Pati's Mexican Table

Lamb Barbacoa in Adobo

2012-02-04T19:30:00Z

Barbacoa is one of those iconic Mexican foods.

Juicy, tender meat that falls off the bone, infused with a rustic, smoky flavor and a jungle like fragrance. It uses a cooking technique that began in ancient times, long before the Spanish arrived, and it lives on to this day across Mexico in places that specialize in making it. Of course, there are accessible homestyle versions too.

Abroad, so many people have heard of barbacoa and want to have a taste of the real thing. The people I've talked to that have tried it are dying to repeat the experience. In Mexico it has never ever gone out of fashion, and it is especially rooted in the central part of the country, where I grew up.

True, that barbacoa sounds much like barbeque. Though it is from a type of barbacoa that Americans got the idea to cook barbeque, it's not the Mexican kind, but the Native American found here in the US, which used to be outdoors and above the ground. In Mexico we call ours barbacoa too (thanks to the Spanish!), but the Mexican way is completely different: the meat is wrapped tightly in banana leaves, cooked for many (so very many!) hours in an underground pit with an initial heating base of burning wood, walls of brick and smoldering rocks that are sealed with a kind of clay, and finally steamed and cooked overnight.

If you haven't tried it, this is your chance to make it! And no, you don't need an underground pit, there are ways to go about it and you can cook it away while you are tucked away in your bed...
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The most common meat to use for barbacoa is lamb, goat or mutton, which fits the rustic nature of the barbacoa so well, as these meats are so gamey. I go for a meaty lamb leg or shoulder, bone in. But there is also barbacoa of other milder meats, even chicken.

There are variations for what the thick marinade of the meat should be. I like to make a version I've tweaked over the years based off two takes: one is the basic rub that has been used for decades in a restaurant in Mexico City called El Caballo Bayo -where my dad used to go for take out to make barbacoa tacos some Sundays- and the other contains more spices, vegetables and grains from a recipe that my mother makes, which was passed down from her nana.

You can make the marinade, which looks more like a paste... ahead of time too. Aside from the guajillo and ancho chiles, it has tomato, garlic and onion.

Then it has oregano, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and a good dose of salt and ground pepper.

The chiles are first quickly toasted and rehydrated in simmering in water.

You can of course do whatever you want with the water that the chiles were simmering in, but if you want my opinion: DON'T ever throw it ALL away, EVER! That liquid has a ton of flavor and color, and you really want it in your dish. You really do.

Just look at the depth of color.

Pour it in the blender along with the rest of the ingredients.

After blending, the mixture should be nice and smooth. After seasoning it in a pan, just letting it simmer down, it should develop a deeper, richer color.

Rub this all over the meat and marinate anywhere from a couple hours to a day. The more your marinade it the better.

If you want to really give it the rustic kick, place the wet meat on banana leaves, which will help keep it moist and juicy and add a grassy, fresh, aroma and flavor to the meat. The steam bath in the leaves gives it a jungle-y warm flavor; as if you were really cooking the meat in an earth pit.

Then place that bundle on the roasting rack of a roasting pan. If you aren't able to find banana leaves, you can just wrap the top of the roasting pan before it goes in the oven.

Before wrapping up the meat in the banana leaves, place some fresh or dried avocado leaves on top of the meat. They will add extra depth and a flavor similar to anise (but don't eat them later!). Again, if you can't find them, don't worry, you can skip them.

On the bottom of the roasting pan, add all the vegetables: carrots, potatoes and garbanzo beans.

Place the wrapped meat on the rack over the vegetables and as the meat cooks, some of the juices will run out of the bottom of the banana leaves, creating a rich broth for the vegetables to cook in. Those vegetables, after absorbing all that flavor and cooking so long, bring about a lot of depth and sweetness, at the same time.

Then wrap up the top of the roasting pan in foil really tight. Remember this is to make up for not cooking it in an underground closed pit. And place it in the oven.

Once done, remove the meat from the oven, give it a little time to cool down and unwrap the foil and banana leaves. Be careful, because the steam that comes out will be burning hot.

While I love American barbeque in the summer, Mexican barbacoa is a perfect dish for the winter months. Cooking the meat in the oven for hours will fill your home with amazing smells and warmth; not to mention a bounty of incredibly flavorful food.

All you do is shred the meat in big chunks, have the vegetables on the side, invite some friends over and start making some tacos, there is a lot to share here. Dig in!

p.s. It's even better with some salsa verde on the side.

LAMB BARBACOA IN ADOBO
Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

For the Marinade
10 dried guajillo chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
10 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
5 cups water
1/3 cups apple cider vinegar
1 medium Roma tomato, cut into quarters
1/2 medium white onion, coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 whole cloves, stems removed
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil

For the vegetable base
2 medium white onions, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into chunks
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, peeler and cut into large cubes
8 ounces dried garbanzo bean, soaked overnight in 3 cups of very hot water, then drained
12 ounces (1 bottle) light colored beer, such as Corona
3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt

For the meat
8 pounds bone-in leg and shoulder of lamb (or a leg or a shoulder)
1 pound banana leaves
5 to 6 fresh or dried avocado leaves (optional)

For assembly
lime wedges, for serving
warmed corn tortillas

TO PREPARE
For the marinade: heat a large, dry skillet over medium heat. Add the dired chile peppers and toast them for no more than 20 seconds per side, taking care not to burn them.

Transfer them to a medium saucepan and add the water, place over medium heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the peppers have softened and rehydrated.

Transfer the peppers to a blender. Add 2 cups of their cooking liguid (discard the remaining liquid), the vinegar, tomato, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, cloves (stems removed) and salt; puree until smooth.

Wipe out the medium saucepan and add the oil. Place over meium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the pureed marinade, being careful to avoid any splatters. Partially cover, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the color darkens and the mixture thickens to a pastelike consistency.

Rinse the lamb and pat dry with paper towels. Place in in a large, nonreactive dish. Use the marinade to cover it completely, rubbing the mixture into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Just before the lamb is finished marinating, prepare the vegetable base. Have a large roasting pan at hand with a rack that fits inside, preferable with some space underneather. remove the lamb from the refriegerator about 20 minutes before you place it in the over.

