Mexico #1 & #2

Since Cinco de Mayo is this week, I thought I'd choose Mexico as my country challenge winner. I used 3 cookbooks for my recipes this week, two traditional mexican dishes, and one that is a mexican fusion cookbook. I found a traditional mexican pork sandwich that looked delicious, and I decided to pair it with a soup, because soup and sandwich is one of our favorite meal combos. I hope you enjoy these two recipes!

Achiote Pork Torta & Poblano Bisque

Achiote Pork Torta:
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. white vinger
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. lime juice
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. cumin
1 4 oz. package achiote paste
10 cilantro sprigs, chopped
2 lbs. pork shoulder (I used 2 chops)
To Serve:
6 large, soft Kaiser rolls
Sliced Mexican cheese
Shredded Lettuce
Sliced roma tomates
Sliced pickled jalapenos
Guacamole
Red onion sliced

In a blender, combine garlic, vinegar, juices, salt and cumin. Pulse until combined. Crumble in aichote paste and pulse to make a paste. Add in cilantro and pulse.

Cut the meat into 1/4" slices, rub with the marinade, refrigerate for 6-12 hours.

Heat a grill to high, spray with nonstick spray, wipe off most of the paste and grill the pork for 3-4 minutes per side.

Split the rolls, then top with cheese, meat, lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole, onion, and jalapenos.

Baja Cooking on the Edge, Deborah M. Schneider. Rodale Books, 2006.

I like to keep my guacamole simple, letting the avocado shine through.

1 haas avocado

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp. chopped cilantro

Chop the garlic and sprinkle with salt, paste it together. Dice the avocado, add to a bowl, squeeze lime juice over, add garlic paste and cilantro, stir and cover with plastic to keep from browning.

Roasted Chile Poblano Bisque:

7 poblanos

1 tbsp. butter

2 white onions, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1 qt. chicken stock

1 1/2 c. milk

2 oz. ricotta cheese

3 tsp. creme fraiche (I used sour cream)

fried tortilla strips (omitted)

Turn broiler on high, cut poblanos in half and lay on a sheet pan. Broil for 5-6 minutes until blistered. The more they blister, the easier they will be to peel. Take poblanos out of the oven and put in a plastic bag.

In a soup pot over medium heat, add butter, garlic and onions. Saute' for 10 minutes until softened. Season with salt.

Peel chiles and drop in a blender, add the onions and garlic, as well as the ricotta and half the chicken stock. Puree, then add back to the soup pot. Add the rest of the chicken stock and the milk. Bring to a bubble. Ladle into a bowl, top with a dollop of creme fraiche and sprinkle with tortilla strips.

Seasons of My Heart, Susan Trilling. Ballantine: New York, 1994.