Latino Foodie

Hatch Enchiladas Suizas with Chicken

2017-09-20T20:01:26Z

You’ll never want to eat any other kind of enchilada after tasting these amazing Hatch Enchiladas Suizas with Chicken.

In every bite, you’ll enjoy the robust flavor and heat from the hot Hatch Green Chiles. Heavy cream and sour cream mellow the fire from the Hatch chiles. Did you know? Enchiladas Suizas are said to be a nod to the Swiss dairy farmers who migrated to Mexico years ago and influenced the country’s cuisine.

The other day we had Executive Chef and Owner of the Zapien’s Salsa Grill Taquería in Pico Rivera (Stephen’s hometown), Marco Zapien, demonstrate how he made the Hatch Enchilada Suiza sauce at Melissa’s Produce in Vernon. Now, Marco is known for his famous chile verde sauce and has even won some major awards for it.

He made the enchiladas with the new Hand Made Style Tortillas from La Tortilla Factory and let me tell you, this made all the difference! The blend of wheat and corn flour keep the tortillas pliable and soft, perfect to roll enchiladas. Don’t you just hate the corn tortillas that are cracked and break when you try to fold them? So frustrating!

For more information about the Non-GMO tortillas visit La Tortilla Factory’s website here. The company is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and continues to deliver quality products that make life so much easier for the home cook. Check out some of their recipes to show you new ways to enjoy tortillas. They even have a new line of Cocina Fresca Sauce Starters in a variety of flavors, such as Al Pastor, Barbacoa, and Cochinita Pibil.

Here’s the recipe for Hatch Enchiladas Suizas with Chicken. Enjoy!

Hatch Enchiladas Suizas

Inspired by the recipe from Executive Chef Marco Zapien of The Salsa Grill in Pico Rivera, Ca.

2 lbs grilled chicken breast, shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb. tomatillos
2 clove chopped garlic
1/2 diced yellow onion
1/2 bunch cilantro
3 diced roasted hot Hatch chiles
2 1/2 cups organic low sodium chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
16 La Tortilla Factory Hand Made Style Tortillas
2 cups shredded colby jack cheese
3/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and saute the tomatillos, garlic, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and Hatch chiles.
Add the chicken broth and cook until vegetables are tender.
In a blender, blend the vegetables until smooth. Return the sauce to the saucepot and bring to a simmer.
Add heavy cream and allow to reduce for 5 minutes.
Finish with sour cream and season with salt and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat.
Heat the canola oil in a saute pan over medium-high flame. Soak the tortillas for a second to soften.
Fill the tortillas with chicken and cheese and roll.
In a baking dish, place the rolled enchiladas. Top with sauce and more cheese. Place in oven and heat for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve.

Roasting the Hatch Green Chiles

Making the Salsa Verde – SO GOOD!

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EL CORALOENSE RESTAURANT IN BELL GARDENS WINS PAELLA CONTEST AND NOW TRAVELS TO SPAIN TO COMPETE

2017-09-06T20:22:15Z

Summer never tasted so good for El Coraloense, a Bell Gardens Mexican seafood restaurant as it won Best Paella and will now be representing the United States at this Sueca International Contest of Valencian Paella.

El Coraloense Restaurante’s latest victory came at the Orange County Paella Wine & Beer Festival on Aug. 26 as they entered with a Paella Valencia, made out of pork, rabbit, and chicken. They competed against 15 other restaurants for the grand prize of two first-class tickets to Spain. The competition happens in mid-September.

“What set us apart from everyone was the flavor and perfectly cooked rice,” says Chef Natalie Curie. “We’re beyond excited to join the Paella Wine & Beer Festival Founder Armando Rodiel to compete in Spain. We’re looking forward to working and competing with chefs from all over the world.”

BEST TACO
On August 19 in Chula Vista, the team from El Coraloense traveled to the Chula Vista Harbor Fest 2017 where they awarded Best Taco of the festival. The winning taco was an organic blue corn tortilla made to order with chicharron de pescado, infused with a sweet and savory chile sauce and pickled green papaya and Sriracha chile and edible flowers. El Coraloense beat about 15 chefs for a prize of $1,000 with the all-important bragging rights.

Since 2007, El Coraloense is a family-run establishment that blends Nayarit and Sinaloa-styles of seafood together but elevates them with fresh local ingredients and menu creations. The restaurant remains true to its roots while striving to break the mold with modern techniques and flavors. With Chef Parents, Leo and Maria hailing from Nayarit and Sinaloa, you can be sure to always expect bold, fresh flavors. Today, two children Chef Natalie Curie and Chef Leo Curie, both armed with culinary degrees from Le Cordon Bleu, are at the helm in the kitchen.