Combine the onions, carrots, potatoes, and soaked and drained garbanzo beans in a large raosting pan. Pour the beer and water over the top. Add the bay leaves and season with salt to taste; toss to combine. PLace the roasting rack over the mixture.

For the meat: Preheat the over to 325 degrees.

Unfold the banana leaves and arrange a few layers of them on the roasting rack, leaving a generous amound of overlap on the pan long sides for wrapping the meat (alternatively, you may use a few long pieces of aluminum foil). Place the meat on top of the leaves and use all of the marinade to cover it. PLace the avocado leaves, if using, on top of the meat, then fold the leaves over to cover the meat. If using the foil, poke a few small holes near the bottong edges to allow the meats juices to fall into the vegetable base below during cooking. The juices will natually fall through the spaces between the banana leaves.

Cover the banana leaf package or foil package tightly with a layer of foil. Slow-roast for 8 to 10 hours; until the meat comes off the bone easily and the vegetables should be well seasoned and tender. Transfer to the stovetop (off of the heat), and let everything rest for 15 to 20 minutes before opening the package. Discard the avocado leaves, if using.

For assembly; Serve with lime wedges, warmed corn tortilla and a salsa you like.

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Chipilín

2012-02-01T19:25:37Z

I first tried chipilín in Chiapas, Mexico. First, in a soup, then in tamales, then in a stew, then in a delicious omelette... After walking around many towns in that state, I was surprised to find it grown in tall bushes in the front and back lawns of many homes. After being smitten with its flavor, which is a cross somewhat between watercress and spinach but a bit milder, and its lovely gentle but meaty bite, I came back to DC wishing I had a chipilín bush too! (continue for more information and photo).]]>
Chipilín is an herb that is used and found mostly in southern Mexico, in the states of Chiapas, Tabasco and Oaxaca, and parts of Central America. It grows in bushes that grow many feet tall, with skinny stems. The leaves are green, thin and small. It is cooked, steamed, boiled, mixed with dough for tamales and tortillas or dried for seasoning.

For me, it has been impossible to find chipilín in mainstream stores in the US. However, it is sold at farmers markets across the country. There is actually such a demand for chipilín that the University of Massachusetts has been doing research for a few years on how to commercialize the seeds. So, it may only be a short amount of time until we see chipilín accompany cilantro and parsley on the shelf!

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Tortillero

2012-01-12T18:25:00Z

A tortillero is a tortilla holder, and many times a cover too, that is meant to hold and insulate tortillas. It helps them stay warm, soft and cozy after they have been heated and while you finish them off along with your meal. In a Mexican home, they are as popular as tortillas themselves, eaten almost everyday and accompany almost every meal. The same applies for restaurants, no matter how humble or fancy.

Tortilleros tend to be stunning in their craftsmanship, design and color. They are usually handmade and can have from the most simple to the most intricate designs. Mexican cooks take great pride in arranging their table to make it colorful and beautiful, and the tortillero is no exception (continue for more information and photos).

]]> Tortilleros are all circular in shape and are made from many materials. There are basically 2 different types. The first is a woven basket, typically made from natural sources such as wood, palm leaves or different plant materials. The woven version can come with or without a lid.

When it doesn't come with a lid, usually a cloth napkin is placed inside to wrap and hold the tortillas. The cloth napkins can be as beautiful as the tortilleros! Many are hand decorated and sewn like the one above.

Then...there are those with the lids, which tend to look like cute little hats.

The second type of tortilleros are those made completely out of textiles. They are just as creative and can be decorated as the woven ones, from simple, to very dressed. They always have an opening to place the tortillas inside and can also be placed inside of a woven tortillero.

Tortilleros can also serve as open baskets for bread and come in many different forms... Just see how many!

Some people also like to get a thing called a "tortilla warmer", which acts pretty much like a warming pillow. It can be placed in the microwave and then under the tortillero, to keep the tortillas even warmer...

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DC Event Junkie: Pati Jinich's Mexican Table

2012-01-06T19:28:02Z

"America is obsessed with television food celebrities. Somewhere along the way, we forgot that, in the kitchen, there just isn't any substitute for passion and talent. We've conveniently chosen to ignore that fact that many of these "stars" are neither food experts nor stars.

However, we have our own right here in DC, and she is always a star, even when there aren't any TV cameras around.

Her name is Pati Jinich, and she is the chef and host of PBS's Mexican Table and teaches Mexican cooking classes by the same name at the Mexican Cultural Institute that are a foodie's dream..."

To continue reading, click here.

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Limes

2012-01-05T20:45:00Z

It's hard to think of Mexico and not think of limes. In Mexico, limes are everywhere and served with everything from peanuts, to fruit, to tacos, to a steak dinner. So, it's hard to believe that limes did not originate in Mexico and were brought over by the Europeans from the Indo-Malaysian region. Yet, the fruit was eagerly embraced and incorporated into Mexican cuisine, so much so, that it has become a necessity in the Mexican kitchen.

In my mind, no other citrus packs the punch that a Mexican lime does. Called limón in Spanish, it is also known as true lime, West Indian Lime, or sometimes key lime (continue for more information and photo).

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While on the smaller side regarding size and thin skin, this round and light green colored lime is extremely plump and juicy. As it ripens, it becomes softer, even more plump and its skin color turns lighter and yellow-y. Much more acidic than other limes and of course more than a lemon. It has a fresh, clean and lovely citrusy aroma.

There are other varieties of limes. The large fruited Bearss or Persian lime is what is more commonly seen in the grocery stores in the US. It is thicker skinned, shaped more like a lemon, a hybrid of a true lime and citron (the father of the lemon) and tends to be less juicy. But given increasing demand, true limes are appearing more and more.

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Guest on the Kojo Nnamdi Show: Family Food & Holiday Traditions

2011-12-21T18:00:00Z

"From the Feast of Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve to Barbecue on Fourth of July -- we're talking holiday food traditions familiar and obscure."

