Mexican Cooking PDF 2014_08_27

Mexican cuisine is defined by the ingredients that are native to Mexico; staples such as corn, beans, and chile peppers. This course will teach you how to make basic, authentic Mexican meals at home. Join Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, author of Muy Bueno Cookbook, to learn some of the essentials of Mexican cooking, including what ingredients you’ll need for a Mexican pantry, how to make pinto beans from scratch, how to roast chiles, and how to make homemade salsa, enchiladas, and sopes.

Essential & Makeshift Tools • Chinois. A conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh. This is a great tool to strain red chile sauce. You can also use a fine mesh strainer but that can be a bit messy. • Comal. My cast iron skillet has a permanent home on my stovetop. I use it to warm up tortillas, make quesadillas & grilled cheese sandwiches, and to roast chiles and veggies. You can use a heavy bottomed sauté pan, but there is no real substitute for the quality that a cast iron skillet brings; it’s a great, inexpensive investment for any kitchen. • Tortilla Press. Used to make corn tortillas and sopes. If you don't have a tortilla press you can use a heavy iron skillet instead. • Stockpot. You need a large, quality stockpot to make frijoles de la olla (pinto beans), and for boiling your chile pods to make red chile sauce. • Blender. Did you know the blender is the number one used appliance in any home kitchen? I use mine all the time to make salsas and sauces, the bases of Mexican cooking, so it’s important to invest in a good one.