Comfort Food, Mexican Style

A free weekend, yeah!  Forget those pesky chores, I'd prefer to cook.  I've been craving Mexican food, but I really didn't want to go all out and make homemade tamales or something out of Diana Kennedy's cookbook (smile).  So I opted for one of two great recipes from my dear friends Marilyn & Judi.  The first is an ages old recipe from the bottle of L&D Spanish Style Seasoning (the only store locally that carries it is Corti Brothers) that Marilyn has been making for years.  It's easy, yummy and very comforting!  The other, alternative recipe is Judi's --- Enchilada Casserole.  She makes this wonderful casserole for her immediate family (all 17 of them!).  I decided on the Tamale Pie because I already had many of the ingredients in the freezer or cupboard.  I figured all it needed to accompany it was a salad and, of course, a dessert.   In keeping with the Mexican theme, I found a very easy vinagrette recipe from "Rosa Mexicana Cookbook".  Finally, I thought a nice flan would top off the dinner.  My Dad loved to make a few things, flan being one of them.  I suspect he liked all that super sweet syrup that forms in the bottom...he loved anything sweet.

Tamale Pie

Recipe from L&D Spanish Style Seasoning

1 pound ground beef or turkey

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper (I omitted)
1 quart canned tomatoes (I like the diced ones)
1 can creamed corn
1 small can sliced, ripe olives
1 Tbsp. L&D Spanish Style Seasoning (if you can’t get to
Corti Bros. use a combination of chili powder, ground cumin,
Oregano, ground coriander seed)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
3 eggs
Grated jack (or cheddar) cheese

 Fry meat, onion, garlic, bell pepper in a large skillet until browned.  Add tomatoes (juice included), corn, olives (drained) and seasoning.  Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes.  In a separate bowl, mix corn meal, milk and eggs.  Here’s where Marilyn’s tip is important!  I read the recipe as “pour over meat mixture in casserole”.  Well, while the finished product looks pretty, I was dissatisfied with the finished product---the cornmeal topping seemed hard and dry.  After calling Marilyn, she says she adds the cornmeal batter to the meat mixture in the skillet and stirs it all together and lets it simmer another 5 minutes to thicken.

Pour mixture into casserole and bake about 45 minutes.  At this point, put the grated cheese on top and bake another 15 minutes until golden and bubbly.

Judi’s Enchilada Casserole 

1 ½ pounds ground turkey

1 large yellow onion
3-5 cloves garlic
1 can (8 oz.) Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
2 small or 1 large can sliced black olives
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 Tbsp. chili powder
1 can corn (drain ½ of the water off)
Corn tortillas
Grated cheddar cheese and jack cheese

Sauté onions and garlic; add meat and brown.  Add the rest of the ingredients (except cheeses and tortillas).  Cook ingredients 30 – 45 minutes.  Grease 9 x 12” casserole dish and layer torn tortillas and meat mixture and cheese (two layers is fine).  End with cheese on top.  Bake @ 350 degrees F for 30 – 45 minutes until bubbly.

Olive Oil & Lime Vinaigrette

Rosa Mexicana Cookbook (by Mary Sue Miliken & Susan Feniger)
 
½ cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
Whisk

Toss with whatever salad greens you like.  Jicama and avocadoes make a good addition to the salad, but use whatever salad additions you like!

Caramel Custard  (Flan)

  Sunset Mexican Cookbook (my copy is from 1983, but it was originally published in 1977 – I’m pretty sure this is the original recipe my Dad used).
 

1/3 cup sugar

6 eggs
6 tablespoons sugar
2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
 
Make a hot water bath for the flan by setting a 9 by 1 ¼ inch deep glass pie pan in a slightly larger pan.  While holding down pie pan, fill outer pan with just enough water to come up around sides of pie can.  Then remove pie pan and put only pan of water in a preheating 350 degree oven while you mix the custard.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt the 1/3 cup sugar.  To melt evenly, shake and tilt frying pan rather than stir sugar.  Once melted, sugar will caramelize very quickly; as soon as it does, pour immediately into pie pan.  Using hot pads to protect your hands, tilt pie pan quickly and let syrup flow over bottom and slightly up sides of pan.  If syrup hardens before you finish, set pan on medium heat until syrup soften, then continue.

Beat together to blend eggs and the 6 tablespoons sugar; add milk and vanilla.  Set caramel-lined pan in hot water in oven; pour in egg mixture.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes; test doneness by gently pushing custard in center with back of spoon---when done a crevice about 3/8” deep forms.

Remove from hot water and chill at once.  As the flan cools, caramel dissolves somewhat.  When cold, loosen custard edge with a knife, then cover with a rimmed serving plate.  Hold plate in place, quickly invert.  The flan will slowly slip free and the caramel sauce will flow out.  To serve, cut into wedges, spoon on the sauce.  Serves 6.