Grandma's Authentic Mexican Buñuelos

As a child, I would spend a couple of weeks with my Grandmother in Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico. One of my favorite memories is when we used stop by my Grandmother’s favorite traditional buñuelos stand after church. We would talk and wait eagerly for our buñuelo while we sipped atole blanco (traditional masa-based hot corn beverage) I can still smell the cinnamon and guava, raw-sugar syrup. I experimented with several recipes and these crispy, cinnamon fritters remind me of the ones in Mexico. Therefore, I make them every year during the holidays in remembrance of the happy times we used to spend together!

Ingredients:

2 Cups of All Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ Teaspoon of salt

1 egg

1 Tablespoon of melted butter or vegetable oil

½ Cup of warm water

1 teaspoon of vanilla (optional)

½ cup warm water

2 Cups of vegetable oil to fry the Buñuelos

1 cup Sugar and 1Tablespoon cinnamon to sprinkle

In a large bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt.

Form a well in the center and add the egg, and melted butter  

Mix until mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Slowly add the water a tablespoon at a time. Mixing and kneading until you have a soft and smooth dough. This will take less than 5 minutes.

Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

While the dough is resting prepare your working area with a rolling pin, a dish lined with paper towels, extra flour for rolling circles and a large frying pan with vegetable oil

Divide the dough into 8 small balls and place in a plastic bag (You can place them in the refrigerator and roll, fry them next day). Heat ¾ inch of oil in the frying pan.

Place one of the dough balls in your already flour-sprinkled-working-surface and stretch with a rolling pin. Roll out each ball to form a circle as thin as possible without breaking the dough. If you have a hole in the Buñuelo, don’t worry! Once you fry it no one will notice it.

To give extra stretching to the Buñuelos, place in the inverted bowl and pull the edges very gently. They should be thin almost transparent.

Fry them in very hot oil for 40 seconds to 1 minute on each side, press down gently on Buñuelo with a spoon or tong to ensure it fries evenly. They are ready when golden and crispy. Place them on a plate lined with paper towels and drain excess oil. Sprinkle with sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

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Exotic Herbs and Flavors from Latin America

Discovering new, exotic ingredients has become my passion! Therefore, I make sure to use new spices, herbs and ingredients from all over Latin America in my menus. I hope you will learn to recognize  the ingredients and feel more comfortable when encountering them in recipes, menus, and Latin American markets.

 Epazote (ehp-ah-ZOT-the) is a Mexican herb used in Mexican cooking. It has a very strong flavor, which can be described as musky, acidic, minty or lemony. It can be purchased in Mexican Markets. I recommend you to buy it fresh and use only the leaves. It is used often in black beans and it is said to have anti-flatulent qualities. It can also be poisonous in large quantities. Not to worry! People in Mexico have been eating it since the time of the Aztecs. I use it in soups, stews and quesadillas stuffed with sautéed Epazote, onion and mushrooms.

Achiote a·chi·o·te (äCHēˈōtē)Achiote paste is a blend of annatto seeds, spices, herbs and vinegar and it is traditionally used in Mexican food from the regions of Yucatan and Oaxaca. I use it as a marinade for chicken, fish and pork. Just add Naranja Agria (Bitter orange)see below, vinegar and spices to make Cochinita Pibil (Yucatecan-style pork wrapped in banana leaves) It can be purchased in Latin American markets in the spices section. 

Hojas de Aguacate (Avocado leaves) are harvested from the native Mexican avocado Peresea drymifolia. The leaves are used both fresh as well as dried and impart a slightly anise flavor.
Fresh leaves are used in Oaxaca as a bed for barbecuing meats as well as a flavoring for tamales.
Dried avocado leaves are most frequently available in the U.S. and can be used in soups and stews as well as bean recipes. Diana Kennedy, a famous Mexican cuisine writer, suggests using the leaves as a substitute for hoja santa (Mexican herb from the state of Oaxaca). I buy this herb in an Oaxacan Market in the Santa Barbara Area.
source:“gourmetsleuth”

 Naranja Agria (Bitter orange)The bitter orange or naranja agria is a citrus fruit that has a peculiar bitter flavor and a very high acidity that works very well for marinades and to tenderize meats and seafood. It also has a distinct look. It is not very pretty; it’s small, with a pale, somewhat dull colored pebbly textured skin that appears to be speckled with sand or dust. However, slice it down the middle, and you will find a shinny, juicy, deep orange and wonderfully flavored pulp. It found its way to Mexico through the Spaniards, who got them from the Arabs, who got them from the Persians. In any case, bitter oranges found a wonderful reception in Mexican soil, especially in some regions such as the Yucatan Peninsula and Veracruz. It is used in many ways: to prepare ceviches, sauces, soups and marinades.
Source: “Pati’s table”
I usually use it to make Mojo sauce. It is a sauce from Cuba. I marinate the pork over night with it, with lots of garlic, black pepper and olive oil. It can be purchased in a Latin American market such as: Vallarta Markets in California or Santa Cruz Market in the Santa Barbara Area.

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The Dirty Dozen - 12 + foods that you should buy organic!

