LA COCINA MEXICANA with Tita Soberon and Andrés Lira
Bean Soup (Sopa de Frijoles)
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried black or bayo beans
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove
- salt, to taste
Ingredients: Soup
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 7 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 cups reserved bean cooking water, divided
- salt, to taste
- 5 corn tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 cups sour cream
- 12 ounces Cotija cheese, crumbled
Sort through the beans and remove any stones or discolored beans. Rinse thoroughly (at least 3 times) with fresh water. Place the beans in a large bowl and fill with enough cool water to cover and soak for at least 12 hours, or overnight.
To cook the beans: Drain the soaked beans. Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Next, add the beans, garlic clove and enough water to cover the beans by 2 to 3 inches. Cover and simmer the beans over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 4 hours. Continue to add hot water if more liquid is needed. Once the beans are cooked, season them with salt. Drain the beans, reserving the bean water. Let cool to warm or room temperature before blending.
To make the soup: In a blender, combine the onion, garlic and tomato sauce and blend until smooth. Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the blended onion mixture and oregano and fry for about 2 minutes. Return the mixture to the blender. Add about 1/3 to 1/2 of the cooked beans and some of the cooking water and blend until smooth. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and pour the blended soup mixture into the pot. Blend the remaining beans in batches, adding enough bean water to achieve the right consistency for soup. Add it to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup for about 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt.
Cut the tortillas into strips, about ¼-inch wide. Heat 1½ cups of vegetable oil over high heat in a sauté pan or large saucepan. Add the tortilla strips and fry until deep golden brown. Remove the tortilla strips with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.
Place the sour cream, Cotija cheese and fried tortilla strips in bowls, or on a garnish platter. Ladle the soup into the bowls and allow guests to add the toppings. Serves 8.
Chicken in Peanut Sauce (Pollo Encacahuatado)
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
- 7 sprigs Italian parsley
- salt, to taste
Ingredients: Peanut Sauce
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 cups salted peanuts
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
- White Rice (recipe follows)
- corn tortillas, warmed
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook each for about 20 seconds each side to seal the meat (do not brown). Add enough boiling water to cover the chicken. Add the parsley and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook the chicken until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Peanut Sauce: In a pot or Dutch oven, heat ½ cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the peanuts and toast just until they begin to turn golden, stirring continually for 3 to 4 minutes. Take care not to burn the peanuts. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peanuts to a blender or food processor, reserving the oil in the pot. Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce to the blender and blend well.
Reheat the olive oil in the pot over medium-high heat. Pour the peanut sauce into the pot and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked chicken breasts, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Serve the chicken in peanut sauce with white rice and warm corn tortillas. Serves 8.
White Rice (Arroz Blanco)
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain white rice
- 3 cups olive oil
- ½ medium onion, chopped.
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 7 sprigs Italian parsley
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- salt, to taste
Place the rice in a bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and rinse the rice several times until the water is clear. Drain very well (the rice should be nearly dry).
Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until the rice no longer sticks to the spoon. (Do not brown the rice.) Drain off the excess oil (it can be saved to re-use). Stir in the chicken broth, parsley, diced carrots and salt. Bring the mixture to boil over high heat. Stir, cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the broth has been absorbed. Serves 8 to 10.
Mexican Bread Pudding (Capirotada)
Ingredients: Syrup
- 7 cups water
- 2 brown sugar cones (piloncillo)
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Ingredients
- 2 baguettes, day-old
- 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, divided
- 2 cups raisins
- 2 cups salted toasted peanuts
- 2 cups almonds
- 2 1/2 cups Cotija cheese, crumbled
Syrup: Place 7 cups of water in a large pot. Add the brown sugar cones and cinnamon sticks and soak the mixture overnight. Heat the mixture over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the brown sugar cones melt. Boil the mixture until it thickens slightly, about 10 to 20 minutes.
Slice the baguettes into ½-inch thick slices. Melt about ½ stick (1/4 cup) of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add some of the bread slices and fry both sides until golden brown. Transfer the fried slices to a plate. As more bread slices are added to the skillet, add more butter as needed.
Line the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish with bread slices. Top with about 1/3 of the raisins, peanuts, almonds and cheese. Drizzle enough of the syrup over the mixture to lightly soak the bread. Repeat the layers one or two more times, ending with some of the nuts and raisins on top. Drizzle some of the syrup over all. (Leftover syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for later use.)
Bake the bread pudding in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve warm. Serves 8.
Hibiscus Infused Water (Agua de Jamaica)
Ingredients: Hibiscus Water Concentrate
- 8 cups water
- 2 cups dried hibiscus flowers
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup hibiscus water concentrate
- ¼ to ½ cup sugar, to taste
Hibiscus Water Concentrate: Pour the water into a large saucepan or pot. Add the hibiscus flowers and boil over high heat for about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain out the flowers and cool the concentrate to room temperature. Store the concentrate in a covered container in the refrigerator.
To make Hibiscus Infused Water: Add 3 cups of water to a 1-liter carafe or pitcher. Add ¼ to ½ cup of sugar (to taste) and stir to dissolve. Add 1 cup of the Hibiscus Water Concentrate and stir well. Serve the infused water well-chilled, or over ice. Serves 4.
Recipes for Bean Soup and Hibiscus Infused Water by Andrés Lira.
Recipes for Chicken in Peanut Sauce, White Rice and Capirotada by Tita Soberon.
