"Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all"
~Harriet van Horne
A pinch of this. . . a dash of that . . .
couple of these. . .
This is what I grew up watching my mom do in the kitchen.
Dinner was a mini-concoction.
Only a handful of times did I ever see her follow a recipe by the book. And even when she did, the next time she prepared the dish again, it was without the book.
A little more salt. couple more chilies. Until . . . Mmmmm. Just right.
Now, when I call to ask her for a recipe, the "instructions" go pretty much in that same manner.
I have to just use those directions, the memories of her cooking . . . and experiment . . .
until I find it myself, that : Mmmm. Just right : )
The following recipe, which I proudly share, is one of her many exquisite concoctions.
Hope you find that Mmmm. Just right. Buen Provecho!
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| My very first Cooking Instructor. |
Ingredients:
-28 oz can of "La Costena" Tomatillos Verdes
(or if you want to use fresher ingredients thats about 2 lbs tomatillos, boiled until tender. Momma Lomeli says that the canned ones are less bitter and better for this recipe. I think so as well, but of course, not as fresh as the real deal)
-4 to 6 (or more!) Chiles de Arbol Seco, Toasted and de-stemmed
(depends how HOT you want it . . . this dish is actually still delicious without them at all)
- Beef (Strips, cut stir fry-style)
-1/2 Onion (sliced)
-Garlic cloves (optional)
-Salt
"Instructions"
1. Heat up a skillet and place the "Chiles de Arbol" for toasting there. Turn to high heat and leave on there until they actually blacken (aka toast/burn) and once they do, turn to flip side and repeat. Warning: this will probably make you cough. Set Aside.
2. Place Tomatillos in blender, with salt (start off with 1/2 tablespoon and go from there) and 3 toasted chillies. BLEND. now taste. Is it salted enough for you? Spicy enough? keep added salt and/or chiles de arbol until your liking. set aside.
3. Place a small amount of olive oil in a skillet and sear meat (you can also add in some Garlic cloves/onions and caramelize along with the beef at this time for additional flavor. My mom prefers not to add garlic or onions to this dish . . . But I personally don't think you can ever go wrong adding a bit of garlic or caramelized onions. . . I tossed in 3 cloves ; ) Once meat is seared, add in the green chili aka "chile verde" which was set aside in blender, and let it simmer in skillet until meat has cooked through.
* *Typically this dish is served with mexican rice and beans, I'll usually accompany with beans (love my beans!) and veggies instead of rice, for the greater nutritional benefits of vegetables etc.
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These items can typically be found in the "ethnic/hispanic" food aisles at your local grocery store.
Chiles De Arbol
Tomatillos La Costena
