"Swordipán" - Grilled Swordfish Sandwich with Argentinean Chimichurri

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

Chimichurri has always eluded me a bit... it's green, it's fresh and tangy, it's from South America (Argentina/Uruguay), and it's a... marinade? A sauce? A condiment? This week I set out to find some of the most traditional recipes and uses for Chimichurri. I did so successfully and proceeded to twist tradition to fit my own dietary preferences. In the end, I took an Argentinean Choripán (a street sandwich made with chorizo and a touch of Chimichurri as a condiment) and replaced the chorizo with grilled swordfish to make a "Swordipán" (my favorite invented word so far in my blogging adventure). My memorized recipe was a traditional Chimichurri from a dear Argentinean friend's family, and it's one that I can see plenty of use for in the future.

About Chimichurri & the Original Choripán

Any information source you encounter will give you a similar confession: Nobody truly knows the origin of the word chimichurri. Planeta Joy (a thoroughly entertaining Spanish-language website for those of you who speak it) described the most common legend behind the name of this condiment (which is, indeed, a condiment and neither a marinade nor a cooking sauce). As the story goes, Jimmy Curry, an Englishman living in Argentina, prepared the sauce out of admiration of the Argentinean barbecue (asado). After he left the country, people kept referring to his sauce as the chimi (not Jimmy) churri (not Curry) sauce and continued making it to go with their asado.

As for the Choripán, this is a typical street sandwich from Argentina. Its preparation is straightforward, with only three key ingredients. As they say on Asado Argentina, "Chorizo + bread + chimichurri = Simplicity at its best." Argentinean chorizo (sausage) is made with red wine, garlic, paprika, and something spicy for a little kick (additional variations include the addition of cloves, cumin, or nutmeg), so this flavor can be transferred to other proteins to allude to the original meat's flavor profile.

Choosing the Recipe

Since I decided to make swordfish taste like Argentinean chorizo, I had to pull from a few different recipes to ultimately create my Swordipán. I was inspired by the seasonings in the chorizo recipe from OChef and extremely grateful for my friend's family Chimichurri recipe. To get my vegetable fix, I turned to the Hairy Bikers, a hilarious BBC cooking duo, who prepared some salads to go with a meal of empanadas that they made. The grapefruit and avocado salad had the perfect natural combination of oil and acid to lighten up the meal. As the Bikers say, "It's a brave man that makes a salad for a gaucho," because Argentinean cuisine is so meat happy. One normally doesn't hear "light" or "vegetarian" when discussing this cuisine. For me, though, that ship sailed the second I replaced sausage with fish!

Speaking of fish, I debated between two types of fish for this sandwich-- halibut and swordfish.  Both have a fairly mild flavor on their own (unlike salmon or trout) and they are both pretty firm and therefore resilient to all the treatment I would give them. They also both fall on the good end of the spectrum in terms of seafood sustainability. I try to consult the Seafood Watch guide when I cook fish to ensure that my choices are not going to have a harmful impact on the ocean ecosystem or my own body. By choosing your geographical region, the Monterey Bay Aquarium will give you a straightforward glance at the fish that can be caught or farmed sustainably and those that can't (or aren't). Ultimately I decided on swordfish for its steakier texture. I knew that it would hold up well to the strong spices that mimic chorizo, and it would shine despite the bread surrounding it.

Memorizing the Recipe

Since so much of this recipe was invented, it was easy to get it right (or at least not get it wrong). The Chimichurri is the standard dish that I knew I needed to memorize for future occasions, so I put most of my energy into that. Even so, it wasn't too tricky. Parsley is obvious, garlic is essential, mustard is the memorable, (not-so) secret ingredient, a few spices gave a kick, and there were two liquids, with twice as much oil as vinegar. Simple and lovely, and fantastically available in most people's kitchens.

