Mexican Recipes

[shadow 18,481]

The thread about substitutes and tortillas persuaded me to post the recipes we used in our restaurant, the Western Hemisphere. These recipes came from many months of experimentation to try and figure out what would work here. As most of you know, nothing tastes quite the same here as it did back home. vegies, meat, everything is a little different and harder to work with. We still sell tortillas and fresh salsa to die for.

 

Enjoy!

 

Larry in Dumaguete

 

 

 

MEXICAN RECIPES

Created and compiled by Larry and Rony Henderson

Formerly, Western Hemisphere Restaurant

Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

 

BASIC RECIPES

 

Tortillas

 

Ingredients

 

1 kilo all purpose flour

1 tblspn salt

1 tspn baking powder

 

Mix well the 2 cups flour with salt and baking powder. Mix in water a little at a time to make a dough. Dough should be just dry enough to not stick to your hands, but not so dry that it cracks. Add water and flour to consistency. Dough should be slightly stretchy.

 

Flour a large cutting board. Roll dough into a long tube about 2 inches in diameter. Cut off a piece of dough slightly smaller than the size of a tennis ball. With a heavily floured rolling pin, roll out dough until nearly paper thin, flipping, turning and adding flour as necessary to keep from sticking or tearing.

 

Brush off excess flour, and drop tort on hot skillet (no oil, cast iron works best, second choice teflon) for a very short time, turn over, repeat. Tort is done when small bubbles just start to form.

 

Lay tort flat, lay a plate upside down over tort, and cut around edges. This makes a perfect round tortilla. (Save the scraps)

 

Tortillas can be used immediately or frozen for later use. For freezing, stack in piles of 12 and insert into freezer bag. Lay flat. Torts will keep for 30+ days provided bag is sealed.

 

When removed after freezing, drop on hot skillet until tort just starts to bubble, flip, repeat.

 

 

 

 

 

Taco Meat

 

Ingredients

 

1 kilo ground pork or beef

2 large white onions

3 medium spada pepper (aka sword or spear pepper)

1 tbspn cayenne pepper

1 tblspn Spanish paprika

1 tblspn salt

1 tblspn black pepper

3 tblspns cilantro (aka coriander, wansoy) OPTION 1/4 cup fresh leaves, chopped fine

 

Chop onion and spada fine and cook in large skillet with half inch water. Onion is done when transparent. Add meat and cook until well brown. Drain fat. Add 2 cups water and remainder of ingredients. Bring to hard boil for 2 minutes, then turn down to simmer until water is gone, stirring occasionally.

 

 

 

 

Beef Fajitas

 

Ingredients

 

1 kilo beef chunks cut into 1

[Don. 606]

Shadow, I am almost tempted to travel to Dumaguete to try some of your Mexican food. I have eaten several times at Tequila Joes at Ayala, and also at that Amigos place in Dumaguete, and both places had disgusting food, IMHO.

 

I am sure your food is much better !

[Tatoosh 0]

Way Cool, as they say! Our own Rick Bayless of the Philippines. Thank you for sharing your recipes. Your guidance for what works recipe-wise here in the islands is much appreciated. I have some cookbooks coming over, but while they can be great for "ideas", it is a bit frustrating when some or much of the ingredients simply aren't available or the Filipino version is less than palatable to western taste buds.

[Bob Ward 321]

Muchos Gracias Amigo! Come see me at Bob"s Taqueria, soon to open in Talisay now that I have proven recipes!

 

Seriously, thank you!

[joe kordapyo 0]

Recently, while waiting to pay at Persian Palate, I began to eat leftover Pita bread. After about 3 bites i was struck with the notion that I was eating Flour Tortilla!..A bit thicker but a reasonable facsimele...Rosarita refried beans are for sale at Ayala, if a bit mahal. Add some left over entre and some bombay,ahos, etc and one has Burritos!!!..note: the "flour torilla" offered in the Mkt are just thicker lumpia wraps...the Pita at PP has a different reality....

[sork 0]

Use vegetable shortening instead of baking powder on the tortillas. Much more like Tex-Mex.

[Mik 102]

When does your branch in Consolacion open?

 

Mike in Cebu

(I sure miss Mexican food!)

[broden 57,113]

my wife's family just had taco's for the first time ..

 

she bought over a bunch of burrito sized flour tortillas( we like em big ) and spices

 

they didn't last long

 

so can you get some form of flour tortillas over there now? we use em for everything .. we like making rolls up .. ham or turkey or whatever mustard cream cheese relish .. or whatever .. roll em tight slice em up like wheels

[Bob Ward 321]

my wife's family just had taco's for the first time ..

 

she bought over a bunch of burrito sized flour tortillas( we like em big ) and spices

 

they didn't last long

 

so can you get some form of flour tortillas over there now? we use em for everything .. we like making rolls up .. ham or turkey or whatever mustard cream cheese relish .. or whatever .. roll em tight slice em up like wheels

 

LOLOLOLOLOLOL In your dreams!

 

Actually, they are available at times. 10 Old El Paso flour tortillas for about $5. Basic pack of seasoning $2.20

[broden 57,113]

my wife's family just had taco's for the first time ..

 

she bought over a bunch of burrito sized flour tortillas( we like em big ) and spices

 

they didn't last long

 

so can you get some form of flour tortillas over there now? we use em for everything .. we like making rolls up .. ham or turkey or whatever mustard cream cheese relish .. or whatever .. roll em tight slice em up like wheels

 

LOLOLOLOLOLOL In your dreams!

 

Actually, they are available at times. 10 Old El Paso flour tortillas for about $5. Basic pack of seasoning $2.20

i guess it'll be some time before they have taco's again

 

 

5 bucks .. man wonder if they'd stop me if i took couple balikbayan boxed twice a month full of em ...

 

 

yes sir these are all for me i'm on a special diet .. doctors orders