“Traditional” and “simple” rarely belong in the same breath when it comes to Mexican recipes, but if you can find ancho chiles, this braised chicken recipe makes great weeknight fare without being light on flavor. It’s the antithesis to festive Mexican dishes that have several sub-recipes — you only need a few spices, pantry staples, and fresh tortillas.

When selecting ancho chiles, look for pliability and a shiny dark exterior. Holding it up against light will reveal a reddish-brown hue. Since poblano chiles are naturally mild and sweet, its dried version in ancho chiles lend a similar quality to sauces and moles.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Pollo en Ajo-Comino
Chicken Braised in Ancho Chiles, Garlic, and Cumin

makes 6 to 8 servings

4 ancho chiles, veins and seeds removed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
12 black peppercorns
1 whole clove
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
4 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces

Equipment:

• A molcajete and tejolote (mortar and pestle)
• A blender
• A heavy pot

Instructions:

1. In a small skillet, cover the ancho chiles with water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then soak for another 5 minutes. Drain.
2. Using a molcajete or mortar, grind the cumin, black peppercorns, clove, salt, and garlic. Add about 1/4 cup of water to form a thin paste.
3. Blend the soaked ancho chiles with 3/4 cup of water until smooth.
4. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt.
5. In a heavy pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the chicken pieces until pale gold, about 5-6 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
6. Immediately add the cumin and garlic mixture to the pot and cook for about 3 minutes while stirring constantly.
7. Add the pureed ancho chiles and cook for another 3 minutes while scraping the bottom of the pot constantly.
8. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and return the browned chicken pieces to the pot. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Braise while uncovered for about 45 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

To Serve:

Serve warm with freshly made tortillas.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chicken Braised with Ancho Chiles

Similar Posts:

1. Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce
2. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
3. Afelia – Pork Braised with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds
4. Chicken Adobo in Coconut Milk
5. Pork Belly Recipe – Braised in Soy and Dashi
6. Grilled Chicken with Espelette Pepper

Calabaza en tacha is traditionally served during the Mexican Day of the Dead celebrations but it’s never a bad idea anytime fresh pumpkins are available. Lightly spiced and intensely sweet, it can be enjoyed on its own as a light snack, as a breakfast item with milk, or as a dessert with plain vanilla ice cream.

In this version of calabaza en tacha from Michoacán, guavas and cinnamon give the dark brown glaze an unusual earthy character. The guava seeds also adds interest by embedding itself into the crevices of your teeth, a reminder that the rich sweetness of candied pumpkin is best savored slowly.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico
In the Bag: Pumpkins hosted by Julia

Calabaza en Tacha
Candied Pumpkin and Guava in Raw Sugar

Pumpkin and guavas

1 medium pumpkin, about 5 pounds
8 cups water
1 1/2 pounds piloncillo/panela or dark brown sugar, about 4 cups
2 cinnamon sticks, about 3 to 4 inches each
10 guavas (optional)

Notes:

• The original recipe calls for simmering the seeds, pulp, and flesh in the syrup. I usually reserve the seeds for other things.
• Keep the rind on to prevent the pumpkin slices from disintegrating during the long simmer.

Instructions:

1. Stab the pumpkin in several places to allow the syrup to penetrate the flesh.
2. Cleave the pumpkin and guavas in half lengthwise.
3. Disembowel the pumpkin.
4. Hack the pumpkin into 3-inch chunks or crescent-shaped slivers.
5. In a wide and heavy cauldron, add the pumpkin pieces, guavas, raw sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Add enough water to drown the pumpkin pieces and guavas, about 8 cups. Bring to a boil.
   A wide and heavy cauldron, also known as a dutch oven

6. Cover the pot and cook the pumpkin and guavas over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a thick syrup and the pumpkin and guavas are glazed, about 1 to 2 hours.

To Serve:

Serve warm or chilled with milk or ice cream. Drizzle with some of the reserved syrup.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Calabaza en Tacha – Candied Pumpkin and Guava

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5. Pumpkin Quick Bread – Whole Wheat with Walnuts
6. Pumpkin Seed Cream Scones

The recent slew of pumpkin and squash posts is not some sort of misguided attempt to turn my year-round tan into a peculiar shade of orange. It’s all about collecting the slippery seeds within for making the pumpkin seed dip called ha-sikil-pak, which is Mayan for water-pumpkin seed-tomato.

I like guacamole as much as the next person but it lacks one thing that ha sikil pak has in spades — the complexity of several toasted and charred ingredients.

