The Menu
Mini Tamale Pies
Refried Black Beans
tortilla chips or warm tortillas
Marinated Mango and Jicama Salad
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
The Recipes
Mini Tamale Pies
Lisa Lavery
12 servings
Tamale pie is an American invention that rearranges traditional tamale ingredients into casserole
form. Here we make individual-size pies using a muffin pan rather than a large baking dish. If you
happen to have any leftover, these taste even better the next day.
SOURCE: http://www.chow.com/re cipes/30112-mini-tamale-pies
What to buy:
Masa harina is dried, powdered masa (dried corn that has been cooked and soaked in limewater, then ground while wet); we like Maseca brand, an instant slaked cornmeal. It’s widely available in Latin markets or the ethnic aisle of many grocery stores, and yields consistent results.
Game plan:
If you don’t have a 12-well muffin pan, you can use two 6-well muffin pans; just be sure to bake them side by side in the oven.
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup vegetable oil
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, small dice (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
To assemble:
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
For the crust:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands until combined (the
dough should hold together when squeezed in your hand).
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the filling:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef, season
with salt and pepper, and break the meat into small pieces with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the
onion softens, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the vinegar and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle in the paprika, oregano, cumin, and cayenne and stir until incorporated. Cook until the
spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Return the beef to the pan, add the tomatoes, broth, and measured salt and pepper, and stir to
combine. Cook until the mixture simmers, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer,
stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 7 minutes more. Remove the pan from
the heat, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed; set aside.
To assemble:
1. Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl of masa. Divide the masa evenly among the wells of a 12-well muffin pan (about 1 rounded tablespoon per well). Using your fingers, press the masa evenly into a
thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of each well (the mixture may feel dry to the touch).
2. Evenly divide the filling among the masa-lined wells.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling, about 10 minutes more.
4. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the perimeter
of each well to loosen and remove the pies. Top each tamale pie with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.
Refried Black Beans
Amy Wisniewski
Makes: 2 1/2 cups
These beans work equally well in a breakfast burrito or nachos. The smoothness is a personal
preference, so mash them as much or as little as you like.
SOURCE: http://www.chow.com /recipes/28076-refried-black-beans
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups cooked black beans
3/4 cup water or bean-cooking liquid
1. Heat lard or oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add
onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup of the beans and mash completely with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Add another cup of the beans and mash completely, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 cup beans and mash, leaving about half of the beans intact.
3. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the bean starches begin to coat the bottom of the pan
and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add water or bean-cooking liquid, bring to a simmer, and
cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the water and heat the beans
through, about 2 minutes. (The beans may initially look soupy, but they’ll thicken as they cool, so
be sure to add all of the water or bean-cooking liquid.)
Serve with tortilla chips or warm tortillas.
Marinated Mango and Jicama Salad
Aida Mollenkamp
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
One of my fondest street-food memories from growing up in Los Angeles is getting mango on a stick
with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of chile powder. This salad pays homage to that sweet, salty
treat, with jicama added for crunch and mint for some freshness. Serve this up for a snack, as part
of a brunch spread, or even alongside some grilled fish for a change of pace.
SOURCE: http:/ /www.chow.com/recipes/10814-marinated-mango-and-jicama-salad
Game plan:
You can make this salad up to one day ahead without the mint leaves—just mix them in right before serving.
3 pounds mangoes (about 3 to 4 medium mangoes), medium dice
1/2 pound jicama (about 1 small jicama), small dice
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, torn
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl and let sit at least 15 minutes or overnight
before serving.
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Aida Mollenkamp
Makes: 48 cookies
Classic icebox cookies get spiced up with Mexican chocolate. For different personality types on
your holiday list, we’ve got variations: coconut-date for the racy adventurer, and Meyer lemon and
black pepper for the subtle sophisticate, and sugar cookies for the purist. Or maybe they’re just
all for you.
SOURCE: http:/ /www.chow.com/recipes/10761-mexican-chocolate-icebox-cookies
What to buy:
Mexican chocolate such as Ibarra or Abuelita is available at Latino grocery stores. It comes in disks. If you can’t find Mexican chocolate, you can approximate the flavor by using 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 cups coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate. Add the cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
Game plan:
Make extra batches, wrap them in plastic, and freeze for later use. To finish, take them out of the freezer, and then slice and bake them as directed. The dough can be frozen up to a month.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups finely chopped Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a medium mixing bowl to aerate the
mixture and break up any lumps. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium
speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add milk and vanilla and blend well. Scrape down bowl, add egg, and mix well. Reduce mixer to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in chopped chocolate.
3. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a log (approximately 12 inches long and 1
1/2 inches in diameter), and wrap tight. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour but
preferably 8 hours.
4. When ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in the middle. Remove cookie
dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on an ungreased baking
sheet and bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 12 minutes.
Mini Tamale Pies
Refried Black Beans
tortilla chips or warm tortillas
Marinated Mango and Jicama Salad
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
The Recipes
Mini Tamale Pies
Lisa Lavery
12 servings
Tamale pie is an American invention that rearranges traditional tamale ingredients into casserole
form. Here we make individual-size pies using a muffin pan rather than a large baking dish. If you
happen to have any leftover, these taste even better the next day.
