Category: Mexico

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Easy and Delicious Mexican Pork Chops

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray (for baking dish)
  • 2 Tbsp oil (to brown pork chops)
  • 4 boneless pork chops
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 C water or chicken broth
  • 1 C uncooked long-grain white rice
  • ~5 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1/3 C picante sauce (or half that, if I cook separate for Steve)
  • 1/6 C (8 tsp) taco seasoning mix
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced (get a small one)
  • 2/3 C shredded cheddar

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle pork chops with salt and black pepper, and brown them on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Set chops aside.

Mix the water, rice, tomato sauce, picante sauce, and taco seasoning in the prepared baking dish. Lay the chops into the rice mixture, and top with the green bell pepper slices. Cover the dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until the chops are no longer pink inside and the rice is tender, about 1 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Uncover the dish, and sprinkle with Cheddar cheese.

Return to the oven, and bake uncovered until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 5 to 10 more minutes.

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Mexican Fire Rice

Ingredients

  • 2 2/3 cups water
  • 1 1/3 cups uncooked long grain white rice
  • 1 pound ground pork breakfast sausage
  • 1 (16 ounce) jar picante sauce
  • 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
  • 8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until evenly brown.
  4. In a medium baking dish, mix the cooked rice, cooked sausage, picante sauce, and sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.
  5. Bake 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until cheese is bubbly.
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Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites)

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 6 ears fresh corn, shucked, kernels removed (about 4 cups fresh corn kernels)**
  • 1/2 c. mayonnaise
  • 1/4 c. cotija cheese or feta, plus more for garnish
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder, plus more for garnish
  • kosher salt

 

Directions

Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add corn kernels, season to taste with salt, toss once or twice, and cook without moving until charred on one side, about 2 minutes. Toss corn, stir, and repeat until charred on second side, about 2 minutes longer. Continue tossing and charring until well charred all over, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a serving bowl, toss corn with mayo, cotija, lime juice, cilantro, and chili powder. Season generously with salt.

Top with more cotija, cilantro, and a sprinkle of chile powder.

**If you use canned corn:

Roast corn is a delicious addition to a salad, chili, chowder or spicy meat dish. The best way to roast corn is on the ear but you can get the same taste by using canned corn. Roast corn is traditionally made in the oven but canned corn will end up burning since it is already cooked. You can create the same roast corn taste by sautéing the corn in a little olive oil on the stove. Canned corn will roast faster so be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.

  • Add 2 to 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a sauté pan.
  • Pour in the canned corn.
  • Cook over medium heat until the corn turns a light brown color. It will take about five minutes for the corn to brown. Serve on its own or mix it in another dish.

Don’t stir the corn more than once. It can be tempting to stir but roasted corn should sit in the pan to cook. If you must stir the corn, let it sit for three minutes, stir it once, then let it sit until a light brown.

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Chicken Taquitos

Epicurious  | January 2011

by Chef Dave Northrup

Rush Street, Culver City, California

yield: Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 store-bought whole roasted chicken
  • 1 cup favorite barbecue sauce
  • 1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
  • 1 (4 1/2-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  • 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
  • 1 small red onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed, and minced
  • 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 24 flour tortillas
  • 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
  • Favorite salsa and guacamole, for serving

Preparation

In a large bowl, debone the chicken and shred the meat. Add the barbecue sauce, sour cream, chopped green chiles, corn, red onion, garlic, both cheeses, and spices. Toss well.

In a large pan over moderate heat, warm 1/4 cup of oil until it sizzles. Meanwhile, put 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling into each tortilla, roll, and secure with a toothpick. Working in 4 batches (wipe the pan clean and add 1/4 cup fresh oil between batches), pan-fry until the tortillas are golden brown and the mixture is warm, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on a paper towel, transfer to a platter (or serve 2 per plate), and serve with your favorite salsa and guacamole.