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.

500g regular masa harina GM free

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

Mexican Breakfast

Love this recipe!

• Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and finely sliced
• 2 fresh red or orange chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
• 1 large dried chilli
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 6 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic
• 6 tortillas
• 150 g Cheddar cheese, to serve 

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

Chile 101: Poblano and Ancho

The Poblano chile is quite mild and popular fried in an egg coating, stuffed or used in moles sauces.  When ripened it turns a deep red colour and can at times be unpredictably hot, although Poblano chiles generally register between 1,000 to 1,500 on the Scoville Scale.

When dry it is known as the Ancho chile (wide chile), and develops a sweet, smoky and raisin like flavour and are commonly used for enchilada sauces. It often is confused with the Pasilla chile.  It is important to remember that dried chiles should be reconstituted by soaking them in hot water or broth.  Ancho chiles register between 1,000 and 2,000 Scoville heat units on the Scoville Scale. 

Article written by Michelle Cuadra

3 Moles a la Frida

So, in the last post we covered a simpler but delish mole.  Now it's time to get your hands dirty but try to think of it in a romantic sense.  These next 3 moles are out of Frida's Fiestas.  Those of you who know me understand how much I love her, her artwork, her story, her home, her lifestyle, her love for her husband, well everything about her pretty much.  She loved entertaining and traditional rituals.  In a sense, she was no different then the typical "ama de casa", much like my aunts in Nicaragua today.  Strong women running a tight ship and keeping the family respectable, happy and well fed.  She had stepdaughters (no children of her own) and they wrote a book in honour of the many celebrations Frida loved to hold, and of course traditional Mexican food was the highlight, along with the guests, the music and drinking late into the evening, mole often partaking in many of these celebrations.  Here are 3 mole recipes, which I discussed previously; black mole, red mole and yellow mole.  Don't be afraid to be adventurous.  As you can see these recipes were created to accommodate larger parties, especially the first one.

Black Mole from Oaxaca

Serves 16 to 20 

Ingredients

1 Pound/500g chihuacle chiles

1/2 Pound/250g mulato chiles, seeded and deveined, seeds reserved

1/2 Pound/250g pasilla chiles,  seeded and deveined, seeds reserved

3/4 Pound/375g  lard (you can use beef dripping)

2 Large onions, roasted

1 Head garlic, roasted 

3 Stale corn tortillas

2 Slices egg bread

3/4 Cup/100g blanched almonds

1/2 Cup/75g shelled peanuts

1 Cinnamon stick

1/2 Cup/70g sesame seeds

1/2 Cup/60g shelled pumpkin seeds

Pinch of anise seeds

1 Teaspoon cumin seeds

1 Teaspoon dried thyme

1 Teaspoon dried marjoram

1 Teaspoon dried oregano 

10 Coriander seeds

10 Black peppercorns

8 Cloves

3/4 Cup/100g raisins

3 Large bars Mexican chocolate or semisweet chocolate

4 Pounds/2k ripe tomatoes, roasted and peeled (vine tomatoes are great for this)

1 Pound/500g small green tomatoes

8 Tablespoons lard

Sugar and Salt

2 Guajolotes (small turkeys) or 4 small chickens cut into pieces and cooked in a strong broth with carrots, onions and herbs.  

Preparation

Quickly fry the chiles in hot lard, being careful not to let them burn.  Place the fried chiles in a large saucepan in hot water to cover.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until soft.

In the same hot lard, saute the garlic onions until translucent then saute the garlic.  Add the tortillas, bread, almonds, peanuts, cinnamon, reserved chile seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, anise seeds, cumin seeds, thyme, marjoram, oregano, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, raisins and chocolate.  Saute for a few minutes.

Puree this mixture with the tomatoes and the chiles.  Strain puree and cook in 8 tablespoons of lard.  Stir in sugar and salt to taste and 2 cups/500 ml of the turkey broth.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the turkey, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavors.  If the mixture is too thick, add more turkey broth as needed.
Note:  Chihuacles are special chiles from Oaxaca; you can subsitute with cascabel chiles

Red Mole

8 servings

Ingredients

3 Pounds/1.500g loin of pork

1 Onion, quartered

1 Garlic clove

1 Bay leaf 
Salt

Sauce

8 Ancho chiles

8 Guajillo chiles

3 Tomatoes, roasted and peeled 

8 Allspice berries

3 Cloves

1 Cinnamon stick

3/4 Cup/90g sesame seeds, toasted

1 Ripe plantain, peeled and cut into chunks

1 Medium onion, chopped

3 Tablespoons lard

Salt

3 Acuyo (hierba santa) leaves, chopped 

8 Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes

Dumplings

1/2 Pound/250g masa harina

1/4 Pound/125g lard

Salt

Preparation

Combine the pork, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt to taste in a saucepan and add enough water to cover.  Cook until the meat is tender about 1 hour.  Drain the meat, let cool slightly, and slice.  Reserve the broth.

