Our Oaxaca Culinary tour  is just over two months away and we still have openings for this year's tour, June 15 - 21, 2021.  I truly missed  going last year due to Covid  19 and am really enthusiastic for the good times we always have there.   The Zapotec culture is very rich and thousands of years old.  On our tour you will see one of the "Ten Wonders of the Ancient World" , Monte Alban, and learn their mastery of astronomy, architecture and even medicine.  The rich legacy of the Zapotecs is everywhere and very colorful.

The Zapotecs great love of family and  friends has meant that they were little touched by the spread of the Pandemic.  Their ways with all manner of handcraft is truly amazing.  From brightly painted wood figurines that are collected by art appreciators the world around to  their beautiful pottery to their super yummy dishes.  We will tour to the special villages where these crafts are available for viewing and purchase.

On the tour we will have three different full participation cooking classes where you will learn several of their specialties. Oaxaca is the land of the seven essential moles.  Also, cooking with chocolate, chiles and corn are very creatively developed and reflected in the dishes you will be learning to create and then enjoy eating.

Oaxaca is quite easy to walk to view many of their special museums, fascinating shops,  markets and great restaurants and so much more.   You will be impressed with how clean and well maintained as well as how colorful  the entire city is.

Oaxaca is situated in a  valley surrounded by high mountains.  There are spectacular sites almost any direction.  One day, we go to Teotitlan, the ancient corn village to view their public market, then create a meal of their specialties as well as learn how they weave their beautiful rugs and wall hangings using only natural dies.  You'll view how they card the wool, dye it, make the yarn and then weave it into  a huge array of colorful items.  You may view the complete itinerary and register by clicking this link. If you have questions, don't hesitate to email me at info@janebutelcooking.com or call me at 505-243-2622 .

Our Barbecue class is coming the Thursday evening  after  Easter on April 8 at 5 PM and features all manner of fun specialties, great sauces, rubs and so much more.  View the menu here.  I am placing it on a 10% discount for $85.00 until March 31 and would love for you  to attend.

Here's one of my favorite, healthy and easy to make moles, Mole Verde which is wonderful with the Peppered Rice.

MOLE VERDE

Subtle and complex in flavor, this chicken is elegant enough to serve company.  Don’t be daunted by the long list of ingredients; the dish can be made in only about an hour.  It’s absolutely wonderful in warmed fresh corn tortillas with at topping of guacamole and sour cream; you might also serve it over rice or with a side dish of stewed beans.  When I Had my restaurant in New York City, the Pecos River Cafe, the dietitians at New York Hospital selected it as the healthiest entree in any Mexican restaurant in the city.  I ended making it numerous times on television.

Yield:  6 servings 

1 (3 lb) broiler-fryer chicken, cut for frying or chicken breast or thighs

About 3 cups chicken broth

2 Tablespoons juice from pickled jalapeno chiles

1 cup ground almonds

1 large onion, quartered

6 to 8 leaves dark green lettuce (romaine, leaf lettuce or outer leaves of iceberg lettuce)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 cup flat-leaf parsley springs

1 large clove garlic

6 fresh or pickled jalapeno chiles, stemmed or green chile powder to taste,starting with 1 teaspoon

1/3 cup virgin olive oil

Salt to taste, if desired

12 corn tortillas, warmed, or 3 to 4 cups hot cooked rice

Guacamole, if desired

2 cups sour cream, if desired 

1. Place chicken in a single layer in a large pot. Pour in broth and jalapeno juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 35 to 45 minutes or until tender.  Cool in cooking broth.  Lift chicken from broth (reserve broth); discard skin and bones and tear meat in chunks. 

2. If you need to grind the almonds, grind them in a blender, using a pulsing action. Then preheat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet.  When oil is hot, add the ground almonds and sauté until lightly tanned, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Set aside. 

3. Then, to prepare the sauce, in a food processor or blender, add a cup of the reserved broth, then  process onion, lettuce, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and jalapenos until quite smooth.  Add additional chicken broth, a few tablespoons at a time, until mixture has the consistency of whipping cream. Set aside. 

4. Add pureed sauce to the toasted almonds and heat and cook until the sauce is somewhat thickened.  Taste and adjust flavors.  Then add the chicken and simmer together 10 to 15 minutes or until flavors are blended and sauce is hot.  

5. Serve in warmed tortillas or over rice, topped with guacamole and sour cream, if desired. 

Note:  For a slightly lower fat and calorie version, reduce the olive oil to 2 Tablespoons and the almonds to 2/3 cup -– any less really affects the flavor and texture.