The Verdict

I completely agree with "Simplicity at its best." This is one of the most relaxed meals I have in my Walking Cookbook repertoire. The Swordipán was completely balanced once we added a salad, and using fish made a street food-inspired dish quite healthy. The fish tasted nothing like chorizo, which was okay. The red wine and spice rub did, however, gave an earthy and smokey flavor to the fish. I was worried about the sandwich being too dry, which is why I put out the mayo. However, the swordfish was perfectly done after 10 1/2 minutes on the grill. It had a beautiful char on the outside and a tender, juicy inside texture. The Chimichurri had tang and freshness that was essential in such a hearty dish. The mustard in the Chimichurri gave some bite and a lot of seasoning to the sauce.

If I owned a burger joint, I would absolutely include this sandwich in my menu. It's filling, good for you, and has a mix of warm and cool and dark and bright, all coming together to make you sit back and say, "That was great!" No tricks necessary-- simple food never lets you down.

The Recipes

"Swordipán" Street Sandwiches with Chimichurri
from The Walking Cookbook
Yield: 8 sandwiches
Ingredients:

• 8 rolls (pan de agua, Kaiser, or any roll that is not too thick or dense)
• 8 pieces Chorizo-Spiced Swordfish (see recipe below)
• Olive oil for brushing the rolls
• Mayonnaise (optional)
• 3/4 cup of Euge's Chimichurri (see recipe below)

Preparation:

• Split the rolls down the middle to make a top and bottom bun. Brush some olive oil on the cut side of each roll and place cut-side down on the grill pan. Press down on the roll pieces (or weigh them down with a grill weight) for 30 seconds and remove to a separate plate.
• Serve in a "make your own" fashion or assemble the sandwiches by spreading 1-2 tbsp chimichurri on the roll, putting a thin layer of mayo on the bottom roll (optional, but gives good moisture), and placing a piece of swordfish in the middle. That's it!

If you set out all the ingredients, dinner guests can choose
how much Chimichurri they want or what size piece of fish they prefer

Euge's Chimichurri
adapted from the Sincovich Family Recipe
Yield: 3/4 cup
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup parsley, stems included
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 tbsp vegetable oil (not EVOO because it´s too scented)
• 4 tbsp vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
• 1 tsp non-grainy mustard or grainy mustard made into a paste (As my friend says, "THIS IS THE FAMILY SECRET!!!!")
• salt and pepper to taste (the mustard adds salt also)
• 1 tsp Paprika, depending on whether you want to make it spicy or not, you can add more of this.

Preparation:

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until thoroughly incorporated.

Tossing all the ingredients into the food processor
makes this a 30 second condiment

You can process the Chimichurri a little less if you want it
to have more texture, but be sure it all gets emulsified.

Chorizo-Spiced Swordfish
from the Walking Cookbook, with inspiration from OChef
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 lb Swordfish steaks, skin removed and cut into fairly equal pieces
• 1 cup red wine
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 heaping tbsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Preparation:

• Bring wine, crushed garlic, and cloves to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat and filter through a cloth or fine mesh strainer.
• Let cool, transfer to a wide, shallow dish, and place swordfish steaks in the marinade. Coat on both sides, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (you can leave it for up to 12 hours).
• Meanwhile, prepare a spice rub by combining the nutmeg, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
• Remove the fish from the marinade, blot with a towel, and drizzle on the oil. Add the spice rub and really massage it into the fish, coating both sides. Place on a dry plate.
• Heat a cast iron grill pan until it barely starts to smoke. Place the pieces of swordfish on the grill, cover with a large sheet of foil, and let cook over medium heat for 6 1/2 minutes.
• Using a pair of tongs, flip the fish over, cover again, and let cook for 4 minutes.
• Remove the fish from the heat and place on a separate dish.

Be sure to get any leftover skin off of the swordfish.
See that little layer that's still there?

Although the gross white stuff that oozes out of the fish in its first grilling stages is completely unappealing, it's completely edible and will not even be noticeable once you flip the fish and keep cooking. No need to worry.

