The Chef was curious about Indian corn in the can, especially a 2 lb. one for 99.99 cents. I went with an old reliable combination of inexpensive meaty country style pork ribs (99 cents a pound this week at Albersons Grocery Store) slow cooked with the corn, and adding a layer of flavor with enchilada sauce. Indian corn is really just another name for hominy - plump cooked corn kernals tasting halfway between sweet corn and grits. It is bland on it's own, like a potato, so it works best combinded with other ingredients like chicken or added into a soup. This hearty dish is simple to make, just load it into a 350 degree oven and come back 3-4 hours later.
Ingredients (serves 4)
3-4 lbs. of country style pork ribs or chicken
1 large 29oz. can of Indian corn or hominy - drained
1 15oz. can of enchilada sauce - red or green
1 small onion chopped - optional
2 tbsp. of chopped garlic - fresh or jar
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Trim some of the fat from pork ribs. Drain Indian corn and add to roasting pan with pork ribs. Add enchilada sauce, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook covered 2 hours, then 1 to 2 more hours uncovered until pork is fork tender. When done remove and skim off fat.
For chicken, cook uncovered for about 2 hours. Pierce chicken in thickest part with a knife or fork, and done when juices run clear.
Welcome to a month of breakfast. Start your day with the The 99 Cent Chef's special morning menu. Every blogpost this month will feature budget breakfast entrees including a gamblers's favorite "Vegas Eggs Benedict", the photo story "Diary of a Frittata Maker", a couple of "coffee comedy" videos, and the following "Huevos Rancheros" recipe. Check back for those recipes and more! It is a special grand slam multi-media breakfast month of May presented by The 99 Cent Chef.
This hearty Mexican breakfast is quick and easy following The 99 Cent Chef's method. I got all my ingredients from this 99c Only Store, but any market stocks corn tortillas, eggs, cheese and salsa at budget prices. To get the cheese nice and melty just heat-up your favorite salsa on the stove top or microwave just before serving over cheese-topped eggs.
There are many variations: instead of refried pinto beans, try it with black beans and top with white "queso fresco"- soft and crumbly Mexican cheese (similar to feta cheese, but milder), or instead of tomato salsa try a green chili sauce. With this recipe The Chef stays traditional. Eggs are commonly fried "sunny-side up", but you can fry it your way; this Chef likes when the eggs underside is crunchy. If you have any leftover refried beans, use them the next day scrambled together with eggs and make breakfast tacos, quite delicious and an early breakfast memory dish served when the family stayed with our grandmother "Big Mama".
Ingredients (one serving)
2 eggs
3-4 tbsps. refried beans (or black beans)
1 or 2 corn tortillas
1/4 cup salsa - or more
Cheese - "queso fresco" or your favorite, enough to cover eggs
2 tbsps. of cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions Use your favorite method of frying eggs. Heat corn tortilla in tbsp. of oil on grill or pan over medium heat, about 15 seconds on each side. Heat beans until hot on stove top or microwave. When eggs are 1/2 done add cheese on eggs to begin melting. Heat salsa in microwave until hot. On a serving dish spread refried beans on a warm tortilla, add eggs with cheese and top with warm salsa. And don't forget the hot sauce!
The Chef is a bibliophile and would attend many book readings and signings at the eclectically-stocked Skylight Books on Vermont Avenue when he lived in Los Feliz.
During one momentous summer, The Chef took over Skylight Books, hanging his L.A. street art photography; and his wife had a book reading of her just published historical and pop culture look at our world famous storied street, "Sunset Boulevard: Cruising the Heart of Los Angeles"-- all during the same time period. We felt like we owned the place for a day.
To celebrate afterward, we retired to another local favorite -- Mexico City Restaurant, a couple of blocks northeast on Hillhurst Avenue, for a pitcher of margaritas and our favorite entrees. My wife prefers huachinango veracruzano (red snapper in a tomato, green olives and capers sauce); while the Chef always orders the pollo en mente, or Mint Chicken.
This entree comes with a mixed green salad in an oil and sweet citrus vinegrette, a small bowl of charro pinto beans laced with fresh chopped tomato, chunks of ham and a whole jalapeno chile and, of course, half a roasted bird whose skin is perfumed and permeated with minced leaves of mint.
While some think Mexico City is past its prime, the pollo en mente entre never fails to please this Chef. Here is his humble attempt to replicate this mouthwatering experience; along with a slide show of the Chef's street art photography of Los Angeles that was hung in Skylight Bookstore.
A few slide show shortcuts. To play slide show: click on large middle "play" triangle - click on the bottom left small "play" triangle to pause (to see slide show as full screen, click on "4 arrows" box on lower right corner - hit "Esc" button on your keyboard to return to normal size viewing). Slide show takes a couple of seconds to start.Slide show lasts about 1 minute and 30 sec.
