Molcajete Mexican Stew Recipes

Steps:

• Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crispy; remove from pan, reserving drippings, cut into small pieces, and set aside.
• Add the oil to the bacon drippings over medium temperature, then sauté the chicken and beef strips until browned, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
• In another large saucepan over medium heat, stir together the boiling water and bouillon granules until dissolved.
• Add remaining ingredients (including reserved bacon) and the cooked meat strips, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Garnish, serve, and enjoy!
• Note: to make the seafood version of Azteca's Molcajete, omit the chicken/beef and instead have 1/2 pound shelled and deveined shrimp, 1/2 pound scallops, and as much skinned and deboned whitefish fillet pieces as you'd like (about 1/4 pound or more) which you will add in during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• Note #2: we've also added a can of black beans to the recipe, to good effect. If the soup isn't as thick as you'd like it to be, try adding a can of refried beans - it works well! We've also served it with crisp tortilla strips and a dollop of Mexican crema instead of monterey jack. It's a versatile recipe, so experiment and enjoy yourself! :) If you have made the Rich and Delicious Enchilada sauce recipe of mine, you might recognize many of the soup ingredients - to make the sauce into soup, use 2 cups of the sauce, add 1 cup hot water and 1/2 teaspoon chicken stock granules, then add the cooked chicken and garnish ingredients as usual.

Steps:

• Prepare Chili sauce. (if using) Fry bacon, remove and chop. Add oil to bacon grease, brown chicken and beef. Add boiling water and everything else. Cook 10 minutes, or simmer longer. Garnish and serve. *ANCHOI CHILI SAUCE: Place 6-8 dried, seeded, Ancho chili's in 2 cups water with 1/2 onion quartered, 3 cloves garlic, 1 teas. cumin seed, salt and pepper. boil 10-15 min. Remove peppers and onions to blender/processer. Add 1, 15oz can tomato sauce and 1 teas. Cumin seed. Blend till smooth. and use 2 cups sauce as base for soup! More work but makes a richer soup!

Steps:

• On a comal or in a cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat, dry-roast the tomatoes, jalapeños, and garlic. When the garlic's papery outer skin starts to brown, remove the garlic from the pan and carefully peel it, discarding the skin. Continue roasting the tomatoes and jalapeños until soft and blackened on all sides. Transfer to a plate to cool. Peel the jalapeños and remove the stems. (Jalapeños can be spicy and leave their heat on your hands, so wear gloves or use caution when handling.) Peel and core the tomatoes.
• Place the jalapeños and garlic in a molcajete, blender, or food processor and season with the salt. Grind with the pestle or process until a paste forms. Add the tomatoes, one at a time, and grind or process until smooth. Season generously with salt.