Mole Poblano Enchiladas

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

Mole has always fascinated me, but my fascination with it has developed over time. At first it was: "What?! Chocolate in a sauce?" Then it was: "It's so dark... what else is in it?" After that: "Good gracious, how many ingredients can they cram into one sauce, and who figured out that it tasted good?" And now I am most interested in the different varieties of Mole and how I can determine the best one for me. Finding the most authentic is a nearly impossible feat until time travel is discovered.

A sprinkle of queso fresco and a dollop of sour cream is the perfect topping to these smokey, cheesy enchiladas

About Mole Poblano

Mole Poblano (pronounced MOH-lay) is the typical Mole sauce that is found on Mexican menus in the United States, but it is far from the only kind of Mole that exists in Mexico. According to a fascinating interview with Liz Galicia, a highly reputed Mexican chef specializing in the cuisine of Puebla, there are multiple varieties within each state.

It is widely accepted that Mole Poblano was developed by 16th century nuns, with legends and myths branching out from that common point. The most believable story, in my opinion, is that of the nuns of the Convent of Santa Rosa found out the Archbishop was visiting and went into a panic trying to figure out what to serve him. After a lot of praying and even more toasting, grinding, chopping, and simmering, a sauce came together that pleased the Archbishop and has been adapted and used ever since. Mole Poblano is what I like to call a mega-dish. It is served at big events and made in mass quantities, and it is known for its seriously long cooking time, though I was able to find some speedier recipes.

The basics of Mole Poblano are the following, with some of the variations in parentheses:

• dried peppers (ancho, mulato, pasilla, chipotle)
• spices and seeds (peppercorn, clove, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds, anise)
• nuts (almonds, peanuts)
• chocolate (Mexican chocolate, which should be sweet)
• fruits and vegetables (onion, garlic, tomatillo, raisins)
• other ingredients (broth, French bread, corn tortillas)

Choosing the Recipe

Clearly, there are some unique components that set some Moles apart from the others, so finding the right one for the task at hand is the most important part. For a weeknight meal, I looked to a Mole recipe with slightly fewer ingredients and a moderate cook time. For those who want to go all out, however, there are plenty of choices out there. See the Mole comparison chart below for some comparisons I drew between a few appealing Mole recipes that I researched. If you would like a higher quality version of this chart feel free to contact me and I'll pass it along.

All of these recipes can be found by doing a quick online search with "Mole Poblano" and the author's name

I ultimately decided on the Mole recipe from Epicurious. I like the overall simplicity in procedure without sacrificing complexity in flavor. Also, the 2 hour prep and cook time inspires confidence in me that the sauce will have a deeply rich taste without stressing me out before dinnertime.

I prepared the Mole and used it to make cheese enchiladas. I used a Cotija and Monterey Jack blend for the cheeses, then sprinkled some extra Cotija on top. Some beer and wine as well as a healthy dose of chips and guacamole rounded out the delicious meal.

Memorizing the Recipe

Clocking in at twenty ingredients, this Mole is a baby version of the alleged original recipe, which had over 100 components. Memorizing them was surprisingly easy, though, because I knew that if I added something extra it was probably in the original recipe anyway! Forgetting was the big fear, but by clumping the ingredients into groups based on when I would add them to the recipe, I felt more confident. My chart helped me visualize the types of ingredients as well.

Shopping for the ingredients was a blast, and it gave me a perfect excuse to go back to my favorite (and so far the only worthwhile) Mexican grocery store and food counter, Chinelos II on W. 136th St. I'm a little scared to share this information for fear of infiltration of my utopian hole in the wall, but if it helps their business, I am in. I walked around for a while in a space smaller than my Manhattan bedroom and found fresh tomatillos and corn tortillas. I was a little disappointed at first, but I asked the man at the counter for some help and magically he produced all of the ingredients on my list in mass quantities. They were out of Mulato peppers, but since Mulato and Ancho chiles come from the same fresh pepper (Poblano), I just used more of those. I'm telling you... the bag was the size of my head.

