Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:56

Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

200 grs unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp salt

2 cups flour

¾ cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

½ cup milk

½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla extract

48 Hershey´s kisses

Nana`s Frosting

1 can of condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tbsp softened butter

*Add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder to make it a chocolate frosting.

Procedure

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt, set aside. Cream butter & both sugars.  Add eggs, one by one.  Add the mixture of flour little by little, alternating with milk, mixing very well. Beat until well mix, add vanilla and mix one more minute.

Grease and cover with flour a mini cup cake pan.  Add teaspoon of chocolate mixture, then place a Hershey´s kiss and cover with another half of chocolate mixture.  Bake on a pre-heated oven at 175° C (375 °F) for 18-20 minutes.  Use a toothpick to check if they`re ready: if it comes out clean, they are. Cool on wire rack.

Frosting:  Place the can of condensed milk in a pot and cover it with water.  Put it on the stove and let it boil softly for at least 2 hours.  Let it cool down completely.  Mix it with the rest of the ingredients until it blends.  Cover the top of you mini cup cakes and garnish with either shaved dark chocolate or a raspberry and fresh mint. 

NOTE: You can make the frosting a day before and keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

chocolate cupcake 

chocolate cupcake

chocolate cupcake

 

Published in Recipes

Chicken Breast stuffed with Hoja Santa

4 chicken breast halves

2 large Holy leaves (Hoja Santa)

4 roasted Poblano peppers

8 oz. Manchego or Adobera cheese

½ stick of butter

½ large white onion

½ cup milk

¼ cup whole cream

½ cup chicken broth

2 cloves of garlic

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

When buying the chicken breast, ask to have them thinly-sliced so they are easy to roll. Wash and dry the Poblano peppers, rub a bit of cooking oil on them and roast.  Let them sweat in a plastic bag for 15 minutes (so they peel easy) Let them cool, seed and devein them, using paper towels.  Slice them into strips and set them aside.

Wash and dry the Hoja Santa, cut out the center hard part so they are easy to roll with the chicken filets.

Grate the garlic, rub on the chicken and season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Put half a leaf on the filet, then a few strips of the roasted Poblano and a generous slice of cheese.  Roll it putting the ends inside so it´s well-sealed.  Brown them on a hot pan with extra virgin olive oil, then bake in a pre-heated oven at 375° F for 15 - 17 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Melt the butter on a small sauce pan, add the chopped onion.  Once cooked, put it in a blender with the other two roasted peppers, cream, milk and chicken broth mixing very well.  Put the sauce back in the sauce pan, season it with salt and pepper to taste and let it come to a soft boil for 3 minutes.

To serve put a little bit of the Poblano sauce on the plate, then the chicken rolls cut in two; you can garnish it with baby greens seasoned with extra virgin olive oil or a few springs of fresh cilantro. Serve them with rice and a medley of julienne vegetables.

 

 

Published in Recipes
Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:56

Coconut & Pineapple Trifle

Ingredients for cake

1 Grated fresh coconut (meat only)

1 cup coconut milk

200 grs butter at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

Dash of sea salt

2 tsp Coconut extract

Procedure

Sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside.  In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, add eggs one by one, mixing well, then add sifted flour and coconut milk. Mix to ribbon point, add the coconut extract at the end.

Grease and cover with flour an 8-9 inch pan, shaking excess off.  Pour batter and bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 for 45 - 50 minutes. Inserting a toothpick to check if it’s done: if it comes out clean, it is.

Ingredients for cream

1 & 1/3 cup milk

1 Cup coconut milk

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp corn starch

1 tsp coconut extract

Heat a cup of milk & a cup of sugar together at low fire for 5 minutes; in another bowl, mix 1/3 cup milk with corn starch.  When milk mixture is softly boiling, add coconut milk and corn starch mixture, mixing very well to avoid lumps, until it thickens.  Let it rest until completely cool.

To put this dessert together, use a nice Martini glass and add small chunks of cake, then pieces of pineapple soaked in rum and honey, then the coconut cream.  Repeat two or three times more, and garnish with a slice of star fruit and a fresh mint leaf. Enjoy!

 

Coconut & Pineapple Trifle

 

Published in Recipes
Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:56

Shrimp Albondigas

Ingredients

500 grs shrimps clean & deveined

150 grs of masa (corn dough)

1 tsp ground coriander seed

2 garlic cloves grated

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Sea salt to taste

Fresh cilantro

2 litters fish stock

2 tbsp E.V.O.O

1 medium size white onion

1 poblano pepper

4 roma tomatoes

2  zucchinis

1 potato

2 carrots

Procedure

Add a little bit of warm water to the masa, until it has a softer, more manageable texture.  Using the food processor, grind shrimps to a paste then put it in a large bowl. Add the masa, coriander, garlic, ground pepper & sea salt.  Let this rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Put the oil in a sauce pan, add the chopped onion, tomatoes, peppers and chopped garlic at the end. Add the fish stock and let it come to a boil, season with salt and pepper and add sliced potato and carrot. Let it cook for five minutes, then with a teaspoon add the shrimp balls and the sliced zucchini, let cook for five minutes and serve in a bowl with a slice of lime and warm tortillas on the side.

 Shrimp Albòndigas

Published in Recipes
Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:56

The best Tamarind Margarita in PV!

Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

4 shots  Tequila “Centenario” Plata

4 shots  “Guaycura” Damiana liquoer

4 lime (juice)

2 Tbsp tamarind paste

Ice

1 lime

Sugar

Red pepper flakes

Procedure

Everything goes in the blender: tequila, Guaycura, lime juice, tamarind paste and enough ice to cover. Blend until smooth.

Get two plates and spread sugar on one and pepper flakes on the other.  Cut the lime and rub it against the rim of your Margarita glasses. Press it against the sugar and then the chili flakes. Pour margarita and drink up!

You can substitute the Tamarind paste for passion fruit in the same amounts.

 

 

Tamarind Margarita

Published in Recipes