Visit El Coraloense at 6600 Florence Avenue, Bell Gardens, Ca, or request catering at (562) 776-8800 and visit the website by clicking here.

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SOPES WITH CHICKEN TINGA AND BABY BOK CHOY

2017-08-17T06:46:52Z

We are always looking for new inspiration in the kitchen. The hubby and I love to take classic dishes whether Mexican, American or Italian or (well, you get the picture) and switch it up a bit. This is what we did wit our Sopes with Chicken Tinga and Baby Bok Choy.

Chicken Tinga is a classic Mexican dish of shredded chicken in a tomato-chipotle sauce. Here we include baby bok choy, and then layer it with black beans and cheese onto tender sopes (fried corn dough). A final drizzle of Mexican crema finishes off this delicious meal, which would be a perfect lunch or dinner. You can find our recipe at the Jade Asian Greens website.

We’ve mentioned it before, but we believe Jade Asian Greens Baby Bok Choy is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables in the world with tons of versatility. We’ve used the baby bok choy to make chicken fajitas, al pastor tacos, and so much more. Take a look at the scrumptious photos below of the Tacos Al Pastor with Baby Bok Choy and Chicken Fajitas with Baby Bok Choy. You can also find both recipes at the Jade Asian Greens Website.

If you’d like more recipes, Jade Asians Greens has a website full of baby bok choy recipes! and a Baby Bok Choy Pinterest board. And join LatinoFoodie in following them on their social media channels for more delicious recipes and ways to use nutritious greens: on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jade Asian Greens has provided me with greens for recipe development. While I received compensation for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments. Thank you for supporting the brands that support our blog.

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HATCH CHILE BUTTER

2017-08-17T04:58:59Z

The other night I had gone to a #Hatch Chile cooking demonstration by Chef Marco Zapien of Zapien Salsa Grill & Taqueria in Pico Rivera, my home town. Chef Marco created a fabulous menu with Roasted Hatch Chile Tortilla Soup to Hatch Chile Enchiladas Suizas. The dishes were outstanding and traditional in flavor. There is something magical about Hatch chiles from New Mexico and we wait patiently all year long for Hatch roasting season.

My pansa was completely content, or so I thought until Chef Marco served the grilled corn off the cob and tossed with queso fresco, a bit of mayonnaise — and here was the kicker – HATCH CHILE BUTTER. I swooned. I savored every little bite. My eyes rolled back in delight. The butter was creamy and the Hatch chiles had enough heat to play off of the grilled corn and stand up to the queso fresco. Everyone at my table felt the same way. So much pleasure given from one little dab of Hatch Chile Butter.

I was glad to hear Melissa’s Produce provided the Hatch chiles and the new Green Hatch Chile Powder. You know you can always count on excellent quality with Melissa’s Produce.

I had to get my hands on the Hatch Chile Butter recipe. And, lucky for me and for all of you, Chef Marco graciously shared it with me. Below is his recipe. He uses one pound of butter, but that seemed WAY TOO MUCH for me and Art, so I reduced it to two sticks of salted butter and decreased the amount of Hatch chile to 2 rather than 3 chiles. I encourage you to play with the recipe and make it all your own. But, like most recipes, do this one by the book first and I promise you will not be disappointed. If you have extra butter, this would make terrific gifts for friends and families. I am going to be enjoying my Hatch Chile Butter on tortillas, in soups, on corn, corn bread, did I mention tortillas? Oh my God, I ate three corn tortillas today with the Hatch Chile Butter. I couldn’t stop. I would’ve eaten the whole dozen if I didn’t feel so guilty. Seriously, guys, it’s that damn good.

Hatch Chile Butter

Creamy and spicy, the Hatch Chile Butter is perfect for grilled corn, esquites, or simply on a tortilla.

1 lb unsalted butter (*I used salted and omitted adding salt at the end)

3 roasted Hatch chiles

1 tbsp chopped garlic (*Next time I am going to roast the garlic)

salt and pepper

1 tsp mild Hatch chile powder (*Melissa's Produce sells a great selection. )

Soften the butter

Mix together with the finely diced Hatch chiles, chopped garlic, Hatch powder, salt and pepper.

I can eat Hatch Chile Butter on a warm tortilla every morning for the rest of my life!