Raw pumpkin seeds are crisped and pulverized to serve as the pumpkin seed dip base. The chiles and tomatoes are then charred before mixing with a bit of water, herbs, and the fragrant pumpkin seed powder. Usually enjoyed with tortilla chips, ha sikil pak also serves well as a piquant condiment for grilled meat and seafood or as a substitute for fresh salsa.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico
Waiter There’s Something in my… Gourd hosted by Cook Sister!

Ha Sikil Pak
Mayan Pumpkin Seed Dip

makes about 1 1/2 cups, about 6 servings

Unhulled and hulled raw pumpkin seeds.

1 cup unhulled raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw hulled pumpkin seeds
3 to 6 tomatoes, about 3/4 pound
1 habanero chile, or any fresh green chile such as jalapeño or serrano

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1/3 to 2/3 cups water

2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons minced chives

Notes:

• Use any proportion of unhulled to hulled raw pumpkin seeds. In the original recipe, 1 cup of unhulled to 1/4 cup of hulled pumpkin seeds is suggested.

Instructions:

Heat a skillet or wide pan over medium heat. While mixing frequently, toast the unhulled pumpkin seeds until browned and crisp. The amount of time needed depends on the freshness of the pumpkin seeds and may take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. Some of the pumpkin seeds will pop.

Once well-browned, add the hulled pumpkin seeds and toast for an additional minute. Set the toasted pumpkin seeds aside and let cool.

In the same skillet, char the chiles and tomatoes while turning frequently until blistered in spots.

Toasted pumpkin seeds and charred habanero chile. Mind your hands and orifices when handling hot chiles.

Using a food processor or coffee / spice grinder, grind the toasted pumpkin seeds with the salt into a coarse powder and transfer to a serving bowl. Mince the charred chile and set aside.

Ground toasted pumpkin seeds.

Blend the charred tomatoes with about 1/3 cup of water. Stir into the pumpkin seed powder and add the cilantro and chives. The consistency should be smooth, resembling a coarser version of hummus or baba ghanoush

Top with the minced chile. Taste and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt if needed.

To Serve:

Serve at room temperature with tortilla chips. Ha sikil pak can be made ahead and will keep for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pumpkin Seed Dip of the Mayans – Ha Sikil Pak

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4. Pumpkin Spice Brioche
5. Pumpkin Quick Bread – Whole Wheat with Walnuts
6. Hobakjuk – Korean Pumpkin Porridge

Horchata de melón, a refreshing drink splashed with lime juice, uses parts of the melon typically discarded in the North American kitchen. The netted cantaloupe rind, you’ll be relieved to hear, won’t see any blender action here. The glistening seeds, however, encase delicately flavored kernels rich in protein and beneficial oils. Strained to remove the coarsest bits of the brittle outer shell, the resulting nectar makes the most of what melons have to offer within its rough exterior.

The melon seeds also thicken the drink slightly, just enough to be satisfying without being exceedingly heavy. Chufa or tiger nuts serve this purpose in the original Spanish horchata while rice and almonds followed in the Yucatecan adaptation. All three have the subtle and nutty sweetness of each respective ingredient but this humble version alone boasts of fresh cantaloupes and lime.

Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Canela & Camino

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Horchata de Melón
Melon / Cantaloupe Seed Drink

Cantaloupes, or any melon varietal
Scoop out the melon flesh, seeds, and juice.

For every cup of melon flesh, seeds, and juice, add:

1 cup cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

Notes:

• I’m not much of a stickler for specific ingredients, but the clean and light flavors of horchata de melón will suffer without freshly squeezed lime juice. It has to be freshly squeezed.

Instructions:

Put all the ingredients together in a blender jar and blend until very smooth. Take a whiff of the horchata de melón through the lid opening as it blends. Repeat as necessary.

Taste and adjust the sugar and lime juice if necessary.

Let the blended mixture rest in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour. Strain using a fine mesh strainer and serve over ice cubes.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Horchata de Melón – Melon Seed Drink

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5. Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja
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Chicago is home to several vibrant Latino neighborhoods, some predominantly of Mexican heritage. It follows that there is hardly any shortage of sources for Mexican ingredients. There are even several tortillerias open to the public that produce freshly made tortillas by the truckload and buying from these factories is easily the best option — the turnover will be high and the tortillas will be at their freshest. Since tortillas stale quickly, most store-bought varieties are pumped full of preservatives and could have been on the shelf for weeks.

