Shrimp Enchiladas with Guajillo Sauce (aka Mex & Margi Date Night @ Home)

The Man LOVES Mexican food.

And I used to make it for him much more often until that rotten baby came along. :P

It takes time to make a proper chile sauce, and guacamole, and rice, and beans, and we can't remember the last time we've had a truly good night's sleep, so cooking hasn't been all that involved lately.

This is how we frame shots when we are both
sleep deprived and starving...

But even if we can't get away from the babyparenting gig long enough for a proper date just yet, I figured I'd make him some somewhat proper Mexican food at home as a way to do something for us. 

Because Mex & Margis for some reason always seem to feed the most relaxed conversation and a real sense of QT. As much as we love to eat and drink all kinds of other stuff, this is just our thing.

Our menu tonight made with what was on hand:

- Shrimp Enchiladas with Guajillo Sauce
- Jasmine "Mexican" Rice
- Refried Black and Butter Beans topped with Feta Cheese (I find Feta to be a pretty decent substitute for queso fresco - hits those creamy, tangy, salty notes, and many of us are likely to have it on hand)
- Guacamole

Dean's contribution - margis, of course.

We don't have room for margi glasses in our lives.
Barely enough room for the bottles. :P

And with Izzy behaving fairly well for us at the dinner table, that was a lovely midweek date night in.

We need to do that more often. 

shinae

Full album HERE.

100 DOLLARS A WEEK - Day 10...

The Man has this camera. I call it Fancycam. It's much bigger, heavier and more expensive than the Canon Powershot A590IS with which I shoot all my food pics. Some have asked why I don't use that camera for my food pics instead. It does take really nice food pics, after all.

The primary reason is that Fancycam is not me. That's not to say that the Man is a fancy person, either. But he's a dude and a photography hobbyist, and we all know how dudes get about the gadgets that come with their hobbies...

This is totally irrelevant, but I'm
making *Champagne* vinegar with some
leftover cava... Let you know
in a few weeks how that
turns out.

But aside from the fact that the Man would have two coronaries in a row if I did with Fancycam the things I do with my point and shoot (all one need do is look at my cooking albums to imagine the array of foodschmutz that has touched that camera by way of my hands while cooking and shooting at the same time), the point and shoot is really just more my style. Compact, easy, tough, convenient, and most of all, unfussy.

And unlike Fancycam, which picks up amazingly bright colors, vivid detail and fine contrast, oftentimes beyond what my mostly 20/20 eye can see, point and shoot is more like life to me. Well, my life at least. It represents the best I can do with what I've got, when I've got it. No settings, no foodstyling, and almost no manipulation but for the effort it takes to get the food on the plate.

So I find myself back on the soapbox today saying that while I can appreciate the aesthetics that result, you will not find me colorizing my foodshots or backlighting them, or putting lipstick on my strawberries, or blowtorching my chicken skins, or putting my pics through any number of digital photoediting processes to make the food look any better or different than it is. Because to me, what Mother Nature gives me to work with is good enough on its own, even if it's better or worse sometimes than others. Chicken one day, feathers the next. That's life.

I imagine there will be a time that the evolution of other technology and the obsolescence of my technology will force me to use different equipment, but until then, and hopefully even after then, I plan to post real pictures of real food from my make-do point of view. Don't get me wrong. I think there's beauty and value in the other stuff, but I personally would rather represent this.

And on to the food...

BREAKFAST

While I would have liked to save the croissants for a mid-week treat, I like to eat them while they're still fresh. So this morning, it was Caprese (kahPRAYzeh) croissants made with some of that mozzarella I bought this week, one small Roma tomato, and a few leaves of basil left over from one of those hydroponic basil plants that I bought maybe three weeks ago.

Tossed in a little olive oil to keep them from sweating
too much in the bake...

8 minutes in a 350F oven later. :)

And coffee...

   2 croissants @ $1.50
+ 4 slices of mozzarella cheese @ $1.00
+ 1 small Roma tomato and a little basil $0.20
+ 2 cups of coffee @ $0.40

= BREAKFAST: $3.10 total, $1.55/serving

LUNCH

I don't care what anybody says. Leftovers is good.

Most of the gumbo leftovers from Saturday for the Man (plus a handful of grapes).

Most of last night's Korean style beef stew leftovers for me.

All previously accounted for but the grapes...

= LUNCH: $0.50 total.

DINNER

Dinner will be tacos filled with a spicy shredded chicken filling using the chicken breasts from the whole chicken I bought last week. And to use up some of those sooooo many free limes we got from my mom by way of her neighbor, I'm thinking a ginger-infused limeade that may or may not have anything to do with tequila, depending on what kind of a day the Man has at the office. :P

But as tequila is always entertaining, it always comes out of the Entertainment budget.

If you look closely, you'll see that the almost 10 day old
cilantro and mint still look great!

