La Unica, Carniceria y Tocineria

The city of Silao is just a pleasant half hour drive from the city of Guanajuato.

When Alicia was teaching English to school teachers in Silao we had an opportunity to get to know that beautiful city a bit. It is about the same size as Guanajuato, around 150,000 people, but there are some major differences. Due to Guanajuato's remarkable history and iconic landmarks it is more a tourist destination than Silao. Silao is probably better know as a manufacturing center anchored by the gigantic General Motors plant. Silao is also flat! Bicycles abound. Guanajuato is up and down hanging onto the sides of mountains.

Many of our friends in Guanajuato shop in Silao each week as the price of very high quality food there is quite reasonable. Our friend, Poncho Medina, introduced us one day to a carniceria, butcher shop, in Silao where we went especially to buy Chorizos de Almendrada, an unusually delicious sausage stuffed with meats, spices, dried fruits and almonds. We have become addicted. The name of the shop is La Unica, Carniceria y Tocineria.

The operators of the shop, Luis and Diego, are incredibly patient with Gringos still struggling with Spanish. Further, their meats, bacons and sausages are 'the best'!

We have bought whole pork shoulders there weighing up to fifteen pounds each to make 'Southern style' barbeque, and enough Chorizos de Almendrada to sink a boat.

We highly recommend this shop with one caveat; call before you drive over to buy Chorizos de Almendrada. Yesterday our friend Conrad and I didn't call ahead. The good news was that although we got no chorizos, - sold out, we did get a beautiful custom cut pork shoulder and a 'rack' of the prettiest, - and best tasting pork chops we've ever eaten. - Well, I have to give Conrad a great deal of the credit there as he grilled them to perfection with a 'to die for' pineapple/vinegar basting sauce.

Luis and Diego are located in the back left hand corner of the Silao city market. There phone number is 01 (472)722 2366

Luis wielding his knife

Diego packing sausages for a customer

Luis checking to see if we're serious about leaving the fat on a pork shoulder

Bar B Que

The subject of this post is way southern Bar B Que - all the way south to Guanajuato, our beautiful colonial city high up in central Mexico.

The guy with the twinkling eye below is our friend, Conrad. He grew up in Alabama and has lived, worked and cooked in Atlanta, Barcelona, San Francisco and New York. And Conrad knows more than just a thing or two about cooking.

Conrad knows that real Bar B Que is about slow cooked pig and smoke, - and not beef with a sauce that masks the flavor of the meat. Real Bar B Que is a subtle thing, - sweet smokey pork cooked long and low with a light vinegar sauce. And boy does Conrad know how to do it right!

Last week Conrad and I went together to a favorite butcher shop in the nearby city of Silao where we buy wonderful Chorizos de Almendrada, a special chorizo made with dried fruits and almonds in addition to chirozo's normal meat and spice sausage stuffing. While we were there we asked them if they could get 'hombro de cerdo completo'. We had been heretofore unable to find a pork shoulder that still had sufficient fat on it for self basting long cooking. The fat on pork in Mexico is usually removed as lard and cracklins (chicharones), are highly desired. To our surprise our little carniceros friends carted out and flopped on the counter a whole pig not yet butchered and asked us just how we would like it cut. Conrad directed them and we got a beautiful pork shoulder still covered with a thick layer of fat.

Conrad cooked the shoulder overnight very slowly with a gentle smoke and the ensuing party was not unlike any 'pig pickin' you may have attended in North Carolina, Georgia or Alabama. - except it was better. After chopping the pork just the correct amount, Conrad served sandwiches with the pork and a perfectly complimentary cole slaw that he had prepared. Our friends, Southerners, Yankees and Mexican alike were all awed. 

!5 Hours of slow cook and smoke

Just Right!

The Chop Kibitz

- Asombroso Conrad! Hog heaven!

Pechuga de Pollo con Rajas

I recently returned to North Carolina for a brief visit, and among other things that I brought back was our copy of Diana Kennedy's cookbook, The Cuisines of Mexico. Back in Guanajuato, we prepared a most delicious dish based on a recipe Diana Kennedy includes in that book. Pictured above it is Pechugas de Pollo con Rajas, breast of chicken with 'strips' - in this case strips of chiles poblanos. 

