Tuesday 12 August 2014

Make Your Own Corn Tortillas: A brilliant Step by Step Video



Rockin Robyn gives us a fantastic lesson



Corn Tortilla's In A Nutshell



Everyone seems to be aware of flour tortillas, although not many understand their next of kin, the corn tortilla.  Corn tortillas are made with a special kind of corn flour known as Masa Harina. Hopefully many of you are aware that the original taco is made out of fresh corn tortillas and should be gobbled up while still warm.  Also, the popular Mexican dish loved around the world, enchiladas,needs to actually be made with corn tortillas as well, otherwise you get mush.  Don't pay attention to those prepackaged Mexican Kits, there is nothing Mexican about them. 

So what is the story behind masa harina?  It pops up in many Mexican and Latin American recipes from tortillas, empanada pastries and even hot drinks such as champurrado.  Masa Harina is made out of corn that is dipped in a lime solution which makes the dough more pliable.  It is not wise to replace this ingredient with corn meal, which is much finer and will make the end result drier and more brittle.  We don’t have a lot of access to Masa Harina in the United Kingdom, so we must search online for it or have our relatives bring some along with them.  One replacement though, if completely out of luck is regular corn flour.  Once again, the texture is not the same, it is a bit tougher.  Here are a couple online links where you can buy masa harina so don’t despair!


Mexgrocer.co.uk
Maseca 1kg

Maseca Blue Corn Flour 1kg

Cool Chile Co.

Souschef.co.uk
Minsa 1kg

It is worth trying a tortilla press rather than trying to make them by hand like I have done.  Unless you are good at rolling and patting perfectly thin flat circles, a tortilla press will do the job for you.  Don’t buy the cheaper finish ones because they wear out quickly.  Cast iron is your best choice.  When using a tortilla press use the thicker sandwich bags, make circles on both sides that are equal to the size of the press, cut out and then place the ball of masa harina between the tortilla press before pushing the handle down.

They generally come in 6.5 or 8 inch sizes.  The smaller ones are great just for tacos and the larger for burritos and tacos. I personally would go for the larger one.  Here is a link where you can buy one in the UK, but also check out Ebay and Amazon.  Depending on what day you are looking you may find a great deal.  You get more variety with the companies that ship from the USA.  


Cool Chile Co.
Cast iron tortilla press 185mm





Monday 11 August 2014

Mexican Breakfast


Method
The Mexican name for this dish is 'huevos rancheros' – eggs with chillies, tomatoes and peppers in burritos. It's absolutely great if you've got a few mates round, and even better if you've got a hangover you're trying to shake off. If you wanted to take this dish one step further, for a late brunch you could serve it with black beans, some steamed rice and a bottle of Tabasco or chilli sauce beside it. Give it a go.

Get a large frying pan (make sure you've got a lid to go with it) on a high heat and add several good lugs of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, peppers, fresh and dried chillies, bay leaves and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 15 minutes to soften and caramelize the veg. Pour in your tinned tomatoes and use a spoon or potato masher to break them up a bit. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a medium heat and cook for a further 5 minutes so the sauce starts to reduce down.

When you've got a nice thick tomato stew consistency, have a taste and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Lay your sliced tomatoes over the top of the mixture, then use a spoon to make small wells in the tomato stew, and crack in your eggs so they poach in the thick, delicious juices. Try to crack them in as quickly as you can so they all get to cook for roughly the same amount of time. Season from a height, put the lid on and let the eggs cook for around 3 to 4 minutes. Warm your tortillas while this is happening. You can pop them into the oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for a few minutes, microwave them for a few seconds or even lay them over the lid of the pan so they heat up as the eggs cook.

Take the lid off and check your eggs by giving them a poke with your finger. When they're done to your liking, turn the heat off and take the pan to the table with your warmed tortillas, your Cheddar and a grater so everyone can get involved and make their own. Personally, I like to grate a bit of cheese right on to a warm tortilla, spoon an egg and some of the wonderful tomato stew on top, wrap it up, and eat it right away. What a beautiful way to wake up!
Whether it's delicious vegetarian or vegan recipes you're after, or ideas for gluten or dairy-free dishes, you'll find plenty here to inspire you. For more info on how we classify our lifestyle recipes please read our special diets fact sheet, or or for more information on how to plan your meals please see our special diets guidance.
For nutritional information and links to Ocado and Asda where you can purchase the ingredients click onto this link http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/eggs-recipes/mexican-breakfast