SOURCE: http://www.chow.com/re cipes/30112-mini-tamale-pies
What to buy:
Masa harina is dried, powdered masa (dried corn that has been cooked and soaked in limewater, then ground while wet); we like Maseca brand, an instant slaked cornmeal. It’s widely available in Latin markets or the ethnic aisle of many grocery stores, and yields consistent results.
Game plan:
If you don’t have a 12-well muffin pan, you can use two 6-well muffin pans; just be sure to bake them side by side in the oven.
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups masa harina
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup vegetable oil
For the filling:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground beef
1 medium yellow onion, small dice (about 1 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
To assemble:
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
For the crust:
1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands until combined (the
dough should hold together when squeezed in your hand).
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
For the filling:
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef, season
with salt and pepper, and break the meat into small pieces with a spoon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the
onion softens, about 4 minutes.
3. Add the vinegar and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Sprinkle in the paprika, oregano, cumin, and cayenne and stir until incorporated. Cook until the
spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Return the beef to the pan, add the tomatoes, broth, and measured salt and pepper, and stir to
combine. Cook until the mixture simmers, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer,
stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 7 minutes more. Remove the pan from
the heat, taste, and season with additional salt and pepper as needed; set aside.
To assemble:
1. Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl of masa. Divide the masa evenly among the wells of a 12-well muffin pan (about 1 rounded tablespoon per well). Using your fingers, press the masa evenly into a
thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of each well (the mixture may feel dry to the touch).
2. Evenly divide the filling among the masa-lined wells.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling, about 10 minutes more.
4. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Run a small knife around the perimeter
of each well to loosen and remove the pies. Top each tamale pie with a dollop of sour cream, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.
Refried Black Beans
Amy Wisniewski
Makes: 2 1/2 cups
These beans work equally well in a breakfast burrito or nachos. The smoothness is a personal
preference, so mash them as much or as little as you like.
SOURCE: http://www.chow.com /recipes/28076-refried-black-beans
3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups cooked black beans
3/4 cup water or bean-cooking liquid
1. Heat lard or oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Add
onion, garlic, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup of the beans and mash completely with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Add another cup of the beans and mash completely, stirring occasionally. Add remaining 1 cup beans and mash, leaving about half of the beans intact.
3. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until the bean starches begin to coat the bottom of the pan
and turn golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add water or bean-cooking liquid, bring to a simmer, and
cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the water and heat the beans
through, about 2 minutes. (The beans may initially look soupy, but they’ll thicken as they cool, so
be sure to add all of the water or bean-cooking liquid.)
Serve with tortilla chips or warm tortillas.
Marinated Mango and Jicama Salad
Aida Mollenkamp
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
One of my fondest street-food memories from growing up in Los Angeles is getting mango on a stick
with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of chile powder. This salad pays homage to that sweet, salty
treat, with jicama added for crunch and mint for some freshness. Serve this up for a snack, as part
of a brunch spread, or even alongside some grilled fish for a change of pace.
SOURCE: http:/ /www.chow.com/recipes/10814-marinated-mango-and-jicama-salad
Game plan:
You can make this salad up to one day ahead without the mint leaves—just mix them in right before serving.
3 pounds mangoes (about 3 to 4 medium mangoes), medium dice
1/2 pound jicama (about 1 small jicama), small dice
1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, torn
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl and let sit at least 15 minutes or overnight
before serving.
Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Aida Mollenkamp
Makes: 48 cookies
Classic icebox cookies get spiced up with Mexican chocolate. For different personality types on
your holiday list, we’ve got variations: coconut-date for the racy adventurer, and Meyer lemon and
black pepper for the subtle sophisticate, and sugar cookies for the purist. Or maybe they’re just
all for you.
SOURCE: http:/ /www.chow.com/recipes/10761-mexican-chocolate-icebox-cookies
What to buy:
Mexican chocolate such as Ibarra or Abuelita is available at Latino grocery stores. It comes in disks. If you can’t find Mexican chocolate, you can approximate the flavor by using 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 2 cups coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate. Add the cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
Game plan:
Make extra batches, wrap them in plastic, and freeze for later use. To finish, take them out of the freezer, and then slice and bake them as directed. The dough can be frozen up to a month.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2 cups finely chopped Mexican chocolate, such as Ibarra
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a medium mixing bowl to aerate the
mixture and break up any lumps. Set aside.
2. Combine butter and sugar in bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on medium
speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add milk and vanilla and blend well. Scrape down bowl, add egg, and mix well. Reduce mixer to low, add flour mixture, and mix until just incorporated. Fold in chopped chocolate.
3. Turn dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a log (approximately 12 inches long and 1
1/2 inches in diameter), and wrap tight. Place in the refrigerator until firm, at least 1 hour but
preferably 8 hours.
4. When ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in the middle. Remove cookie
dough from the refrigerator and slice into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place on an ungreased baking
sheet and bake until golden brown on the bottom, about 12 minutes.