The steps in the recipe seem so complicated in print, but they were simple and straightforward in practice. I tried to remember the whole thing in bunches: keep chile puree and tomatillo puree separate, then cook them together, stirring regularly, forever and ever. I've made enchiladas in the past, so the steps of that recipe were not nearly as difficult to remember. Basically, here is what I came up with for the recipe in shorthand.

Clean, fry, and soak chiles. Meanwhile...

Food processor, part 1: Blend tomatillos, garlic, and ground spices and seeds. Fry up the raisins, nuts, and pumpkin seeds (I call this the unhealthy trail mix section), add, and blend some more. Fry up the bread and tortillas, add, and blend some more. Transfer to another dish.

Food processor, part 2: Drain chiles and save the water. Blend with some of the water in food processor. Put in a pot with oil and cook for 15 min.

Stovetop: Combine the two purees, add broth, stir, stir, stir. Cover, simmer, uncover, simmer, just be sure to simmer and stir. Add the chocolate, stir, simmer, stir, simmer.... you get the idea. And we're done!

The Verdict

Frankly, I could have stopped with the tomatillo puree. Once all the random ingredients were added (bread? really? I'm still not over that), the flavors were divine and I could have just made that the sauce! I'm glad I didn't stop there, however, because the Mole that came from my own kitchen truly felt like the Mole that belonged in a Mexican kitchen. The flavors were a bit smokey with a little bitterness from the peppers, tanginess from the tomatillos, spice from the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and chile seeds, nuttiness from the seeds and almonds, and sweetness from the raisins, chocolate, and cinnamon. The consistency was perfect-- liquid enough to spread around the enchilada dish but reduced enough to stay put on its own.

The Enchiladas themselves were filling, comforting, and gooey with cheese. The queso fresco really took them up a notch with its salt and moisture. I would not make enchiladas without this feta-like staple. We housed 2 1/2 batches of Enchiladas and probably could have done more if we could put our shame to the side. I must say that this is one of my favorite, and definitely one of the most gratifying, recipes that I have made so far. And the best news is that I have leftover Mole in the freezer now, just waiting for the next time I want to make some Mexican food.

The Recipe

Mole Poblano Enchiladas

Mole Poblano recipe adapted from Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood on Epicurious

Enchilada recipe from The Walking Cookbook

Sauce Yield: 9 cups

Enchilada Yield: 12 enchiladas

Mole Poblano Ingredients:

• 9 mulato chiles*
• 7 pasilla chiles
• 6 ancho chiles
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 5 tomatillos
• 5 whole cloves
• 20 whole black peppercorns
• 1 inch piece of Mexican cinnamon stick*
• 1 tbsp seeds from the chiles, toasted
• 1/2 tsp anise seeds, toasted
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds, toasted
• 8 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
• 4 garlic cloves, roasted
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup whole almonds, blanched
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas, hulled)
• 2 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
• 3 stale french rolls, cut into 1 inch slices
• 6-7 cups vegetable broth
• 1.5 oz Mexican chocolate, chopped*

Enchilada Ingredients:

• 12 corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 1/2 cup Mexican queso fresco, crumbled
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

Preparation:

Making the Chile Puree

1. Use a combination of chiles, ensuring that you have a total of 22 (different proportions are okay).
2. Clean the chiles by removing stems, veins, and seeds with a knife. Be careful; do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth before washing your hands. The chiles aren't too spicy, but the oils will affect you. Reserve 1 tbsp of the seeds.
3. Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a pan and fry the chiles until crisp, about 10-15 seconds, turning once.
4. Drain chiles on paper towels.
5. Put fried chiles in a nonreactive bowl, covered in hot water, for 30 minutes. (Begin tomatillo puree during this time)
6. Drain the chiles and reserve the soaking water.
7. Place the chiles in a blender or food processor with a half ladle of the soaking water. 
8. Blend to make a smooth paste, adding more soaking water if necessary.
9. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the chile puree (it will splatter because of the water content) and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat.