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EAST LA MEETS NAPA & RIOJA SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON TOP RESTAURANTS AND WINERIES

2017-08-08T18:18:49Z

From the moment you entered the plaza area of LA Live where AltaMed’s East LA Meets Napa event moved to this year, you could feel the beat of the flamenco music, which seemed appropriate given the new Rioja wine region twist to the event, and smell the aroma of good food cooking. Once again, the folks at AltaMed Health Services produced a magnificent showcase of food, music, wines, and about 2,000 beautiful people in Los Angeles attended. Hey, we’re ALL BEAUTIFUL!

The East LA Meets Napa & Rioja food and wine festival on July 28 featured live entertainment and more than 80 top LA restaurants and premium vintners. Walking from food booth to food booth, we tasted perfectly seasoned seafood paella, Oaxacan tlayudas and even a taquito filled with Jamaica (hibiscus). In fact, many countries were represented including food from Colombia and Peru.

Proceeds from the $150+ tickets help uninsured patients get primary health care. With the White House looking to eradicate Obamacare, we need more fundraisers like this to help our community. AltaMed’s initiatives and services create access to health and dental care, senior and HIV services, teen mentoring programs, and more to underserved families in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

This year East LA Meets Napa & Rioja took us on a wine tasting journey stretching from the famed Napa Valley, through eight wine tastings of Spain’s quaint countrysides and vast wine regions; an exploration of wines showcasing and honoring the roots of so many vintners and families. We loved the expansion to include other kinds of wines and the move further west from Union Station to LA Live. It’s funny. We’ve always wondered why AltaMed calls the event “East LA Meets Napa” when the event has never actually been in East LA. But you know what? Who cares! The festival draws some of the most influential people in Los Angeles from city council members, corporate executives, to media personalities. Foodie friends and families come together to toast culture and good food and wine. Live performances from Ozomatli (loved their Juan Gabriel and Selena tributes) and Poncho Sanchez had the crowd up on their feet and swaying to the music.

Featured restaurants: — BE SURE TO WRITE THESE DOWN AND VISIT A FEW OF THEM TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR COMMUNITY’S HEALTH.
Bistro Provincia
Breadcrumbs Catering
Casa Oaxaca
Ceviche Stop
Tortas Ahogadas
Chef Joshua Gil Chichén Itzá Restaurant
Del Frisco’s Grille Pasadena
Don Chente Bar–Grill & Lounge
El Chef Amateco
El Coraloense
El Floridita
El Incomparable Peruvian Cuisine
El Paisa
El Portal Restaurant
El Tepeyac Cafe
Forkin Good
Gasolina Cafe
Gloria’s Restaurant & Bar
Holbox
King Taco
L.A. Paella Catering
La Costa Restaurant
La Fonda de los Camperos
La Huasteca
La Monarca Bakery
La Parrilla Restaurants
Macheen Made For Chefs
Mama Cheesecake Mascarpone Cheesecakes by Chef Turok
Pez Cantina
Coastal
Mexican Kitchen
Piaggio on Wheels
Porto’s Bakery
Cafe Prospect Gourmand
Rocio’s Mexican Kitchen
Chef Ronaldo Linares
Señor Fish
Setá
The Knotted Apron
The Maincourse Restaurant
Tlayuda L.A.
Villa Roma Argentine & Italian Cuisine
Yuca’s
Zapien’s Salsa Grill and Taqueria

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Shrimp Crepes with Creamy Poblano Sauce

2017-08-07T02:02:29Z

This post is sponsored by Society Culinaria on behalf of Cacique. All opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting the brands we love.

A delicate thin pastry, crepes are the perfect vessel to fill with savory, plump shrimp sautéed in a spicy poblano cream sauce. It’s an elegant entree that I would serve with Mexican rice and a crisp green salad, or a quick breakfast. For the full recipe click this link.

Hungry for more Cacique® inspired recipes? Visit them online at www.caciqueinc.com

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TACOS AL PASTOR WITH BABY BOK CHOY

2017-08-07T00:34:47Z

Taking a classic dish and making it your own. Now, that’s inspiration. This is what we’ve done here with our Tacos Al Pastor with Baby Bok Choy recipe. You can find our recipe at the Jade Asian Greens website.

Art and I have been looking to incorporate more vegetables in our meals. We received a few packages of Jade Asian Greens Baby Bok Choy and know that this is one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables in the world.

We’re lucky to live in a neighborhood of Los Angeles where taco trucks actually do line every street corner on weekend nights. Drive down the main avenue and you’ll find small makeshift taco stands or trucks with bright white lights strung across beaming from a generator. Step a little closer and you’ll see a taquiero chopping meat, dipping small corn tortillas in a bit of oil and then warming them up on a griddle. For me, seeing a trompo or vertical spit with layers of thinly sliced and marinated pork and a large chunk of pineapple on top tells me these folks are legit! That’s the making of my favorite taco de al pastor.

