Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe was not actually inspired by a Mexican trip, but rather while on a visit to a Floridian Supermarket. The influence is well known all over the southern parts of the United States, but I will for simplicities sake call it a Mexican recipe. Well, made by a German, so it's not really going to be like your mama used to make it, that's for sure. And this is my first time making Enchiladas and I love making new things.

The ingredients I have chosen can be substituted or left out or added to and played with. That's what I like about dishes like these. You make it your own with what you got on the day.

Ingredients:

6 Corn Tortillas (the smaller variety)

250g cooked chicken, diced

1 red Onion, diced

3-5 Garlic Cloves, chopped (mine came from the cavity of the chicken I had previously roasted)

3-5 green Chillies, chopped

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp Mexican Oregano

110g Pepper Jack Cheese, grated

500g Tomato Passata (sieved Tomatoes)

Salt, Pepper and a pinch of Sugar

Make the Enchilada Sauce by gently frying the Onion in a touch of Oil or use cooking Spray until the are translucent. Add the Garlic and green chillies and gently fry a little more, Add the Cumin, Cayenne and Oregano and the Tomato Passata. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for a few minutes. 

Season to taste with Salt, Pepper and a pinch of Sugar.

Take half of the sauce plus 1/3 of the grated cheese and mix it with the Chicken. 

Depending on the type of Tortillas they may need to be pre-fried or dipped in a little of the sauce to make them softer and easier to handle. However mine had a lovely texture and I used them just as they were. 

Visually divide the Chicken mixture into 6 portions and spoon each of these onto a tortilla, roll it up and place it seam side down into a baking dish that fits them snugly.

Once all the Enchiladas are in place spoon over the remaining Sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in a 220C oven for about 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and turning golden and the sauce is bubbling all around. Serve garnished with some greenery and your choice of accompaniments. 

I love the spicy gooeyness of this dish. 

Next time I might add some creme fraiche to the chicken mixture to give the filling a creamy twang that separates it from the topping sauce.

Cochinita Pibil (Mayan Roast Pork)

This was my most fabulous discovery in Mexico. 

The ancient way of cooking this dish under hot stones or even buried in the ground underneath a firepit is what makes this so extra special. If only I had a field handy or even just a garden I would give it a go! But my oven will have to do the trick in my case.

Ingredients:

1 Pork Shoulder (skin removed but bone in)

100g Achiote Paste (Annatto seed based)

Juice of 4 small Limes

Juice of 1-2 Oranges

25 ml Tequila

Mix together the achiote paste with the lime, orange and tequila.

Prik the pork with a small knife all over to allow the marinade to seep into the flesh.

Paint the achiote marinade all over the Pork Shoulder.

Line a suitable dish with Banana Leaf and place the Pork inside.

Pour the rest of the marinade all over.

Wrap the pork up in the banana leaves and let it marinade for 24 hours.

The Citrus juices in the marinade will start to tenderise the meat.

To serve with the Cochinita I made a Habanero and red Onion Salsa

1 Red Onion, sliced

1 red Habanero Chilli

Juice of 1 Lime

Juice of 1 Orange

Sea Salt to taste

Mix and leave to mascerate for several hours.

The next day wrap the Pork including the banana leaves up in tinfoil and place on a baking sheet in a 170C oven for 3 - 4 hours.

Low and slow cooking will make the pork fall of the bone.

Shred the meat with 2 forks and garnish with some of the Onion Habanero Salsa.

Warm some Tortillas, by wrapping in tinfoil and placing in the oven for 10 minutes.

Everyone can help themselves and make some Tortilla wraps. Don't forget to add the Onion Salsa.

I have to admit, this is really amazing. Crispy Peking Duck has serious competition here!!!!

Achiote Chicken and Black Bean Salad

Another fantastic ingredient I found in Mexico is Achiote Paste. It is the main flavouring for Cochinita Pibil, a dish that I discovered yet again at the Breakfast Buffet in our Hotel. It does seem that this is the perfect place for real local Food, as Restaurants are anything but Mexican at the Cancun Hotel Strip.
Cochinita Pibil is Pork coated in the Achiote Paste, wrapped in Banana Leaf and roasted in a firepit underground.