Making the Tomatillo Puree

1. While chiles are soaking, husk and rinse tomatillos and boil until soft (about 5 minutes). Drain.
2. Puree the tomatillos in a blender or food processor. 
3. Add the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and toasted seeds to a spice grinder.
4. Grind until a smooth, fine powder. Add the spice and seed mixture and garlic to the pureed tomatillos and blend until smooth.
5. Heat 6 tbsp oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry each of the following ingredients separately, removing with a slotted spoon: raisins (until they puff up), almonds (to a golden brown), pumpkin seeds (until they pop). Add to the blender or food processor.
6. Refill oil to ensure there are 4 tbsp in the pan. Gather your stale bread and tortilla pieces.
7. Fry the tortilla pieces until golden brown, about 15 seconds per side. Remove.
8. Fry the bread pieces the same way, about 20 seconds per side. Remove.
9. Add the fried bread and tortilla to the tomatillo mixture and blend, adding chile soaking water as necessary to make the sauce smooth. 
10. Once pureed and no big pieces remain, transfer to a separate bowl and rinse blender or food processor to continue the chile puree.

Putting it all together

1. Add the tomatillo puree to the pot of chile puree and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
2. Add the Mexican chocolate pieces and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
3. Add the remaining 5 cups of broth and cook over low heat for 45 minutes, stirring frequently enough to prevent the mixture from scorching.

Rolling the Enchiladas

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the Monterey Jack and 3/4 of the queso fresco in a bowl and keep near the stove.
2. Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with a thin layer of Mole Poblano sauce. Place the casserole dish near the stove. Place a pile of 3 paper towels near the stove as well.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add a tortilla and heat in the oil for 15 seconds. Remove the tortilla from the pan with tongs and place on the pile of paper towels.
4. Fill the tortilla with about 1/3 cup of the cheese mixture. Roll the sides of the tortilla over one another and place in the casserole dish, seam side down.
5. Repeat with the remaining tortillas until all tortillas are side by side in the casserole dish.
6. Spoon and spread an even and ample coat of Mole Poblano over the tortillas until they are covered. Sprinkle the remaining queso fresco on top and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese inside is melted and the edges of the tortillas are slightly crispy.

*Tips

• Chiles to use: The "Holy Trinity" of Mexican dried chiles includes Mulato, Ancho, and Pasilla. However, Ancho and Multato both come from the fresh Poblano chile so they can easily be substituted for one another. Pasilla is a bit different and is named after a "little raisin" because of its wrinkled skin. Don't all dried peppers have wrinkled skin, though? My way of remembering the difference between the two is that Pasilla sounds like pasillo, which means hallway, which is a long, narrow space. Pasilla peppers are long and narrow, especially compared to Ancho chiles, which mean just that: ancho, or wide.
• Mexican cinnamon: Mexican cinnamon comes from the true Cinnamon tree (which incidentally is native to Sri Lanka) and not from the Cassia tree, which is where most US cinnamon is from. The stick is very flaky and has a less bitter and slightly sweeter taste (kind of like Red Hots).
• Mexican chocolate: Mexican chocolate is a sweet chocolate with some cinnamon (or cinnamon flavor). It is very dry and a bit chalky because it is meant to be crumbled and dissolved into hot chocolate. I used Nestle's Abuelita, even though I am not a particularly huge fan of some of their business practices. That's what they had at Chinelos II, however, so that's what I got.

Viva Mexico! The Results and Modified Recipes

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

The Process:
Since I only gave myself two days to memorize these recipes, I was (naturally) nervous as I set everything up. However, as I reviewed all of my recipes after the fact, I did a pretty nice job remembering the key components. I still have my blender on loan with a friend, so the pureeing of the prickly pear actually consisted of my roommate and me smooshing the pulp and juice through a fine mesh sieve (I have some battle wounds on my knuckles to prove it!). Needless to say, I recommend using a real blender or food processor.

