RECIPE: Costillas de Puerco al Chipotle (Pork Ribs in Chipotle Adobo)

At work, one of my colleagues asked me to develop a recipe using Xilli Chipotles Adobados. The resident Mexican at Food52, I knew exactly what to do. This recipe incorporates three chiles, all very distinct in flavor. You can sub in a wide variety of meats, like beef, pork butt, and lamb. Serve this with fresh tortillas and avocado slices.

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Ingredients:

• 3 Xilli Chipotles Adobados

• 3 allspice berries

• 2 cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 3 Guajillo chiles, seeds and stem removed

• 3 Cascabel chiles, seeds and stem removed

• 2 garlic cloves, skin on

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 2 1/2 pounds Pork Short Ribs, cut into pieces that fit the width of your Dutch oven

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Remove the stem from the Xilli Chipotles Adobados and place them in a blender with the next six ingredients.

3. Over a clay comal , toast the dried guajillo and cascabel chiles until fragrant (roughly 1 minute, depending on the dryness of the chiles). Take care not to burn them, or the sauce will be bitter. Once toasted, soak the chiles in water for 15 minutes.

4. Roast the garlic, skin on, until dark spots appear. Peel the cloves and add to the blender.

5. Blend everything together until smooth, adding water if necessary.

6. In a large Dutch oven, sear the ribs until browned over med-high heat.

7. Strain the blended sauce through a mesh sieve (optional) and over the ribs being sure to scrape the bottom of the dutch oven with a spatula. Pour water into the dutch oven until the meat is submerged.

8. Cook with lid on, for 2 to 4 hours, depending on how tender you want the meat.

9. Once done, remove ribs and slice. Serve with fresh tortillas and plenty of sauce over the top.

VIDEO: How to Cure A Comal: Cal 101

The most important recommendation I give to those who are serious about taking their Mexican cuisine to the next level is to A: make your own damn tortillas and B: do it on clay instead of cast iron. Comales de barro need to be treated in order to prevent tortillas from sticking to the surface of the clay. The powdered cal helps seal the pores of the clay allowing for a nonstick surface.

NIXTAMAL

nixtamalli/nistaˈmalːi/

Classical Nahuatl:

Noun

1. ashes, nextli

2. unformed corn dough, tamalli

What is cal?

Cal or calcium hydroxide is primarily used in Mexico for nixtamal, the pre-Hispanic technique to process whole maiz kernels for grinding into masa for tortillas. In the US this cal is also known as “pickling lime.” Not only does the cal make the maiz easier to grind, it increases the nutritional value and the toxins within the kernels themselves are reduced. We are not sure how the ancient peoples of Mexico discovered the chemical reaction, but it supported the rise of the great Mesoamerican Empires.

Cal - 1 oz

$3.00

Purchase

Method:

Mix one part cal to one part water to make a thin paste. Yes, it’s that simple. Then paint it on your comal and allow it to dry, and then repeat a second time.

When bits of the cal flake off into your tortillas or tomatillos during cooking, don’t panic, think of it as added niacin mineral intake! When the cal starts to flake off or it becomes soiled, I use a metal brush to scrape off the cal and then clean the surface with water and repaint it again.

VIDEO: Salsa de Molcajete 101

Don't get me wrong, I love my blender, but there is something very unique about the consistency of a pre-Hispanic molcajete ground salsa. The molcajete and temolote or, the "Aztec blender," are traditionally carved out of volcanic basalt rock and is essentially a three legged bowl. The texture of the salsas crushed by hand are thicker, meatier, and allow the maker to have precise control over how fine the ingredients should be smashed. With a blender, two pulses can make or break your salsa as the aggressive blades pulverize versus the temolote (hand held pestle), which crushes. At Casa Oaxaca our server prepared a salsa de molcajete tableside and used chile de arbol asking our level or spice and the presentation was absolutely fabulous.

For most tomatillo based salsas, I like to search Mexican markets for smaller tomatillos or tomates verdes. They pack much more flavor and are easier to control inside the walls of the bowl of the molcajete. If you cannot find the small ones, substitute for medium sized. The salt here is sal mexicana.

