Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Miguel's Talents

With the construction on his second apartment on hold until we get a better picture of the upcoming financial scene, Miguel is home more. This gives him an opportunity to cook, and me an opportunity to enjoy his cooking.

Last week Miguel made yellow mole with chicken and vegetables. It looked red to me but he said it was yellow, and that it depended on the type of chili used as to whether it was called yellow or red or black, etc. Since I'm not an expert on mole (other than I no longer like the one made with chocolate because I once ate it when it had been in the freezer and it made me sick, sick, sick and I hold a grudge), I will accept that it was yellow mole. It was delicious the first time around, and the next morning he turned it into enchiladas mole, and then later tostadas mole. There was one final full meal from the batch before it was finished, and it is one of those dishes that just improves with age (to a point - i.e., do not freeze the leftovers).

We buy hot tortillas to go with our breakfasts, and usually end up throwing out the ones leftover after we hold onto them for a day or so thinking we'll use them for something and they go moldy. But lately Miguel has been frying them up nice and crispy and sprinkling them with salt - they taste like popcorn, are crunchy, and just delicious. We keep thinking we'll make guacamole to go with them, but we do not have good luck with avocados - they almost always rot before we use them. We need to buy the avocado the day we plan to use it, but that is almost like planning the day and so often our plans deviate from what we thought the day would be. The avocado ends up sitting on the counter another day and starts to turn black inside. Even the fridge doesn't stop the fruit from going bad, it just slows it down.

The other night Miguel stayed up late making his wonderful red sauce that we use for egg omelet and chilaquiles. He also made some delicious homefried potatoes while he was at it. I was sound asleep while he toiled over the hot stove, but I didn't feel bad, there have been plenty of times I've been toiling and he's been siesta-ing.

Yesterday Miguel made yummy fried rice to go with the leftover pollo adobo I'd prepared on Monday. I don't know what he does differently than me, but his rice is the best. I always eat too much but I can't help it - I love that rice.

This morning I'm not sure what we'll have for breakfast - maybe eggs in the red sauce, or chilaquiles, or maybe Miguel will pick up salbutes and empanadas de queso at the mercado. Whatever we eat as the hot meal will be followed by a huge plate of fresh fruit. We've been lucky lately and everything we have right now is sweet and of decent quality. Sometimes we get horrible fruit - mango all black inside, pineapple fermented into alcohol, melon cut too young with no flavor, watermelon that is more water than taste. Fruit can be deceiving - sometimes it looks nice on the outside, but you just never know what taste you will get on the inside. And sometimes it just looks horrible on the outside but inside it's sweet and juicy. It's a game of roulette, but if we don't have our fruit in the morning, it doesn't feel like a proper breakfast.

Preparing the fruit plate is my job, and so I must go now...time to start chopping.

10 comments:

Life's a Beach! said...

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. That makes me SO hungry! Everything Miguel cooks sounds so good! Fortunately, I'm headed out to lunch with friends. Otherwise, I'd be looking for a Mexican restaurant that serves breakfast!

jeanie said...

Yummo! I would love to have Migueal cook for me!

Scottozoid said...

"Fruit can be deceiving - sometimes it looks nice on the outside, but you just never know what taste you will get on the inside. And sometimes it just looks horrible on the outside but inside it's sweet and juicy..."

Ah nature...sometimes people are like the fruit LOL!

blancochar said...

Laughing at Scott's post.... so true!

Oh would I love to have one of Miguel's breakfasts! Try as I might, I just can't seem to cook anything that tastes as good as his. And even our favorite Mexican restaurant doesn't compare. For one thing, we don't have those tasty little tortillas fresh out of the oven. Sounds like it's time to plan another trip!

Islagringo said...

Do I see a dinner invite in my future? LOL!

For a healthy alternative with those left over tortillas, I cut them into strips (for soups) or 4ths (for dips). Spray them with just a touch of PAM, sprinkle on some salt and bake them for about 10 minutes. They last 3-4 days in a zip bag and are great with any kind of salsa.

Ann said...

All the food sounds delicious & it's 6 am! Makes me wants some good Mexican food...wish I was coming to Isla sooner than 5 months from now! Guess I'll have to make do with my own cooking!

Scottozoid said...

I am a first hand fan of La Cocina Increible de Miguel and his Salsa Rojo Famoso mmmmmm

But I have a proverbial bone to pick (pun intended)

WHERE ARE THE FOTOS???

Jackie said...

Delicious reading! But like Scott I want to see photos.

Sue said...

Beck and Jeanie - everything Miguel cooks HE thinks is good, I've eaten the odd thing he prepared that I would be happy if I never saw it again (but he loved it). But mostly it's all good.

Scott - TRUE!!

Charlotte - sounds like another trip and a cooking class with Miguel will help you do those breakfasts at home. When are you coming?!

Wayne - Dinner? Maybe one of these days - but he is unreliable - I never really know when he's going to cook until he's in the kitchen. You could always book 'breakfast'. Will try your technique with the tortillas, thanks.

Scott and Jackie - sorry about the lack of photos, but it never crosses my mind to take pictures of food. I just eat it. Will try to do better.

Bennie said...

You have some really good fruits to select from down there. I have never had mango so sweet and the dragon fruit was a new experience for me. I know can see why you would think breakfast is not breakfast if you don't have your fruit.