The tortillas are a hit for the members of the group who want to get their hands a little dirty but aren't into cooking. Once the dough was prepared, I demonstrated one tortilla and let them go crazy with the rest. The more people, the better, but keep in mind that each person needs something heavy, cylindrical, and not likely to break in order to roll the tortillas. I used a rolling pin and a big jar of mayonnaise. What do you have in your kitchen that can double as a rolling pin? You may need it one of these days!

The Verdict:
The tortillas, as usual, were delicious. There's a sweet spot between to thin and too thick, too burnt and too raw, and I think we nailed it on all of them. I used my stovetop cast iron griddle/grill, which gave us plenty of room to cook three tortillas at once. The only down side was that it left some pretty nasty burn marks on the stovetop. Next time, I will cover the burners in foil.

The taco filling was a hit (I used my own recipe for the marinade, which I have written below).  The beauty of tacos is that you can use any meat or no meat. Beans on the side (refried, if you want them to be true border-Mex beans) pack a protein punch as well. I grill some chopped onions in a little vegetable oil, then add the canned beans and some cheddar cheese to make things more interesting.

Finally, the sorbet. For me, a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar in the simple syrup was far too sweet.  I know that's the definition of a simple syrup, but I would make it even simpler--2:1 water to sugar-- and up the lime juice. Prickly pears are already very saccharine, and to pour in more sugar just made me feel like I was eating pink syrup. However, a little sprinkle of normal table salt tempered the sweetness without tasting the least bit salty (add even more salt for a prickly pear frozen margarita sorbet!). And as one reader noted in my original recipe, the dessert may not be completely authentic, but it is a super sexy. What is more alluring that that gorgeous fuchsia color accented with a bright green sprig of mint or wedge of lime?

These recipes make so much food that your guests won't feel shy taking seconds and thirds

My Recipe: Tequila Chicken & Shrimp Taco Filling
Yield: 12 servings (3 tacos per serving)
Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast and 2 lbs shrimp (or the meat/tofu of your choice)
• 1 orange
• 2 limes
• 1/4 cup tequila
• cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper
• 2 large garlic cloves
• 4 sprigs of cilantro
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage

Preparation:

• In a liquid measuring cup or mixing bowl, squeeze the juice of the orange and limes and add the tequila.
• Sprinkle with cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper, and stir.
• Cut up the chicken breast into 2-inch cubes and make sure the shrimp is peeled, cleaned, and deveined.
• Put the meats in a shallow bowl (separate them if that is important to you) and pour the marinade over the meat, covering it the best you can.
• Cut each garlic clove into quarters and wedge the pieces of garlic deep in between the pieces of meat. Do the same with the cilantro sprigs. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Before cooking, remove the garlic and cilantro sprigs.
• Drain the marinade from both of the meats and save in a separate bowl.
• Heat vegetable oil in 2 separate large pans (2 tbsp in each).
• Put the meat in the pan and cook until the meat is cooked through (times will vary depending on the meat). If the meat is not cooked but is starting to dry up in the pan, add some of the leftover marinade. Be aware that the marinade includes raw meat liquids, so it will need to cook down as well to be safe.
• Stuff inside tortillas and top with cabbage.

Keeping tortillas in a clean cloth towel will help them stay warm, moist, and fresh

The Unmodified Recipe: Flour Tortillas, from Blanca Díaz
Yield: 18 tortillas
Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 oz vegetable shortening (or 7 tbsp vegetable oil)
• 1 cup very hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Preparation:

• Put all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the shortening (cut in very small pieces) or oil and the hot water.
• Mix by hand until a pasty dough forms and all ingredients are incorporated.
• Knead the dough for 3 minutes.
• Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Separate the dough into portions of about 1.5 oz and form into balls. Keep the dough covered as you form balls out of the entire batch of dough.
• To form a tortilla, take one ball and place on a hard, flat, dry, and clean surface (I am a fan of a lightly floured countertop). Press down gently to flatten the ball into a patty. With a rolling pin, roll the tortilla into a small oval. Turn the oval 45° and roll some more. Then turn 45° a final time and roll until the tortilla is round.
• Get a dry griddle or pan very hot. Place the tortilla in the pan, cook, and flip when air bubbles start to form.
• Gently press out the air pockets that form with the back of a spatula. Flip again.
• After about 30 seconds, remove the tortilla from the heat. Wrap in a clean cloth and keep somewhere warm until you are ready to serve.

