Molcajete Mexican Stew Recipes

MEXICAN STYLE MEAT AND VEGETABLE STEW - AZTECA'S MOLCAJETE

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.

SOPA DE MOLCAJETE ( A MEXICAN SOUP) AKA - GUISADO RECIPE - (4.4/5)

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!

MOLCAJETE (MEXICAN STEW)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400. Slice top off of garlic head enough to expose garlic cells. Form a cup with aluminum foil in a muffin tin & place garlic in center of foil cup. drizzle with olive oil & let it seep into the cells. Carefully tent garlic. Roast for 45 minutes. Set aside & cool.
• While garlic is roasting, cut peppers & onions into 1" squares. Chop cilantro & juice limes & set it all aside.
• Arrange meat on large piece of aluminum foil, or wax paper & season meat with salt & pepper & liberal amounts of chili powder, & cumin.
• Set up large crock pot now & warm it up on low. Heat a large pan on medium high heat & fry bacon until crisp then set bacon aside, leaving the grease in the pan. Add remaining oil. Slide meat into heated pan & discard foil/wax paper. Brown meat on all sides to seal in flavor. Add tomato sauce, beef stock, & enchilada sauce & stir. Carefully squeeze roasted garlic paste into pan & discard unusable skin & paper with foil. Add cilantro, lime juice, 1 tsp cumin, & bacon to pan & stir. Bring to a slow boil stirring frequently. Carefully transfer to crock pot & cover.
• Saute' onions, peppers, & tomato wedges in butter on medium high just enough to seal in the flavor. Add vegetables to crock pot. Cover crock pot & cook on low 4-5 hours or until veggies & meat are tender. Mix water & corn starch in small bowl. Add 1 T. at a time & stir until it thickens to desired consistency (like a stew).
• Serve hot in bowls & sprinkle with queso fresco & shredded mexican cheese. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired & Serve with corn or flour tortillas. Enjoy!