DRINKS AND DESSERTS

Jamaica

Ingredients

2 quarts water

3/4 cup dried Jamiaca or hibiscus flowers
1/2 cup sugar or honey
Orange slices for garnish

Directions

Bring the water to a boil. Add the flowers and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 10 minutes. Stir in the sugar or honey, strain into a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve cold over ice with slices of orange as garnish.
Variation: Before serving, stir in 2 cups of orange juice

Margarita

Ingredients

1 lime, halved
Kosher salt
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 limes)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 cup Triple Sec
3 cups ice
1 cup white tequila

Directions

If you like margaritas served in a glass with salt, rub the outside rims of six glasses with a cut lime and dip each glass lightly into a plate of kosher salt.
Combine the lime juice, lemon juice, Triple Sec, and ice in a blender and puree until completely blended. Add the tequila and puree for 2 seconds more. Serve over ice.
If you prefer frozen margaritas, halve each of the ingredients, double the ice, and blend in two batches. Serve with a cut lime.

Horchata

Ingredients

1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups skinless almonds
1-inch piece cinnamon bark
8 cups water

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ice cubes

Directions

Wash and drain the rice. Using a spice grinder (an electric coffee grinder works well too), grind the rice until fine; combine with the almonds and cinnamon bark. Add 3 1/2 cups water and let sit overnight, covered. Blend rice mixture until smooth using a blender. Add 2 1/2 cups of water and continue blending. Add sugar and vanilla extract. Strain horchata into a bowl first using a metal strainer and then a double layer of cheesecloth; finish with up to an additional 2 cups of water until it achieves a milky consistency. Enjoy over ice.

Flan Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
6 egg yolks (room temperature)
2 whole eggs (room temperature)
24 ounces evaporated milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons Mexican vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the 1 cup sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and caramelize over medium heat At first, swirl the pan over the heat, but do not stir (this will cause it to clump). After about 8 minutes, when the sugar has begun to liquefy, stir with a heavy spoon. When the caramel turns light brown, quickly (and carefully burns are painful) pour into a 2-quart, hi gh-sided metal flan mold. Tip pan so caramel coats the bottom and up sides of mold. Work fast; caramel hardens quickly.

Using a whisk, beat together the egg yolks, eggs, evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla. Mixture should be well-blended but not frothy. Pour into the caramelized mold. Cover with the flan mold lid and secure with clips. (this prevents the top from overcooking). Place the mold in a larger pan (such as a roasting pan) and pour in about 1 1/2 inches of hot w ater.

Place on the bottom rack of the preheated oven and bake for approximately 65 minutes. After 55 minutes, open the oven door and test the flan by inserting the thinnest knife you own into the middle of the flan. Do not go all the way to the bottom. If large curds cling to the knife the flan is not yet done. Give it about 10 minutes longer. If just a film of custard clings to the knife, the flan is done. When you jiggle the mold, the custard should shimmer in the middle but look cooked around the edge.

Remove from oven and cool mold on a rack. The flan will continue to cook for about an hour after being removed from the oven. During this time it will set up. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before unmolding.

Unmold
Run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the flan. Move the pan from side to side to see if the flan is slipping and free from the edges of the pan. Place a flat serving platter with a raised rim on top of the mold. Holding the platter and mold together tightly, flip them over. The flan should slip easily onto the platter, along with most of the caramel sauce. Use a spoon to remove more caramel and spoon it around the custard. The bottom of the pan will have a hard layer of caramel still on it.

Serve
Cut flan into wedges spooning caramel sauce over each slice.

Arroz con Leche

Ingredients:

1/2 cup white rice (long grain)

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cinnamon sticks

1 10-ounce can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

ground cinnamon for garnish

Preparation:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the rice, water, salt, and cinnamon sticks for 15 minutes.

2. Add the evaporated milk and sugar when the rice grains begin to split open.

3. Reduce the heat to low and cook the rice mixture until creamy. Remove the mixture from the heat. Take out the cinnamon sticks and reserve for garnishing. Mix in the vanilla extract.

