Old Mexico + Modern Flavors = "Mod Mex"

Chef Scott Linquist Of Dos Caminos Creates Fresh Flavors For Classic Mexican Dishes

(CBS) 

COCONUT FLAN WITH TROPICAL FRUIT SALSITA
(Serves 8)

Flan:
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoon water
1 1/2 cup cups canned coconut milk
1 4 oz. can evaporated milk
1 4 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut for garnish

Salsita:
1 cup diced mango
1 cup diced papaya
1 cup diced pineapple
1 cup fresh orange segments
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh mint leaves


To Make the Flan:
Lightly coat 8 4 oz. custard cups or ramekins or 1 8" round cake pan with vegetable spray. Preheat the oven to 325. Bring kettle of water to a boil.

Put the sugar in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan and add just enough water to wet the sugar. Cook over medium heat, swirling the pan constantly, until the sugar turns a rich amber color, about ten minutes. Immediately pour about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the caramel into the bottoms of each cup, or pour all of the caramel into the round cake pan, rotating to cover evenly.

In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer or whisk, blend the coconut milk with the evaporated and condensed milks. Add the eggs and yolk, and continue to mix until well blended. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl and then ladle it into the prepared custard cups or pan. Put the ramekins or pan into another larger pan and transfer both to the oven. Pour in boiling water to come about 2/3rds of the way up the side of the ramekins or pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the flan is firm at the edges and wiggles slightly in the center, or 35 to 40 minutes for the larger single flan.

Remove the pan from the oven, remove the foil, and let the pan sit at room temperature until the water cools. Remove the custard cups or cake pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The flan can be prepared up to this point up to a day ahead.

After you remove the flan from the oven, raise the oven temperature to 350 and toast the coconut on a baking sheet, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Make the Salsita:
In a small saucepan, combine the mango, papaya, pineapple, orange, sugar, and orange juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low and reduce until about one third of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the salsita from the pan, cool completely, and then stir in the mint.

To release the flan from the ramekins or cake pan, trace around the edges with a sharp, thin bladed knife to loosen. Invert the ramekins onto individual dessert plates, or the cake pan onto a large dessert platter, gently tapping on the bottom of the pan if necessary. Cut the large flan into wedges. To serve, spoon the salsita around each serving of flan and garnish with the toasted coconut.


CORN AND CHIPOTLE PANCAKES
(Serves 6)

Pancake batter:
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
5 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons to brush on lobsters and griddle
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cups fresh corn kernels or defrosted high quality corn
2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Roasted Corn Pico De Gallo:
2 cups roasted corn kernels (prepared earlier)
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red opinions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup diced jalapeno chilies
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups crèma or sour cream
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, pureed
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
3 1-lb lobsters
Watercress sprigs, for garnish

Make the Batter:
In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, milk, eggs, 6 tablespoons of butter, and honey, and whisk together until smooth.

Make the Pico de Gallo:
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the oil and the corn and sauté until the kernels are lightly browned and tender, about five minutes. Reserve 2 cups of the corn for the roasted corn pico de gallo.

Stir the remaining 1 cup of the corn, the chipotles, and the cilantro into the buttermilk mixture, add to the dry ingredients, and mix just until blended. Cover the batter and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the cream, chipotles, and lime juice, and season to taste with salt.

Cook Lobster:
In a large pot, bring at least 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the lobsters, cover the pot, return to boil, and cook the lobsters for 7 minutes more, or until the shells are bright red. Remove the lobsters with tongs, wrap each in aluminum foil, and let cool. Break off the tails, cut them in half lengthwise, and remove the meat. Remove the claw meat whole and any remaining meat from the shells. Discard the shells or reserve for the lobster stock. Brush the meat lightly with melted butter, season with salt and pepper, and sauté briefly in a large skillet to warm.

Heat a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brush with a little butter and ladle on enough batter to make 3 to 4 inch rounds. Cook the pancakes until little bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown, 1 ½ to 2 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook the second side until golden brown.

On each size plates, serve 2 pancakes, one garnished with half lobster tail and other with claw. Spoon on some roasted corn pico del gallo, drizzle with crema, garnish with watercress sprigs, and serve.


