May 23, 2013
Tag Archives: flaming tortillas

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Fried Green Plantains

June 8, 2012 0 Comments

“A couple years ago, I had the chance to visit Nicaragua, where I could try the popular “tostones” (green fried plantains, in the form of a chip). I gotta say they are not so fat-friendly, but they are very very tasty and colorful! I love them! Its super simple to prepare them, you will just need green plantains (or yellow, if you can’t find the green), oil and salt. It’s up to you whatever you use as a topping, they will be delicious anyway! They are perfect as chips, as little tostadas, or just by themselves. Enjoy!”

Yields: about 20 pieces

Preparation Time: 10 min.

Cooking time: 10 min.

Ingredients

  • 2 green plantains (or yellow if you can’t find green)
  • 2 cups of canola or vegetable oil
  • - salt
  • * refried beans, avocado, cheese, for topping (optional)

Directions

  1. Peel the green plantains: Slice the ends off with a knife and make a lengthwise cut from one end to the other, remove the skin and cut 1-1.5 inch wide slices. The wider your slices, the bigger your tostones.
  2. Precook the plantains: heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat, until it reaches 325ºF. Lower the heat and add the plantains. Cook for aprox. 2-3 minutes, until they are just golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and place over paper towels.
  3. While the plantains are still warm and using a wooden press or a big plate, put a piece of plastic over one of the slices and press down, until a small disk forms. Repeat with the rest of the plantains.
  4. To finish, warm the oil until it reaches 350ºF. Add the plantain disks and deep-fry until lightly golden, about 2 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and place over paper towels. Sprinkle them with salt and serve warm.
  5. You can top them with refried beans, but I love them with a slice of avocado and a piece of cheese! Enjoy!
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3 Cheese Flautas

May 16, 2012 0 Comments

“Every now and again we get emails from people asking us to post their recipes- which I love. I love recipe sharing and comparing how people make certain dishes, or how they add a nice twist to classics. This recipe comes from the V&V Supremo folks featuring their tasty cheeses. Of all the recipes, this one caught my attention the most (I’ll be posting more in the next few days). Who doesn’t love goeey, cheesy flautas for dinner? This recipe is easy, low key and flavorful and pleases vegetarians too (you can add some store bought shredded chicken if you want). Enjoy and stay tuned for more V&V Supremo recipes!”

Yields: 6 servings

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

 

Ingredients

  • 4 cups V&V SUPREMO® CHIHUAHUA® cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups V&V SUPREMO® SIERRA® cheese, ground
  • 1/2 cup V&V SUPREMO® QUESO FRESCO, crumbled
  • 1 cup V&V SUPREMO® CREMA SUPREMO® sour cream
  • 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 1 1/2 tsp. pequin powdered chile or cayenne to taste
  • 1 dozen corn tortillas
  • ** oil for frying

Directions

  1. Place potatoes in pot with water to cover over medium heat. Bring to boil, and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes well in sieve and return to pot.
  2. Turn heat under pot to low, and add 1 cup of V&V SUPREMO® CREMA SUPREMO® sour cream to potatoes. Mash potatoes and sour cream with potato masher. Add V&VSUPREMO® CHIHUAHUA® cheese, V&V SUPREMO® SIERRA® cheese and powdered chile. Mash well, until all cheese is fully melted.
  3. Place 2 tablespoons of corn oil in skillet over medium heat.  Allow oil to heat for 2 minutes.  Using tongs, pass each tortilla through oil quickly, just to soften, and place tortillas on paper towels to drain.
  4. Fill each tortilla with approximately 3 tablespoons of potato-cheese mixture, and roll up tightly. Pierce each flauta with a round wooden toothpick to keep closed.
  5. Pour oil in skillet to a depth of ¾ inch, and place over medium heat for 3 minutes.  Carefully place flautas in oil in single layer (don’t overcrowd) and fry until crispy, turning when necessary. Drain on paper towels and hold warm while frying remaining flautas.
  6. SERVING: Remove toothpicks from flautas and top with V&V SUPREMO® crema ® sour cream, V&VSUPREMO® queso fresco and salsa.
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How to Make Tamales Norteños

December 21, 2011 0 Comments

By Melissa Pitts

Tamales are the Christmas food. Every year we see them on our Christmas Eve dinner table (or breakfast in my house!) and every year, they bring me the same joy- they just never get old. Of course depending on where you’re from tamales vary.

In the north of Mexico they are typically made with corn husk, and in the south (as well as Central America) they are made with plantain leaves. Also, depending on your taste they are topped with a red, green or mole sauce. This recipe is pretty basic (and yes, a labor of love too) and can be adapted easily: you can make them with beef, chicken, beans, or pork and any sauce you like. Merry Christmas!

