Rick Baylesss Horchata Food

RICK BAYLESS'S HORCHATA

Steps:

• The night before serving, pulverize the rice in a spice grinder. Transfer to a large bowl and add the almonds and cinnamon stick. Stir in 2 1/2 cups hot tap water, cover, and let stand for at least 6 hours.
• Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Puree the mixture in a blender until no longer gritty, about 4 minutes. Add 2 cups water and blend for a few seconds more. Set a large sieve lined with 3 layers of dampened cheesecloth over a medium bowl. Pour the almond rice mixture in, a little at time, stirring gently to help the liquid pass through, and then gather up the corners of the cheesecloth and squeeze out all the liquid. Stir sugar and salt into the strained liquid. If the consistency is too thick, add water. Cover and refrigerate. Stir before pouring into glasses.

HORCHATA

Steps:

• Combine the rice and cinnamon stick with 4 cups water in a blender; pulse to coarsely grind. Transfer to a large bowl and add another 4 cups water; soak at room temperature for 3 hours.
• Puree the rice mixture in a blender in batches until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a pitcher. Mix in the sugar; chill.
• Stir the horchata well before serving. Pour into ice-filled glasses; garnish with cinnamon sticks and a dusting of ground cinnamon.

RICK BAYLESS'S YUCATECAN-STYLE FRESH COCONUT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Toast the almonds on a baking sheet in the oven stirring occasionally,until golden, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Cool; set 1/2 cup of the almonds aside.
• Ina food processor; pulverize the remaining almonds with the sugar.
• Add thebread and pulse the machine until reduced to fine crumbs.
• Drizzle in themelted butter and pulse to mix thoroughly.
• Evenly pat the mixture over thebottom and sides of a 3/4-inch deep, 9-inch tart pan with a removablebottom.
• Refrigerate several minutes to set.
• Twist a corkscrew (or dive an ice pick or screwdriver) into 2 ofthe coconut's"eyes" (the dark indentations on one end), then drain thetrapped liquid into a cup (strain if it contains any bits of coconutshell).
• Place the coconut on a baking sheet and put into the oven forabout 15 minutes to help loosen the flesh from the shell.
• With a hammercrack the coconut into several pieces, then use a small knife orscrewdriver to pry the flesh from the shell.
• Use a paring knife or avegetable peeler to peel away the dark brown skin.
• In a food processor (or, with determination and stamina, using a four-sided grater) grate thecoconut into medium-fine shreds.
• Measure out 2 1/2 cups for the pie;reserve the remainder for the garnish.
• Raise the oven temperatureto 350 degrees.
• In a small (1- to 11/2-quart) saucepan, combine the coconut water, cream and sugar.
• Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1cup, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pour into a large bowl, then stir in the 2 1/2 cupsof coconut, the reserved 1/2 cup almonds, the egg yolks and vanilla.
• Set the prepared crust onto a baking sheet, scoop in the coconut filling and bake in the middle of the oven until set and lightly browned on top, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• While the pie is baking, toast the reserved coconut on a baking sheet in the oven, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Coolthe pie completely and slice.
• Place the pie back in the oven and heat for 10 minutes.
• Serve with sour cream and coconut.

RICK BAYLESS'S CHILE COLORADO

Steps:

• Wash the pork, remove excess fat, cube and set aside.
• Take the New Mexico chilies (or use dried California chilies which are also mild) and remove the stems, veins, and seeds. Break the chilies into big pieces.
• Heat a nonstick fryng pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1/3 of the chilies and cook just until they start to change color, pressing down occasionally with a spachula. Flip over the chilies and repeat on the second side. Remove. Repeat with the last two batches of the chilies.
• Put the toasted chilies into a pie plate, fill part-way full with water and top with a salad or other smallish plate. Let the chilies soak for 30-45 minutes.
• Once the dried chilies are done soaking, put them into a food processor or blender along with the onion, garlic, oregano and cumin. Add some of the soaking liquid (at least one cup or more) and puree. Strain through a wire mesh. Set the red chili sauce aside.
• Meanwhile, in the same nonstick frying pan, heat it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add 1/4 cup oi and when the oil is warm, add half of the meat cubes. Use a spachula to turn over the meat as it cooks. When the meat gets brown spots, remove the first batch, and repeat with the remaining meat cubes.
• Readd all of the meat back into the frying pan. Add the red chili sauce and cook until the sauce has thickened.
• Next, put the meat and sauce into a medium-largish size saucepan. Add 1 1/2 - 2 cups water.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook about one hour or until the meat is very tender and the sauce is thick.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• If the sauce is too runny because there is too much liquid, increase heat to high and boil away the liquid unti the sauce thickens. You can also add 1-2 Table. masa to the sauce to thicken it as it boils.
• If desired, you can reduce the amount of meat to 1 - 1 1/2 lbs. and add one 16 oz. can drained pinto beans the last 15 minutes of cooking.