CHILAQUILES
(Serves 6)

Tres Chiles Salsa:
5 anco chiles, peeled
5 guajillo chiles
3 arbol chilies
2 cups cooking liquid, reserved from soaking the chilies
6 cloves garlic
4 plum tomatoes
1 medium sized yellow onion, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Chilaquiles:
1 large bag tortilla chips
1 1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz. Chihuahua cheese or Monterey jack cheese, grated, 2 cups

12 large eggs
1 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 oz. cotija or feta cheese, finely grated for garnish, 1 cup
2 avocados peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
6 pickled jalapeno chilies in a jar or can

Make the Tres Chiles Salsa:
Preheat the over to 400. Toast and rehydrate the chilies using at least 3 cups of water. Let the chilies cool in the cooking liquid. Remove the chilies, and reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

Toss the garlic, tomatoes, and onion with the olive oil, and bake on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Place all of the ingredients in the jar of an electric blender, adding only as little of the liquid as needed to puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and set aside. Leave the oven on.

Make the Chilaquiles:
In 2 2-quart casseroles, add half of the tortilla chips, half of the salsa, and half of the sour cream to each, and stir together with half of the Chihuahua cheese. Bake the casseroles in the oven for 3 minutes, and then remove and top with the remaining cheese and sauce. Return to the oven and bake for 3 minutes more.

While the casseroles bake, scramble the eggs or fry them sunny side up, and keep them warm. Remove the casseroles from the oven. Place a heaping spoonful of chilaquiles on each plate, top with 2 eggs, and spoon some of the remaining salsa around the eggs. Sprinkle with cilantro and cotija cheese and serve the avocado cubes and jalapeno chilies on the side.


ENSALADA NOCHE BUENA
(Serves 4 to 6)

Ingredients:
2 medium sized red beets, trimmed
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup pine nuts
6 cups baby lettuces, watercress, or arugula, or a mixture of all three
1 small (1 lb) jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 Valencia or navel oranges, peeled, and cut into segments

Citrus-Jalapeno Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Seeds from pomegranate 1/2 cup
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 oz goat cheese or queso fresco, crumbled (1 cup)


Preheat the oven to 375. Wrap each beet in a piece of aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast the beets until very tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, let the beets cool completely, unwrap, and then use a clean, old towel (one that you don't mind getting stained red) or sturdy paper towels to rub off the skin. Cut these beets into thin strips.

While the beets are cooking, cover the raisins with warm water in a small bowl and let them stand for 10 minutes until plumped. Drain and blot dry.

Preheat a toaster oven to 350. Toast the pine nuts in the baking tray for 4 to 5 minutes, until golden brown, shaking the pan occasionally and watching that they don't burn. Set aside. Alternatively, cook in a skillet over medium high heat, shaking the pan often.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce with the beets, raisins, jicama and orange segments. Toss gently to mix.

Make the Vinaigrette:
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, orange and lime juices, mustard, honey, and jalapeno chile. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and whisk vigorously until emulsified. Immediately pour about half of the vinaigrette over the salad, and toss gently.

Arrange the salad on a serving platter or individual plates and top with pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, cilantro, and cheese. Serve immediately and pass the remaining dressing at the table.

[mexicopuebla]

dos caminos,
all the recipes in this book were copy from other books or from the web. check you self..

[mswolfestock]

RE: the Chipotle Bloody Maria - YUK! There is way, WAY, too much salt, horseradish, and ground pepper in this recipe. I wouldn''t serve that to my worst enemies, much less my friends, neighbors, and family. All prepared tomato juices, V-8 juices, and Bloody Mary mixes have way too much salt in them and they taste like the can, not like tomatoes. If you must have a Bloody Mary-type of cocktail, start with plain tomato juice and go easy on the salt, pepper, and hot sauce. If you''re a real "Foodie," try making home-made tomato juice next summer. I promise you''ll never want to drink canned tomato juice again.
And Lobster Tacos? Oh puh-leez. That''s a total waste of time and expensive lobster meat. Just boil the lobster and dip it in melted butter and make guacamole out of the avocado.

[missyx21]

I''m really not into this whole new wave of modern Mexican food. I went and ate at Abuelos this past weekend. It was so plain and tasteless. There was no flavor, the steak of dry and over cooked, and everything else was covered in cheese. Never going back.

I love all kinds of food. But one thing I hate is how AMERICA tries to modernize everything which just turns it into this plain tasteless ***. America has done that to Chinese, Italian, Greek, Mexican, Jamaican food.