Read about it and/or listen to Show

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Buñuelos: High Maintenance, But So Worth It!

2011-12-21T16:50:00Z

When I was about 10 years old, my parents developed a habit of traveling during the December holidays without my sisters and I. Don't ask me why they thought it was a good idea.

It was an awful, terrible, horrible idea.

The sweet highlight was that our babysitter Sari, whom we call Nana Tochito and who came from the mountainous regions of Oaxaca, prepared a full blown Christmas style meal to spoil and help us celebrate the holidays. No, we didn't have the tree like our friends in school. But, thanks to my Nana we couldn't care less. We exchanged gifts, ate lots of gelt, had the traditional big roasted turkey, drank ponche, and what we loved the most, ate buñuelos.

Mostly found around Christmas and New Year's, buñuelos speak of nothing but celebration. And truly, what one has to celebrate is being lucky enough to find buñuelos at markets, fairs and street stands or having the time, patience and a reliable recipe to make them at home.

Buñuelos may be one of the most high maintenance treats one can make: but to cut to the chase, they are completely worth it.

Now with that said, you can skip to the end where I give you my most reliable recipe or read a bit more about why I - and everyone in Mexico- love them so, including their demanding and time consuming nature...

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They are immense with a stunning deep caramel color. Light, thin, crisp yet sturdy. It is a mystery why they don't break piled high in the stalls or baskets where they wait to be sold, defying gravity and their own weight.

They are irresistible, especially drenched in sweet piloncillo syrup and eaten bite by bite in their entirety or broken into large pieces. Once in your mouth, they feel crunchy and delicate, with a combination of mellow yet distinct flavors. So one large buñuelo is usually just the way to get started...

Though the most popular version of the buñuelo is this large, extended and thin one so common in Oaxaca - others being tubed, twisted or with pinwheel looking shapes- there are many spins as to what goes in its dough.

I like to make it with flour, butter -rather than lard or vegetable shortening-, eggs, fresh squeezed orange juice, a bit of sugar and a pinch of salt.

Some old recipes call for Tequesquite- saltpeter- water or water made from simmering tomatillo husks to help ferment the dough and help it have volume, and make it fluffier and crisper as it fries. Since both ingredients sound hard to come by, you may shy away from making them. But don't! These days most cooks don't use either, as one can get the same effect from using baking powder and good dough kneading.

If you look closely behind the oranges, you will also find anise liquor, and in my photo Sambuca. If you can't find it, you can use orange liquor. You can skip the liquor altogether, but it does give it a nice ethereal quality.

So no, this is not just a plain flour dough...

After the ingredients are mixed, the demanding part of making buñuelos begins. The dough needs to be kneaded for a long, long, time.

It starts looking like the photo above, but it really needs to end up looking like the photo below. Smooth, homogeneous and elastic.

Because we live in the 21st and not the 19th century, you can choose to knead it by hand for a half hour or just drop all the ingredients in the mixer, and let the mixer do its thing for 10 minutes.

Then, after that whole lot of massaging in the mixer, the dough calls for a bit of rest.

It really does. If you don't let it unwind in a greased bowl for at least 20 to 30 minutes, preferably covered with a clean cloth, the dough will not be malleable and easy to work with.

It will be sticky, capricious and unmanageable.

But after the rest, it is delightful to work with it. Look at it above, it is fluffy and soft.

Divide the dough into 12 to 15 balls. You can keep them covered if you want as you work through them.

One by one, with a floured surface and a floured rolling pin, roll the balls out into about 4" to 6" disks. It may seem as if when you are rolling them, the dough wants to get back together into a ball. Just gently and softly, roll out, flip and roll out again. Take your time and add more flour if needed.

Then you give it a second go. Starting with the first disks you rolled out, flour the surface and try to make them as thin as possible. As thin as paper is the best.

Here, below I am showing you how thin, can you see my face behind the thin buñuelo?

There are many methods to get them as thin as paper. I opt for rolling them in two rounds. Many cooks in Mexico used to stretch them out with clean cloths on their knees; hence the name buñuelos "de rodilla." But some cooks stretch them out in upside down bowls covered in cloth.

Manuel and his sister Rosa, who have been part of my cooking team for almost 4 years now stretch them out by hand on the second round. For the last event at the Mexican Cultural Institute this year, I asked Manual to show us all. He is a master at it!

We made 120 buñuelos the night before the class. Though the Director of the Institute thought we were nuts making them for so many people, we couldn't think of an event themed Holiday Foods without them. Just like there had to be a Piñata -the ones we found had dinosaurs on them!- there had to be buñuelos.

After the buñuelos are stretched or rolled out as thin as they can be, they need to "air" and dry anywhere from a half hour to a couple of hours. You can't leave them over night or the will dry too much and crumble when you hold them. They are demanding, see?

Finally, they go quickly deep fried in a generous batch of festive hot oil.

The moment you lay each buñuelo in the oil, they float and bubble. If the oil is very hot, as it should, there will be happy active bubbles all over the place crisping the fritter without it absorbing the oil.

And as charming as those buñuelos are, they need charming company too.

The tastiest syrup is made with piloncillo simmered with a bit of water and cinnamon until it is nice and thick.

I think it is gorgeous looking.

Here we go... pouring it on top.

And it really calls for a lot more...

So much for 5 minute meals and 3 ingredient recipes. Some foods are worth the hassle. Especially around the holidays, when we have that extra bit of time, and we want to spoil the people we love.

I think this is the most time consuming post I have written in my blog so far, just as time consuming as making the buñuelos. But, if you ask me, it was worth it!