To make the sauce, roast the chiles for a few seconds.  Remove the seeds, then soak for 20 minutes in very hot water.  Puree the chiles with their soaking water and strain.  Puree the tomatoes, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, two-thirds of the sesame seeds and the plantain. Strain.

Saute the onion in the hot lard until translucent.  Add the tomato mixture and cook for 5 minutes more.  Add the acuyo leaves, cubed potatoes, and enough of the meat broth to make a medium thick sauce.  Cook about 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Add the sliced meat.  Gently stir in the dumplings.  cook for 10 minutes more.  To serve, sprinkle with the rest of the sesame seeds.  

To make the dumplings, beat the masa harina thoroughly with the lard and salt to taste. Shape into little balls and poke a small hole with your fingers in the center of each.  Enjoy!

How to roast chiles with Rockin Robin

Holy Mole

Puebla

The summer is on its way, however UK residents know the warm weather is never consistent, so occasionally those in between days still require a belly warming meal to bring us comfort from the often rainy weather.  A favorite dish that does just this is mole.  There is the much loved Mole Poblano and the 7 types of mole from Oaxaca.  I am sure there are many more but 7 types of mole are enough for me to digest.  Mole Poblano is a rich, generally spicy sauce (though chiles can be removed) made with bitter chocolate, chiles, seeds, nuts, sometimes fruit, bread for thickening and various spices.

There are many claims to its origin, although it is most popular in Central and Southern Mexico, in particular Oaxaca and Puebla.  The chiles most used for mole are pasilla, ancho, chipotle and mulata.  Like tamales, Mole sauce made in the traditional way can be very time consuming.  I have sourced a much simpler recipe for you, but if you are a purist then I will also share a more authentic recipe.  Mole sauce can be prepared with chicken, pork or beef but is tradtionally paired with turkey.  The ingredients are roasted and ground into a paste and then made into a sauce generally mixed with a stock.  So let's educate all of you on this matter before beginning your culinary journey into the earthy, complex world of mole sauces.  Mole in a way is a generic name for "Sauce".

Mole Coloradito

Mole Negro (black), is the more popular rich, dark mole eaten throughout most of America and most likely your introduction into mole like it was for me in Mexico's City's airport.  This moles consists of bitter chocolate, pumpkin and sesame seeds, chiles, coriander, hoja santa (a leaf herb which adds to it dark colour), dried fruit and whole spices that are ground down such as cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper.

Mole Rojo (Red), is also known as the coveted Mole Poblano.  Its ingredients are almost identical to Mole Negro, only spicier, sweeter and redder in colour due to the use of dried red chiles.

Ancho, pasilla and guajillo chiles bring the spiciness up a notch, while grounds almonds, peanuts and raisins give the mole a delicate sweetness.  A definite must try.

Mole Verde (Green), is a bit more common than some of the others I am about to enlighten you with and is most consumed with chicken.  A good amount of pumpkin seeds, tomatillos, coriander and jalapenos are the contributors to its green colour and lighter taste.

Mole Amarillo (yellow) slightly resembles an Indian curry.  The sweet ingredients including the chocolate are eliminated while the rest of the ingredients resemble those in the moles mentioned earlier.  It is a more savoury sauce.

Mole Colaradito (shade of red/tinted) contains the usual whole spices, garlic, seeds, chocolate and plantains.  The plantains infuse a sweetness and thickness to this lovely mole.

Chichilo Mole is a bit more labour intense, one I will leave to the Mexican grandmothers.  Beginning with a homemade beef stock, arbol guajillo, ancho chiles, onions, garlic, masa harina, or crushed fresh tortillas.  The chocolate is eliminated in this one as well.  Fantastic with braised meats.

Manchamantel Mole (table-cloth staining) does exactly that, with ingredients like chorizo, tomatoes, and ancho chiles.  Plantains and pineapple add a zingy sweetness to this spicy concoction.  I honestly will be dreaming of this one for a while.

Article written by Michelle Cuadra