Masa Cups With Mushrooms And Chiles Food

MASA CUPS WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHILES

Steps:

• 1. Make the masa dough (tortilla dough) and roll into approximately golf-ball-size pieces. Flatten each ball to about 2 1/2 inches. Using thumbs and fingers, pinch up the edges all around and form into shallow bowls about 3/4 inch deep. Place the formed shells on a baking sheet, dusted with flour. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying out while preparing the mushroom filling. 2. In a heavy medium skillet, pour oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. When the oil shimmers, fry the shells, in batches, on both sides until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Fill the shells with the mushroom mixture while still hot. Sprinkle the tops with chopped epazote leaves or cilantro, if desired, and serve at once. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BROTHY NOODLE BOWL WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHILES

Steps:

• For the dashi:
• Bring mushrooms, ginger, chile, garlic, kombu, turmeric, and 4 1/2 cups water to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and gently simmer 25 minutes to allow aromatics to infuse and flavor the water. Strain dashi through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Wipe out saucepan and pour dashi back in. Return to a simmer.
• Mix miso and 1 Tbsp. dashi in a small bowl, then stir into dashi in pan along with soy sauce; season with salt. Keep dashi hot if using right away.
• Do Ahead: Dashi can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool, then transfer to an airtight container and chill.
• For the noodles and assembly:
• Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and beginning to crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, finely grate garlic over mushrooms, and mix well (garlic will cook in residual heat of mushrooms). Season with salt.
• Drop noodles into very hot dashi. Cover pan and let sit 3 minutes.
• Divide noodles and dashi among bowls. Top with mushrooms, radishes, herbs, fermented vegetables, and sesame seeds; drizzle with hot sauce and sesame oil.

STUFFED MASA POCKETS WITH GREEN CHILES AND CHEESE

Steps:

• For filling:
• Char poblano chiles directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and slice chiles into 1/4-inch strips.
• Place tomatoes in processor; chop coarsely. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chiles; cook until mixture thickens, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; mix in cheese. Season with salt.
• For dough:
• Combine fresh masa or masa harina mixture, flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Knead to blend well, adding warm water by tablespoonfuls as needed until dough is soft but not sticky. Divide dough into 10 equal portions; roll each into ball. Place balls on sheet of aluminum foil. Cover balls of dough with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
• Cut two 8-inch rounds from heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Place 1 round on bottom half of tortilla press. Place 1 dough ball in center; top with second plastic round. Close tortilla press, gently flattening dough to 4-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Peel off top plastic. Lift bottom plastic and peel dough round off. Place on sheet of waxed paper. Shape remaining 9 balls into 4-inch rounds.
• Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Heat heavy large griddle or skillet over medium heat. Place two 4-inch rounds at a time on griddle or skillet. Cook until just light brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer gorditas to prepared baking sheet. (Filling and gorditas can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover loosely; let stand at room temperature.)
• Pour enough oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/2 inch. Attach deep-fry thermometer. Heat oil over medium heat to 325°F to 350°F. Fry 2 or 3 gorditas at a time until crisp and slightly puffed, 30 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Cut halfway around edge of each gordita to make opening. Gently squeeze sides to open shell. Spoon about 1/4 cup filling into each opening. Arrange gorditas on platter; serve warm.