Achiote paste is made with Annato, a red seed from the Achiote Tree, that is used as a food colouring all over the world. Just check the cheese in your fridge. It probably has Annanto listed under the ingredients. Here it is used for it's deep and mysterious peppery flavour and is mixed with Oranges and Limes to make a smooth coating for meat.

I'm using this Paste today to give some chicken breasts a Mexican makeover.

Ingredients:
3 small Chicken Breasts (130g each)
1 tbs Achiote Paste (sold in block form)

Juice of 1/2 Orange

Juice of 1 Lime

1 Clementine, segmented and diced roughly

180g cooked Black Beans

5 Cherry Tomatoes, quartered
1/2 of each Red, Yellow and Green Bell Pepper, diced roughly

1 red Onion, diced

1 long red Chilli, diced

1/2 Lime (juice)

1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped

1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Blend the Achiote Paste with the Orange and Lime Juice in a food processor until smooth. Marinate the Chicken breasts in this Paste for a few hours.

Spray the Peppers with cooking spray and place into a 200C oven. At the same time the Chicken breasts can join the oven in a separate tray. Roast both for 20 minutes.

After that cover the breasts with tinfoil and leave to rest while making the salad.

Simply combine the Tomatoes, Clementine, Onion, Chilli, Black Beans, Roasted Peppers, Garlic, Olive Oil and Lime Juice and season with Sea Salt and Pepper.
The Chicken can be served hot as it is or left to cool down. It's lovely either way.

Chicharronnes

These little light and crispy snacks are a popular Street Food in the South Americas, but if you think about it, something similar can be found in every culture. In the UK they would be called Pork Scratchings and eaten in Pubs. 

I discovered them after eating a dish at the Mexican breakfast buffet in our hotel. The dish was called Chicharronnes en Salsa Verde. It was so delicious I returned several times to get more. At first I thought it must be tripe, as the texture of the meaty pieces was kind of light and airy. I couldn't figure out what was in this dish, so I resorted to asking the chef. He spoke only spanish, but luckily I understand enough to make sense of what he told me.

So the main ingredients were these Chicharronnes, fried Pork Rinds and the Salsa is made from Tomatillos, a green Tomato like plant, that doesn't exist here in Europe.

I wanted to recreate this dish from scratch, but without the Tomatillos I can only make the Chicharronnes. So here they are.

Ingredients:

Pork Rind or Pork Belly, cut into 1 inch pieces

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Paprika

Cayenne Pepper

Your Finest Water

Place the Pork Rinds into a large Wok, season and cover with water.

Bring to a simmer and cook until all the Water has gone and the Pork Fat has rendered completely. (this can take 1-3 hours depending how many pieces you have in the wok)

Turn the pieces over occasionally. Be careful as they may spit!

Once the Pieces starting to brown and simmer in pure fat, turn up the heat and fry them for about 5 minutes until blistered and crisp.
Remove them with a slotted spoon and let them dry off on some kitchen paper.

It would be deceiving to think the fact that they are Pork Rinds makes this very fatty, but as all the fat has been rendered out, they are left just light, crispy and tasty, not greasy at all.

We discovered that  the Mexican staple Chilli Sauce 'Tajin' is a perfect dip for them.

Green Chilli con Carne with Chocolate

Here is a dish inspired by my visit to Cancun, from where I brought back some ingredients...

Mexican Chocolate, Serrano and Poblano Chillies, Tajin and a new inspiration for an old recipe.

Ingredients:

250g Miced Pork or Beef or both

1 Poblano Chilli, diced

1 Serrano Chilli, diced

1 green Birds Eye Chilli, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

3 Garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbs grated Mexican Chocolate

1 tin Chopped Tomatoes

1 tbs Tajin (mexican Chilli sauce with lime)

1-2 Bay leaves

1 tin Kidney Beans (drained)      

Brown the meat and season with Salt and Pepper. Add the chopped Chillies, Onion, Bayleaf and Garlic and sauté until fragrant and softened.

Next add the chopped Tomatoes, Chilli Sauce and grated Chocolate and check the seasoning for saltiness. 

Cover with a lid and simmer quietly for 30-40 minutes.

About half way through add the Kidney Beans.

Serve it with a dollop of Creme Fraiche and fresh chopped Coriander and

Tortilla Chips for dipping or Rice for a main meal :-)