Yields approx. 20 tamales

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

*Special equipment: steamer basket

For the masa:

  • 4 cups corn masa (preferred: Maseca)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup pork lard- (yep- lard. Gotta use the real deal here folks!)

For the filling:

  • 2 pounds cooked beef, chicken or pork, shredded
  • 3 cups red sauce (or green sauce or mole)
  • 20 corn husks, plus 5 more to line your pot, soaked for at least 2 hours

To make the masa:

Mix the corn masa, salt, baking powder, lard and broth until you have a smooth dough. Add more broth if it is too dry.

For the filling:

Mix the shredded meat of your choice with the sauce.

To make the tamales:

Begin by laying out one corn husk with the tapered side facing you.  Spread about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of masa into the wide end forming a 4-inch square.  Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the meat and sauce mixture in the center of the masa.  Fold the corn husk in half to enclose the meat, then roll the husk to seal the tamale.  Fold the tapered end of the corn husk up and place the tamale seam side down on your work surface (you can have more than one corn husk to ensure the tamale does not come out while steaming).  Repeat until all the tamales are made.

Place 5 corn husks on the bottom of a pan (just make sure you don’t completely cover the bottom or the steam cannot come up and cook them, it may be less than 5 husks depending on the size of your steamer), and set the tamales vertically over them. Be sure not to pack the steamer as the tamales need room to grow. Pour in boiling water until filled halfway and cover. Cook at a low boil for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the masa comes easily away from the corn husks. If water evaporates before it’s ready, add more water as needed.

Let the tamales cool at least 15 minutes before eating. The tamales can also be frozen up to 1 month- just make sure they are completely cooled before you store them in your freezer.

Enjoy these tamales topped with more of your favorite sauce and a warm champurrado!

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Acorn Squash And Sage Scones

November 11, 2011 0 Comments

By Abigail García

Cool and breezy days are the best baking days for me. I just can’t resist to jump into my pantry and see what I have available to make a sweet or savory treat in the oven.

This time I had some acorn squash puree available and discovered an amazing recipe from Food52.com, so I decided to use my puree instead of the butternut squash the recipe calls for. It turned out delicious! The scones are soft and amazing for breakfast or as a snack! So you better try this one soon! Enjoy!

Yields: 8 scones

Cooking Time: 30 min

Preparation Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top of scones
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage (optional)
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup acorn squash puree (see below for directions)
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream, plus more for brushing on top of scones
  • 1 large egg
  • 8 small sage leaves
  • Cinnamon drizzle, optional (see below for directions)

Directions:

For the Acorn Squash:

Preheat oven to 400ºF

  1. Cut the acorn squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to end. Scoop out the seeds and stringy stuff inside. Score the insides of each half several times with a sharp knife. Place each half in a baking pan, cut side up. Add about a 1/4 inch of water to the bottom of the baking pan so that the skins don’t burn and the squash doesn’t get dried out. Coat the inside of each half with 1/2 a Tbsp of butter.
  2. Bake in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the squash is very soft and the tops are browned. Do not undercook. When finished, remove from oven and let cool a little.
  3. Scoop out the soft squash, mash it a bit, and place in a mesh strainer over a bowl. Let drain for a couple hours, or overnight.
To Make the Dough: 
  1. Place the dry ingredients and the chopped sage in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse about 10 or so times. You want to retain some small pieces of butter.
  2. Transfer the flour mixture to a large mixing bowl. If you’ve got some really large butter lumps, just squish them with the back of a fork.
  3. In a large measuring cup, place the squash, egg and heavy cream (I used regular milk to reduce fat and calories). Mix well. Pour into flour mixture. With a dinner fork, fold the wet into the dry as you gradually turn the bowl. When dough begins to gather, use a plastic bowl scraper to gently knead the dough into a ball shape.
  4. Transfer the dough ball to a floured board. Gently pat into a 6” circle. With a pastry scraper or large chef’s knife, cut into 8 triangles.
  5. OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED: Place the scones on a wax paper-lined sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once they are frozen, you can store them in a plastic freezer bag for several weeks.
  6. Preheat oven to 425º F
  7. Place frozen scones on a parchment-lined sheet pan, about 1 inch apart. Brush with cream. Take the whole sage leaves, brush front and back with cream and place on tops of scones. Sprinkle tops of scones with sugar.
  8. Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, turning pan halfway through. They are done when a wooden skewer comes out clean. When cool, drizzle with cinnamon glaze.

For the Cinnamon Drizzle:

  • Mix 1cup confectioner’s sugar with ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Add 2 tablespoons warm water. Stir until smooth. If it’s too loose, add more sugar. If too thick, add more water. If not cinnamon-y enough, add more cinnamon. It should be thick like corn syrup.
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