Mexican Cooking Together – Spectrum Brands

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Mexican Cooking Together – Spectrum Brands

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We hoped you enjoyed your Mexican Cooking Together. If you have any questions for chef please do ask and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

You Cooked:

  • Tacos al pastor
  • Pulled Chicken Quesadilla
  • Jalapeno and lime slaw
  • Guacamole
  • Chocolate Fondants

Taco Quesadilla Dough

Prepare the Dough:

Makes about 16 small tacos – we will make about 8 during the class, you can save the remaining dough in a bowl covered in cling film or roll the ball of dough in cling.

Ingredients – Serves 2:

  • – 185g plain or 00 flour – plus extra for dusting
  • – 20 ml of olive oil
  • – 80ml water
  • – 0.5tsp of baking powder

Method:

  1. 1. Add the flour, baking powder, olive oil & 80ml water to the mixing bowl, stir all together using a wooden spoon…once it all combines, take the dough with your hand until it becomes a springy dough.   If your dough is too sticky, add a little more flour..if too crumbly, add a little more water.
  2. 2. Set Aside – it doesn’t need to rest for long, but you can wait until you need to cook.  Then split into 3 – you will make your tacos, burritos and quesadilla later.

Tacos:

  1. 1. Split dough into 8 balls, heat frying pan to high heat, while the temperature builds, sprinkle flour on clean work surface or board, and some on your rolling pin.
  2. 2. Take a ball of dough, flatten into rough circle with your hand then roll until thin, keep turning and flipping over.
  3. 3. Add 2 -3 tacos to your pan at a time and cook until you see the taco blister and char.
  4. 4. Once both sides cooked, keep wrapped in tea towel – this softens the taco.
  5. 5. Cook all your tacos and then you are ready to serve.

Burrito & Quesadilla: Split dough into 2, roll out to desired size and cook as above.  Cover and set aside.

Toppings:

You can top your tacos with anything you like, we will make a couple of toppings, avioding the traditional gooey cheese and sour cream! Layer your preferred combination as you like – it’s easy to get carried away and overloaded, but that’s half the fun!

Shredded lettuce, cucumber, tomato, jalapeno chilli, cheese, sour cream, fresh coriander.

Tacos al Pastor

Traditionally this dish is made with cotija cheese, butter and olive oil.  However, this version is made with parmesan, although some crumbled feta works as well.  If you are worried about the corns sticking to the pan, you can use a little coconut oil to grease the cobs.

Ingredients – Serves 4:

  • – 1 pork tenderloin, whole, cleaned
  • – ½ cup fresh pineapple juice
  • – ½ lime juice
  • – ½ juice of an orange
  • – ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • – 2 tbsp chipotle peppers
  • – Annato seed acchiotte
  • – 2 tbsp honey
  • – 2 tsp salt
  • – 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • – 1 tsp ancho chili powder
  • – 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • – ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • – Olive oil, for cooking

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 180C.
  2. Whisk together all the marinade ingredients – fresh pineapple juice through cayenne pepper. Place about 3/4 of the marinade in a gallon-size zippered bag with the pork tenderloins. Seal the bag well and shake it around so the tenderloins are completely covered with marinade. Place the bag in the refrigerator and marinate for about 30 minutes. Do not marinate overnight – the fresh pineapple juice and lime will tenderize the pork too much.
  3. Reserve the other 1/4 of the marinade for brushing onto the pork while cooking.
  4. Remove the pork from the marinade and discard the marinade in the bag. Place the tenderloin in a super-hot frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Sear all over, transfer on a roasting tray and bake in the oven until cooked to your liking (pork tenderloin is usually being served medium-well).
  5. Remove the pork to a clean cutting board and tent with foil. Allow to rest for at least 3 minutes. Slice and serve with homemade tacos, slaw and other toppings.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Ingredients – 1 Cup:

  • – 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • – 1 tsp garlic powder
  • – 1 tsp onion powder
  • – 1 tsp salt
  • – 1 tsp Black pepper
  • – ½ tsp dried oregano

Method:

  1. 1. In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Store in an airtight container.

Jalapeno, Pineapple & Lime Coleslaw

Traditionally this dish is made with cotija cheese, butter and olive oil.  However, this version is made with parmesan, although some crumbled feta works as well.  If you are worried about the corns sticking to the pan, you can use a little coconut oil to grease the cobs.