 As a wife and mother of two growing children, my biggest concern is to feed them healthy, organic food. However, I find that my grocery bill goes up considerably.  It is simply too expensive for a family of four to buy only organic!  Luckily, I found the Dirty Dozen list. It is a list of twelve fruits and vegetables that have the highest pesticide residue.  According to the Environmental Working Group which analyzes Department of Agriculture data about pesticide residue and ranks food based on how much or little pesticide residue they have: “It has been estimated that individuals can reduce their exposure by 80 percent if they switch to organic when buying these foods” After reading this article, I make sure to buy these fruits and vegetables organic.  I have peace of mind and I no longer worry about having to cut back on other out of school activities so I can afford to buy organic. I hope this information is helpful for you too!

Click on the following links for more data:

http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#slide-1

http://www.eatingwell.com/food_news_origins/organic_natural/dirty_dozen_plus_14_foods_you_should_buy_organic

http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php

Dirty Dozen List + 2 

1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Cherry tomatoes
4. Cucumbers
5. Grapes
6. Hot peppers
7. Nectarines- imported
8. Peaches
9. Potatoes
10. Spinach
11. Strawberries
12. Sweet bell peppers
13. Kale/ collard greens
14. Summer Squash

  

Please support our Farmers Markets! They have delicious fresh organic produce! 

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Dominican Flavors

On Monday, at the Schott Campus Kitchen, we will be preparing food from Dominican Republic. If you are wishing to sign up for any of my other classes but don't know what to expect, stop by next Monday 10:00-1:00 and see what we are cooking in Room 27, the Culinary Lab. Registration for my next class is now open. Bring a friend!

Menu

Sancocho

(Pork, chicken stew with plantains, yucca and spices)

White Rice

Avocado Salad

Fried Fish and Octopus

Caribbean-style eggplant

Plantain-Avocado Salad

Passion Fruit Cake

Some photos of my last culinary exploration trip to Dominican Republic:

 

The next session is coming up soon:

Our Latin-American cooking class starts on Monday, October 7, 2013. From 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.  We will be preparing food from Peru, Argentina, Mexico and so much more. Join us!  And have fun discovering new ingredients, techniques and exotic spices and herbs. 

Follow this link to register: Latin American Cuisine, with Chef Monica De Alba

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Cuban Cuisine

It is the summer’s great last heat,

It is the fall’s first chill.

They meet.

-Sarah Morgan Bryan Piatt

What a better way to start Fall than with Cuban Cuisine. It is hearty and satisfying! I can still taste the sweet pineapple and creamy avocado; smell the smokey sausages, the fragrant oregano and cumin. The smells trigger memories of wonderful Cuban meals shared with dear friends and family in a beautiful patio, with tropical plants everywhere, Cuban music and strong, delicious coffee. I’m lucky that I can experience a little piece of Cuba in my dearest Cuban friend’s home in Santa Barbara, California! And now you can also bring the Cuban rhythms to your table with the following menu:

Chicken Croquettes  

Garbanzo Stew with Spanish Sausage

Avocado Pineapple salad with lemon vinaigrette

Fried Yucca al Mojo

(Fried yucca with Creole garlic sauce)

Orange Cake with Fresh strawberries

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Mexican Gourmet Menu, September 16th, 2013, in honor of Mexican Indpendence Day

 Satisfying!

 Healthful!

Creative!

Colorful!

The Menu of our Monday Latin American Cuisine Classes!

AND FUN!

We prepared Chiles en Nogada to celebrate Mexico’s Independence! With roasted Poblano chilies, toasted nuts, aromatic herbs and sweet pears, apples and peaches…   

We also be prepared appetizers using guava and Panela (Mexican –style cheese)

White Mexican-style rice

Spring salad with creamy cilantro dressing 

and by students' request: Choco-Flan.

If you would like to know, how this wonderful dish originated and why it is the most popular dish in Mexico during the month of September check out the following link: Chiles en Nogada

Vocabulary:

Chiles en Nogada means peppers in walnut sauce

Choco- Flan is a chocolate cake with a layer of creamy flan

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Brazilian cuisine, September 9th 2013 class

Dear Friends we will be starting class with Brazilian Cuisine!!

The menu for Monday is:

·         Barbecued juicy steaks and Portuguese sausages using Brazilian salt as seasoning

·         Chicken and Plantain Moqueca with Dende oil

·         Malagheta pepper and Brazil Nut Pesto

·         Basmati Rice

·         Brazilian style baked beans with Salsa Fresca

·         Persian Cucumber Salad with Parsley and Lemon Vinaigrette

·         Chocolate Brigadeiros

·         Guava Paste Soufflé with Mascarpone Sauce

Moqueca and Feijoada

Guava soufflé

Chocolate Brigadeiros

                                             

Vocabulary:

1- Moqueca is a stew made in a clay pot. It ir usually made with fish, lobster, and shrimp.  We  will be using chicken in our recipe

2- Dende is Palm oil

3- Malagheta pepper is a red spicy Brazilian pepper

4- Brigadeiros are little chocolate fudge balls

I'd like to go to the following restaurant:Libra, Brazilian Steakhouse in Culver City. I heard great things about it.

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