Best Mexican Food Recipes

Serves 6 to 8.

Cilantro Pepita Dressing:
2 medium Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled and seeded
1/3 cup roasted pepitas (roasted shelled pumpkin seeds)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
12 ounce salad oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
5 tablespoons grated Cotija cheese (see note)
2 small bunches cilantro, stemmed
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup water

Salad:
2 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil
1 large (or two small) heads romaine lettuce, rinsed and spun dry
1/3 cup finely grated Cotija cheese
Roasted red bell pepper, peeled and cut into julienne strips
1/2 cup pepitas (roasted shelled pumpkin seeds)

The dressing.
1. Place all dressing ingredients except cilantro, mayonnaise and water in a a blender of food processor. Blend approximately 10 seconds, then add cilantro little by little until blended smooth. Depending on size of blender, it may be necessary to do in batches.

2. Place mayonnaise and water in a large stainless steel bowl, and mix with a wire whip until smooth. Add the blended ingredients to the mayonnaise mixture, and mix thoroughly. Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Will keep for three days. Yields 1 quart.

To assemble salad.
1. Cut corn tortillas into matchstick-size strips. Heat oil in sauté pan; fry tortilla strips until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

2. Tear romaine into bite-size pieces. Place greens on salad plates and ladle approximately 2 ounces of cilantro pepita dressing on each salad. Sprinkle each dish with Cotija cheese and tortilla strips.

3. Arrange four red pepper strips like spokes on the top of each salad, and garnish with whole pepitas.

Note: Cotija cheese is a hard cheese, similar to Parmesan. It is available at some grocery stores and most Mexican markets.

1 yellow cake mix (with pudding) baked as directed in 13 by 9-inch pan

Topping mixture:
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup rum (or to taste)

To finish:
Whipped cream, to cover cake
5 ounces sweetened coconut

1. Poke holes in the cake with a fork all over. Pour topping mixture over cake. Let mixture absorb completely in refrigerator.

2. Cover with whipped cream or cool whip and sprinkle sweetened coconut over top of cake.

OPTIONAL: You can also add macadamia nuts, cherries and/or pineapple.

-----
From FoodNetwork.com

For grilled beef tacos, skirt steak is a great choice. A simple marinade of lime juice, garlic and cumin enlivens a very beefy tasting cut that's perfect with grilled chile strips.

Ingredients:
2 medium white onions, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (keep the rounds intact for easy grilling)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin, preferably freshly ground
Salt
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of surface fat as well as the thin white membrane called "silver skin"
3 medium (about 9 ounces total) fresh poblano chiles
Vegetable or olive oil for brushing or spritzing the onions and meat
A small bowlful of lime wedges for serving
12 fresh, warm corn tortillas

1. Marinating the meat. In a food processor or blender, combine 1/4 of the onion, the garlic, lime juice, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process to a smooth puree. Place the skirt steak in a non-aluminum baking dish. Using a spoon, smear the marinade over both sides of the skirt steak. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

2. Making the grilled chile-and-onion rajas. Turn on the oven to its lowest setting. Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire and let it burn just until the coals are covered with gray ash. Either turn the burner(s) in the center of the grill to medium-low or bank the coals to the sides of the grill for indirect cooking. Now, lay the chiles on the hottest part of the grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin is blistered and blackened uniformly all over, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to char the flesh, only the skin. Remove the chiles from the grill and cover with a kitchen towel. While the chiles are roasting, brush or spray the remaining onion slices with oil, and lay the whole rounds of onions on the grill in a cooler spot than you chose for the chiles. When they're starting to soften and are browned, about 10 minutes, use a spatula to flip them and brown the other side. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and break the rings apart (if they haven't started breaking apart during grilling).Rub the blackened skin off the outside of the chiles, then pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse briefly to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4-inch strips and stir into the onions. Taste the mixture and season it with salt, usually about 1/4 teaspoon. Keep warm in the oven.

3. Grilling the meat. Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess. Oil the steak well on both sides, and lay it over the hottest part of the grill. Grill, turning once, until richly browned and done to your liking, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.

4. Serving the tacos. Cut the long piece of skirt steak into 3- to 4-inch sections, then cut each section into thin strips across the grain (that is, in line with the full length of the skirt steak). Mix with the chiles and onions, season with a little salt and set on the table, along with the lime wedges and hot tortillas, for your guests to make into soft tacos.

Note: Thin steaks like skirt, taste best with a shorter tour in the marinade-1 to 8 hours. Leave them longer and the marinade flavor overpowers and saps the rosy color of the meat. The poblano-and-onion rajas can be made several hours ahead and left at room temperature; rewarm before serving. The steak, of course, must be grilled when you're ready to eat.

-----
From FronteraKitchens.com

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Heat the cream on the stove-top until slightly warmer than room temperature. (about 100 degrees with a thermometer).

2. Remove from heat and whisk in the sour cream.

3. Pour into a glass jar. Place the lid on top of the jar but don't tighten it. Put the jar in a warm room for at least 4 hours, up to 12 hours. The sauce will thicken and can be used for enchiladas, or refrigerate for another 4 to 12 hours to thicken even more.