Did this pique your curiosity? Seriously, give it a try and check out our recipe here: Tacos Al Pastor with Baby Bok Choy.

We took all that goodness in the tender, marinated pork and sweetness of pineapples and added the Asian leafy green vegetable.

Why go on the hunt for a taqueria in your neighborhood when you can have all the flavors of a good taco right at home in your own kitchen? Go ahead. Give our Tacos Al Pastor with Baby Bok Choy a try!

If you’d like more recipes, Jade Asians Greens has a website full of baby bok choy recipes! and a Baby Bok Choy Pinterest board. And join LatinoFoodie in following them on their social media channels for more delicious recipes and ways to use nutritious greens: on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Jade Asian Greens has provided me with greens for recipe development. While I received compensation for my time, my opinions are my own, and I have not been paid to post positive comments. Thank you for supporting the brands that support our blog.

The post TACOS AL PASTOR WITH BABY BOK CHOY appeared first on Latino Foodie.

MOJITO-INSPIRED SUMMER BERRY SALAD – Sweet & Tart Goodness

2017-06-15T06:23:10Z

Sweet & Tart, just like me (or so I’ve heard).

In early summer, berries are plentiful at farmers markets and local grocery stores. The warm weather also has us yearning for refreshing cocktails. Can you guess where we got our inspiration for this salad/dessert recipe? That’s right — Mojitos! The Mojito-inspired Summer Berry Salad tastes sweet from the strawberries and blueberries with a tinge of tartness from the lime and balanced out nicely with the mint.

Traditionally from Cuba, a mojito is a cocktail that consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water, and mint. Taking a cue from the mojito, I muddled the mint leaves in the lime juice to release the essential oils and chopped a few leaves and left small ones intact for garnish. It’s a perfect way to start or end a summer get together.

This summer berry salad is so quick and easy to make your friends are going to love it. If you’re hosting an adults-only dinner party, I would add a bit of light rum in a heart beat! Why not?! It’s summertime people and the living is easy. In fact, leave the rum bottle on the table and allow people to make drinks with the berries. How wonderful would that taste, right? I have also thought the mojito berry mixture would be yummy in prosecco or another sparkling wine.

Mojito-Inspired Summer Berry Salad

2 cups strawberries (hulled)

1 cup blueberries

1 cup raspberries

4 limes (juiced)

1 teaspoon Splenda

1/3 cup mint leaves (stemmed)

In a colander, wash the berries and allow excess water to dry.

In a small bowl, add the lime juice, Splenda, and mint leaves. Muddle to release the essential oils of the mint for about 30 seconds.

In a medium-to-large bowl, add the washed berries and pour the lime juice mixture over the berries. Mix carefully to coat all of the berries with the lime juice. Be careful not to over stir as the raspberries are more delicate and can get mushy.

Refrigerate 1-3 hours.

Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

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HEART HEALTHY FATHER’S DAY RECIPE IDEAS

2017-06-15T05:18:19Z

Recently we had a minor scare with both of our fathers and their hearts. One had to have a pacemaker inserted and the other was rushed to the hospital for chest pains. The enormity of the experience have Art and I rethinking our recipes for ourselves and loved ones. That was our inspiration to create a Heart Healthy Father’s Day Menu to inspire you and your family to eat better and not skimp out on the great Mexican flavors that we love and hold dear to our hearts.

We love our Papa Bears and want them around for a long time. Them, including us, can only benefit from eating more healthy. It’s a tough journey because for our dads they have pretty much been eating whatever they wanted — steak, refried beans, arroz,, pan dulce, and lots and lots tortillas. My mouth waters just writing that down because those are also all of my favorite dishes. And, who wants to completely give that up? Not me! It’s a matter of making better choices and enjoying these foods in moderation.

And, this is why we have created A SPECIAL FATHER’S DAY MENU with more heart healthy options from our blog that carry authentic Mexican flavors. We know now that you don’t have to give up flavor to eat well. Challenge yourself to find healthier ways to prepare meals, whether it be switching to Canola or Olive oils vs. pork lard to incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your meals. If you’d like to learn more about keeping your heart strong and healthy, we encourage you also to visit the American Heart Association at www.heart.org and consider a donation.

GRILLED TOMATILLO GUACAMOLE
Kick-off the family gathering with a delicious guacamole. What dad doesn’t love guac?! For this recipe of Grilled Tomatillo Guacamole, you will take a very simple and classic dish of guacamole and combine it with the sweet-tartness of smoky, grilled tomatillos.

