Our Week Long full participation class, which garnered us the "Best in the US" for a non-vocational, vacation cooking school--now in its 36th successful year is on sale this week at 25% OFF or $1,462.50 until midnight Friday, April 19.  You may choose to pay in 3 payments if you wish. (Bon Appetit magazine and Gayot.com awarded the "Best in the US" rating as well as awarding the Cooking Shool as one of the 10 Best hotel based cooking schools in the world.) 

 These classes are so much fun and full of great to know tips and techniques to say nothing about the colorful and rich history of the Southwest and Regional Mexican cuisine.

In the class, attendees learn all about chiles--how powerful they are nutritionally and healthfully.  Eating at least a half teaspoon a day of the hottest chile you can endure 66% of the time will lock in healthfulness.  Research by the University of the Phillipines has found that the incidence of cancer and heart disease are both greatly diminished.  Chiles also aid digestion, help you have the waistline of your dreams and assist in "turning back the clock" on aging.  Why not learn more about ways to handle chiles and include them in  your diet?

The amazingly interesting history of corn and how healthful it is, including the fact that blue corn is 100% nutrition--explaining how the ancient Anasazis endured in the bleak dessert of New Mexico eons ago.  

Each day unfolds with a make it yourself Southwestern breakfast followed by a history of the major ingredients of the day as well as the featured recipes coupled with hints and tips that assures making cooking easier and more fun.

Following each cooking session, all attendees enjoy the "bounty of the day" and can invite family and or friends to join for a small additional fee.

In this photo the members of the class are working with green chiles.

Our next Oaxaca tour is ready for registration and our April 26-18 weekend class  which is on a half price sale still has a few openings.  I would love for you to join me in either or all!

Here's some recipes from the week long classs-- 

OAXACAN STYLE MOLE

Estofado is one of the famous moles from Oaxaca. It is a home-style mole served with steamed rice, hot corn tortillas, and jalapenos escabeche (pickled).

For the Chicken:

One 4 pound chicken, cut for frying into 10 pieces (no innards)*

2 quarts chicken stock or water to cover with onion, carrot, garlic and salt added

Splash jalapeno pickle juice

1. Place chicken pieces in stock pot, add bouillon or water with the carrot, onion, etc. Liquid should cover the chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook until tender, about 35 to 45 minutes.

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 pound tomatillos

4 to 6 tomatoes, to equal 1 pound

1 medium onion

4 cloves garlic

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup white sesame seeds

1 cup graham or zwieback cracker crumbs

1/2 very ripe plantain (banana family)

2 to 4 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano

1 teaspoon thyme

2 one-inch pieces canella (cinnamon)

12 large capers

3 green olives per person

1/4 cup parsley

4 peppercorns

Salt to taste

1. Boil the almonds in 1½ cups water and boil the tomatillos in 1½ cups water.

1. Parch the unpeeled tomatoes and onion on a comal or griddle until browned all over. Toward end of browning, add garlic. When done and slightly cooled, peel each and coarsely chop.

1. Add the oil to a large skillet, then add the raisins and sauté until they puff up. Place in a bowl. Add the sesame seeds and cook them until they brown lightly. Add a teaspoon of salt as they are browning. When they are toasted, add the plantain sliced into ½ inch slices. Continue to cook until lightly browned. Then add the crackers/toast.

1. Place a portion of each ingredient (reserving the spices, chocolate and olives) in the blender jar. Make sure to have some of the more moist items, such as the tomato, with each batch and blend all the ingredients together, creating a smooth paste.

1. When all is blended, strain through a fine sieve and place in a large pot. Add 2 ½ cups chicken stock a little at a time until a sauce the consistency of thick soup is developed. Add the seasoning and olives, tasting to adjust seasonings.

1. Add the chocolate, broken into pieces, and whole parsley sprigs and cook to melt chocolate. Taste and determine if more chocolate is desired. Add chicken and cook together for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the sauce has flavored the chicken. Serve with fluffy rice.

*Option: Cook chicken whole, then peel and debone, leaving large pieces. Then add to the sauce as above. 

MARGARITA PIE

No cooking is required to prepare this dessert that will get you compliments.  This delicious recipe is one I created for the Pecos River Cafe, my New York City restaurant.  It is always a hit and is very yummy!   The pretzel crust gives the taste memory of a margarita.

Yield: 1 9” pie

1 ¼ cups finely crushed pretzels

2/3 cup butter melted

¼ cup sugar

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2  Tablespoons tequila

2 Tablespoons Triple Sec

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Lime slices for decoration

1. Lightly butter a 9-inch pie plate. Combine crushed pretzels, butter and sugar in a small bowl; then press firmly into bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, creating an even thickness. Refrigerate while making filling.

2. Combine sweetened condensed milk, lime juice, tequila and Triple Sec in a large bowl; mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared crust.

3. Cover and freeze 4 hours or refrigerate 2 hours. If frozen, soften in refrigerator slightly before serving. Decorate with lime slices. Freeze  leftovers.