Mexican Cooking for Dummies

If you are new to the Mexican kitchen, Mary Sue and Susan's Dummies series book is a great place to start. For veteran cooks, the simple recipes make entertaining super easy. Like all books in the Dummies series, this one is a resource book you'll turn to again and again. Full of helpful tips and info on ingredients and techniques.


Chicken Chilaquiles

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

2 whole chicken breasts, split
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups chicken stock
3 cups Red Roasted Tomato Salsa (see recipe)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
12 large tomatillos, husked, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
12 day-old 6-inch corn tortillas, 18 if individual casseroles are being made
Butter for greasing casserole
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Mexican manchego cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated panela cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated añejo cheese

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Place the breasts in the stock, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the meat is tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool in the stock. When cool, remove and discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Strain and reserve the stock for another use.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the salsa, cream, salt, pepper, onion, tomatillos, and shredded chicken pieces.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the tortillas just about 5 seconds per side to soften, and then transfer to a large colander to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 4-quart casserole or 6 to 8 individual casseroles (at our restaurants, we use small soup bowls).

Combine the manchego, panela, and añejo cheeses in a mixing bowl.

To assemble the chilaquiles, spread a thin layer of the cheese mixture over the bottom of the baking dish. Push the solids in the bowl of chicken and salsa to the side so that the liquids form in a pool on one side. Dip all the softened tortillas in the pool to moisten. Layer one third of the moist tortillas over the cheese and top with half of the chicken mixture with its sauce. Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese over the chicken. Repeat the layers, ending with a layer of tortillas on top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing or unmolding from individual casseroles.


Red Roasted Tomato Salsa

Yield: 1 quart

1 pound Roma tomatoes, cored
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup tomato juice
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat the broiler.

Place the tomatoes, garlic, chiles, and onion on a foil-lined baking tray. Drizzle with the olive oil. Broil 6 to 8 inches from the flame for about 12 minutes, turning frequently with tongs, until evenly charred.

Transfer the vegetables and any accumulated juices to the blender or food processor. Add the tomato juice, salt, and pepper. Puree, in batches if necessary, until smooth.

Pour into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature for table salsa, or use warm as an ingredient in rice or chilaquiles.


Flan

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

1 recipe Caramel (see recipe below)
6 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 vanilla bean

Prepare the Caramel and coat a 9-inch round cake pan.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together the eggs, yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. (Avoid incorporating air as happens when you whisk more briskly.)

Pour the milk and half-and-half into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and, using the tip of a pairing knife, scrape the black seeds into the milk. Add the bean also and bring the milk to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pass the milk and egg mixture through a strainer into the caramel-coated cake pan. Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan and carefully pour hot tap water in the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the center just feels firm when pressed with a finger. Set aside to cool in the pan of water. Then remove from the water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

To serve, run a knife along the inside edge of the pan and gently press the center of the bottom to loosen. Cover the pan with a platter, invert, and lift the pan off the flan. Cut the flan in wedges and serve topped with cold Caramel.


Caramel

Yield: Enough for 1 9-inch flan

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups water

Have ready a 9-inch round cake pan. Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the color is dark brown and the mixture has a distinctive fragrance of caramel, about 15 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to wash down any sugar granules from the pot's sides. Pour enough of the hot caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan to coat the bottom and sides. Swirl to coat evenly.

Slowly and carefully add the remaining 3/4 cup water to the caramel in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the caramel dissolves, about 5 minutes. Occasionally stir and brush down the sides with the pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystallization. Set this caramel sauce aside to cool and then chill until serving time.