Sunday is a very important day and families come to life to celebrate this day of rest with food, drink and music and the children are always dressed in their best clothing with their shiny shoes. One of our favorite places to go was Hotel Calafia which offered fantastic food and a terrace that overhangs the cliffs with a stunning view and the waves crashing below.
We also enjoyed Puerto Nuevo for their lobster dinners served with beans, rice and homemade tortillas and of course a icy cold margarita. Ensanada's fish market is certainly a place to travel to, but bring a big cooler full of ice so you can take home some great seafood at fantastic prices. Ensanada also offered another famous place; Hussong's Cantina which has an interesting history. The cantina was founded by Johan Hussong, an immigrant who left Germany with his brothers in 1880 for New York. Bored with city life, in 1890 John decided to travel to Ensenada, then a small fishing village of only 5,000 people. Johan changed his name to John and opened a small restaurant and stage coach stop where he sold beer for a nickel and whiskey for a dime. John then brought his fiancee from Germany, Louise. Back in Ensenada they married and raised four boys, Ricardo, John, Percy and Walter as well as a girl, named Estella. In 1892 he obtained an alcohol license and started operating the John Hussong Bar. His license is still #002 and the building is still located on Ruiz Avenue. Another place we enjoyed staying was Estero Beach Resort, which is very nice, relaxing and beautiful.
On the southern tip of the Baja Peninsula is located Cabo, the jewel of Baja. It's famous for world class fishing, most notably marlin. Jerry and I have had great fun sport fishing in Cabo and Jerry has brought in some huge marlin, but I haven't caught any big ones. Jerry was out fishing one day in a "panga" which is a very long boat and sits very low in the water (25 ft.long) and not very wide (6 ft. wide). They put a outboard motor on the back and have a fishing guide who knows all the hot fish spots. They were quite a ways out and Jerry was in the back by the motor. He told me later he felt like someone was watching him and turned around to see a HUGE sharks head sticking out of the water looking at him. Jerry was so startled and scared he jumped which scared the shark who did the same and swam off. I told Jerry that shark was sizing him up for a quick lunch!
Another great place to go is San Feliepe on the Sea of Cortez which is located 125 miles south of Mexicali Baja, CA and is the birthplace of the famous "fish taco". Love those fish tacos and will include a recipe.
Margarita - There are many stories about who created this famous drink, it seems many people want to lay claim. The first one starting in 1934 in Mexico with many variations on making one, but I still like the original best.
Margarita - this will serve two
3 oz. tequila
1 oz. triple sec
1 oz. fresh lime juice
1 cup coarsely cracked ice
coarse sea salt
several lime wedges
In a cocktail shaker or a jar with lid, combine the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice. Shake about 15 times. Spread salt on a flat small plate. Moisten the rims of two 6 oz. long stemmed glasses with lime wedge and invert onto plate of salt, shake off any excess. Strain the margarita into glasses and serve at once.
Guacamole - Perfect simplicity
4 large Haas avocados
2 Tbl. cilantro, finely chopped
3 Tbl. white onion, finely chopped
1 ruby red tomato, finely chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
juice of 1 lime or 1 small lemon
Remove skin and seeds from avocados and place in bowl. I mash slightly with a fork, as I like chunks in mine. Add rest of ingredients and stir gently to incorporate. Taste and season with salt and pepper. I have also used fresh orange juice in mine and I love that flavor. Place in bowl and serve with crisp, salty fresh corn chips. Simply wonderful.
The famous San Felipe Fish Taco - In San Felipe they serve them in very small handmade corn tortillas, with a piece of fried fish, white sauce and cabbage, nothing else. You eat them right on the beach and keep going back for more.
Batter
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbl. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup beer
Sauce1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1/2 tsp. Mexican dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 quart oil for frying
1 lb. cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions (I've used halibut too)
1 package corn tortillas (homemade is best)
1/2 medium head cabbage, finely shredded
Beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly whisk into the flour mixture.
White sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, oregano, cumin, and cayenne.
Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees. Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp, you want them pliable. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, and top with shredded cabbage, and white sauce. I want one right now and I think this is what we are having for dinner tonight.
Fresh Salsa or Salsa Fresca
1 lb. ruby red ripe tomatoes, cut into small dice
1 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (I like a lot, you might like less)
2 serrano chilies, finely chopped
3 tsp. fresh lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a bowl, toss together ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let stand for about 15 minutes for flavors to incorporate. Serve with fresh, hot salty corn chips.
Salsa Borracha - serve with roasted lamb
5 pasilla chilies, lightly toasted - clean with damp cloth then heat heavy cast iron frying pan. Add the whole chilies and press down for a few seconds, turn chilies and press again. They should change color only slightly and start to give off their aroma.