Alice and I made the dish together. She prepared the chiles poblanos according to directions given to her by her friend, Luz, in the following manner:

Select dark green fresh looking chiles poblanos

Wash the chiles carefully - we put all of our vegetables in a big pot of water with a small amount of Clorox to soak for 15-20 minutes stirring them around a couple of times. Then, we allow them to completely dry so that all of the Clorox volitalizes - this doesn't take long here as it is so arid.

Put the chiles over a gas burner and thoroughly blister until charred all sides of the outside skin of the chiles.

Remove them from the burners and put them in a bag to cool for 30 minutes or more.

Using no water clean the charred outside skin away, and cut a small hole in the side of the chiles and remove all of the seeds and membranes holding the seeds.

We prepared around a dozen chiles. I set 4 aside for the 'sauce' and cut the balance into strips.

I fileted out and skinned 4 chicken breasts cutting each breast side into 2 parts. We then salted and peppered the pieces and lightly browned them in olive oil, then set them aside.

Meanwhile, I 'sweated' and lightly browned a large white onion cut into thick pieces in a covered frying pan. Then I set them aside.

The 'sauce' was made in the blender with 4 chiles blended with a little milk. When the paste was smooth and light green 2 cups of thick sour cream were added and blended evenly.

In a large lightly oiled casserole dish the chicken was arranged around the bottom then covered with the strips of chiles. Then the onion rings were put on top and the 'sauce' was poured over the chicken, chiles and onions.

The casseroles was put into a 350 degree preheated oven and cooked for about 30 minutes. 

After 30 minutes the casserole was removed from the oven and around a quarter pound of grated Chihuahua cheese was spread over the top before returning the casserole to the oven until the cheese was melted.

I then turned off the oven and let the whole casserole cool somewhat for around 20 minutes before serving.

The chicken was very tender with the flavor of the poblanos  throughout. - Mild heat (chile heat) and creamy.

This recipe is easy to make for a big group of people, and VERY good.

***

Last week Alice was in a very nice shop in San Miguel de Allende called Silvistre which has lots of nature books, hummingbird feeders and other wonders. While in the shop she was invited to a book signing to be held at the shop celebrating Diana Kennedy's new cookbook of Oaxacan cooking. Diana Kennedy lives in nearby Michoacan.

The event was yesterday. We went and Diana Kennedy graciously signed our old beloved and food stained cookbook.

Thank you Diana!

Diana Kennedy and Alice

Delica Mitsu

Favorite Japanese

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Delica Mitsu

Delica Mitsu is a small restaurant located off a callejon called Cantaritos at the back left of Plazuela San Fernando when you enter San Fernando from Avienda Benito Jaurez. Cantaritos is one (the northernmost) of the connections between Plazuela San Fernando and Plazuela de San Roque.

Nori, the owner and chef, has daily menu changes and the food is always great! Paquetas are offered and shown in Delica Mitsu's deli case. Nori also prepares sushi, rollos primavera, seaweed and other salads. After 2:00pm Nori serves fried fish and many other delicacies.

Simple light delicious lunch plates

Another

Nori and family with Alf the wonder dog

Last night we ate at Delica Mitsu with a friend from North Carolina. We started sharing smoked salmon, eel and California roll sushi. After the sushi and a beer or two, we each moved on to our own plate of Nori's tempura fish. Nori cooks the fish so well - light, crisp, yet moist - that you have to go there and taste it to understand how good it is. 

This restaurant is always at the top of our choices when deciding where to eat out.

Favorite Places to Eat in Guanajuato

I intend to write a series of posts about places we like to eat in the city and state of Guanajuato. Here's the first:

Favorite Mexican

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Tamales Purepeches

Located in Lomas de Cervera at # 70 Lomas de San Francisco (turn right off off Juventino Rosas, the road to SMA, like you are going to the Gymnasium where the Abejas basketball team plays their home games. The road swings left just past the Gym. Go another half mile or so and Purepeches is on the left. It is well marked. Call 733-03748 and ask the folks at the restaurant to guide you in if you get lost - or, be sane and call first.

