Salsa Verde de Molcajete

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The uncooked tomatillos in this green salsa give it a refreshing tart flavor.

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped white onion
  • 2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
  • Salt

Instructions

Using the tejolote, grind the garlic to a paste in the molcajete. Add the onion and chiles and grind until blended. Add the tomatillos, crushing and grinding until smooth but still chunky. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt. If you don’t have a molcajete, put the ingredients in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse until it is smooth, but still chunky. Serve the salsa in the molcajete, with freshly fried tortilla chips.

Salsa Roja de Molcajete

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Impress your guests by making this traditional red salsa with a lava-rock mortar and pestle (molcajete and tejolote). If you don’t have one, put the ingredients in the work bowl of your food processor and pulse until it is smooth, but still chunky. Serve the salsa in a bowl or straight from the molcajete, with freshly fried tortilla chips.

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped white onion
  • 1-2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes, chopped and seeded
  • Salt

Instructions

Using the tejolote, grind the garlic to a paste in the molcajete. Add the onion and chiles and grind until blended. Add the tomatoes, crushing and grinding until smooth but still chunky. Season to taste with salt.

Confetti Dill Salsa

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This salsa is prettiest when you dice everything into pieces 1/4-inch square. It takes time, but people will appreciate it!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 orange bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1-3 serrano peppers, finely diced
  • 2 shallots, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • Juice of 1 lime or lemon
  • Salt

Instructions

In a bowl, toss together the red, yellow and orange bell peppers, serrano peppers, shallots and dill. Season to taste with lime or lemon juice and salt.

Haitian Legume

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“Legume” may be the general term for beans, but this stew is a hearty mix of marinated beef and vegetables. All the ingredients can be found at any supermarket, but the combination of habanero chiles, thyme and allspice gives this dish the exotic flavor of the Caribbean. Serve it over mounds of rice or with hunks of crusty bread to mop up the spiced broth. Note: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

•    1/4 cup chopped parsley
•    2 garlic cloves, minced
•    1 habanero chile, finely chopped
•    2 tablespoons white vinegar
•    2 tablespoons canola or olive oil
•    Freshly ground pepper, to taste
•    1 pound beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces

For the Stew:

•    3 tablespoons canola or olive oil, divided
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    1/2 onion, chopped
•    1 to 2 habanero chiles, finely chopped
•    2 cloves garlic, minced
•    3 tablespoons tomato paste
•    4 cups low sodium chicken broth (canned or made from bouillon)
•    1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
•    1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
•    3 to 4 carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
•    1/2 head of cabbage, cored and shredded
•    1 1/2 cups frozen, shelled lima beans
•    2 cups frozen French cut string beans
•    Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Marinate the meat: Combine the parsley, garlic, habanero, vinegar, oil, pepper and beef in a large bowl. Toss well, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Remove the meat from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before cooking.

Make the stew: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Add half of the beef to the pan, season with salt and cook, turning once or twice, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove beef and any juices to a plate. Repeat with 1 more tablespoon of oil and the rest of the beef. Add the browned beef and juices to the plate and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and adjust the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and habanero, season with salt and pepper and cook until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and return the beef to the pan. Add the thyme and allspice and bring the stew to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots to the stew, replace the lid and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cabbage, lima beans and string beans. Cover and continue cooking for 25 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt and pepper, as needed. Ladle into four bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Smoky Black Beans

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Meaty, slow-cooked beans make an appearance on Latin and Caribbean plates from Little Havana to Little Haiti and everywhere in between. Some are served with rice, some are stewed with every flavorful cut of meat that fits in the pot, as in Brazilian feijoada. What most versions have in common is the richness and smoky flavor of pork. My simplified version uses bacon and ham hocks for loads of flavor with a minimal amount of fuss. Starting with dried beans takes some advance prep, but it is an easy way to achieve authentic results! Note: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

  • 14 oz. dried black beans, rinsed, picked over, soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 5 strips center cut bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch knob of ginger, peeled and cut in half
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 ham hocks
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Sour cream, hot sauce, fresh cilantro and chopped scallions, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Add the beans, ginger, bay leaves, ham hocks and enough water to cover by 2 inches.
 Turn the heat up to high in order to bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cook for 2 hours or until the beans are tender. During the cooking time, stir the beans occasionally and use a spoon to skim off any fat or scum that rises to the surface. If the water evaporates before the beans finish cooking, add just enough to keep them mostly covered. By the time the beans are done, the majority of the water should evaporate, creating a thick consistency.

Remove the giner, ham hocks and bay leaves from the pan. Stir the bacon pieces into the beans and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing the sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro and scallions for guests to garnish as they like.