BUÑUELOS
Makes about 12 to 15 buñuelos and about 1 1/2 cups syrup

INGREDIENTS
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon anise or orange liquor
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, vegetable shortening or lard, plus more for buttering the bowl

1 pound piloncillo, chopped or shredded (about 2 cups packed) or dark brown sugar
1 cup water
1 true or Ceylon cinnamon stick
Vegetable oil, for frying

TO PREPARE
To make the piloncillo syrup, in a medium sauce pan add the piloncillo, and pour the boiling water over along with the cinnamon. If the piloncillo is not chopped or shredded, let it come undone for a few minutes under the hot water. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat until it achieves a syrupy consistency, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the cinnamon, if it broke into pieces, strain the syrup into a container.

To make the buñuelos, in the bowl of a mixer set with the hook attachment, add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make room in the middle and add the egg, anis liquor and orange juice. Begin beating, at low speed, for a1 minutes. Add the butter and continue beating for another 10 to 12 minutes. The dough should be very smooth and elastic.

Butter a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Let the dough rest for anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes. Divide the dough into 12 to 15 balls, of about 1½ inches, and place them in a baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel.

Sprinkle your countertop and a rolling pin with flour. One by one, roll each ball into rounds of about 4 to 6 inches wide. Place each circle on top of a table or countertop. Beginning with the ones you rolled out first, continue rolling them, making sure that before each one the countertop is dusted with flour as well as the rolling pin. Roll each one as thin as you can go, without them tearing. Traditionally, cooks stretch them out with their hands as if it were pizza dough, and sometimes using bowls covered with towels and gently stretching them out. I find it is easier to continue with the rolling pin!

Place each finished piece on the table or countertop and move on with the rest. Let all of the pieces "air" and dry for at least 30 minutes. They should be as thin as paper (or construction paper!), and feel dry to the touch.

In a deep and large 12- inch skillet heat enough oil to ½ inch over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot but not smoking, fry one buñuelo at a time. They will start bubbling up. Fry for about 20 seconds per side, until browned, then slip to the other side with a pair of tongs until it has browned and crisped on the other side. Transfer to a plate or baking sheet covered with paper towels.

When ready to serve, you may sprinkle them with sugar and ground cinnamon or powdered sugar, or drizzle with honey or the piloncillo syrup included in this recipe.

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Food(ography) Appearance: Mexican Episode

2011-12-07T02:00:00Z

For more information click here

For the recipe from this episode click here

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Mexican Cookies on the Today Show

2011-12-06T14:45:03Z

I had such a nice time personalizing the Scribble cookies for the Today Show crew, rolling out the Anise Seed Ropes, and making the gooey dough for the Piggies with Al Roker on the Today Show.

Here is a clip of the cooking segment, where we made the three different cookie recipes: the playful Piloncillo Piggies, the elegant Anise Seed Ropes and the fun chocolaty Scribbles.

Click here, to get the full recipes

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Going Nuts and Bananas for Capirotada

2011-11-19T16:00:00Z

Sliced bread brushed with melted butter, toasted until golden, layered with handfuls of nuts and dried fruits, drenched in Piloncillo syrup, topped with crumbled salty cheese and baked until it all comes together.... Once out of the oven, it tastes like a cross between French Toast and Bread Pudding. Crisp-on-the-top and moist-in-the-center, every spoonful a delightful mess.

That is Mexico's most well known version of Capirotada. Being a lover of delicious Mexican style food messes, I am one big fan of it. But some newcomers to the dish are taken aback by the salty cheese on top. What -you may ask like many do- is the need for the cheese on top? Well, that salty tease makes the thick feel and sweet taste of the dish come out in bold strokes in your mouth.

It reminds me of how my father loves to slice sweet bananas over his savory lentil soup; or how my family goes crazy over piling ates (fruit pastes) with Manchego cheese, as so many Mexicans do; or how I used to love eating a handful of chocolate covered raisins right after a handful salty pop corn, and then repeat it again and again at the movies growing up, as long as the movie lasted. Capirotada has that same wild mix.

Once you finish your piece, I bet you will beg for a bit more of that addicting combination. That's probably why I have received so many requests for a recipe.

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As it is baked casserole style and it has such a sweet warmness to it, it is perfect for the holidays and for making ahead and just popping in the oven.

There are, as all popular dishes, many versions of Capirotada.

All Capirotadas call for sliced and toasted bread. Some versions fry the bread in oil or lard to make it crisp and some brush it with melted butter and bake it. I go for the baked.

Also, some versions call for a crusty bread, like a baguette, bolillo or telera, while others call for Pan de Huevo, an egg and yeast based bread similar to the brioche or challah. Again, I go for the later....

Aside from which kind of bread and how to make it crisp, there seem to be two main camps where Capirotada has fallen in the last couple centuries. The Capirotada de Agua (water based) and the Capirotada de Leche (milk based). De Agua is baked in a piloncillo syrup while De Leche goes in a custardy style sauce, with sweetened milk and yolks. Yet, the most traditional is the Agua.

Yet the most common, and the one I've been asked for the most is De Agua. The syrup tends to have the rich tasting piloncillo, true cinnamon and many times whole cloves.

There are many variations as to the additions. Most versions call for peanuts and raisins. So if you are looking for the most traditional Capirotada, no need to add anything else. But there are many versions that add other kinds of nuts, fresh fruits like oranges, bananas, plantains, guavas, and grapes and dried fruits like candied figs and acitrón (the oldest recipes I researched about from a couple centuries ago even call for cooked onions, tomatoes and ground meat...)

After trying one too many versions, what I like to combine the most, are pecans and prunes. And I can't resist adding a full blown layer of bananas, like many cooks in Central Mexico. I am very fond of these three ingredients, and they seem to mingle so happily together, especially tugged between pieces of buttered and toasted slices of bread drenched in syrup...

After the first layer of bread, in go the bananas, prunes, pecans and a bath of syrup.

Then goes another layer of the bread.... with the rest of the syrup poured on top.

As for the question of the cheese.... De Leche camp of the Capirotadas don't have cheese, while De Agua ones do.

And again...there are many options. While in Michoacán, they tend to sprinkle a dried and crumbly Cotija Cheese or a Queso Fresco, in other regions they use melty stronger cheeses like a Mexican Manchego. So you could go for a Cheddar, a Monterey Jack or a Muenster. You have the chance to play with your taste buds. But as funny as it may sound if it is the first time you try it, don't skip the cheese...