4. Place the rice mixture into individual serving cups and chill for about 1 1/2 hours.

5. Garnish with powdered cinnamon and cinnamon sticks before serving.

Servings: Makes 4 servings.

DELICIOUS MEXICAN RECIPES

Speedy Homemade Salsa
Yield: 1-1/3 cups

You Will Need
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) whole tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped onion 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded*
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt

What to Do1. In a food processor, combine all ingredients; cover and process until chunky. Transfer to a small bowl.

Traditional Mexican Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

You Will Need

12 corn tortillas
3 cooked chicken breast halves, no bones or skin, shredded
½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
¾ cup minced onion
12 oz shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz chopped green chilies
¼ cup butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
Vegetable oil for frying

What to do

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat, and then fry the tortillas on 5 seconds per side until they are pliable. Do them individually and add more oil as required. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and keep them warm.

Divide the chicken, onion (not green onion) and 10 oz of the cheese between the tortillas. Roll them up and place in a greased baking pan, seam side down. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until it begins to boil. Add the broth, stirring continuously.

Add the chilies and sour cream. Stir occasionally and do not let the mixture boil. Pour this mixture over the enchiladas when hot and thick. Bake the Mexican chicken enchiladas for 20 minutes then top with the rest of the cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes. Use the green onions and cilantro to garnish them.

Serves 6

Carnitas Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 pounds boned pork shoulder, cut into large cubes (remove as much fat as possible)
• 1 quart beef broth
• 2 cups chunky tomato salsa either prepared or homemade
• Water
• Salt
• 2 cups fresh tomato salsa (pico de gallo)
• 16-24 corn tortillas

Method

1 In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, combine pork, broth, and salsa. Add enough water to completely cover the meat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 3 to 4 hours (or longer) until meat pulls apart easily. Add salt to taste if needed.

2 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove meat from liquid in pot (discard the liquid) and spread the meat out in a roasting pan. Break the meat into small chunks. Roast meat for 15 to 20 minutes until brown and crispy.

3 If you are using store-bought tortillas, heat the tortillas one-by-one either in a microwave or on a hot skillet. If you heat them on a skillet you may need to use a little butter or oil to help soften them. When air pockets form in the tortillas they are ready. To heat them in a microwave, place a paper towel on the floor of the microwave. Lay one or two tortillas on the paper towel (whatever will fit so there is only one layer). Microwave on high heat for 10 seconds per tortilla (some brands of tortillas require 20 seconds each). Keep warm tortillas wrapped in a clean cloth towel for serving.

To serve, double up the tortillas and place a few spoonfuls of the carnitas on them. Top with salsa. Serve with grated lettuce (that has been lightly salted and sprinkled with vinegar), beans, avocados, and/or grated cheese.

To eat, remove half of the carnitas from one tortilla to another. Take one tortilla at a time with the carnitas and salsa, fold it over and enjoy. Or, keep them doubled up. Your choice.

Serves 6-8.

Zesty Steak Fajitas
Serves 6

You Will Need
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup lime juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 beef flank steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 large onion, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 6 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
Canned black beans and guacamole

What to Do
1. In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Broil or grill steak over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a meat thermometer should read 145°F; medium, 160°F; well-done, 170°F).

3. Meanwhile, in a skillet, sauté onion in oil until crisp-tender. Slice steak into thin strips across the grain; place on tortillas. Top with onion and the reserved tomato relish. Serve with black beans and guacamole.

Refried Bean Nachos
Serves 4

You Will Need
4 flour tortillas (8 inches) Refrigerated butter-flavored spray*
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can (16 ounces) vegetarian refried beans
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup salsa

What to Do
1. Spritz one side of each tortilla with refrigerated butter-flavored spray. Combine the cumin, coriander, chili powder and cayenne; sprinkle over tortillas. Cut each into 12 wedges. Place in a single layer in ungreased 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking pans. Bake at 425°F for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned.

2. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, heat the refried beans on high for 1-2 minutes or until warm. Arrange baked tortillas on serving plates; top with the beans, cheese, tomato, and onions. Serve with salsa.