Spicey Turkey Taco's and Festive Mexican Treats

Tue, 18 December 2018

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

2 dried cascabel chilies
2 dried pasilla chilies
3 big garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried Mexican Oregano
1/2 cup hot water + extra to rinse blender
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
500 grams of cooked turkey meat, roughly cubed
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Tacos:

16 Corn Tortillas
1 tin of refried black beans

Method:
1.Clean the dried chilies by taking the stalks and all seeds out. You can use your fingers or a knife and spoon to do this. Don't worry if the chili breaks, just keep all the bits of flesh and give them a quick rinse in cold water.

2. Put the clean chilies in a small pot and cover them with plenty of water. Turn the heat on and bring the chilies to a boil. Lower the heat slightly and let them simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the chilies rest in the water for a further 10 minutes. This soaking will make the chili skin very smooth and velvety and they will turn a beautiful red colour.

3. Drain the chilies and put them in the blender or food processor, add the garlic cloves, the pepper, cumin, oregano and water and blend them into a paste or thick sauce; you can add a little bit more water if you feel the sauce is too dry.

4. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan big enough to hold the paste & the turkey. Add the onion and cook it until soft and translucent, approximately 2 minutes. Pour the chili sauce into the onions making sure to use a little extra water to rinse out any sauce from the blender or food processor. Cook the sauce at a gentle heat for about 3 minutes. At this point, add the chopped turkey and mix it well. Cook everything for about 8 minutes or until the meat is warmed through and fully coated with the chili sauce.

5. While the spicy turkey finishes cooking off, get on with the rest of the preparations. Warm your corn tortillas in a dry, non-stick pan for about 40 seconds on each side. Heat some tinned refried beans and set the table. When everything is ready, put the spicy turkey mix, the bowl of beans and the tortillas on the table and get people to make their own tacos! It's dead easy: Spread some refried beans on the tortilla, spoon some of the turkey mixture on top and fold them!

Festive Mexican Treats

Hojarascas: a beer and lard cookie traditional of this time of the year

Ingredients:

For the Cookies:

500 grams cream flour
200 grams pork lard
50 grams cookeen (vegetable fat)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup Aztec Stout
50 grams pecan nuts, finely chopped

For the Spiced Coating:

1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

Bunuelos: A crispy wheat tortilla with cinnamon and sugar.