Capirotada is filling, satisfying and sweet. And that cheese.... really does it's thing...

CAPIROTADA WITH BANANAS, PECANS AND PRUNES
Serves 10

INGREDIENTS
8 cups water
1 pound piloncillo, grated, or about 2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 ceylon or true cinammon stick
3 whole cloves
1 challah or brioche, preferably a couple days old, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted for brushing bread, plus more for greasing the casserole
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup pitted prunes, chopped
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped and toasted
4 oz, or about 1 cup, crumbled Queso Fresco, Añejo or Cotija
Ground cinnamon, optional, to sprinkle ontop

TO PREPARE
In a medium sauce pan, pour the water and set it over medium high heat. Once it comes to a simmer, add the grated piloncillo, cinnamon and cloves, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 25 minutes, until it has all dissolved and has a light syrup consistency. Turn off the heat and remove the cinnamon and cloves.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the bread slices with unsalted butter. Place in a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Butter a 9 x 13 casserole. Place a layer of bread in the bottom covering the entire surface. Cover with the banana slices, prunes and pecans. Pour half the syrup on top. Add another layer of bread, pour the remaining syrup on top and sprinkle the crumbled cheese. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the syrup has been absorbed. Remove from the oven. Let it sit for at least 20 minutes for the Capirotada to settle and for the entire syrup to be soaked up, then serve. You can also serve it lukewarm or cold. It can also be reheated.

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The Splendid Table: Day of the Dead Talk

2011-10-29T14:24:37Z

For the segment on Day of the Dead click here

For the whole show click here

For recipe on Pumpkin and Ancho Chile Mole click here

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Pumpkin and Ancho Chile Mole

2011-10-25T16:05:00Z

You can do fabulous things with pumpkins aside from spooky faces and pumpkin pie... Just ask any Mexican. We have a way with pumpkins.

Native to Mexico, pumpkins have been devoured there for centuries, in their entirety. The seeds are addicting as snacks, used as a hefty base for salsas, soups and sauces and more recently sprinkled on top of many dishes. The pumpkin meat is used for soups and stews, and along with the entire rind cooked in a piloncillo syrup, becoming a traditional favorite known as Tacha.

Yet there is something else you can make with those fall pumpkins: Mole!

An easy to make, silky textured and exquisite tasting mole sauce, that can bathe anything you can think of. From chicken to meat, fish, seafood and veggies; it all goes beautifully swaddled in it. I like it mostly with chicken or turkey, which is how I used to eat it in a small Fonda in Mexico City that not longer exists....

So that you can try it too, here is my rendition of it.

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As simple as it is to make, it uses two ancient and crucial techniques of Mexican cooking that enhance the flavors of the ingredients and bring a ton of personality to a dish: charring and toasting.

First the onion and garlic take a quick turn under the broiler to be charred. Their sharp, crisp and pungent flavors become transformed...

...as if their alter ego came out to show depth and sweetness. While at the same time becoming a bit rustic.

Then the ancho chiles, almonds, cinnamon, allspice and whole cloves take a turn either in a skillet or comal, to lightly toast.

Toasting them intensifies and deepens their flavor, it releases new aromas and adds a kind of warmth to the dish.

As the chiles have been dried for a long time, aside from giving them a light toast, you need to rehydrate them and plump them back to life. And it takes just 10 minutes of soaking them in a hot bath.

Then you also use that water from the chile bath, as it has some of the intense flavors and colors of the chiles, as well as the chiles to make the Mole Sauce.

Then everything in the blender goes!

If you used True or Ceylon cinnamon, puree it along with the rest of the ingredients. As it is light and thin, it crumbles and purees easily. It is gentle and kind to the blades of the blender. If you only found the hard Cassia kind, use it to simmer in the mole sauce further on.

Then you add it all along with the pumpkin puree in a big pot. You can use already made pumpkin puree from the store...

Or make your own pumpkin puree with those extra pumpkins that are sitting on your front porch... Making the puree is pretty simple: Quarter the pumpkin, remove the seeds and fibers, roast in the oven at 400 ºF until soft and process the pumpkin meat in a blender of food processor until smooth.

After you simmer the pumpkin puree along with the ancho chile puree (that has the charred and toasted ingredients), it will look like this. Incredibly rich, just like its flavor.

You can make the Pumpkin and Ancho Chile Mole ahead of time, and just heat it when you are ready to serve it.

Topping it with toasted pumpkin seeds makes the dish all the more fabulous. You can taste it already, right?

ANCHO CHILE AND PUMPKIN MOLE

Mole de Chile Ancho y Calabaza

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

1/2 white onion, peeled, charred or broiled

6 garlic cloves, charred or broiled, peeled

3 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and opened

1/4 cup slivered almonds

5 whole cloves

1/2 stick , about 1 inch, true or Ceylon cinnamon (or substitute for 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)

8 whole allspice berries

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (about 1 3/4 cup)

2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or more to taste

1 tablespoon brown sugar, or more to taste

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

TO PREPARE

Place the onion and garlic in a baking sheet under the broiler. Char for 9 to 10 minutes, flipping once in between. Once they are soft and charred, remove from the heat. When the garlic is cool, peel.

In an already hot skillet or comal set over medium-low heat, toast the ancho chiles for about 15 to 20 seconds per side, until they brown and crisp without burning. Place toasted ancho chiles in a bowl covered with boiling water. Soak for 10 to 15 minutes until they are plumped up and rehydrated.

In the same skillet or comal, toast the cloves and all spice until aromatic, about a minute. Remove from the heat. Toast the almonds and cinnamon, stirring often, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Place the onion, garlic, chiles, 1/2 cup of chile soaking liquid, almonds, cloves, cinnamon and allspice in the blender and puree until smooth.

In a soup pot or casserole, heat the oil and pour the pureed mixture over medium heat. Add the salt and sugar. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently to help prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The color will darken considerably.