This restaurant features traditional fare as prepared in Michoacan. The corundas are awesome. They are roundish tamales stuffed with pork (carne, my favorite), veggies, or cheese. They are wrapped in Acelga (a type of Swiss chard), and then covered in crema and a green salsa.

Corundas

Tamales Purepeches has a very interesting menu which includes delicious pozoles, red and green.

Green (chicken/pollo) Pozole



Red (pork, carne on their menu) and Green Tamales

The food is excellent and very reasonably priced. Some of our friends buy bulk pozole there to take home for lunches, etc.

There is good parking in the rear and any cab driver will know where it is. This is a family style, informal restaurant - very relaxed with many other gems on their menu. Mmmmmm!!

Fun at Purepeches

Sour Orange Pork

Last summer when we were in the Merida we once again had occasion to sample the Mayan dish, cochinita pibil (baby pig buried). One of the keys in preparation of this dish is to marinate the pork in bitter or sour orange juice. This high acid content juice helps tenderize the pork and gives it a tangy flavor that we really like.

Last week we bought a pork loin (lomo de cerdo). There are a number of sour orange trees around our house and no one seems to use the fruit. They just fall off the trees. So I gathered four of them and juiced them for a pork marinade. 

Here's how it was prepared:

First, open up the loin with a filleting knife (butterfly) so it is long and much thinner.

 

Then put the 'fillet" in the sour orange juice in the fridge to marinate for most of the day. In the marinade was the juice, a couple of chopped up garlic cloves, about a teaspoon ground cumin (comino molinio) and a teaspoon of Salsa Inglesa or Worcestershire (these are a bit different and I didn't properly note which was used, but I think either would do). Also, put in a big squirt of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.

When you take the pork out of the marinade, put the 'fillet' out full length on a cutting board and spread a mixture of chopped dried prunes, sun dried tomatoes and raisins across it. Then roll up the pork and tie it with cotton string to hold it all together. Put salt and pepper and a little more ground cumin on the outside of the 'roll' and brown it in olive oil in a good sized frying pan.

Put the marinade in the pan and covered it to cook. After 15 minutes the marinade will be near cooked down, so add a bottle light beer (I used a Corona) and cook it another 30 minutes.  Then take the pork out of the pan and put it on a platter to cool down. Make a sauce with the pan drippings and pour it over the pork and serve.

I thought this dish tasted very good, but it was a little dry. This cut of pork has no fat - especially here in Mexico. I froze half of the pork and when we ate the second half I made a sauce of chopped prunes and raisins, a little balsamic vinegar and some honey. I cooked it down and thickened it with a little flour. This was a good addition to help with the dryness and added a little more of the sweet and sour flavor.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes

This recipe is a variation of Gaida De Laurentis’ sun dried tomato stuffed pork chops. I make a bunch at a time then wrap them in stretchy plastic and freeze a bag full. We just pop a couple out and defrost for a quick meal.

Ingredients

• 6    boneless chicken breast halves
• 2    cloves garlic, chopped
• 1    package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
• ¼  cup crumbled feta cheese or crumbly goats cheese
• ¼ cup of cream cheese
• 1  lemon for juice and slices  for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary
•     Salt and pepper as desired

Directions

Warm the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the feta or goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and put in fridge to chill.

Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the chicken breast halves. Stuff each pocket with 1/6th of the spinach, cheese and sun-dried tomato mixture. Close the chicken breast around the stuffing. Season the outside of the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Put the portions you want to freeze individually in plastic wrap – freeze.

Thaw out in fridge what you want to cook. When ready for cooking, put a couple of tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Bring to medium hot. When oil is hot place breasts flat in pan and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully turn away from the stuffed pocket to the other side and cook 5 more minutes. Cover, turn off burner and let sit for 5 more minutes while you get the salad ready. Squeeze a little lemon juice on each breast half, garnish with lemon slices and serve.