Mexican Cooking Master Class

Tacos de Guisado- Stewed Beef
Tortillas- Corn Flatbread
Salsa Rojo + Salsa Verde Roasted Tomato and Tomatillo Sauces
Ceviche con Tostadas -Lightly Cured Seasonal Fish
Sopa De Tortilla- Tortilla Soup 

🥟 Tortilla de Maiz- Corn 

There is nothing quite like making fresh corn tortillas. It’s surprisingly easy as long as you have the right tools. A tortilla press is indispensable. 

Serves:2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Execution Time: 30 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 160g masa harina 

• 245g warm water

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 tsp pork lard (rendered pork fat)

METHOD

1. Combine the masa harina, lard and salt in a mixing bowl. 

2. While mixing, gradually add the water until the dough just begins to clump. You may need to add a teaspoon or so of extra water, if necessary. 

3. Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls. 

4. Press to shape using the tortilla press. After a light press, flip the tortilla around placing the side closest to the hinge away from the hinge. 

5. Remove the pressed tortillas to a plate and separate them with little sheets of baking paper.

6. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat. It skillet should be quite hot before you cook the tortilla. Test the temperature by placing a few drops of water in the pan. The water should bead and then evaporate immediately. 

7. Using a bit of paper towel, lubricate the inside of the pan with a little bit of the pork fat or vegetable oil. 

8. Place the tortillas in the pan and cook the tortilla for 15-20 seconds on each side. If the pan is hot enough, you should immediately hear an audible sizzle. If the pan is the right temperature, after 15 seconds the tortilla should have changed colour to a more white shade, but shouldn’t have browned much. After flipping twice, pat the edge of the tortilla with a spatula or your fingertips, which should help it puff up. Flip the tortilla when it has browned a little bit, or after about a minute. Repeat with the remaining side.

9. Use right away or stack them in a covered container, which allows them to steam and stay soft and pliable.

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🥣 Sopa De Tortilla - Chicken and Avocado Soup 

This traditional soup is versatile and great for getting rid of leftovers. It’s a comforting, warm and healthy soup. Crunchy bits of fried tortilla compliment the creamy avocado, and salty queso fresco. 

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Execution time: 15 minutes 

Serves: 2 

INGREDIENTS

• 400ml chicken stock 

• 100g cooked chicken thigh, sliced

• ½ tomato, charred, skin removed, diced 

• ½ onion, charred, skin removed, diced

• ½ tsp Mexican oregano

• 1 clove of garlic, charred 

• ½ lime, cut in half 

• ½ tsp salt 

• 40g purple tortilla chips, crumbled 

• 1 tsp vegetable oil

To Garnish:

• 1 radish, sliced

• ½ lime, quartered

• 50g queso fresco

• ¼ avocado, sliced

• 1 tbsp coriander, chopped finely 

  METHOD 

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in the vegetable oil. Add in the onion and tomato and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they begin to soften. 

2. Add in the chicken stock, Mexican oregano, and gently bring it to a simmer. Add in the chicken thigh, salt and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Place the tortilla chips into the soup and simmer them for 1 minute until they’ve softened a little bit. Squeeze the lime into the soup just before serving. 

3. Separate the broth into 2 bowls. Garnish each bowl with the queso fresco, avocado, radish, and coriander. Squeeze in the lime wedges just before serving.

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🥑 Salsa Verde - Tomatillo Sauce

This green tomatillo salsa is rich in flavour and serves as an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats, with tacos, and is even great simply eaten on a tortilla chip. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Execution Time: 15 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 6 tomatillos (250g), diced

• ½ brown onion, charred, diced 

• 1 clove garlic, charred, chopped 

• 2 stalks coriander, chopped finely 

• ½ serrano chilli (green), or 2 jalapeno chillis, charred, minced  

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp El Cielo Habanero hot sauce (optional) 

METHOD

1. Combine all ingredients in a mortar and pestle until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

🍅Salsa Rojo - Roasted Tomatoes 

This roasted tomato salsa is rich in flavour and serves as an excellent accompaniment to grilled meats, with tacos, and is even great simply eaten on a tortilla chip. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Execution Time: 15 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tomatoes 250g , charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• ½ white onion, charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• ½ lime, juiced

• 1 clove of garlic, charred, chopped 

• 1 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce, minced 

• 1 sprig coriander, chopped finely 

• ½ tsp salt 

METHOD

1. Combine all ingredients in a mortar and pestle until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

🐔Tacos Tinga de Pollo- Braised Chicken with Chiles 

This dish of shredded chicken makes a wonderfully complex-tasting filling for tacos. It is often served with a number of different accompaniments: refried beans, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges, tortillas or tostadas. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Execution time: 30 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 chicken thighs (300g), simmered for 1.5 hours in 200ml water

• 1 white onion, charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled, charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• 1 tomato (200g), halved, charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• 2 bay leaves (optional)