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 wedge of white onion, chopped
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup beer
salt
In a bowl, combine toasted chilies with very hot water to cover and let soak about 15 minutes to soften. Drain and tear into pieces. Place in blender with garlic, onion, orange juice and beer and puree until smooth. Pour into serving bowl and season with salt. Store covered in frig up to a week. Serve with fresh hot tortillas, grilled lamb, steak or pork and top with salsa.
Civiche -one of my favorites
½ lb. firm white fish (halibut is good)
½ lb. scallops
½ lb. shrimp
vegetable oil for coating
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 oz. fresh lime juice
1 medium papaya, halved and seeded
1 cup finely diced sweet onion
4 serrano peppers, seeded and diced
3 ruby red ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 oz. Tomato juice
hot sauce
Pickled onions (see recipe below)
Cut the fish into pieces about the size of the bay scallops. Separately toss the seafood with a little oil, salt and pepper. In a saucepan over high heat, heat the fish and scallops about 30 seconds on each side. The middle should still be raw. Work in batches. Place seafood into a glass dish and coat with lime juice. Marinate refrigerated overnight. Remove the flesh from papaya and cut into medium dice. Next day pour off the lime juice and gently fold the drained fish mixture together with remaining ingredients.
Pickled Onions
8 oz. white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 serrano chiles, seeded
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar and chilies to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. In a plastic container, place the sliced onions and pour the liquid over them. Place the container in an ice bath to cool. Serve chilled. Serve with fresh homemade tortilla chips. Note: The lime juice will continue cooking the fish.
Another item you can't seem to get anywhere except Baja or San Diego is "hot carrots" which are actually served cold they are just spicy hot. Here is my version.
Julia’s Hot Carrots (I love these so much they are delicious!!!)
1 can whole jalapenos in juice
1 Tbl. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 large white onions, thickly julienne cut
15 medium carrots, cleaned and medium slice on diagonal
3 cups white vinegar
2 Tbl. Salt
3 bay leaves
1 tsp. oregano
½ tsp. dried marjoram
½ tsp. dried thyme
Par cook carrots and onions in water until tender, but not too soft. Refresh in cold water to stop cooking process. Gently bring to a boil other ingredients except peppers, when boiling add carrots, onions and peppers. Turn off heat, remove from burner and let sit for about 10 minutes. Pour into a Tupperware type container and refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving.
Snapper with Mango
Fish:4 red snapper, 6 -8 oz. portions
salt, to taste
2 Haas avocados, sliced into thin wedges
2 limes, quartered
Sauce:
4 Tbl. butter
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tsp. juice from canned chipotles in adobo
1/2 cup mango, finely diced include the juice that comes out while dicing
salt to taste
Salt the fillets and grill until just cooked through. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add lime juice, orange juice, chipotle juice, and mango simmer for one minute, taste and season with salt. Place fillets on a platter, and spread the mango sauce over the fillets, and top with avocado slices and lime wedges.
Pork Carnitas - can be prepared several ways, but here is mine and I hope you enjoy.
1 (4-5 lb.) lean boneless pork loin roast, with excess fat removed
1 cup salsa verde
1 large onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. cumin
1 Tbl. salt
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 cups orange juice
1 cup good quality chicken stock
Serve with:
Warm corn or flour tortillas
Refried Beans
Sour cream sauce
Chihuahua or Jack cheese, grated
Green onions, chopped or white onion, chopped
Avocados, sliced and sprinkled with lime juice
Cilantro, chopped
Red radishes, sliced
Salsa fresca
Place pork roast in Dutch oven. Rub garlic into the roast. Rub roast with cumin, salt and pepper. Cover with salsa verde, orange juice, chicken stock and onions. Place lid on pan bake at 325 degrees for for about 5 hours, or until fork tender and cooked through. Remove roast from oven. Cool until you can touch the meat and not burn yourself. Remove from pan and place on cutting board. Skim fat off pan juices. Using two forks, shred the pork. Remove fat from meat, place meat back into juices and let soak up. Remove meat and some juice to platter and serve with accompaniments alongside. Note: Cooking time is usually 20 minutes per lb., on 350, but we are cooking at a lower temperature.
Pozole - I think I'm the only person in my family who loves hominy, except my dad's mom Mildred who is no longer with us.