Ingredients – Serves 2:

  • – 1x lime zest and juice
  • – 1tsp of caster sugar
  • – 3tbsp of olive oil
  • – 1x handful of chopped coriander
  • – ¼ red cabbage, shredded
  • – ¼ white cabbage, shredded
  • – Handful of diced pineapple
  • – 1 carrot, grated
  • – 1x shallot, sliced
  • – 1 green chilli, sliced
  • – 1tbsp of mayo (optional)

Method:

  1. 1. In a bowl, combine sugar, lime zest and juice. Whisk until well combined and sugar has melted.
  2. 2. Start stirring in the oil, gradually, still whisking.
  3. Add white and red cabbage, pinch of salt and pepper and roughly rub the marinade in, work with your hands until softened.
  4. 4. Add the rest of the ingredients and correct the seasoning.
  5. 5. We could use a tbsp. of mayonnaise or yoghurt for a creamy version of the slaw.
  • Mexican chicken for the Quesadilla

Serves 2

  • 4 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1tsp of ground coriander
  • 1tsp of ground cumin
  • 1tsp of paprika
  • 1 lime, zested and juiced
  • Salt and pepper
  • Splash of olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 190C.

  • Mix all the spices, garlic, lime zest and little pinch of salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl.
  • Massage the chicken in your marinade and cover with cling film. Let marinade in the fridge for at least 1hr.
  • Place a medium frying pan (ideally non-stick) over medium-high heat and get it hot.
  • Fry the chicken until both of sides are golden brown.
  • Transfer chicken into a roasting tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Rest and pull the chicken.
  • It can now be used for quesadilla or as a taco topping.

The Quesasdilla

  • Mexican Chicken as above (or use left overs from a roast, spiced in a pan)
  • 4 flour tortillas
  • 4 tbsp of guacamole
  • 1 red onion, thinly sliced
  • Handful of chopped coriander
  • 1 cup of grated cheddar
  • Splash of olive oil
  • Knob of butter

Preheat the oven to 185C.

  • Make a single cut from the centre of each wrap, this will help us to fold into quarters.
  • Spread guacamole on the first bit, topped with cheese and fold.
  • Do the same with the chicken, onion and coriander, top with cheese again. Repeat until triangle shape quesadilla is folded.
  • Preheat a non-stick pan on medium-high heat and add oil and butter, wait until the butter foams, fry the quesadillas until golden on both sides, transfer to a roasting tray and bake in the oven until the cheese is melted, this will take about 4 minutes.
  • Serve with sour cream.
  •  

Guacamole

Serves 4 

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 buffalo tomato, diced
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 1tbsp of coriander, chopped
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 small chillies, chopped
  •  
  • Halve and stone avocados, place in a bowl, smash it up roughly with a fork. Add all the rest of the ingredients, season well and serve straight away.
  • .

Food Sorcery Chocolate Fondant

Who can resist the scrumptious taste of chocolate, chef showed us how to make the perfect melt in the middle pudding.

Ingredients – makes 4

  • 100g butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 100g dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa solids), roughly chopped or broken into small chunks
  • 100g plain flour
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 25g cocoa powder
  • 25g melted butter
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 2 medium egg yolks
  • Vanilla ice cream, crème fraiche, mint & berries

Method

  1. 1. Preheat the oven to 190˚C/170˚C fan/Gas 5
  2. 2. Grease 4 ramekins with butter.
  3. 3. Dust inside of ramekins with cocoa powder
  4. 4. Put the butter and chocolate into a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water underneath) and leave until melted, stirring occasionally
  5. 5. Remove from the heat, sift over the flour and then whisk it in
  6. 6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until combined, then whisk this into the chocolate mixture, until smooth and well combined (you can use an electric whisk if you must)
  7. 7. Pour the chocolate mixture into the ramekins.
  8. 8. Leave to set in fridge for minimum 20minutes but can be overnight 
  9. 8. Bake for 12 minutes – the fondants are ready when you shake each one gently and only the middle moves a little
  10. 9. Remove from the oven, and gently loosen the edge.
  11. 10. Carefully invert each fondant onto a plate. Serve with crème fraiche or vanilla ice cream, mint and berries.