#91 :: Pork & Peppers Mexican-Style

Wow, it's been a long few weeks since we cooked! Jamie and I have both been super busy with work and other activities, so cooking dinner together has been on the back burner for a while. But, last night we were both home and decided to get back on track! This is a recipe Jamie found online and it turned out wonderful. I can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch today!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 3/4 pound lean pork, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 each red, yellow and green bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add green onions; cook and stir 2 minutes. Add pork; cook and stir 5 minutes or until browned. Add bell peppers and garlic. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until bell peppers begin to soften.

Season mixture in skillet with salt and pepper. Add mushrooms, cumin, chili powder and chipotle pepper, if desired. Cook and stir 10 to 15 minutes until pork is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Top each serving with shredded cheese and sour cream and roll it up in a tortilla, burrito-style.

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from TLC Cooking

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#90 :: Cinco de Mayo! :: Shredded Pork Tacos

We had quite the fiesta for Cinco de Mayo! We started with some fresh guacamole and fresh warm tortilla chips, then we had Tortilla Soup (which we made before during our Mexican cuisine week). Finally, we had Shredded Pork Tacos! Oh, and we can't forget the margaritas and Dos Equis!

These Shredded Pork Tacos were absolutely delicious, but they were also a bit spicier than I expected. I only put one chile in, just like the recipe said, but these little guys are apparently hot enough to spice up the whole pot! Be wary if you're sensitive to spicy foods....this is a spicy one! (Though I'm sure you could remove the chipotle chile and make a non-spicy version.)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (3-pound) boneless pork shoulder, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice
• 1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from a small can), minced (about 4 teaspoons)
• 16 (6-inch) toasted corn tortillas
• 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta, or goat cheese
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

1. In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add pork, tomatoes (breaking them up) and their juice, chipotle, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaves.
2. Using tongs, transfer meat to a large bowl; shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Return meat to pan, and simmer until sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes more. Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper. Proceed to next step, or cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.
3. Spoon pork and sauce into toasted tortillas, using 2 tortillas for each serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes , if desired.

Makes 8 servings

Recipe from MarthaStewart.com

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

#57 :: Sauteed Potatoes with Chorizo

Mmmm Mmmm good stuff! I think anything with chorizo is good, and red potatoes are no exception. It makes a great taco filling! Jamie thought it made a good breakfast today, too. :)

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 10 ounces Mexican pork chorizo, casings removed*
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 pound red skinned new potatoes, cut into small (1/4-inch) dice, and boiled
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up the clumps, until dry and crisp, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a paper lined plate to absorb any additional oil. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and boiled potatoes and saute until brown, about 12 minutes. Stir in the cooked chorizo and season with just a little salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

*Cook's Note: Mexican chorizo is an uncooked sausage, made with fresh ground pork and well seasoned with smoked red chiles. Since it's fresh, you will need to remove the casing before cooking it. They can be found at most supermarkets. Also, some chorizos are very salty so watch the seasoning!

A great filling for soft tacos, just add shredded cheese, beans or your favorite taco filling!

Makes 4-6 servings {or 3 cups}

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Star Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

#56 :: Creamy Poblano Pepper Strips (Rajas) Tacos

This recipe is delicious! It completely made up for the bum mole from the night before. Broiling the peppers gives it such a great flavor! I think I liked it best because it wasn't your every day taco, but it was easy to make and big on taste. This is going on the list of favorites for sure.

Ingredients

• 6 fresh poblano chiles* (or canned, peeled)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 2 ears corn, kernels removed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche
• 1/2 cup, shredded Monterrey jack cheese
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Char the poblano chiles directly over the gas flame on the stove or under the broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in a plastic bag and let steam for about 10 minutes.

Add the oil to a heavy large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside.

Peel and seed the chiles. Cut the chiles into 1/4 to 1/2-inch strips (rajas) and add the strips to the onion and corn mixture and saute until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and Mexican crema and cook until bubbling, about for 8 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Season the rajas with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and serve.

*Cook's Note: The poblano chile is a fresh chile that ranges from mild to hot. It is a deep, dark green color and is large and wide with shiny skin. Ripened on the plant and dried it is known as "chile ancho" or "pasilla." They can also be found at most supermarkets or Latin specialty markets. Just keep your eye out, as some stores sell them fresh under the name "pasilla."

A great filling for tacos or topping for grilled arrachera. You can use virtually any chile but a mild poblano adds the perfect amount of spice to any dish.

Makes 4-6 servings (or 2 cups)

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

#52 :: Skirt Steak Tacos

This steak taco just didn't have a lot of flavor. It wasn't bad by any means, but I guess that it pales in comparison to the other dinners we've prepared lately. Oh no, I've become a food snob! :)

Ingredients

• 8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 head romaine lettuce, thinly shredded
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, halved and diced
• 8 ounces sour cream

Directions

Heat grill to high.

Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and on the top rack of the grill while the steak is grilling.

Heat grill pan over high heat. Brush steak with oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill on one side until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the steak over and cook to medium-rare doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes then slice against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Fill each tortilla with some lettuce, 3 to 4 pieces of meat, onion, sour cream, and avocado.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe from Boy Meets Grill on Food Network

Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

#49 :: Baja Fish Tacos

This fish came out perfectly! The batter was light and crisp. The salsa borracha was sweet and spicy, and the crema cooled it down.... I didn't think I would be a fan of fish tacos, but these kind I could definitely eat again.

Ingredients

Beer Batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup dark Mexican beer*

Cream Sauce:

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup Mexican crema** or sour cream
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fish Tacos:

• Oil, for frying
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 pounds skinned halibut cut into 5 by 1/2-inch strips (we used Ocean Perch because it was fresh that day at the meat market)
  
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Corn tortillas
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 medium tomato, diced
  

Directions

For the Beer Batter:

Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.

For Cream Sauce:

Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).

For the Fish:

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.

On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, salsa borracha and anything else you desire (jalapenos, salsa, etc...)

*Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.

**Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream.

Makes 6-8 servings

Recipe from Mexican Made Easy on Food Network

Star Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars