Sasha's Kitchen: The Use Of A Molcajete In Preparing Guacamole

This post perhaps comes a bit late.  I am not the biggest football fan, and this year my husband (who is) and I watched the Superbowl from home, with our pug Dakota on the couch by our side.  I did, however, prepare my classic guacamole for us for the Superbowl, using a molcajete.  A molcajete is basically a mortar and pestle made out of volcanic rock, and is an essential kitchen tool for making high quality guacamole.  The molcajete was first used by the ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures (and might even go back further than that in different forms), and is most commonly used today (primarily in Mexican and South American cooking) to grind spices, and prepare salsas and guacamole.  It works because the basalt (the volcanic rock) provides an excellent porous grinding surface,  Basically, the guacamole acquires the perfect texture by grinding the avocado into the basalt.  You can get one at either Crate & Barrel (where I got mine as a wedding registry gift a few years back) or William Sonoma.

The guacamole was the perfect Superbowl dish as we watched the Saints bring the Lombardi Trophy to the City of New Orleans.  Here's how I make my signature guacamole:

2 medium sized avocados
1 tomato, diced with the seeds removed
1/4 of a small to medium sized onion, diced
2 T lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (this is not an especially spicy guacamole, if you prefer more heat, add more red pepper flakes or use cayenne pepper)

First, mash and grind the avocados using the texture of the molcajete.  Let the air bubbles in the volcanic rock do the work.

Dice the tomato and onion and mix both of those ingredients in the mix.  The season with salt and pepper, and add the red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to add the desired heat.  Finally, my secret ingredient here, cumin, is actually an Indian spice - I always add about half a teaspoon.  This may sound strange with guacamole, but let me assure you that it tastes amazing and is well worth trying out.  I prefer my guacamole without cilantro (although I love cilantro in salsa).

Enjoy, for the next big game.  For Eric's chicken fajitas with guacamole, click here.  If you are reveling in the Saints victory and are ready for Mardi Gras to start early this year, check out my recipe for New Orleans beignets (creole doughnuts), or Matt's recipe for Cajun Jambalaya.

Sasha's Kitchen: The Use Of A Molcajete In Preparing Guacamole

Sasha's Kitchen: Raisin Chicken Tacos

I am actually not the biggest Mexican food fan in the world. I really don't eat enchiladas or burritos, and I detest baked beans. But I do enjoy a good taco. My mom has made the following chicken taco recipe for years, and is a very simple, easy to make recipe. It is probably not the most traditionally Mexican recipe in the world, but it is a dish that my husband and I both enjoy. This is not a spicy dish in the slightest - it is actually a tad sweet because of the presence of the raisins. I have made a few modifications to my mom's original recipe (mainly in that I do not put in black olives), and that I serve the tacos in blue corn tortillas because I have a fascination with blue and purple food. In fact, I have read that there is such a thing as purple (and also green and orange) cauliflower, so one of my goals going forward is to find these cauliflower for sale somewhere in the New York area and hopefully either myself or one of the local guest writers will snap some photos of the purple vegetables.

To make the tacos:

1 package of chicken (use either Empire or Bell & Evans)
1 can mild enchilada sauce (I prefer the red variety, although I made with the green variety tonight)
1 small can mild green chiles (please note that there are not spicy)
1/4 cup raisins

You can boil the chicken and once it cools shred into small pieces. Mix with the other ingredients and cook about 10 minutes.

To prepare the shells you should purchase blue corn tortillas (or regular corn tortillas) and fry the shells in oil to make them into tacos.

Another note on some upcoming features I have in the works: I am working on two chef profiles - one of a 31 year old chef who owns a Michelin starred vegetarian restaurant in Napa and another of a chef here in New York with interesting ethnic influences, who has a new cookbook out.

In addition, please stay tuned for some upcoming roundtable features on this blog, including a series of posts on risotto, (more) dishes made using carrots and a Virtual Valentines Day Dinner hosted right here on akitcheninbrooklyn.com.

Sasha's Kitchen: Raisin Chicken Tacos