We still have a few openings for our great week long class and I am putting on a very special one day sale of half price.  Act NOW to get in on this wonderful opportunity to participate in this ever popular award winning  class which I do not teach very often--this just may be my last time.

You will learn how to make the very most popular dishes of both the Southwest and the regions of Mexico.  You will learn how to work with all manner of chiles--just freshly picked.  You will be making such dishes as Chile Rellenos with a Blue Corn Crust as well as the famous Cinco de Mayo Chiles en Nogada--a gorgeous and amazingly delicious dish made with a white walnut sauce.  You  will create yummy moles, amazing enchiladas, homemade tortillas, sopaipillas and the famous Pueblo Indian Bear Paw bread and  Fry Bread. 

From appetizers to desserts--we will feature the finest of them all.  I would just love for you to come.  You will learn how to make the most delicious Guacamole ever to never fail pastry, 

All of the menus are on our website for each day under the week long button, just click  
https://www.janebutelcooking.com/article/253.   

Any questions, just email us at info@janebutelcooking.com or call me at 505-243-2622.In addition to learning the whole range of cooking techniques, I will share the great to know history of the dishes and the major ingredients. 

Here's the recipes for Chiles en Nogada--pictured at top and Composed Nachos, bottom.

CHILES en NOGADA

This special dish was created to celebrate the defeat of the French; hence the traditional Mexican flag colors of red in the pomegranate seeds, white in the walnut sauce and green in the chiles.

For the Stuffing:

1 pound 92% lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

1 apple, finely chopped

2 large tomatoes, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

A few grinds freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Chiles:

8 medium chiles poblanos, parched, chilled and peeled

1/2 cup flour (if making batter)

For the Batter (optional):

5 eggs separated

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons flour

3 quarts vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

1 cup English walnuts, soaked in cold water overnight

1/2 cup slivered, skinless almonds

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

6 ounces cream cheese

2 teaspoons finely chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 Tablespoons dry sherry

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Garnish:

Seeds from 1 large, or 2 medium pomegranates

1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

1. The night before, soak the walnuts in cold water. They have more flavor this way. If you do not do this, simmering one hour in water in a covered pan will remove some of the brown bitter skin, but soaking ahead is better. Prepare the stuffing by sautéing the crumbled ground beef in a sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook and stir until the onion is clear. Add the remaining ingredients and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently until mixture thickens, about 20 to 30 minutes.

1. Meanwhile parch the chiles, by first rinsing, then piercing a small hole for steam to escape and place on foil on broiler pan or grill on top of the range or over a grill. When uniformly blistered and somewhat blackened, remove to ice water and allow to cool. When cool, drain and peel, stuff with the stuffing. If using a batter, dry thoroughly by blotting between paper or cloth towels, then roll in flour and set aside.

1. To prepare the sauce, remove the skin from the soaked walnuts by vigorously stirring, draining, then rubbing them in a cloth towel until the skins come off. Place the heavy cream and milk in a blender jar, add the remaining ingredients and process until a thick sauce results. Set aside.

1. If frying, heat one-half inch oil to medium high heat, about 375° F. Prepare the batter, if using, for the chiles by separating the eggs. Softly beat the whites, then beat the yolks with a fork or simple whisk, then scatter the flour over the yolks and mix together and slowly temper in a bit of the softly beaten egg whites, beating after each addition. Beat the remaining egg whites to stiff peaks. Then fold the whites into the yolk mixture, making certain to keep the air in the meringue. Dip each stuffed chile into the batter, and carefully lower into the hot oil. Carefully turn to lightly brown each side.

1. Serve with the walnut sauce and garnish with pomegranate seeds and coarsely minced parsley.

 

COMPOSED NACHOS

These alone are almost a meal. When artfully arranged as described below, they are beautiful

and look like a sunflower—a picture really worth eating. The crispy, cheesey nachos serve as a

scooper for the guacamole, refried beans and garnish!

 

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Oven Temperature: 425 F

Baking Time: 17 minutes about

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas, crisp-fried or baked

1 cup mixed shredded Monterey Jack cheese and Cheddar cheese

¼ cup thinly sliced fresh or pickled jalapeno chiles, or to taste

1cup or more Guacamole (recipe, follows)

1 cup or more Refried Beans (recipe, follows)

2 Tablespoons each chopped onion, fresh tomato, and ripe olives

2 Tablespoons dairy sour cream, optional

1. Deep fry the whole tortillas in vegetable oil heated to 375 F until crisp, about 22 seconds each. If baking the tortillas, preheat the oven to 425F. Arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet, topped with a smaller baking sheet. Bake 5 minutes, then remove the top, smaller sheet and finish baking about 7 more minutes or until crisp. Prepare Guacamole and Refried Beans. Generously sprinkle cheeses on tortillas. Bake about 5 more minutes or until cheese melts.

2. Cut each cheesed tortilla into four pieces like a pie. Arrange them on a round large plate or platter, placing them in an overlapping chain – the point of one slightly overlapping the top of the next. Position a mound of Guacamole in the center of the platter. Spoon a circle of beans around the outside edge of the Guacamole. Garnish with jalapeno slices, onion,

tomato, and olives. Top beans with sour cream, if desired.

PERFECT GUACAMOLE

¨¨¨¨¨

Guacamole at its best! For greatest flavor, appearance and keeping quality–always cut avocados with two knives into coarse chunks about 1/2 inch square.

Yield: 4 servings

2 ripe avocados (preferably Haas)

½ teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

1 medium-size tomato, chopped

¼ cup finely chopped Spanish onion

1 medium fresh jalapeno, minced

2 Tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1. Halve the avocados; scoop pulp into a bowl. Coarsely chop with two knives. Add salt and garlic; then slowly add lime juice to taste.

2. Fold in tomato, onion, chiles and cilantro, being very careful not to over mix. Let stand a few minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend.

3. Taste and adjust seasonings. Some like spicy guacamole, while others like it quite mild. Often piquancy is best determined by the other foods you are serving. If some like it hot and others don’t, a solution is to serve a side dish of spicy salsa or freshly minced jalapeno.

4. Serve guacamole in a Mexican pottery bowl and garnish the top with a few tostados thrust into the top. Serve with a basket of tostados. As a salad, serve over chopped lettuce and garnish each serving with a cherry tomato.

FRIJOES REFRITOS with JALAPENO CHILES

(Refried Beans with Pickled Jalapeno chiles)

I think most refried beans just occupy space in a rather ugly way. They are tasteless and gooey looking. When made this way, refried beans are very flavorful and excellent as a side dish and in nachos and many Southwestern specialties. The addition of the chopped, pickled jalapenos adds a nice bit of spicy flavor, however you can certainly leave them out.

Yield: 4 servings

1 Tablespoon lard, bacon drippings or butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tablespoon finely chopped Spanish onion

2 cups cooked pinto beans or 1 (16-oz.) can pinto beans

Salt & freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 Tablespoons chopped, pickled jalapenos

1. Melt lard in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and as soon as it starts to barely turn golden, add the onion. Then immediately add the pinto beans with a little liquid and mash them, using a potato masher or a heavy wooden spoon, leaving some of the beans almost whole. Mash the beans as they fry, adding additional liquid or chicken stock as needed.

2. Fry over medium heat about 15 minutes, turning to prevent burning, until the beans reach a thick, paste-like consistency. Stir in the chopped, pickled jalapenos if desired. Serve piping hot.