 

Molcajete:

mōlcaxitl /mo̞lkaˈxe̞t̪e̞/

Classic Nahuatl - Noun:

1. A small mortar, typically carved from vesicular basalt and used in traditional Mexican cuisine

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Ingredients:

• 2 white onion slices, 1/4 inch thick, skin on

• 2 garlic cloves, skin on

• 7-15 tomatillos (see above on size), skin removed

• 4-8 chiles de arbol, seeds and stem intact

• salt to taste

• 1 lime

Method:

1. Rinse out your molcajete and clean the tomatillos. Slice the onion into rings.

2. Over medium flame bring the comal to temperature. Place the onion, garlic, tomatillos, and chile de arbol on the comal. Allow the chiles to toast but not burn. Once they smell of peanuts, remove them from heat de-stem and allow them to reconstitute in cold water. Allow the remaining ingredients to charr. Flip them until they are cooked through - roughly 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Place garlic cloves and salt in the molcajete. Crush the cloves and remove the skin from the garlic. Crush into a fine paste and then incorporate the remaining ingredients one by one until they are ground into a thick sauce. Add salt and lime to taste. Serve room temperature.

VIDEO: Tortilla 101

Alex Stupak, chef of Empellon in NYC, says tortilla making is more of a method than a recipe and I can't agree more. Tortillas are essential to authentic Mexican cuisine and they may seem simple, but mastering their texture and nuances has taken me years. My family made flour (harina) tortillas when I was growing up and we sometimes made maiz (corn). So when I went on this endeavor, I was like a fish out of water. I spoke with the tortilla flipping ladies of Mexico City and Oaxaca and finally at Casa Oaxaca, one of my best dining experiences I've ever had, the tortilla lady let me ask her questions that solved everything. I'm sharing those tips below.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 parts Maseca

• 1 part water (hot water)

• Salt to taste

Method:

1. In a bowl mix the masa and hot water for five minutes until well combined. These portions can change if the dough is too dry. You are going to have to do this many times to get the consistency right. Cover with a damp towel and allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.

2. On the highest heat possible, place a comal over the open flame. Let the comal get very, very, hot. Meanwhile press the first tortilla in a tortilla press.

3. Lay the tortilla on the comal and allow it to cook until the sides lift off the surface. Flip the tortilla and allow it to cook for another 45 seconds. Flip it a third time until the tortilla puffs, or fills with air. Immediately remove from heat and place in a basket or between two towels to stay warm. Serve as soon as possible.

*DISCLAIMER: In my video the tortillas did not puff. Due to technical difficulties, the gas on my portable stove top did not have enough BTUs to get hot enough.

RECIPE: Pozole

POZOLE

/po'sole/

Classical Nahuatl:

Noun

1. hominy, pozolli

Pozole is a dish served all over Mexico and has many variations. My family makes this nearly every Holiday season and the hearty stew is sure to bring warmth back to a cold winter day. My recipe takes the best parts from my aunt's version of pozole and has been refined using French cooking techniques. The double straining through a fine mesh strainer makes all the difference in the broth. You can use dried or canned hominy, but if you want more control over the texture of the corn, spend the extra effort in soaking the dried kernels over night.

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Pozole rojo

Serves 6

Ingredients:

FOR THE POZOLE

• 2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 4 large pieces

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/2 white onion

• 5 garlic cloves

• 3 guajillo chiles

• 2 ancho chiles

• 3 puya chiles

• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup dried hominy (presoaked overnight) OR 1 8oz can prepared

• salt to taste

FOR THE GARNISH:

• lime wedges

• shredded cabbage

• sliced radish

• cilantro

GARNISH!

radish / rabano

Method:

1. Place the pork, bay leaves, and 1/4 of the onion, and 3 cloves of garlic in a pot. Cover the meat with water (roughly 8 cups) and bring to a boil. Skim the impurities off the surface of the boiling water and reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Cook for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until the meat is able to pull apart.

2. While the meat cooks, toast the chiles on a comal for roughly 1 minute until fragrant and smoking, but not burnt. (The soup will be bitter if the chiles are burnt.) Soak the chiles in water, cover and allow the chiles to reconstitute for 15 minutes. Deseed and de-stem the chiles and place in blender with 1/4 onion, 2 garlic cloves, oregano, cumin, and 1 cup of water. Blend for three minutes and then pass through a mesh strainer. Heat the olive oil in a pot on low heat and cook the chile paste for roughly 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is a dark shade of red.

3. Remove the meat from the stock and chop into bite size cubes. Strain the stock through a mesh strainer and then a second time through a fine mesh strainer. Add the stock to the chile mixture and stir to blend. Add the pork and hominy and heat on low until the oil seperates out. Salt to taste. Serve with garnishes and fresh tortillas.