Add the pumpkin puree and chicken broth to the sauce. Stir well until the pumpkin puree has dissolved, it will have a silky consistency. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Use the mole sauce to pour over grilled, broiled or boiled chicken, meat or fish. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds for some added flavor and crunch.

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Smooth or Chunky "Spookamole" Guacamole for WUSA9

2011-10-24T16:00:00Z

I was planning on making some spicy smooth guacamole for JC, but found out she likes it chunky. If you like guacamole, smooth or chunky, just click below

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Pumpkin Seeds or Pepitas

2011-10-18T15:50:10Z

Pepitas in Spanish, are one of the things I used to stuff in my suitcase when visiting Mexico. That's because they have a mellow, somewhat nutty, almost sweet, barely chewy and nutritious nature. They are also one of the most nutritious seeds (they are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants).

Pepitas are the seeds of different kinds of pumpkins! They can be seen all over Mexico from stands on the street to bags in the stores. They have been a part of Mexican cooking as long as...well...Mexican cooking and just as well as pumpkins, have been used in a myriad of ways over thousands of years.

Pumpkin seeds were prized by both the Aztecs and Mayans and it is said that the Mayans were the ones who began grinding them to make bases for sauces. In fact, the Yucatan Peninsula, home of the Mayas, has amongst its basic seasoning pastes (one being the famous achiote paste ) a lightly colored pumpkin seed paste that can already be bought in the markets (continue for more information and photo).

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Pumpkin seeds in Mexico are eaten unhulled or hulled, raw, toasted, salted, fried and spiced up as snacks. They are also used to make salsas, moles, soups and drinks. They are delightful sprinkled as a topping on many dishes as they add a subtle flavor and an extra healthy crunch.

Happily, I see them appear more and more in grocery stores here in the US.

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Allspice or Pimienta Gorda

2011-10-06T15:06:22Z

Allspice is as unique and simple as it sounds. It is the only spice that grows exclusively in the Western Hemisphere. When the Spaniards first encountered it in Jamaica, they named it pimienta because of its close resemblance to peppercorn. Because allspice is much larger than peppercorn it earned the name pimienta gorda, which literally means fat peppercorn. The english name allspice comes from its aroma, which smells like "all the spices" with hints of ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg (continue for more information and photo).

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Allspice is grown in the tropical climates of Veracruz, Tabasco and in the Sierra area of Puebla, where the same mountain vapor helps the growth of coffee.

Allspice, for some reason, goes really well with chiles.

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Conversation with Splendid Table's Lynne Rossetto Kasper

2011-09-25T22:30:00Z

Splendid Table for the WAMU 88.5 Salon Series.

Here is a clip

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Mushroom-Jalapeño Matzo Ball Soup

2011-09-23T21:00:00Z

My grandfather on my mother's side, Francisco, whom we called "Yeye," was wild about chiles. Not very common in his native Bratislava, I guess. He used to say that what he loved the most about his new country was the predictable weather (especially the bright sunny winters), the colorful markets, and most of all, the chiles. All of them.

He was oh so very crazy about them that my grandmother used to hide them from him. She complained about him having no boundaries, no sense of measure, when eating them. He simply would not stop.

But he knew all the tricks, discover all the hide outs, and stuff them in his pockets. Seriously. Not only fresh jalapeños or serranos but also wet pickled jalapeños... Those must have been some messy pockets to wash...

]]> My "Lali," liked to please him though. She had Austrian training in the kitchen and made exquisite and elegant foods. Once in Mexico, she fell in love with the cuisine and learned how to combine the two culinary traditions. And she was a master at it.

She created a classic dish out of her Mushroom-Jalapeño Matzo Ball Soup.

See? Just because you add a chile to something does not mean it gets a Mexican stamp. You have to know how to add it. How much to add. And most importantly, when to add and when not to....not every dish that is Mexican has a chile in it either.

She made a mushroom base with a traditional Mexican treatment. Gently cooked onion, garlic and chopped jalapeños (with the seeds please...), and once the mushrooms are added, the pot is covered so they will steam. Their liquids come out, then slowly dry up again and the mushrooms begin to brown.

Of the thousands of ways to use chiles, steaming them with other ingredients for a while brings out their flavor in a subtle way. Then she poured her chicken broth on top, which always had the perfect nutty tone that reflected its depth of flavor.

Her Matzo balls were fluffy, round and simply seasoned with some parsley (which has been growing so happily in my garden). That mushroom base from the photo above, seems to delight itself in the company of parsley...

Grated nutmeg is also added to the matzo ball mix. And that is enough, no need to add freshly ground black pepper.

The eggs are the glue that holds the matzo balls together, combined with a bit of oil...

Then she had a trick to make the matzo balls fluffy. That is, if you like them fluffy. Which most of my family does.

It seems that the main division in the matzo ball world, is between those that like the matzo balls hard and those that like them fluffy. Cooks debate all the time on how to make them fluffy or hard: more egg or less egg, more oil or less oil, matzo meal or matzo mix...

My grandmother's trick to make them fluffy was to add sparkling water. But just a tablespoon for a full recipe, if you add more, you have a messy mess that falls apart. And I always leave a bit of the mix apart without any, as it happens, I am the only one around here that likes them hard...

As much as my grandfather begged, my grandmother added little jalapeños. She argued, that one needs to taste everything else, which in principle sounds right. But if he were here, I would make him an extra batch, with as many jalapeños I could find in my backyard. And there are oh so many...

MUSHROOM AND JALAPEÑO SOUP

Serves 6-8 (makes 10 to 12 medium to large sized matzo balls)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup matzo ball mix

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt, or to taste

4 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sparkling water, optional, to make the matzo balls fluffy

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped, seeded optional, more or less to taste

1/2 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean with cloth, sliced

3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or to taste

8-10 cups chicken broth

TO PREPARE

In a large mixing bowl, combine the matzo ball mix, parsley, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of salt. In another small bowl, lightly beat the eggs with 1/3 cup of vegetable oil. Fold in the beaten eggs to the matzo ball mixture with a spatula. Add the sparkling water if you want the matzo balls fluffy, and mix well until well combine. Cover the mix and refrigerate for at least half an hour.