It’s one thing to cook labor-intensive Mexican dishes in a city home to excellent Mexican restaurants — the options range from humble street food and taquerias to fine-dining establishments with elaborate tasting menus. New heights of obsessiveness are reached when one also makes the simple but somewhat finicky tortillas at home.

Considering that I can walk out my door and come back in a few minutes with a bag of passable tortillas, I can think of only one good reason to justify making these at home. Once the pressed masa sizzles on the hot comal, the familiar roasted corn aroma screams, “We’re having Mexican for dinner.” The next thought could be, “Time for margaritas,” or perhaps, “Prepare to ingest copious amounts of pork fat,” but in any case, good eating will undoubtedly follow. You can’t get that comforting scent from store-bought.

recipes and methods adapted from Rick Bayless and Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Corn Tortillas using Masa Harina
Tortillas de Maíz

makes approximately 15 tortillas

Equipment:

a tortilla press
2 pieces of wax paper, cut as wide as your tortilla press
a comal or heavy skillet, preferably cast iron

For the Tortilla Masa:

1 3/4 cup masa harina (7 1/2 ounces / 210 grams)
1 cup + 2 tablespoons hot water (9 ounces / 265 grams)

Notes:

• I use Maseca masa harina to make homemade tortillas. Ensure that the corn flour is not labeled masa harina para tamales — it is a much coarser grind and will be unsuitable for making tortillas.
• Consider the water amount a minimum starting point. The dough may be a bit on the dry side but adjustments can be made when dividing the masa into balls (see below).

To Prepare the Masa:

Mix the masa harina with the hot water and knead until smooth and evenly incorporated. Let the dough rest in a sealed container for about 1/2 hour to allow the corn flour to fully hydrate.

Divide the dough into 15 golf ball sized pieces and roll using the palms of your hands. The balls of masa should be seamless. If you are having difficulty closing the seams with light rolling, the dough is too dry. Apply just enough water to moisten your palms and roll the masa again to close the seams, repeating as needed.

Cover the divided masa with plastic wrap or a moist cloth.

To Cook the Tortillas:

Heat an ungreased comal over medium heat. Line the bottom plate of the tortilla press with wax paper place a ball off-center towards the hinge. Place the second piece of wax paper on top of the ball and flatten slightly with your palm.

Gently place the top plate on top of the wax paper and press down firmly using the lever.

gratuitous hairy veiny forearm shot

Open the press and gently peel off the wax paper on top.

no cracked edges please

Gently lift the bottom piece of wax paper and place on the finger of the opposing hand, tortilla side down, such that the edge of the tortilla is slightly dangling from your pinky finger. Peel off the wax paper and hope that the tortilla stays in one piece.

Let the dangling edge of the tortilla catch the surface of the hot comal and gently slide off your fingers.

don’t burn your knuckles

The tortillas are done shortly after puffing up, but it takes a few flips to wake up, much like a roommate with a bad hangover passed out on your couch. Cook the tortillas on one side for about 20 seconds. The tortilla should release easily from the comal after this time. Flip and cook for about 40 seconds, and flip again to cook for another 20 seconds. The tortilla will puff up after the second flip and will be slightly blistered on both sides.

Stack the tortillas as they are cooked in a basket or bowl lined with cloth.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Homemade Corn Tortillas using Masa Harina

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Ancho chiles, the most commonly used dried capsicum in Mexican cookery, give this thick and earthy dish its characteristic maroon color. The muted red hues of pipián rojo hides its complexity — toasted sesame seeds meld with Mexican herbs and spices to create an intense sauce with a consistency similar to mole.

There are two distinct steps in preparing pollo en pipián rojo. The chicken is first poached in an aromatic broth to season and cook the meat. The red sauce is then created separately. It will be used to poach the chicken a second time.

To make the pipián rojo, the ancho chiles and sesame seeds are toasted and combined with spices and garlic to create a paste. The chicken broth from the first poaching is used to thin the ancho-sesame paste, only to be thickened again to further deepen the flavors of the sauce.

Lasang Pinoy Sundays – Red hosted by SpiCes

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce
Pollo en Pipián Rojo

makes 6 servings

For Simmering the Chicken:

1/2 white onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig flat-leaf parsley
1 Mexican bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
salt, to taste

chicken giblets (optional)
A 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces

For the Ancho Chile and Sesame Seed Sauce:

6 Ancho chiles, seeded and deveined (reserve 1 tablespoon of the seeds)
1/2-inch piece of Mexican cinnamon (canela)
3 whole cloves
5 peppercorns
3/4 cup sesame seeds
1 garlic clove
3 tablespoons lard or olive oil
salt, to taste

Notes:

• If you already have some chicken broth on hand, the red sesame seed sauce can be prepared in advance. Make double batches of the sauce and use it as a condiment for other meats — it will freeze well.