Ingredients for Polle En Mente
2 cups loosely packed mint leaves (ethnic markets sell one bunch for 99 cents or less; or, like the Chef, you can get them from your patio herb garden)
1 whole chicken - substitute chicken breast and/or leg quarters for individual servings (chicken on sale from 69c to $1.29 per lb. lately)
1/2 cup of 99.99 cent olive oil blend
1/2 cup of lime juice
salt and pepper to taste
Charro Pinto Beans
1 16 oz. can pinto beans
1 whole tomato
2 slices of deli ham, ham pieces or sauteed bacon
1 whole jalapeno chile (or slices)
Salad
Any type of greens, combining iceberg, romaine and/or spinach
Salad dressing consisting of whisking 1/4 cup each orange juice and olive oil blend.
Directions
For a few seconds, blender together mint leaves, lime juice, olive oil and salt/pepper to a rough consistency. Using your fingers, rub minced mint under the skin of the bird and on the outside as well. Push gently between skin and meat of chicken, including breast meat and leg/thigh meat. Try not to tear the skin too much. If you have time, allow chicken to marinade for a few hours covered in the refrigerator.
Chopped mint inside and outside.
Place bird on a rack in roasting pan and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 2 hours, depending on how big it is. The chicken is done when thigh juices run clear when pierced with a fork. To prepare the beans, chop one whole tomato and a couple of slices of deli ham or sauteed bacon. Add to pinto beans with one whole jalapeno (the 99c only Store always sell canned pinto beans, deli ham, tomatoes and canned jalapeno chiles). Cook 10 minutes. Whisk salad dressing ingredients and serve over greens.
For this politically charged election year, The 99 Cent Chef throws his whisk into the ring creating a radical salad from out of left field called Cesar Chavez Salad. Named for the great civil rights leader of California farm workers, this salad's politics are green with Salinas, CA. grown romaine lettuce and avocado in a classic Ceasar dressing shot through with spicy jalapeno to match Cesar Chavez's fiery rhetoric.
Blue State foodies will love it -- as for the rest of you, just take out the avocado and jalapeno to serve a traditional Conservative Caesar Salad. The Chef welcomes all parties to his dinner table. Ingredients for Salad
1 to 2 hearts of romaine
1 large or 2 small avocados sliced
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on salad
1 cup 99 cent croutons
To make your own croutons drizzle sourdough bread with 99 cent olive oil blend, chopped garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Broil in oven a couple of minutes until bread is brown - watch carefully, it will burn easily. Slice or tear into bite size pieces - fresh warm croutons are delicious on a salad.Ingredients for Dressing (serves 2)
1 tbsp. crushed or chopped garlic
4 anchovy fillets
2 raw egg yolks* - try discarding whites by draining between fingers; messy but quick.
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 lemon juiced or 2 tablespoons lemon concentrate
1/2 cup 99 cent olive oil blend
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. jalapeno chopped, fresh or pickled - optional (some people can't take the heat)
Directions for Dressing Combine olive oil blend, anchovies, egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and pepper; whisk until the mixture is smooth (may need to pull apart anchovies with a fork). Add chopped jalapeno a little at a time while tasting to check for your "heat" tolerance. Refrigerate the dressing if you will not be using it right away.
Assemble the salad: tear the lettuce into a large bowl. Add dressing, Parmesan and croutons. Mix and top with sliced avocado.*RAW EGG WARNING
The Chef suggests caution in consuming raw eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, the Chef recommends you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks and the outer shell.Next up: The 99 Cent Chef throws a curve ball of a new video to foodie baseball fans -- featuring home runs, wild pitches, a Chicago hot dog and a "fowl" ball.
The 99 Cent Chef is pleased as plantains to present a new video featuring the culinary exploits of L.A.'s favorite taco truck impresario Pedro Pe. The 99 Cent Chef tracks down Pedro Pe and goes along for a ride and ends up in the kitchen, where Pedro Pe works his magic.
Pedro has more energy than chile piquin flavored popcorn in a popcorn machine. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to Pedro Pe and his delicious lunch truck specialty -- Shrimp Quesadilla.
The 99 Cent Chef Meets Pedro Pe -Video
Play it here. The video runs 5 minutes 12 seconds.
Ingredients(one serving)
1 flour or wheat tortilla
1 slice spicy cheese
1/2 small avocado sliced
2 tblsp. refried beans
1/2 4-6oz. package cooked salad shrimp (if raw then saute for a couple of minutes until shrimp is pink)
1 chopped green onion
2 tblsp. 99 cent salsa
Dollop of sour cream
Directions While pan is heating, assemble quesadilla by smearing tortilla with refried beans -- add cheese, shrimp and chopped green onion. Fold in half and heat in pan until "queso is nice and melted and gooey and tortilla is nice and brown," to quote Pedro Pe. Garnish quesadilla with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream and salsa on the side.