Bring about 12 cups of salted water to a rolling boil in a large soup pot. Bring heat down to medium and keep at a steady simmer. With wet hands, make about 1 inch balls out of the matzo ball mix and gently drop them into the water. Cover and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a couple of tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large cooking pot. Add the onion, garlic and chiles and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until they have softened. Incorporate the sliced mushrooms. sprinkle the salt, stir and cover with a lid. Steam the mushrooms for about 6 to 8 minutes.

Take off the lid and pour the chicken broth over the mushroom base. Once it is simmering, incorporate the already cooked matzo balls, without their cooking liquid, and serve.

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Hominy, Maíz Cacahuacintle, Mote or Giant Corn

2011-09-09T22:22:18Z

Its traditional name, cacahuacintle comes from the combination of two náhuatl words, cacáhuatl and centli, meaning corn and cacao, because of its size, mostly. Though this giant corn is most used to make pozole, it is also used to make other dishes like tamales, sweets, drinks, and is eaten in street style crazy corn (continue for more information and photo)

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When you buy dried hominy in the stores, it has already been peeled and what we call, beheaded, or descabezado. That means that it has been already lightly cooked in order for the tough part that connects the kernels to the cobs -known as cap- to be removed.

Cooking it is simple, just throw it in the pot, cover it with water, and wait for it to bloom... for about 3 hours. Literally to open up. That's how you know it is ready. And just like beans, you don't add the salt until the end, or it will toughen the kernels as they cook.

If you don't fell like cooking it, you can already buy it fully cooked in cans or in bags in the refrigerated sections of some Latino stores.

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Pozole: Try It Green!

2011-09-09T22:00:00Z

Red pozole, or Pozole Rojo, Jalisco style, has been my favorite pozole of all time. It is bold and gorgeous in every possible way. I am so attached to it, we even served it at our wedding.

For decades now, I've refused to replace it with another... And then, I tried a unique green version, Pozole Verde, Guerrero style. It has not surpassed my Pozole Rojo, but it is attempting to tie with it at my table. And that is a lot to say.

Treasured all around Mexico, pozole has many variations, mainly green, red and white. Each distinct and beautiful, and coincidentally, represent the colors of the Mexican flag. Since September is the month of Mexican independence and The Day of El Grito is just around the corner, there is no excuse not to find an excuse to celebrate! And in my mental Mexican dictionary, pozole equals celebration.

]]> Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish missionary, Moctezuma -greatest Aztec Emperor of all times-, would honor the God of the Sun by eating and serving it. I don't know though, what color it was!

What makes a pozole red or green is the seasoning sauce added to the stew. If there is no sauce, it is a white pozole. Though there are many kinds of green pozole, they all use green ingredients, and this one has: tomatillos, epazote (or cilantro if you can't find it), pumpkin seeds and jalapeños.

Making that green seasoning sauce is simple. Tomatillos, garlic and chile simmer in water until the color of the tomatillos changes from bright, happy and loud to a mellow green. The texture goes from firm, to very mushy, but not coming apart.

The toasted pumpkin seeds are ground, they are pureed with that cooked tomatillo mix and white onion. The pumpkin seeds give the sauce a nutty, velvety base. Then the sauce is taken a step further and simmered until it is seasoned, thickened and its flavors have concentrated. It must be powerful, as it will dilute in the pozole. See? The spoon on the left has the green sauce before it is seasoned.

What is common about any pozole is not only the many garnishes that dress it at the end, but also the very large corn known here as hominy, and in Mexico as maíz cacahuacintle, also known as maíz mote and giant corn. It gives pozole its signature mealy bite.

Cooking hominy is simple, but takes a while, so it is available already cooked in cans or refrigerated bags if you do not feel like preparing it. This is how it looks when you buy it at the stores before cooking.

But I love to cook it at home. It is as simple as throwing it in a pot, covering it in water and waiting for it to "bloom". Literally, when it opens up at the top, you know it's ready.

Just like when cooking beans, add salt after they are cooked, or they will toughen up.

Then in a big pot, combine the cooked hominy, the shredded chicken that was simmered in a simple broth (complete recipe below) as much green pozole sauce as you want, and a leafy stem of epazote, which will have anywhere from 5 to 10 leaves. If you don't find epazote, add like 5 sprigs of cilantro. I personally add all the sauce. Then, you want to let all the ingredients cook together for about 20 minutes.

Once it is ready: dress it up! Radishes, lettuce, white onion, ground dried chile, oregano and quartered limes to squeeze juice on top, are placed at the table for you to choose. Tostadas to be munched on the side. And, in particular for the green pozole, green avocado and chicharrones (crispy pork rind), are often too, which gives it an extra crunch. If you find some, add it on!

Whatever you choose, do squeeze fresh lime juice onto it.

Pozole is so popular in Mexico that there are pozolerías, restaurants that only serve pozole. That would be like a restaurant in the US that only served chicken noodle soup! How is that possible? Take a bite into this one-stop meal. You'll see.

P.S. Pozole tastes even better reheated. Great excuse for making the soup ahead of time. Also, watch out for this recipe: It serves a hungry party of 12.

GREEN POZOLE
Pozole Verde
Makes 12 to 15 servings

INGREDIENTS
White Pozole
1 pound dried hominy (the same as giant white corn or maiz mote pelado), rinsed)
1 head garlic
2 whole chickens, or about 6 pounds, cut up in serving pieces, rinsed (combine with pork butt or shoulder if desired)
1 onion
Couple fresh cilantro sprigs
1 tbsp kosher or course sea salt, or to taste

Green Pozole Sauce
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed
1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed
1 fresh large leafy stem of epazonte, or 5 sprigs cilantro
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup onion, coarsely chopped
1 tsp kosher or sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Garnishes
5 to 6 limes, cut in half
10 radishes, rinsed, halved and thinly sliced
1 head of romaine lettuce, rinsed, drained and thinly sliced
4 tbsp onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted, meat scooped out and dried
Piquín Chile, or a Mexican mix of dried chiles, ground
Dried oregano, crumbled
Tostadas or Totopos

TO PREPARE
Place the hominy in a large soup pot with cold water at least 3 inches ontop. Take off the dried skin layers from the head of garlic and add it into the pot. Do not add salt, because the hominy will toughen. Bring to a boil, then gently simmer over low medium heat uncovered for 3 hours or until hominy is tender and has begun to "bloom" or open up. Alternatively, you can buy precooked hominy and continue from this point.