This vibrant color looks even more beautiful when you know it's all natural

The Modified Recipe: Prickly Pear Lime Sorbet, adapted from Fossil Foods
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 cup prickly pear juice and pulp (5 small fruits worth)
• 1 cup lime juice
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp tequila
• pinch of salt

Preparation:

• Heat the sugar, water, mint, and lime zest in a medium saucepan until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside to cool and strain out mint and lime zest.
• Puree the prickly pears and separate the pulp and juice from the seeds.
• Put the prickly pear juice, simple syrup, lime juice, and salt into a bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 1 hour.
• When ready to put the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker, mix in the tequila. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the ice cream maker directions. Transfer mixture to a plastic storage container and freeze in your freezer until firm, at least 6 hours.

Flour Tortillas y Prickly Pear Sorbet: The Recipes

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

Happy Rosh Hashanah to all, and feliz día de independencia mexicana! This week's dinner will be themed, and since I don't have an inkling of where to start with traditional Jewish food, I will have to wait until another holiday to give that cuisine a run. Mexico, however, is near and dear to my heart, so tackling some Mexican food will be a great joy. Being from San Diego, there is nothing I love more than cruising into a taquería for a quick, cheap, and delicioso plate of Mexican perfection. The trick to winning my heart? Get me some refried beans and some handmade tortillas. To make it at home is an added bonus.

I have made flour tortillas from scratch a number of times, but I always go back to the recipe to take a peek and make sure I am doing it right. Not this week. On the menu will be Tequila Shrimp and Chicken Tacos with (memorized) Handmade Flour Tortillas. I will draw from the adorable YouTube video in which Blanca Díaz pairs the Charlie Brown theme song with the step-by-step directions for an  authentic tortilla recipe. For dessert we will put my trusty ice cream maker to use for a Prickly Pear Sorbet, which has been slightly spiked with tequila. The recipe I will use for the sorbet came from a number of searches for a refreshing sorbet that still goes with the Mexican theme (Mexican hot chocolate sorbet was a close second but just didn't satisfy my desire for fruitiness). 

This will be done, of course, with no notes or recipes, so wish me suerte!

This is the size, thickness, and cooked-ness that we are looking for. Just beautiful...

The Recipe: Flour Tortillas, from Blanca Díaz
Yield: 18 tortillas
Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 oz vegetable shortening (or 7 tbsp vegetable oil)
• 1 cup very hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Preparation:

• Put all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
• Add the shortening (cut in very small pieces) or oil and the hot water.
• Mix by hand until a pasty dough forms and all ingredients are incorporated.
• Knead the dough for 3 minutes.
• Let the dough sit covered at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Separate the dough into portions of about 1.5 oz and form into balls. Keep the dough covered as you form balls out of the entire batch of dough.
• To form a tortilla, take one ball and place on a hard, flat, dry, and clean surface (I am a fan of a lightly floured countertop). Press down gently to flatten the ball into a patty. With a rolling pin, roll the tortilla into a small oval. Turn the oval 45° and roll some more. Then turn 45° a final time and roll until the tortilla is round.
• Get a dry griddle or pan very hot. Place the tortilla in the pan, cook, and flip when air bubbles start to form.
• Gently press out the air pockets that form with the back of a spatula. Flip again.
• After about 30 seconds, remove the tortilla from the heat. Wrap in a clean cloth and keep somewhere warm until you are ready to serve.