   1 whole chicken breast @ $2.00
+ 1 onion and some garlic @ $0.30
+ 2 jalapenos @ $0.10
+ 1/4 of a head of cabbage @ $0.60
+ 1/4 wheel of queso fresco @ $0.50
+ maybe 8 small corn tortillas at the most @ $0.30
+ misc. seasonings @ $0.50

= DINNER: $4.30 total for 3 servings (I'm pretty sure there will be leftovers), $1.45/serving

Saturday:  $15.00
Sunday:  $23.00
Monday:  $8.00

$46.00 so far, but I'll be back later to post dinner pics and update if anything changes.

Hasta luego,

shinae

@6:44 PM - Dinner of 7 shredded chicken tacos (4 for the Man, 3 for me), topped with red cabbage dressed in lime juice, yogurt and a little oil, as well as a blended salsa made of cilantro, onion, jalapeno, garlic, lime, salt, oil and a pinch of sugar.

With a glass of ginger infused limeade to wash it down.

P.S. You get more juice out of the lime if you load it at an angle like so:

A Better Pickled Pepper...

I don't remember exactly when I discovered pickled jalapenos, but I'm pretty sure it had something to do with KFC and a bucket of extra crispy dark meat because my mom used to love the extra crispy kind. That was years before I learned to appreciate the crispyfatty goodness that is fried chicken skin, but I still don't care for KFC's breading, which must be equal parts 11 secret herbs and spices, flour, and SALT. That shizz is wayyyyy too salty. But I digress...

Having grown up eating and loving tangy, spicy pickled stuff, I took to pickled jalapenos like white on rice, and I can't remember a time we didn't order pickled jalapenos with our KFC unless we had the misfortune to stumble on a location that didn't sell them.

I could crunch on these all day...

But as much as I loved the things, I had two beefs with them:

1) unlike my beloved kimchi, they were squishy, AND
2) unlike my beloved kimchi, they squirted.

So I took to slicing the jalapenos and quick pickling them and ended up with what I think is a zestier, crunchier and prettier pickled pepper that isn't soggy, doesn't squirt, and can be eaten an hour after making. It's yummy with fried chicken and Mexican food of course, but it's also one of my favorite accompaniments to noodle soups.

If you look real close, you can see the orange in the veins.
These suckers estan muy picantes.

CRUNCHY QUICK PICKLED JALAPENOS
Makes about 25 ounces

- about 1/3 pound of jalapenos, 5 or 6 large ones, sliced on the diagonal in roughly 1/8-inch thick pieces (tips on how to pick them here)
- 1 medium carrot, sliced on the diagonal in roughly 1/8-inch thick pieces
- 1/2 a medium onion, sliced into roughly 1/4-inch thick slices
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed or sliced into 2 or 3 pieces

- 1+1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar

- 2 Tablespoons neutral oil
- 1/2 Tablespoon Mexican oregano
- 1 bay leaf

1) Prep a minimum 24 ounce jar or tight-lidded plastic container by washing with soap, rinsing with hot water, and drying thoroughly.

2) Pack your vegetables into the jar or container, layering the peppers, onions and carrots in alternating layers. Add the garlic wherever you like. Because it's crushed, the flavor will quickly and easily steep into the vinegar.

A repurposed 25 oz. kosher dill jar...

top view :)

3) Make the brine in a medium bowl by mixing the vinegar, salt and sugar and stirring or whisking until all the salt and sugar are dissolved.

4) Pour the brine over the vegetables.

5) Bloom the oregano and bay leaf by heating the oil to medium hot and then stirring in the herbs - just a quick stir or two should do it. The oil should be hot enough that the herbs sizzle when they touch it.

6) Pour the oil with the herbs into the pickle.

If you're using a jar, screw the lid on tight and give it a few gentle shakes to distribute the oil and herbs and get some of the brine on the veg at the top of the jar. If a lidded plastic container, give the vegetables a few gentle packs by pushing down with a spoon. This packing motion should distribute the oil and herbs throughout the brining liquid. In any event, the oil will float back up to the top, but its flavor will be imparted to the brine before.

oil floats :P

7) Keep in the refrigerator. Pickles will be ready to eat in an hour and will keep at least a couple of weeks.

With last night's winner winner chicken dinner... :)

I usually re-use the brine once after all the pickles are eaten by adding a little more salt and as much veg as will fit into the container.

I think you'll like this (not quite) peck of pickled peppers. :)

shinae

From Dogs To Fish Tacos...

The other day, I read an article somewhere about how Maria Shriver's dad advised her to make the Governator get a dog early on in their relationship - and to scrutinize his treatment of that dog - because it would be a good indicator of his aptitude as a husband. Growing up, my mom also used to say that, no matter the personality, there is something redeeming in the character of a good dog owner.