In the meantime, place chicken in a large soup pot and cover with at least 1 inch of water above. Add white onion, cilantro and a tablespoon of salt and bring to boil. Simmer uncovered until chicken is cooked and tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the cooking liquid. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones, and shred the meat into bite size pieces.

Meanwhile, make the green pozole sauce. Place tomatillos, garlic and chile in a medium 3-quart saucepan. Cover with water and set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; cook until the tomatillos have changed color from a bright to a dull green and are soft but not breaking apart, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the cooked vegetables and set aside.

In a blender, add toasted pumpkin seeds and chop until finely ground. Then add the cooked tomatillos, jalapeños and garlic, onion, salt and reserved liquid. Puree until smooth. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium high heat until hot. Add the tomatillo sauce from the blender. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to18 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it will thicken, season and deepen its color.

When the hominy is ready, incorporate the shredded chicken and its cooking broth. Add the green pozole sauce and the epazote or cilantro. Let it cook for 30 minutes more. Check for seasoning -at this point I always add more salt- and serve.

You may present the Pozole in a big soup pot and place the garnishes in smaller bowls on the side. Each person can serve Pozole in their individual soup bowls, and then add as many garnishes to their soup as they would like. I do, however, recommend that some fresh lime juice be squeezed into it! Tostadas or Totopos are eaten on the side.

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Summertime Watermelon & Tomatillo Salad: Beat the Heat!

2011-07-30T14:00:00Z

This year I promised my boys we would plant goodies in the backyard to harvest ourselves. At the nursery, jumping up and down as in a candy shop, they dragged so many plants to the counter, I had to give an absolute NO to half of them.

We ended up with thyme, oregano, bay leaves, rosemary, mint, parsley, and cilantro. Ok, and tomatoes, cherry and roma. Fine... corn too, don't know what I was thinking. And wait! We couldn't leave without jalapeños, which led me to run for some tomatillos. And scallions. I stopped there. I did.

Then Sami came back with a little watermelon plant. That was the wildest idea, oh, that monster of mine. We've no room to grow watermelon. I told him about the big wide fields in Northern Mexico, in states like Sonora, Chihuahua, Jalisco and Sinaloa where watermelon is grown extensively. Our backyard is... not so big.

Beats me.

We brought home Sami's watermelon plant.
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As the weeks went by, we saw many of the plants thrive, except the watermelon which seemed to take an awful long time to grow. Then one day the editors from Babble asked me for a custom recipe. By then, I was eagerly thinking about what would make the sweet, watery crunch from that soon to grow watermelon shine the most.

This is what I came up with...

Thinly sliced, raw, punchy and tart tomatillos. Much firmer than the watermelon, and just look at the color contrast. Not to say about the flavor combination.

To coat this unconventional pairing, I wanted a vinaigrette with some some gentle heat. I got it from the jalapeños, which you will never have trouble finding in our backyard as Juju made markers for each plant... I am proud to say, the boy knows his Ñ's.

I coarsely chopped the chiles, as I like to feel their friendly bite. But you can give them a finer chop and even remove the seeds.

With the already unusual watermelon and tomatillo pairing, I went unusual again, and added some chopped fresh mint.

Mint has been growing wild here, as all mint tends to... Although we planted ours in the ground while still in their protective pots, to keep them in check. It doesn't seem to give a hoot. Its wild.

Soaked the jalapeño and the mint with fresh squeezed lime juice, a bit of straight forward white distilled vinegar which makes everything it coats more crisp, the oils and salt... Gave it a bit of time, 5 to 10 minutes, to sit and get acquainted.

Poured the vinaigrette over the red and green. Yet not only was the salad screaming for some white (partly to round the colors of the Mexican flag, for one thing...) but also for some salty taste with some heartiness to it. Hence the Feta Cheese. Now you can go for anything tangy, salty and crumbly: queso fresco or farmers' cheese works well too.

While we had the chance to harvest and eat the jalapeño, mint and tomatillos from our backyard, that watermelon never came to be... some bunnies got to it before we did.

But just day dreaming about it made me come up with one of my favorite recipes. It is so bright, so alive, so peppy and so summery!

Luckily there are plenty of amazing watermelons at the stores... we will have to give it another go next summer to harvest our own.

Meanwhile I can't help but repeat this salad that hits all the taste buds! Sweet from the watermelon, salty from the cheese, spicy from the chile, tart from the lime and tomatillos and refreshing from the mint. Oh, you just have to give it a try...

SUMMERTIME WATERMELON & TOMATILLO SALAD
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 cups watermelon, cut into bite size chunks or cubes
2 cups, about 1/2 pound tomatillos, husks removed, thoroughly rinsed, quartered and thinly sliced
2/3 cup, about 3 oz mild feta or queso fresco, crumbled or cut into small dice

For the Vinaigrette
1 tbsp fresh mint leaves, about 5 to 6, chopped
1 tbsp jalapeño or serrano chile, or to taste (seeding optional)
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
1 tsp white distilled vinegar
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil

TO PREPARE
Place the watermelon cubes and tomatillo slices in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, add the chopped mint and jalapeno.Squeeze the fresh lime juice on top, stir in the vinegar, sprinkle the salt and mix. Pour the olive oil and vegetable oil, and mix with a whisk or fork until well emulsified.

Pour the vinaigrette on top of the watermelon and tomatillos, toss well and sprinkle the cheese on top.

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