Cooking

Finally - my chilli guajillo soup. I hadn't made it since we moved back to Atlacomulco and Rafa was just dying for some (and so was I!) Right, how to make it. This actually takes longer than most of my cooking but it's well worth it.

Ingredients
chilli guajillo (bought dried)
red tomatoes
green tomatoes (about half the amount of the red)
onion - a couple of slices
garlic - one clove
oil
salt
panela cheese

1. Boil the chillies. You'll know they are ready as they go from dark red to a much lighter colour. (I use about 6 or 7. Take the pips out before you cook them.)
2. Fry the onion, garlic and chopped green tomatoes. When they are almost cooked at the chopped red tomatoes. Cover and simmer until cooked. (I use about 9 red tomatoes to about 6 green ones.)
3. Put the chillies and the tomato mixture in the blender and blend with a little water. (I use some of the water I boiled the chillies in.)
4.Heat a little oil in a saucepan.
5. Sieve the sauce mixture into the oil in the saucepan. Add salt and fry on a low heat until it's all mixed nicely. (It just takes a few minutes.)
6. Chop the Panela cheese into cubes. Add to the sauce.
7. Serve hot with chunky bread.

Rafa's favourite food - or at least one of them - ready to be served.
Another easy to make breakfast option. (Though we had this for tea last night.)
Slice some onion and lightly fry it.
Slice the cactus. Add it to the onion. Cover and continue to the cook.
You'll know the cactus is ready as it changes colour from a vibrant green to this one. (Most of the goo will have gone too.)
Add three eggs (to 3 cactus "leaves" approx.)
Mix well and continue to cook, now with the lid off.
Add salt.
Serve immediately with tortillas and beans.

This is a version of the one I learnt in Latvia - Taisia's Tasty Soup!
The original recipe she taught Renee and I is as follows:
Ingredients: potatoes, cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes, garlic, butter, salt and pepper, water
1. Wash and chop all the vegetables.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan.
3. Add vegetables and small amount of water with salt.
4. Boil gently (covered.)
5. When almost cooked add pepper and hot water, gently simmer to finish off.
6. Add more salt and pepper to taste as necessary.
Enjoy!

This version has no cabbage in it but it does have cauliflower.

OK, so I really must change the title to just cooking rather than Mexican cooking as this really isn't Mexican, is it?!!

Very easy to make.
Chop potatoes and cook them. I like to steam them but they can also be boiled.
When they are cool add peas and carrots. OK. This one has a tin of peas, carrots and sweetcorn.
Add mayonaise, salt and pepper.
Mix it all up.
Enjoy.

Beans simmering.

Most Mexican food is eaten with tortillas (or contains tortillas.) These are cooking on my "comal".

Breakfast.
1. Chop the jalapeños, onion, carrot and tomato.
2. Fry it.
3. Beat the eggs.
4. Add the eggs to the veg mixture.
5. Fry until the eggs are cooked.
6. Enjoy.

"Ranchero Style Eggs" - I guess is the translation for this.
It's really easy to do and a great breakfast option.
First make your red chili sauce (or buy it and heat it.)
Fry two eggs.
Heat a tortilla.
Put the tortilla on a plate and spread on a little refried beans (optional). Alternatively the tortilla can be soaked in the sauce.
When fully fried, put the eggs on the tortilla.
Cover in sauce and serve.

If you add "nopalitos" (cactus) then I've seen it called "Huevos Provincianos" (Provincial Eggs.)

To make "Huevos Divorciados" (Divorced Eggs) do one egg with red sauce and the other with green and put them on separate sides of the plate.

Huevos Ahogados (Drowned Eggs) is done by cooking the eggs directly in the sauce, a bit like poaching them in sauce.

Enjoy!