This authentic shrimp dish can be served as a starter or as a main dish. It is extremely easy to make and full of wonderful flavor and texture. A great dish for Summer and Spring seasons.

Ingredients:
1 quart salted water
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 generous pound unpeeled small shrimp (about 41 to 50 count to a pound)
1/2 medium white onion, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons vinegary Mexican bottled hot sauce (such as Tamazula, Valentina or Bufalo)
About 2 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin (optional, but smoothes out sharpness)
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber or jicama (or 1/2 cup each)
1 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Salt
Several lime slices, for garnish
Tostadas or tortilla chips or saltine crackers, for serving

1. Cooking and marinating the shrimp:
Bring 1 quart salted water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons of the lime juice. Add shrimp, cover and return to a boil. Immediately remove from heat, set pot lid askew and pour off all liquid. Replace lid and set aside, letting shrimp steam in closed pot for 10 minutes.

2. Spread out shrimp in large glass or stainless steel bowl to cool completely. Peel shrimp (and devein, if desired). Toss shrimp with remaining 1/2 cup lime juice, cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

3. The flavorings:
In a small strainer, rinse chopped onion under cold water, then shake off excess liquid. Add to shrimp bowl along with chopped cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, optional olive oil, cucumber and/or jicama and avocado. Mix gently, taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Cover and refrigerate up to a few hours, or serve immediately.

4. Serving the ceviche: Spoon the ceviche into sundae glasses, martini glasses or small bowls. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of lime. Serve with tostadas, tortilla chips or saltines.

Note: I like to cut my preparation time by buying cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp. Then I start at Step 2 by marinating the shrimp in lime juice. I also purchased $1 sundae glasses at Wal-mart to serve the cocktail in.

-----
From the book,Mexico One Plate At A Time by Rick Bayless. More great recipes in the book, highly recommend purchasing it.

Serves 6 as a first course, 4 as a light main dish

Ingredients:
6 corn tortillas
Vegetable oil to a depth of 1/2 inch for frying
4 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
1 small white onion, sliced
2 dried pasilla (or 1 dried ancho) chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn into several flat pieces
One 15-ounce can good-quality whole tomatoes in juice, drained or 12 ounces (2 medium-small round) ripe tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
6 cups good chicken broth
1 large sprig fresh epazote if you have it
6 ounces Mexican queso fresco or other crumbly fresh cheese*
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large lime, cut into wedges

1. FRYING THE TORTILLAS. Cut the tortillas in half, then into 1/4-inch strips. In a medium-large (4-quart) saucepan, heat the 1/2 inch of oil over medium to 350 degrees F. (Using a thermometer is most accurate, but there are other reliable clues: the oil releases that "hot oil" aroma and its surface begins shimmering. Without a thermometer, test the edge of a tortilla strip to insure that it sizzles vigorously. Remember smoking oil is dangerously overheated and will give the tortilla strips a bad taste.) Add half the tortilla strips. Stir around in the oil nearly constantly until they are golden-brown and crispy. With the slotted spoon, scoop them out and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

2. OTHER PRELIMINARIES. Pour off all but a thin coating of hot oil in the saucepan and return to the heat. Add the garlic and onion to the oil and cook, stirring regularly, until golden, about 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop out the garlic and onion, pressing them against the side of the pan to leave behind as much oil as possible. Transfer garlic and onion to a blender or food processor. Add the chile pieces to the hot pan. Turn quickly as they fry, toast and release a delicious aroma - about 30 seconds in all. Too much frying/toasting will make them bitter. Remove and drain on paper towels. Set the pan aside.

3. THE BROTH. Add the tomatoes to the blender containing the garlic and onion, and process to a smooth puree. (If using fresh tomatoes, strain the puree to get rid of the pieces of tomato skin.) Set the saucepan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly until it has thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and epazote, bring to a boil, then partially cover and gently simmer over medium to medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Taste and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon depending on the saltiness of your broth.

4. SERVING THE SOUP. When you're ready to serve, divide the cheese and avocado among the soup bowls. Ladle a portion of the broth into each bowl, top with a portion of the tortilla strips and crumble on a little toasted chile. Carry these satisfying bowls of soup to the table and offer your guests wedges of lime to squeeze in to their liking.

WORKING AHEAD: Steps 2 and 3 can be completed several days ahead (which means you'll have the soup virtually ready to serve). Store the soup in the refrigerator, covered. The tortilla strips (Step I) will begin to taste stale if they're not served the day fried.

Note: I like to make my own healthy broth by boiling 3 chicken breasts in a medium-sized pot, seasoned with onion and garlic powder. I remove the chicken from the broth and run the broth through a strainer to get rid of any bits of chicken that have fallen on the chicken. I use the broth as instructed in the recipe, and, as the final broth simmers, I add the chicken, cut into small cubes for a more hearty soup. Other items I've added in the past are potatoes and zucchini.

-----
From the book,Mexico One Plate At A Time by Rick Bayless. More great recipes in the book, highly recommend purchasing it.