ADOBO PARA COCHINITO (marinade)

30 dried guajillo chiles
4 dried avocado leaves
1/4 cup cider vinegar
8 cloves garlic peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
10 bay leaves crumbled
freshly ground black pepper

Rinse chiles. Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add chiles. Cook, turning often, until fragrant, about 40 seconds.

Transfer chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak until soft, about 25 minutes.

In the same skillet, toast avocado leaves, turning once, for 30 seconds. Crumble and set aside.

Drain chiles and remove and throw away stems and seeds.

Put chiles in blender and add avocado leaves, vinegar, cinnamon, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and pepper to taste. Puree until smooth.

Use as a marinade for meats.

Makes about 2 cups

FRUIT WITH LIME AND CHILES

4 cups cut up and peeled fruit such as coconut, mango, watermelon, pineapple, papaya and cantaloupe.
1 lime cut in half
salt chile powder

Divide fruit into 2 cups or bowls and squeeze lime juice over the fruit.

Sprinkle with salt and chile powder to taste.

Makes 2 servings

CORN TORTILLAS

2 cups Masa harina

Put masa into a medium bowl and add 1 1/4 cups of warm water. Stir until the dough forms and then place on work surface and knead until smooth.

Divide the dough into 10 balls and drape plastic wrap over the base of a tortilla press.

Put one ball at a time into the center of the press, cover with plastic wrap and close press to flatten.

You can also put the dough between 2 pieces of plastic and roll out with a rolling pin if you do not have a tortilla press.

YELLOW HOT RELISH

1/2 lb small medium hot or hot fresh yellow chiles stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/2 medium white onion peeled and chopped
8 cloves garlic peeled and chopped
1 tsp crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups white vinegar

Place chiles, onions, garlic, oregano and salt into a medium bowl and mix well.

Place relish into a clean 24 ounce ceramic or glass jar. Add vinegar to cover relish.

Cover jar and refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before serving. Serve with fried pork chops.

Refrigerated it can be kept for up to 6 weeks.

MEZCLA FRIJOLES REFRITOS (mixed refried beans)

1/2 cup prepared pinto beans
1/2 cup prepared black beans
1 beef bouillon cube
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
3 tbsp oil

Dissolve bouillon cube in 1 1/2 cup bean cooking liquid. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat and add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 cloves garlic and saute until soft.

Add cooked beans and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and mix well. Mash will adding the cooking liquid but leave some the beans unmashed.

Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed

CALDO DE ALBONDIGAS (meatball soup)

3/4 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp and 1 tbsp parsley chopped
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 cups tomatoes chopped
1 cup sliced carrots
4 cups water
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup onion chopped
1/2 tsp oregano leaves chopped

Combine ground beef, egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp parsley and 1/4 cup long grain rice and mix thoroughly. Form about 35 bite sized meatball.

Remove any excess grease by placing the meatballs in a flat dish and microwave for 5 minutes at medium heat or pre-boil on the stove. Remove the meatballs and let drain on a paper towel.

Mix tomatoes, carrots, water, beef broth, onions, 1 tbsp parsley, oregano leaves, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/4 cup rice in a pot. Add the meatballs. Bring to a boil and reduce heat.

Cover and let simmer for about 1 hour.

SOPA DE TORTILLA

vegetable oil
8 6 inch tortillas cut into 1/4 inch wide strips
salt
1 pasilla chile
10 ripe tomatoes
2 white onions peeled
4 cloves of garlic peeled
2 ancho chiles stemmed
4 sprigs fresh or 2 tbsp dried epazote
6 cups chicken stock
1 ripe avocado seeded peeled and cut into large pieces
8 ounces panela cheese or queso banco cheese cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 limes cut into wedges

Pour 1/2 inch of oil into heavy skillet and heat over medium heat until it reaches a temperature of 350 degrees. Fry the tortilla strips in 2 batches until crisp, about 30 seconds per batch.

Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Season to taste with salt while hot and set aside.

Add pasilla chile to the hot oil and fry until fragrant and puffed up, about 2 minutes. Set on paper towel to drain. Remove stem and throw it away.

Throw out all but 3 tbsp of frying oil and return skillet to high heat. Sear the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and ancho chile on all sides turning vegetables as they blacken,, about 3 minutes. Work in batches so skillet is not overly crowded.

Remove skillet from heat and puree vegetables and epazote in a blender. Place the puree in a large pot and add stock bringing to a boil over medium high heat. Season to taste with salt.

Divide the avocados, cheese and tortilla strips between 6-8 warm soup bowls and ladle in the soup.

Crumble some saved pasille chile over each bowl and serve with lime wedges.

Makes about 6-8 servings

SOPA DE LIMA (chicken-lime soup)

2 tbsp butter
1 white onion peeled and finely chopped
6 cups chicken stock
3 limes
1 chicken breast half (about 1/2 lb) on the bone
salt
4 fresh tortillas
vegetable oil or lard
2 medium tomatoes seeded and diced
1 small mild green pepper stemmed and diced
1 habanero pepper stemmed seeded and sliced

Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium low heat. Add onions and cook stirring occasionally until soft, about 20 minutes. Add the stock and juice of two limes and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce to medium heat.

Season the chicken breast with salt and add to the pot. Poach chicken until juices run clear when the breast is pricked, about 20 minutes. Move chicken to a plate and set aside.

Cut tortillas into strips about 1 inch wide and then cut each strip into 4-5 triangles. Pour oil into a small pot (about 1-2 inches of oil) and fry tortillas in batches until crisp and golden, about 1-2 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels and season with salt while still hot.

Remove and throw away the skin of the chicken. Remove all bones from chicken and throw away. Shred the chicken and divide it among 4 soup bowls.

Reheat the broth and season to taste with salt. Place some tomatoes, peppers, chiles and fried tortilla chips in each bowl and cover with broth.

Serve with lime wedges cut from remaining lime.

Makes 4 servings

FRIJOLES REFRITOS #2 (refried beans)

1 cup prepared pimento beans
4 bacon strips
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper

Fry bacon until crispy. Remove from skillet and chop bacon. Leave the grease in the skillet

Place beans and 1 1/2 cup cooking liquid from beans into skillet with grease and cook over medium heat.

Add 1/2 tsp sal and 1/8 tsp pepper and partially mash until mix is soupy but chunky. Add bacon and mix. Serve warm.

FRIJOLES REFRITOS #1 (refried beans)

1 cup prepared pinto beans
1 tsp salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 tbsp oil

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add cooked beans and 1 1/2 cup of cooking liquid.

Add 3/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and mash until smooth and cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed.

Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese and serve warm.