove from the heat. Ladle into ramekins and sprinkle cinnamon on top. You can serve it at room temperature or let cool, cover with plastic wrap, place in the refrigerator and serve chilled. Garnish with fresh berries.

Notes

Natilla con Moras

Caldo de Oso

There is no bear in this soup. Nor is the soup named after any bear. In fact, there are zero bears to be found in the state of Chihuahua, where this soup comes from. Yet, I admit Pepe was right, it is a spectacular soup, and it is called caldo de oso (or bear soup).

I met Pepe a few months ago at a Telemundo news interview, while on book tour in Denver. He was the producer. As he walked me out of the building, we got caught up in a long, detailed conversation about soup, even though I was in a hurry to catch a plane. I don’t know what hooked me more in wanting to know every little thing about this soup: its curious name, how much he seemed to adore it, or the fact that I’ve never tried it although I’ve been to Chihuahua many times.

Well, here we go again. Another story, out of hundreds and hundreds of incredible stories and recipes I have learned while traveling the US. It turns out, each and every single Mexican I have met here is as passionate as I am about the Mexican food we grew up with. We are all a bunch of nostalgic food fanatics.

Anyway, back to the soup.

It turns out caldo de oso is insanely popular in Chihuahua. The thing is, it is not to be found in restaurants, but in homes. One reason I may have missed it all the times I visited. And considering how dearly loved it is, it makes the origin of its name even funnier.

Here goes the true story:

Almost a century ago, workers building the La Boquilla Dam, on the Conchos River in Camargo, used to make a fish soup every day with catfish, which were bountiful in that river. After eating it so often, instead of calling it caldo de pescado (or fish soup), they started calling it caldo odioso, which translates to hateful soup.

From saying caldo odioso again and again, the soup got the nickname caldo de oso – from the shortened odi-oso to oso. It is a common Mexican practice to make words smaller and use them in their diminutives or cute nicknames. And the name stuck: caldo de oso! However, other than the workers at the dam who ate it everyday, people in Chihuahua absolutely adore this soup.

So, Pepe gave me some tips, and he told me in detail how his mom makes it. I thoroughly researched it and tested it in my kitchen. And let me tell you, caldo de oso is totally worth the heavy nostalgia for it that Pepe carries around.

Caldo de Oso or Bear Soup recipe by Pati Jinich
Print Recipe
4.70 from 10 votes

Bear Soup

There is no bear in this soup. Nor is the soup named after any bear. In fact, there are zero bears to be found in the state of Chihuahua, where this soup comes from. Yet, I admit Pepe was right, it is a spectacular soup, and it is called caldo de oso (or bear soup). It turns out caldo de oso is insanely popular in Chihuahua. The thing is, it is not to be found in restaurants, but in homes.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: ancho chiles, carrots, catfish, cilantro, fish broth, lime, onion, pati's mexican table, Pickled Jalapeños, potatoes, Tomatoes
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2/3 cup white onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 8 cups seafood or fish broth or water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 whole pickled jalapeño diced
  • 2 tablespoons vinegary sauce from pickled jalapeños
  • 2 cups carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 cups potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 pounds catfish fillets cut into 2" pieces
  • 2 limes cut into wedges, to serve
  • 1/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped, to serve

Instructions

  • Place the ancho chiles in a bowl, cover with 2 cups boiling water, and let them sit for 10 minutes until they plump up and rehydrate.
  • In a soup pot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and bubbly, add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened and the edges begin to brown. Add the garlic, stir and cook for a minute until fragrant. Increase the heat to medium-high and incorporate the chopped tomato, cook for 6 to 7 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle the flour on top of the cooking vegetables, stir well, and let cook for another minute or so, stirring frequently, until the flour starts to brown and smell toasty. Pour in the broth or water and bring to a simmer.
  • Meanwhile, place the ancho chiles along with a cup of their soaking water into a blender, and puree until completely smooth. Add the chile puree, along with the thyme, marjoram, oregano, cumin, bay leaf, salt, pepper, pickled jalapeño and its vinegar to the soup, and mix well. Once it returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium, and let it cook for 15 minutes with the lid ajar.
  • Add the carrots, potatoes, and fish pieces and continue to cook for 10 more minutes, until vegetables and fish are completely cooked through.
  • Serve hot, along with lime wedges and chopped cilantro for people to add to their taste. I like it with crusty bread, such as a baguette, on the side.

Notes

Caldo de Oso

Pine Nut Pipián

Print Recipe
3.84 from 6 votes

Pine Nut Pipián

Pine Nut Pipián recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 13 “José Andrés Takes Over”
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cilantro, José Andrés, pati's mexican table, Pine Nut Pipián, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, serrano chiles, tomatillos
Servings: 2 cups
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 small clove garlic peeled
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro
  • 1/4 pound iceberg lettuce leaves roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup white onion roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup serrano chile roughly chopped
  • 1 radish top
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons hulled raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 2 cups tomatillos husked and chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups water divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  • Combine garlic, cilantro, lettuce, onion, serrano, radish top, salt, pumpkin seeds, pine nuts, and tomatillos in a blender. Add 1/2 cup of the water and blend until as smooth as possible. There might still be some texture to the mixture. Leave contents in blender and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil over high heat in a wide pan until it is smoking. Then add the contents of the blender and continue to cook over high heat, stirring constantly for five to seven minutes.
  • Add the remaining water to the pan, drop the flame to low, and allow to simmer for half an hour. Season with salt to taste.
  • Optional: If you prefer a very smooth texture, you can return the contents of the pan to the blender, working in batches, and blend until even more smooth.
  • The Pine Nut Pipián can be made ahead of time and keeps for five days in the refrigerator or freezer. After thawing, whisk or blend to restore consistency.

Notes

Recipe courtesy José Andrés