Pedro Pe, "Mexico's Rich Little" has been performing onstage since 1995. Actual fans include Milos Forman, Nora Dunn, Will Ferrel and Alex Borstein. Pedro appeared regularly as a company member in L.A.'s Acme Comedy Theatre, at the Austin Comedy Festival and at The Montreal Comedy Festival - where he was featured on a bill with Dave Chapelle and Will Ferrell. To see Pete's other hilarious videos, click here, and The Chef's video teaser with Pedro Pe is here.
When in the Valley at Pick Your Part Auto Salvage looking for an odometer for his 1965 Dodge Polara Convertible, the Chef begins and ends his search with a ceviche tostada from the taco truck parked at the entrance; on the way home after a Japanese Outlaw Masters double feature at the Hollywood Egyptian Theatre, he pulls over to a La Brea Avenue taco truck for midnight charred al pastor tacos; for a work time lunch it is a short walk to the taco truck around the corner for a crunchy pork carnitas burrito. For cheap and tasty, LA taco trucks are at the top of the Chef's fast food chain.
To go with your carnitas taco, swig a medio litroof "Mexican Coke" from this 99c only Store -- one for 59 cents and made with cane sugar. Why Mexican Coke? To quote food importer Hamilton "Ham" Rousseau of Ifs Ands & Butts: "High-fructose corn syrup (used in American Coke) is actually sweeter but it leaves a film in the mouth, that film automatically diminishes your palate, blocking the sweetness. Sugar cane sucrose is cleaner and crisper. So if you are used to Coke made with corn syrup, the difference is striking."
This video of The 99 Cent Chef's favorite LA Taco Truck mural is a mindbending meld of tacos and a Hollywood action hero -- located at about 4342 Eagle Rock Boulevard (near York Blvd.) after 5pm.
Taco Truck Video
Play it here. The video runs 1 minute 7 seconds.
It is now the law; taco trucks have to change location every hour, or face a misdemeanor charge carrying a $1000 fine and/or jail, in unincorporated parts of LA
(about 65% of the County.) Go to the website save our taco trucks.org and find out ways to battle this restrictive ordinance.
The Chef is Left of Left and votes with his stomach; so he went 2 evenings ago to "Taco Libre," a taco truck rally in East LA and to show his support. The 99 Cent Chef dined on tacos al pastor -- here is a video of the event.
The Poblano chile is large enough to stuff with the Chef's tasty ground turkey mix: just add some raisins, mushrooms and taco seasonings when sauteing ground turkey.
For some reason local markets call the Poblano a Pastilla chile. Read about the controversy here on Chowhound.
A Poblano chile imparts a mild heat that sweet raisins undercut nicely. This Mexican style dish is easy to assemble and can be done well in advance; takes about an hour and a half total to prepare (includes baking time.)
The Poblano chiles are from my local Latin market on Adams Blvd. (with a taco truck out front -- their Pupusas are a tasty distraction.) All other ingredients are from the 99c only Stores; although the Chef has purchased Poblano chiles there -- a Latin market has a better size selection for stuffing. Cooked stuffed Poblano chiles freeze well, too.
Ingredients (serves 3 to 4)
6 Poblano chiles - choose the largest ones
1 pound ground turkey
1 small package taco seasoning
3/4 cup of raisins
6 oz. package mushrooms, sliced
1/2 finely chopped onion
Directions
While sauteing all ingredients over a medium heat, prepare Poblano chiles to stuff by cutting out the tops and removing seeds. After sauteing ground turkey mix 10 - 15 minutes, stuff chiles; pressing meat tightly into each one.
Place stuffed chiles onto a baking pan and cook uncovered about 45 minutes at 350 degrees. The chile will steam, keeping the notoriously dry turkey meat moist. This recipe works well with hollowed out bell peppers and/or large whole tomatoes.
The Chef was curious about Indian corn in the can, especially a 2 lb. one for 99.99 cents. I went with an old reliable combination of inexpensive meaty country style pork ribs (99 cents a pound this week at Albersons Grocery Store) slow cooked with the corn, and adding a layer of flavor with enchilada sauce. Indian corn is really just another name for hominy - plump cooked corn kernals tasting halfway between sweet corn and grits. It is bland on it's own, like a potato, so it works best combinded with other ingredients like chicken or added into a soup. This hearty dish is simple to make, just load it into a 350 degree oven and come back 3-4 hours later.
3-4 lbs. of country style pork ribs or chicken