Last night's tropical fish tacos...
And by that I mean tropical AND fish tacos
not tropicalfish tacos.

I think there's something to that line of thinking because, whether the ability to care is the chicken or the egg in that argument, I observe this truth in the Man every day. Buried beneath what appears to be an incredibly simple generalization is the understanding that it takes a decent and caring person who is capable of

• being selfless in moments, 
• anticipating the needs of others, and 
• having empathy and compassion (for a creature unable to speak your language, no less) 

to be concerned with the welfare, comfort and pleasure of another being, and ultimately to be a good partner in life. 

lo-carb version...

Whether it's waking up 2 or 3 times a night to cover the whiny wiener dog with her blanket, or surprising me with a slice of chocolate cake because I posted my hormonal cravings on facebook, or taking my son to BevMo to buy a 6 pack of some artisanal root beer just because he's enamored with root beer, the Man  proves my mom's (and Maria's dad's) point through lots of little kindnesses every day.

And though I often fall short of his thoughtfulness, I do try to remember to return the favor from time to time by making a meal I know he'll love. He generally loves deep fried things. And if those things happen to be beer battered fish wrapped in a corn tortilla with some crunchy cabbage, other fresh veg or tropical fruit, and one or more super hot sauces (he's a chili head), I can find a way to dethrone the Man's best friend, if only while we're eating dinner. 

Some folks like a thicker batter on their fish, which is not a bad idea if you need to stretch the fish out. But barring a shortage, I like my batter on the thin side, and I like it really crisp. I find that mixing starch (in this case corn) with the flour, using a light-flavored and golden-colored lager, and keeping the batter cold in the freezer between frying batches helps to achieve just that texture.

light, crisp, golden brown batter...

Yesterday, I served the tacos on corn tortillas (warmed stovetop) with some crisped red cabbage, my blended pico de gallo, a really hot habanero/lime/garlic "crema" made with sour cream and mayo, and some diced, supersweet mango to counter the heat from the chilis in the two sauces. It was simple, fresh and delicious, and I think it made the pooch jealous on multiple fronts. ;)

LAGER BATTERED FISH TACOS

Serves 4

• 1.5 pounds of flaky white fish (tilapia, snapper, halibut - whatever works. They all cook pretty quickly.) cut into 2-inch long, 1/2 inch thick strips and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.
• 3 cups oil for frying (vegetable, corn or canola). BTW, you can save frying oil (refrigerated) and reuse a good 3 or 4 times before discarding. Just remember to keep the oil used for savory foods for the same purpose. Same goes for sweet/dessert stuff. Oil for fish tacos should probably be saved for another fish taco or fish & chips day.
• 12 to 15 5-inch corn tortillas

Batter

• 2/3 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1+1/4 cup of lager beer (Corona, Bud, Kirin - doesn't matter), no foam (just under a full American 12 oz. bottle)

Sauces

• habanero/lime/garlic "crema" - zap the following in a blender 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth.

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons mayo
• 1 habanero, rough chopped (habis, as they're affectionately called in our house, are VERY hot. If VERY hot is not your thing, you might try using just an eighth or quarter of the pepper to start.)
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 very small clove)
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• blended pico de gallo (recipe here)

Garnish 

No hard and fast rules here. Just some suggestions.

• very thinly sliced cabbage (red or green) - I like to crisp the cabbage in a bit of ice water and drain well before serving.
• diced tropical fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple) to offset and balance the heat from the chilies in the sauces
• fresh avocados
• lime wedges
• cilantro sprigs

1) Prepare the sauces and garnishes first and refrigerate. You'll want everything else ready as soon as the fish comes out of the fry so you'll have nice, crisp fish tacos.

2) Slice and season the fish.

3) Prepare the batter by whisking all ingredients together in a mixing bowl just until smooth (and no more). Put batter in freezer to cool while oil is heating.

4) Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or Dutch oven to 375F (if you've got a thermometer) or until it's hot enough that drop of batter sizzles and rises to the top within a couple of seconds. Prepare a plate lined with a double layer of paper towels to soak up the excess oil from your fried fish.

5) Get the batter out of the freezer and batter 7 or 8 pieces of fish at a time and fry until golden brown, about 2.5 to 3 minutes per side. Put batter back in the freezer between batches.

6) When you're on your last batch, warm your tortillas per package instructions, or straight on a gas burner, like I do. 10 to 12 seconds per side, directly over high heat.

my favorite tortilla warmer

7) While your last batch is cooling, set out your sauces, garnish and tortillas. 

 

I like to use 2 pieces of fish per taco - just a logistical thing.

Delicious and versatile, perfect with a cold beer. And if you feed some to the dog, she'll be your best friend, too.

shinae

P.S. Those mango chunks up there are WAYYYY too big to put in your fish tacos. I just forgot to picturize the diced ones. Teehee!