Tex-Mex

Pork Carnitas

Roasted Tomato Salsa

Guacamole

Mexican was on the menu here tonight. Pork Carnitas in homemade corn tortillas and served with pinto beans and guacamole. Washed down with Sangria.

The pinto beans were put on to simmer in the morning. The beans had been soaked overnight. And I roasted tomatoes on the grill for the salsa. The pork shoulder was rubbed with garlic and lots of chipotle pepper, then, slow roasted until it was fall apart tender. It doesn't take long to mix up the masa dough for the tortillas, so they were made at the last minute.

As requested - some additional recipes. Use these recipes as guidelines and adjust the ingredients to suit your own tastes.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Salsa Fresca
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Fresh or canned tomatoes, peeled and chopped (If I use canned tomatoes I drain them well first)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 jalapeño chili, seeded finely chopped
Fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove finely minced
salt
cilantro

In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic and chili. Add fresh lime juice, cilantro and salt to taste. Mix well and let sauce stand for 2 hours. Serve at room temperature. Makes two cups

Options:

Roast 3 or 4 large tomatoes on the grill to char the skins. Put the tomatoes, garlic, onion, jalapeño pepper and cilantro into the food processor or a blender and pulse. Season with salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Guacamole
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2 ripe avocados
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 tomato seeded and chopped
1/2 small chili pepper (Jalapeño or Serrano)
fresh chopped cilantro to taste
salt
squeeze of fresh lime juice

Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and using a spoon scoop the pulp into a small bowl. Add the other ingredients and mix with a fork. Leave some texture. Season to suit personal taste.
Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Pinto Beans
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Soak pinto beans (or Black Beans) over night.

Drain and cover with chicken broth, add two to three garlic cloves, two or three slices of smoked bacon, season with cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer until the beans are tender.

Serve topped with a little cheese and salsa or use beans to make refried beans.


Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Spanish Sangria
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Source: Barbara Hansen's Mexican Cookery (1981)

1 bottle, dry full bodied red wine (use a decent wine)
2 tablespoon orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
1/3 cup of simple syrup
1 lime thinly sliced
1 orange thinly sliced
1 lemon thinly sliced
Juice of one orange
1 cup club soda

Combined wine, syrup, brandy and orange juice and stir. Add sliced fruit and just before serving add the soda water.

Do not let the fruit slices sit in the Sangria for more than one hour before serving as the peels can cause the drink to be bitter.

Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Bring water and sugar to a boil and simmer until liquid is clear and the sugar has dissolved. Pour in to jar and refrigerate. Keep for 3 weeks.