Chunky Fresh Tomato Salsa

1 garlic clove
1 fresh jalapeno chile (or other variety, depending on heat you like), stemmed, seeded, and halved
6 fresh plum tomatoes
2 large green onions
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
salt


Finely dice 4 of the tomatoes, and one of the jalapeno halves. Finely slice one of the green onions. Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl.

Quarter the remaining two tomatoes. With the motor running, drop the garlic and remaining jalapeno half into a food processor. Turn off the motor. Add the tomato quarters and the salt. Pulse until mixture reaches a coarse puree.

Add the tomato puree to the chopped tomato mixture. Stir to combine.




--Adapted from Rick Bayless' cookbook, Everyday Mexican

Red Chile Enchiladas with Chicken and Melted Cheese

2-3 tablespoons chile powder

2 tablespoons minced garlic

One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire roasted)

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a little extra for the tortillas

2 cups chicken broth

12 corn tortillas

Salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 generous cups (about 8 oz.) coarsely shredded cooked chicken (about a half of a large rotissiere chicken)

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

Cilantro sprigs

In food processor, blend together chile powder, garlic, tomatoes with their juice, cumin and black pepper. Blend to as smooth as consistency as possible.

Heat oil in a large (4 qt.) saucepan over medium high heat. Cook sauce, stirring until it is reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about 5-7 minutes. Pour in the broth, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes while you prepare the tortillas, filling and toppings.

Lay out the tortillas on a baking sheet and brush lightly on both sides with oil, then stack them in twos. Slide the tortillas into the oven and bake just long enough to make them soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and stack them in a single pile; cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm.

Taste the sauce and season with salt, usually about 1 1/2 teaspoons, and the sugar. Stir in additional chicken broth if the sauce has thickened beyound the consistency of light cream soup.

Spread about 1/2 cup sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Stir another 1/2 cup sauce into the chicken. Lay out a warm tortilla, top with a portion of chicken and roll up. Lay seam side down in the baking dish. Continue filling and rolling the rest of the tortillas, then ladle the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is starting to brown. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Serves 4 to 6.

--Adapted from Rick Bayless

Enjitomatadas con Crema y Queso Fresco

So that's my fancy title for a very simple dish. This one is superb. Another win from Rick Bayless.


2 garlic cloves
2 jalapenos, stemmed and seeded
1 (28 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
12 corn tortillas
salt


Toppings:
shredded cooked chicken/beef/pork
sour cream
green onions
queso fresco
cilantro or parsley



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

With a food processor running, drop in the garlic and chiles, one at a time, letting each piece get finely chopped before adding the next. Drain the tomatoes, reserving their juice. Add the tomatoes, and process until smooth.

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomato puree and cook, stirring nearly constantly, until the mixture has reduced to the consistency of a thick tomato sauce, about 7 minutes. Add the broth and reserved tomato juice. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, lay out the tortillas on a baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with the oil, then stack them in twos. Slide the tortillas into the oven and bake just enough to make them pliable, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a towel to keep warm.

Taste and season the sauce with salt. Holding the warm tortillas by the edge, dip most of it into the hot sauce, then lay it on a deep dinner plate, and fold into quarters. Do the same with 2 more tortillas (for a total of 3 per serving). Ladle a generous 1/4 cup of sauce over the tortillas. Garnish liberally with your choice of toppings.

Serve hot.




--Adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Roasted Tomato Salsa

This is my new favorite salsa. It's good.

2 fresh jalepeno (or spicier chile, depending on taste)
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 can (15 oz.) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon lime juice (if needed)
Salt


Set a small skillet over medium heat. Lay the chiles and garlic in the skillet and dry roast until soft and blotchy black in spots, about 10 minutes for the chiles and 15 for the garlic.

While the chiles are roasting, chop the onions and the cilantro.

Once the chiles are finished, remove the stems. Remove the seeds if desired, but this will reduce the heat of the salsa. Peel the garlic.

Scoop the chiles and garlic into a food processor. Add tomatoes, with their juice, and pulse until desired consistency.

Add cilantro and onion. Add salt to taste. If necessary, add lime juice or water to adjust consistency.


--Adapted from Rick Bayless' excellent cookbook Mexican Everyday

Yucatecan Garlic-Spice Grilled Chicken

This is another excellent recipe from Rick Bayless. Very tasty, very simple. Make extra, because the leftovers are amazing.


6 garlic gloves, unpeeled
1/3 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sugar
8 boneless chicken thighs


Cut a slit in the side of each garlic clove. Place them in a microwave safe bowl, cover, and microwave on high 30 seconds. Remove the husks, and mince.

Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

Place chicken in a gallon size freezer bag with marinade, and marinate 2-4 hours.

Grill over medium high heat 10 minutes per side, or until chicken thighs can hold their own weight when picked up with tongs.



--Adapted from Mexican Everyday

Chipotle Shrimp

This is one of my new favorite recipes. We served the shrimp as tacos, but it would be just as good over rice. It's got a bit of a kick, so we garnished the tacos with cucumber, avocado, and green onions. They were great. This is a good recipe, and it would work just as well with virtually any other kind of meat - boneless chicken thighs would be perfect.


1 can (15 oz) fire-roasted tomatoes, drained
2 or 3 chipotle chiles en adobo
1 tablespoon chipotle canning sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. medium-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped


Pour the drained tomatoes into a blender or food processor. Add the chipotle chiles, and process till smooth.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, and stir until golden, about 1 minute. Pour in the tomato mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add enough wine to achieve a light tomato sauce consistency. Bring back to a boil. Taste, and season to taste with salt.

Add the shrimp to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp a cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Garnish with cilantro.



--Adapted from Rick Bayless' excellent cookbook, Mexican Everyday

Chipotle Salsa with Pan Roasted Tomatillos

This is a fantastic salsa. It might be the best homemade salsa I've tried. This is also great as a sauce over grilled chicken or fish.


3 garlic cloves, peeled
4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and cut in half
2 canned chipotles in adobo
1/4 cup water
salt

Lay the garlic and tomatillos, cut side down, in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the tomatillos are well browned (3 or 4 minutes), turn everything over and brown the other side. The tomatillos should be completely soft.

Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender, along with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a course puree.


Optional:
For a bit more heft, add a can of drained fire-roasted tomatoes to the blender. If needed (and if you like things spicy it will be), add another chipotle or two.



--Adapted from Rick Bayless' Everyday Mexican.

Creamy Parmesan Dressing

This is a great salad dressing. It has a really light flavor, so it might not be best with iceberg lettuce. But for romaine or other lettuce with some flavor, then it is perfect.


2/3 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons mayo
3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon chives (optional)


Combine everything in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined.



--Adapted from Rick Bayless