Grilled Chicken With Cactus Food

POLLO CON NOPALES (CHICKEN AND CACTUS)

Steps:

• Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook the chicken breasts in the boiling water until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Drain and set aside to cool. Once cool, shred the chicken into small strands.
• Fill the pot again with water and bring to a boil. Cook the tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, and nopales in the boiling water until the vegetables are all tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
• Blend the tomatillos and jalapeno peppers in a blender until smooth; pour into the pot with the shredded chicken and place over medium heat. Cut the nopales into small dice and add to the mixture. Allow the mixture to simmer until completely reheated, about 5 minutes.

CHICKEN CHASSEUR (HUNTER-STYLE CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Season chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a few tablespoons of clarified butter in a Dutch oven over high heat. Place chicken in skin side down and cook until golden brown. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side. Remove chicken to a baking sheet and bake in the oven until just cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute until golden brown. Add the shallots and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and add the Cognac and cook until completely reduced. Add the wine and cook until completely reduced. Add the stock and tomato and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon ("nappe") and then swirl in the butter ("monter au beurre"). Once the butter is added, the sauce can not be further reduced because it will break. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the tarragon and chervil.
• Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the breastbone from the breast. Cut each breast into 2 even pieces on the bias. Cut the legs into 2 pieces at the joint and on the bias and remove the thighbones. Serve 1 leg piece and 1 breast piece. Make sure only 1 piece contains a bone. Serve on hot plates, napped with the sauce.

GRILLED SKIRT STEAK WITH CACTUS RELISH

Steps:

• Whisk together the lime juice, chiles, garlic and olive oil in a small bowl. Generously brush each piece of meat all over with the marinade and roll each piece up into a cylinder. Arrange the rolled steaks in a shallow nonreactive dish and pour on remaining marinade. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator 24 to 48 hours.
• About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the meat from the refrigerator. Unroll the steaks and sprinkle with salt.
• Heat the grill to very hot. Cook the steaks just until seared on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and slice across the grain into diagonal strips. Serve hot with Cactus Relish and warm flour tortillas.
• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Saute the corn with the salt and pepper, about 5 minutes. Add nopales, tomatillos, and peppers and saute briefly to combine and warm slightly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool.
• Add cilantro, vinegar and scallions and stir well to combine. Let sit 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
• Serve at room temperature. Relish can be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 days.
• Yield: about 3 cups

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CHILI CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Char chiles on grill, or over gas flame, or under broiler.
• Place in paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel, seed and chop.
• In a large heavy saucepan, combine chiles, cream, onion, cilantro and garlic over medium high heat.
• Boil until reduced to thick sauce, stirring ocasionally about 5 minutes.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill or broil about 5 minutes per side or until juices run clear.
• While chicken is cooking, add tomato to cream sauce and season to taste.
• To serve pour sauce over chicken and garnish with lime wedges.

CACTUS MEXICAN STYLE

Steps:

• Steam the cactus until softened.
• Drain the cactus.
• Fry all the ingredients except for the Monterrey Cheese.
• Combine fried ingredients with the cactus and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Top with cheese before serving.

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CACTUS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the tomato sauce. Reserve in the pan off heat. Cut the cactus strips into 1/2-inch pieces. Rinse well. 2. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook the onion, stirring, until it starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, reserved cactus and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Reserve off heat. 3. Brush the chicken with the remaining olive oil and season with the remaining salt and pepper. Heat a stove top grill pan over medium-high heat and cook the chicken about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until well marked from the grill, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part. 4. To serve, reheat the tomato sauce and cactus. Divide the cactus evenly among 4 serving plates and place 1 chicken breast on top of each serving. Spoon some of the heated tomato sauce over each chicken breast. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve hot. Pass remaining sauce at the table.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.