RECIPE: Mole Negro Oaxaqueño

MOLE

/mo·le/

Classical Nahuatl:

Noun

1. sauce, molli o mulli

When I think of sweet and savory, mole instantly comes to mind. The blend of aromatic spices, chiles and chocolate make for a rich melange of flavors that make your tongue dance through the centuries of Mexican cooking. Mole is hard to classify because depending on who you are speaking with, mole can be a sauce or a main entree. I often see mole poblano smothered over enchiladas at restaurants in NYC, but Chef Enrique Olvera's Pujol in Mexico City serves mole as the main course, accompanied only by tortillas. I see it somewhere in the middle, as a hearty, protein forward sauce that cannot be over powered by another dish on the table.

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Mole Negro Oaxaqueño

This mole will be difficult to make - I won't lie to you there. It requires patience and a culinary understanding that is not for the unseasoned cook. Most of the ingredients should be easy to source except for the chilhuacle negro chiles. On my last trip to Mexico City, I had to ask several market stalls in Mercado Medellin for these chiles. One woman even confused them for cascabel! Fine mesh strainers will be your best friends when making refined mole. You do not want your mole to be gritty, it should be thick, not gritty.

Mole is for celebrating. You simply cannot make a small batch of it and it is best to have a dinner party to serves it to your many guests. You can also save it in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for 3 months.

Serves 12

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, bone in, skin intact

• 5 chilhuacle negro chiles, seeds removed and saved

• 5 guajillo chiles, seeds removed and saved

• 4 pasilla chiles, seeds removed and saved

• 5 ancho chiles, seeds removed and saved

• 2 chipotle mecos

• 1 medium white onion, sliced in rounds 1/2 inch thick

• 6 cloves garlic, skin intact

• 4 medium tomatillos, rinsed and skin removed

• 2 medium roma tomatoes, cored

• 2 tablespoons almonds, skin intact

• 2 tablespoons peanuts, unsalted 

• 1 inch piece canela (Mexican cinnamon)

• 4 black peppercorns

• 4 cloves

• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

• 1 tablespoon pecans

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 tablespoons raisins

• 1 slice bread (a kaiser roll works fine) 

• 1/2 plantain, sliced in 1 inch rounds

• 1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

• 1 tablespoon lard OR vegetable oil

• 6 ounces chocolate, chopped

• salt to taste

• 15 fresh tortillas, cooked on a comal

• 1 small white onion, sliced

• 1 radish, sliced

Method:

1. Place chicken in pot and fill with 5 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer until the chicken reads 150 degrees with a thermometer. Remove from liquid and allow to cool. Remove the skin and shred the meat from the bone. Store in the fridge or in a warm spot until ready for serving. Reserve the stock.

2. Heat a comal over medium-low heat and toast the chiles for roughly 10 minutes in a well ventilated kitchen (open a window). Depending on how dry the chiles are, 10 minutes may be too long. Once toasted soak the chiles in water for 30 minutes. Blend the chile mixture in the blender for 10 minutes with 1 cup of fresh water. Strain the chiles using a fine mesh strainer in a bowl. 

3. Raise the heat on the comal to medium and cook the onion, tomatillos, tomatoes until charred and soft to the touch. Reserve in a bowl.

4. In a dry skillet over medium heat toast the almonds, peanuts, canela, peppercorns, cloves, sesame seeds and pecans until fragrant and lightly browned. Reserve in the same bowl as the ingredients from step 3.

5. In the same dry skillet toast the chile seeds until black. Once fully blackened, light the seeds on fire and let the flames charr them until shiny. Put in cold water and soak for 10 minutes, strain and soak for another 5 minutes in fresh water.

6. In the same skillet heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Fry the raisins for 1 minute and allow them to puff up. Strain and reserve in the same bowl as the other ingredients. Fry the bread until brown, strain and reserve in the same bowl. Fry the plantain for 5 minutes, strain and reserve.

7. Blend all the ingredients from steps 3-6, the thyme and oregano for 10 minutes with 1 cup of chicken stock from step 1. More stock may need to be added if the blender becomes stuck. Pass the paste through a fine mesh strainer.

8. Heat lard over a medium flame and pour the chile mixture into the pan. Stir constantly for two minutes. Add the spice and nut mixture from step 7 and allow the mixture to cook over low heat for 30 minutes. More stock may need to be added if the spluttering is too rapidly. The mole should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but not gritty. Mole should splutter slightly and your stove will be messy. Relax - it's worth it.

9. Add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted. Salt to taste.

10. Assemble the warm chicken in fresh tortillas and arrange on a plate. Smother the enchiladas with the mole, garnishing with sliced onion and radish. Serve with white rice and fresh tortillas for mopping up the sauce.