• 1/2 pc mulato chilli, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• ½ ancho chilli, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• 3 pc arbol chilli, toasted, soaked in warm water

• 1 tsp chipotle en adobo 

• ¼ tsp salt

• 1 tsp canola oil

To serve:

• 8 fresh tortillas 

• 1 radish julienned 

• 1 coriander sprig, chopped

• ½ avocado, sliced 

• 40g queso fresco

• 3 tbsp chipotle crema

• salsa rojo 3 tbsp

• salsa verde 3 tbsp

METHOD

1. To char the onions, preheat the grill setting of your oven. Halve the onions leaving  the skin on, and place them on a baking tray with the cut side facing up. Grill for 5-8 minutes until the edge of the onion charrs a little and the whole onions softens just slightly. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the chicken thigh skin side up in a baking tray that just fits it. Pour water over the chicken until everything except for the skin is covered. 

2. Bake the chicken for 1.5 hours until fork tender. 

3. To prepare the sauce for the tacos, preheat a small saucepan over low heat. Add in the canola oil and onion. Saute then for 1-2 minutes until they soften a little. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add in the diced tomato and the minced chillies, bay leaves, including the chipotle in adobo sauce. Season the mixture with salt to taste. Add in the cooked chicken. 

4. Simmer the mixture for 4-7 minutes or until the liquid evaporates and thickens to a gravy-like consistency. 

5. To serve the tacos: Place a few tablespoons of the filling onto a fresh tortilla and garnish with any of the above fillings. 

🥩 Guisado de Res- Braised Beef

These braised beef tacos have a smoky and deep flavour from the blend of chiles and charred vegetables mixed into the stew. 

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Execution Time: 40 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 300g beef chuck, simmered for 3 hours in chicken stock

• 1 white onion, charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled

• 1 tomato (200g), charred in an oven under the grill setting, minced finely

• 2 bay leaves (optional)

• 1 pc morita chilli, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• ½ chile guajillo, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• ½ chile pasilla, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• 1 pc cascabel chilli, soaked in warm water for 1 hour, minced finely

• 1 tsp Mexican oregano 

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp canola oil

METHOD 

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the beef a baking tray that just fits it. Pour water over the beef until it is covered about 80% of the way up. 

2. Bake the beef for 3.5-4 hours until fork tender. 

3. To prepare the sauce for the tacos, preheat a small saucepan over low heat. Add in the canola oil and onion. Saute then for 1-2 minutes until they soften a little. Add in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add in the diced tomato and the minced chillies, bay leaves, including the chipotle in adobo sauce. Season the mixture with salt to taste. Add in the cooked beef. 

4. Simmer the mixture for 4-7 minutes or until the liquid evaporates and thickens to a gravy-like consistency. 

5. To serve the tacos: Place a few tablespoons of the filling onto a fresh tortilla and garnish with any of the above fillings.

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   🐟Ceviche Tostadas - Fried Corn Tortilla with Lime-Cured Fish

    

This dish of white fish is cured lightly in lime and other aromatics. It makes a delicious, refreshing, and light snack or appetiser. 

Serves: 2 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Execution Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the ceviche:

• 200g kingfish, sushi-grade, deboned, cut into 1cm cubes 

• ½ lime, juiced 

• 1 tbsp coriander, chopped finely 

• ¼ shallot (20g), minced finely 

• 1 pinch salt

• 2 corn tortillas 

• 400mL vegetable oil 

For the chipotle crema: 

• 1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce

• 2 tbsp full fat sour cream or creme fraiche 

To garnish: 

• 1 radish julienned 

• 1 coriander sprig, diced 

• ½ avocado, sliced 

METHOD

1. To make the chipotle crema, mix the crema and the chipotle together in a mixing bowl. Adjust the heat to your liking by adding in more chipotle, if desired. 

2. To make the tostadas: Add 700ml vegetable oil to a deep pot. Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until it reaches 160C. 

3. Add in the tortillas to the pan 2 or 3 at a time, and fry until crispy and lightly golden brown- about 2-3 minutes. 

4. Drain them well on a paper towel. Season to taste with a tiny bit of salt. 

5. To prepare the ceviche: Mix the lime juice, a pinch of salt, shallot, kingfish, and coriander together in a mixing bowl. Allow the lime juice to cure or ‘cook’ the fish for 15-30 minutes depending on how firm you like the texture. As the lime juice penetrates the kingfish, it will make it more firm, and its colour will turn increasingly opaque. 

6. After the fish has cured, spread a tablespoon of the chipotle cream over the surface of one of the tostadas. Place a layer of thinly sliced avocado over top of the crema and season it with a tiny pinch of salt. Spoon the ceviche over top of the avocado. Sprinkle a little bit of chopped coriander, radish, and lime juice on top of the ceviche as a final garnish.