1-1/2 pounds lean, boneless pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbl. cooking oil
1 white onion, left whole
3 cloves garlic, halved
6 ancho chilies, seeded soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp. Mexican dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 (14-1/2-oz) cans white hominy, drained
1 (4-oz) can chopped green chilies
Accompaniments:
Red radishes, sliced
White onion, chopped
Avocados (Haas), pitted, peeled and cubed
Limes, halved
White cabbage, shredded
Scallions, sliced including green part
Cilantro, chopped
In a large Dutch oven brown half of the pork cubes in hot oil; remove meat and set aside. Brown the remaining meat. Return all of the meat to saucepan with garlic and onion. Stir in the chicken broth, oregano, and cumin. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove garlic, onion and place in blender with ancho chilies, blend until smooth, pour through sieve and return to simmering broth. Stir in the hominy and green chilies. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes more. Add boiling water if necessary to keep the meat immersed. Skim off fat. Ladle into bowls and serve with accompaniments to be added on top of soup. You can also serve with warm flour tortillas and butter.
Camarones with Orange and Tequila
1 orange
6 Tbl. butter
3 Tbl. white onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
16 large shrimp, peeled, deveined with tail on
1 chipotle adobo chilies finely chopped
1/4 cup tequila
4 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped fine
With vegetable peeler, cut zest from orange in thin narrow strips, don't get white part. You want to end up with quite a few strips. Bring saucepan of water to boil and place strips in water, remove immediately and run under cold water, repeating this process 3 times to remove bitter taste. Place on paper towels and pat dry.
In a saute pan over medium heat, melt butter, add onion and saute until transparent. Add garlic and shrimp and cook until shrimp turn pink. Add the chipolte and orange strips. Pour over the tequila and take pan off heat. Ignite with match, place back on flame and let flame burn out. Be careful not to burn yourself!! Add the finely chopped cilantro and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on platter and serve.
Chicken with Oranges and Prunes - wonderful, full-flavored dish you will enjoy
3 lbs. chicken breasts, cleaned and fat removed (each breast cut into 4 pieces)
1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup white wine
5 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 orange, thinly sliced
2 chipole adobo chilies, finely chopped
Sauce
30 pitted prunes
3/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick broken in half
zest of 1 orange
In large bowl mix orange juice wine, orange slices, chilies 1 Tbl. olive oil and salt. Add cut up chicken and marinate covered overnight, stirring occasionally.
For sauce; stir together in saucepan, prunes, marmalade, water, orange juice, cinnamon stick and zest. Bring to boil then reduce and simmer abut 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Let cool and cover, discarding cinnamon.
Remove chicken from marinade and dry with paper towels, reserving marinade. In large saute pan fry bacon, until browned then remove to paper towels. Raise heat to high, cook chicken until golden and crisp about 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Remove all oil from pan and heat to medium. Add reserved marinade and reduce by half, scraping up browned bits from chicken. Add sauce, bacon and chicken, stirring to coat well and cook about 20 more minutes on low. Add more wine to keep from becoming dry or scorching. Place on serving platter, spoon on sauce and sprinkle with more orange zest. Serve with rice, beans and warm tortillas with orange butter. Orange butter; mix softened butter with honey, orange zest and fresh orange juice.
Easy Chicken Enchiliadas with Tomatillo Sauce
Tomatillo Sauce1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/2 cup cilantro
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
2 JalapeƱo peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 8 minutes to lightly blacken the skin. Place tomatillos, lime juice, garlic, onions, cilantro, chili peppers, sugar in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Enchiladas
1 cooked chicken, boned and shredded - place in bowl and season with salt and pepper
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 tsp. cumin
1 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 small cans green chiles chopped & drained
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bag good quality corn tortillas
Accompaniments: chopped ruby red tomatoes, sliced Haas avocados, scallions chopped including green part, black olives sliced
First make tomatillo sauce. Next, I like to first heat some oil in pan and dip each tortilla in to soften it, place on paper towels to drain. After tortillas are done, remove some of the oil in pan and saute onion until tender, place in a bowl and mix in some cumin. Next step; in a 13x9 pan place some of the sauce. Take a tortilla and spoon in some chicken, onion, black beans, cilantro, chilies, top with a little sour cream and cheese, roll up and place in pan. Continue until pan is full.
Mix some sour cream with sauce and pour over tortillas. Bake in 350 oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle on some more cheese and place under broiler for just a couple of minutes, be sure to watch so they don't burn. Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra cilantro. Serve with accompaniments and extra sauce.
After all this food, I think we need a light dessert. Fresh papaya, sliced with fresh lime juice and grilled pineapple. Maybe a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to finish it off. To grill pineapple; first off, in a small bowl add some honey, fresh lime juice and rum, whisk well. Trim, core and peel one fresh pineapple and cut into slices. Baste the rum mixture on pineapple and heat up grill, oiling grill so pineapple does not stick. Add pineapple and grill for a couple minutes on each side, basting a few more times. Place on platter with fresh sliced papaya sprinkled with lime juice.
Bon Appetit
"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise wins souls"
Proverbs 11:30
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