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Snapper a la Veracruzana
Croutons with Black Beans, Salsa & Sour Cream
Rice with Vegetables
Snapper a la Veracruzana Warm Corn Tortillas
Cinnamon Flan
This menu reminds me of the family I lived with in Mexico City when I spent a semester there in college. The señora of our house, Silvia, frequently served sautéed rice with seasonal vegetables as the sopa, or first course, which was one of my favorites. There was a platter of delicious refried black beans at breakfast and also at the mid-day meal, along with the delicate corn tortillas that she had delivered fresh to our door every day at noon. We all awaited with great anticipation one of her specialties, huachinango a la veracruzana. This dinner is my version of those fondly remembered meals, and never fails to transport me back to her kitchen
Croutons with Black Beans, Salsa & Sour Cream
1 baguette, cut into thin slices olive oil 1 15-ounce can black beans Kosher salt 1 container purchased fresh salsa, hot or mild to taste 1 cup sour cream Chives or cilantro leaves for garnish
For croutons, brush both sides of baguette slices lightly with olive oil. Broil on each side until golden.
Puree one quarter of the beans with a little bit of the liquid in a blender. Mix with remaining beans, mashing them a bit. Add salt to taste. You want a thick, chunky mixture. Stir in ¼ cup fresh salsa. Refry entire mixture in oil until thick, 3-4 minutes. Cool and refrigerate if preparing ahead of time. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
To assemble, place a spoonful of bean mixture on one half of the crouton. Place a spoonful of fresh salsa on the other half, so that you have a spoonful of beans and a spoonful of salsa side by side. With a pastry bag, pipe a small rosette of sour cream on top. Place on a tray and garnish with chives or cilantro leaves. Serve immediately.
2 cups converted rice ¼ cup olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1-2 fresh jalapeños, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 cups frozen peas 1 cup unsalted chicken broth 2¾ cups water 1 teaspoon cumin ¼ teaspoon tumeric 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ cup chopped cilantro
Put frozen peas in a small bowl to thaw. Combine chicken broth and water and heat to boiling. In another saucepan, sauté chopped onion in olive oil until onions are soft. Add chopped jalapeño and sauté 2 minutes more. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.. Add rice and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add cumin, tumeric, salt and pepper. Sauté 2 minutes. Add hot chicken broth mixture. Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Stir in thawed peas and cilantro. Taste and correct for salt.
2 pounds red snapper salt 2 limes 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, chopped 6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes 2 fresh jalapeños, chopped 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped 2 sprigs fresh marjoram, chopped ½ teaspoon dried oregano 2 bay leaves ½ teaspoon kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped Warm corn tortillas
Place snapper in a shallow glass pan and sprinkle with salt. Squeeze juice of limes over fish. Marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
Sauté onions in oil until golden brown. Stir in garlic and jalapeño and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, rosemary, marjoram, oregano, bay leaves, salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add cilantro and snapper filets with marinade, cover, and cook until fish is done. This could be anywhere from 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of your snapper filets. Discard bay leaves. Serve immediately with warm tortillas.
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon
cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped Pinch salt A kettle of hot water Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
Place sugar and cinnamon in heavy non-stick pan and cook, swirling pan, over medium-high heat until sugar melts and becomes a medium amber color. Swirl pan, but do not stir. Quickly divide caramelized sugar mixture among 6 ramekins, tilting ramekins to coat bottom with caramel. Set aside. Preheat oven to 325º Whisk together the eggs, yolks and ½ cup sugar in a medium bowl until pale and thick. Combine the milk, cream, salt and vanilla bean in a small saucepan. Heat until almost boiling, stirring occasionally. Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture. Divide mixture among ramekins and place ramekins in a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come half way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the flan is just set. Let ramekins cool in the water bath, then refrigerate at least 4 hours. To serve, run a knife around the sides of each ramekin and invert on a plate. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and serve.
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Copyright © 2008 by Charlotte Rose. All rights reserved. |