To Simmer the Chicken:

Combine the onion, garlic cloves, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and salt in a heavy pot. Add the giblets (if using), and cover with water, about 4 to 5 cups. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, then simmer for about 30 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces and cook over low heat for about 25 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside. Strain the chicken broth and reserve.

To Prepare the Ancho Chile and Sesame Seed Sauce:

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Toast the ancho chiles lightly by flattening and pressing the chiles for no more than 5 seconds, inside down, using a metal spatula. In a large bowl, cover the chiles with hot water and soak for about 10 minutes.

Toast the reserved ancho chile seeds until golden brown. Set the seeds aside to cool. Once cooled, add the seeds to the cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns in a spice grinder, food processor, or mortar and pestle. Grind the spices to a fine powder.

Toast the sesame seeds until aromatic and lightly browned. Set the seeds aside to cool before grinding to a fine texture.

Transfer the soaked ancho chiles to a blender. Add the garlic clove and 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth. Blend to a smooth puree.

Heat a skillet or saucepan over low heat. Fry the ground seeds and spices over low heat for 3 minutes while constantly stirring.

Add the blended chiles to the fried spices and cook for about 5 minutes while constantly stirring.

Add 2 1/2 to 3 cups of the reserved chicken broth and cook the sauce for about 20 minutes until thickened. Season the ancho chile and sesame seed sauce to taste.

To Serve:

Add the cooked chicken pieces to the ancho chile and sesame seed sauce and heat until the sauce and chicken are heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve with warm tortillas.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Chicken in Red Sesame Seed Sauce

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I’m always looking for flavor combinations I’ve never tried before. The less ingredients there are, the more appealing it is because tasting how the different components complement each other can help inspire ideas and creativity in the kitchen. In this recipe, pork shoulder is slowly braised in orange juice, oregano, and garlic resulting in a savory combination of sweet, salty, and a hint of sourness.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Puerco en Naranja
Pork Cooked in Orange Juice

5 pounds pork shoulder butt
5 garlic cloves, crushed
salt, to taste
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
12 peppercorns
zest of 1 orange (optional)
3 oranges

Notes:

• In the original recipe, the pork is roasted in an oven but I prefer adding a little water and braising on the stovetop.
• The braising liquid will be reduced to create a sauce so use a light hand when seasoning the pork.

Crush the garlic, salt, oregano, and peppercorns. Moisten with the juice and zest of 1 orange then rub the mixture into the pork. Set aside for 1 hour or leave in the refrigerator overnight.

Place the pork in a dutch oven or heavy casserole and moisten with the juice of a second orange. Include the orange rinds in the pot. Add enough water to immerse half of the pork. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stovetop, then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while covered with a tight lid. Braise for 2 to 3 hours. Let cool to room temperature.

To Serve:

Reduce the braising liquid over high heat until thickened. Feel free to add more fresh orange juice to the liquid to freshen the sauce. While the sauce is reducing, thinly slice the meat then broil until slightly charred to help develop more flavor. Drizzle the sauce over the meat and add thinly sliced oranges if desired. The sweetness of the sliced oranges seems to play well with its more savory cousin in the reduced sauce.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Pork Shoulder Braised with Oranges – Puerco en Naranja

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This simple recipe for making succulent morsels of carnitas requires nothing more than pork, salt, and water. Whereas braising usually calls for searing the meat before cooking slowly in liquid, this method is the exact opposite. The pieces of pork shoulder are slowly simmered first then browned in its own rendered fat.

recipe adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico

Carnitas
Little Pieces of Browned Pork

3 pounds skinless and boneless pork shoulder
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Notes:

• Make carnitas on your not-so-well-maintained cast iron skillet and it will be perfectly seasoned after a few times.

Cut the meat into small pieces. In a heavy pan, arrange the pieces of pork in a single layer and cover with water. It’s fine to crowd the pan initially –  the pieces of meat will shrink after some of the fat is rendered.

Bring to a boil then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer while uncovered. It may take around 2 hours for the liquid to completely evaporate.

Once all of the water has evaporated, turn the pieces of meat until lightly crusty and browned all over. Serve immediately.

It doesn’t have to be served with guacamole, fresh salsa, and tacos. Since this carnitas is simply seasoned with salt, try adding it to anything that could use fork-tender bits of pork.

This is a post from Apple Pie, Patis, and Pate
Carnitas

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