JICAMA AND WATERMELON SALAD
Take the time to enjoy the first produce of an early summer. Here is our recipe for a terrifically simple, yet delicious salad. You don’t need a dressing, but if you decide to go that route we suggest a citrus vinaigrette of some sort, like an orange & fennel vinaigrette. But, quite honestly, a squeeze of lime juice will work perfectly.

AGUACHILE WITH AVOCADO SAUCE
Is it me or do avocados add something to dishes that make them taste extra special — even the healthier versions of traditional dishes?

SOY CHORIZO BURGERS WITH CREAMY SLAW
We’ve combined this new Cacique Soy Chorizo with ground turkey. Let’s face it, lean turkey can often lead to dry burgers, but Cacique Soy Chorizo brings all that bold spice and moisture for a simple, yet extremely flavorful burger. (Shhhhh!!!! Your dad won’t even know the difference!).

JAMAICA POACHED PEARS
Poached pears are of two worlds: Simple, yet complex. Humble, yet elegant. Modest, yet decadent. Poaching pears with wine is commonplace in our kitchen, but in this healthier version, we put a cork on the bottle and instead used an ingredient so common and traditional to Latinos – flor de Jamaica, or dried hibiscus flowers. These can be served over a bowl of fat-free Greek vanilla yogurt.

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BAJA-STYLE BEER BATTERED FISH TACOS

2017-06-10T18:47:21Z

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and Constellation Brands. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 21 or older. #SummertimeCerveza #CollectiveBias

We live only two hours away from Baja California, where battered fried fish tacos hail from. I can still remember sitting on a street curb in Tijuana eating my first “authentic” Baja-style fish taco while in college. As I grew older, the scene changed from being curbside to sitting rooftop overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean with a plateful of fish tacos and a bucket of iced cold cerveza. Heaven. Simply heaven.

As summer approaches, I am ready to pack up the car and turn on my favorite Spotify station for a fun weekend getaway. My idea of the perfect road trip iis stopping somewhere along the Pacific Ocean to enjoy tasty, homemade Mexican food and an iced cold beer like Corona Extra. This is why I love driving down to Baja California. You have the best of both worlds. Great Mexican beer and delicate and fresh fish tacos.

How could fish tacos not be heavenly with a warm corn tortilla filled with a tempura batter fried filet of either tilapia, dogfish, or other varieties of firm white fish with shredded cabbage, a cream sauce and some red-hot salsa?

My mouth is watering just thinking about the tacos. But, when we can’t make the trek down south, we can easily find the ingredients needed to make the tacos right here in our own kitchen. Below you will find our version of Baja-Style Beer Battered Fish Tacos.

First, you need to think about only quality ingredients to make these bad boys. For the batter, we always grab a bottle of Corona Extra. Corona is one of the best-known names in today’s beer world and Corona Extra is the flagship of the brand. It is #1 on the list of best-selling imports on the U.S. market and we enjoy its refreshing taste.

Did you know Corona has been brewed in Mexico since 1925? The brand made its United States debut in 1981 and, through smart marketing promotions, it soon became a favorite beer among American drinkers like us.

As mentioned above, any good white fish will work, but for this recipe we have chosen a beautiful cod fish.

SUMMER VIBES

Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Oil to fry

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon ancho chili powder

1 cup Corona Extra

6 cod fillets

To serve:

Corn tortillas

Shredded cabbage

Cilantro leaves

Crema Mexicana

Lime wedges

Salsa

Begin heating enough frying oil in a small but deep sauce pot. Use a thermometer to ensure that the temperature is 350°F.

Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Slowly whisk in Corona Extra and whisk until the batter is smooth.

Pat dry the fillets with a paper towel. Cut in half or into strips.

When the oil is hot enough, coat the fish pieces in batter and carefully place in hot oil. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes each. Do not overcrowd the pot, just work in batches.

Allow the fried fish to drain slightly on paper towels. Serve the beer battered fish enveloped in warm tortillas topped with shredded cabbage, cilantro, a dollop of Mexican crema and fresh lime wedges.

Tip: if you have a little bit of batter left over, do not throw it away! Use the batter to fry up vegetables like green beans, cauliflower florets, mushrooms, and onions.

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Offer is valid at any retailer within the state

And, here’s the offer: Save $3.00 on Chips/Pretzels when you purchase one 12-pack or larger of Corona Extra/Light and $3.01 in Chips/Pretzels.

Don’t forget to follow Corona Extra on social media:

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Corona website: http://cbi.as/7voyc

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