Garnish with some mint or lime for a classy presentation

The Recipe: Prickly Pear Lime Sorbet, adapted from Fossil Foods
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 lime, zested
• 1 cup prickly pear juice and pulp (5 small fruits worth)
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 2 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp tequila
• pinch of salt

Preparation:

• Heat the sugar, water, mint, and lime zest in a medium saucepan until the sugar has completely dissolved. Set aside to cool and strain out mint and lime zest.
• Puree the prickly pears and separate the pulp and juice from the seeds.
• Put the prickly pear juice, simple syrup, lime juice, and salt into a bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely chilled, about 1 hour.
• When ready to put the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker, mix in the tequila. Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the ice cream maker directions. Transfer mixture to a plastic storage container and freezer in your freezer until firm, at least 6 hours.

Time to Memorize: 2 days (the disadvantage of being late with my blogging)

Ceviche: Results

Check out this recipe on my new and improved website: thewalkingcookbook.com

The Process:
Working with technically raw fish can be scary. I have a lot of faith in Whole Foods, but you never quite know what sort of mishap can happen when you don't actually cook the food that is going to be eaten. I made my Ceviche for my apartment's first weekly "family dinner" (we just moved in together), and throughout the entire process I kept saying, "This may be bad, everyone." I even cooked back-up chicken, just in case.

Finding an ají amarillo was virtually impossible in the short amount of time I gave myself, so I substituted half of a Serrano chile and a whole Mexican yellow pepper ("ají amarillo" literally means "yellow pepper" in Spanish, so I figured if I couldn't use the real deal I could at least use the literal translation). Find substitutions and other ideas in the "Tips" section below.

The Verdict:
Despite my fears, my Peruvian Fish Ceviche was a hit. It had the perfect amount of spice, and the citrus "cooked" the fish just like I had hoped. Thanks to my roommate's help, we enjoyed the Ceviche with roasted sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, and some jicama, my new favorite veggie snack. My first attempt at memorizing a recipe was successful-- no ingredients were forgotten. We popped open some wine, celebrated the new apartment, and enjoyed the refreshing summer dinner.

Success! A great combo of cold Ceviche with roasted sweet potatoes and corn

The Revised Recipe: Peruvian Fish Ceviche adapted from the Food Network

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds fish fillets (I used flounder*), cut on the bias* into 1-inch dice 
• 1 quart water, boiled and chilled 
• 1/2 red onion, sliced thin 
• 1 aji amarillo, rib and seeds removed, diced* 
• 1 clove garlic 
• Salt and pepper 
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro leaves

Preparation:

• Place fish in a non-reactive bowl*. 
• Add 3 cups of chilled water to fish and rinse gently.Drain water.
• Add onions to remaining chilled water and let soak.
• Meanwhile, place aji, garlic, and pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle*. Grind to make a paste.
• Combine fish, lime and lemon juices, aji and garlic paste, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
• When ready to serve, divide fish ceviche into 4 dishes and top with onion slices.* 

*Tips:

• Choosing fish: I turn to Seafood Watch to choose the fish with a low environmental impact. And be sure this fish is ultra fresh.
• Cut on the bias: Cut through the fibers of the fish for an easier time chewing. Place the grain of the fish at a 45° angle to the bottom of the cutting board before you cut. Check out step 6 of this video tutorial.
• Ají amarillo: Peruvian hot pepper. I used 1/2 Serrano chile and 1 Mexican yellow chile instead, but I want to keep the original pepper in the recipe.
• Non-reactive bowl: Stainless steel, plastic, glass, or ceramic all work to avoid a metallic tasting ceviche. Extra curious about non-reactive cookware? Read on.
• Mortar and pestle: The old-school way of grinding, mashing, and muddling. If you don't have one, place the ingredients on a cutting board and mush them with the back of a spoon, using a rotating motion.
• Serve with grilled corn and sweet potatoes for a heartier meal. And if it is hot, chill some jicama, peel, and cut into sticks for a great appetizer.