Recipes and Ideas
From new and innovative creations to cherished old favourites, we're constantly sharing mouth-watering recipes that will inspire your inner chef. If you have any of your own recipes to share, join us on Instagram @CoolChileCo and become part of our vibrant community.
Recipes
Carnitas Tacos
Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats" originated in the state of Michoacán. Carnitas is traditionally braised or simmered in its fat; here we cover the meat until liquid runs dry and the pork starts to cook it is own fat. The pork is tucked into warm corn tortillas and topped with white onion, coriander, a squeeze of lime and a roasted green jalapeno emulsion - this is a thing of beauty!
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Home style pork Carnitas with achiote rice
Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats" originated in the state of Michoacán. Carnitas is traditionally braised or simmered in its own fat, here we cover the meat until liquid runs dry and the pork starts to cook it is own fat. This recipe works particularly well with earthy achiote rice and an ideal one-pot celebratory dish. This recipe will have leftover carnitas, perfect for making carnitas tacos.
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Hogget-Lamb Barbacoa
Lamb or Hogget shoulder is marinated in Ancho in Adobo over night and slow cooked with Avocado Leaves, until pull apart tender. You will need a roasting tray with a rack and foil to wrap. Serve as as a main course with roasted potatoes, seasonal green and salsa borracha. Also tasty as tacos with toasty corn tortillas, diced, onion, coriander, green chile and lime.
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Rosca de Reyes
Mexican Rosca de Reyes (ring of kings) looks like a big round or oval shaped doughnut decorated with colourful winter fruit and that wonderful sweet pastry dough that is also used to decorate conchas (shell shaped pastries). This sweet bread is eaten with Mexican hot chocolate at family gatherings, on the 6th of January to celebrate Epiphany. Baked inside the dough, traditionally, is a toy to represent baby Jesus. Whoever is served the toy is blessed and has the honour of hosting a party on Ca...
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Ranchero Sauce – entomatadas with requeson
Entomatada means in a tomato sauce, like enchilada means in a chile sauce or enfrijolada in a bean sauce. These are light quesadillas filled with requeson which is herbed ricotta.
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Micheladas
Micheladas are made with beer, red or green tomato juice, Habanero Hot Sauce and plenty of ice and, this drink is refreshing for hot days, parties or perfect for a pick me up, drunk quickly it brings a sparkle to your eye and makes you belch. Always good. If you can find really a 1 litre glass that will fit all the ice, the fixings and a can of beer you are on to a winner, other wise serve half a can of beer with 1/4 cup of tomato mix.
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Salsa Macha by Monica Shaw
My salsa macha is based on a Rick Bayless recipe. I've been a long time fan of Rick's since first going to his restaurant, Frontera Grill, in my hometown Chicago, where I had some of the best Mexican food of my life. I've since relied on his recipes for inspiration, especially when it comes to dried chillies. The salsa macha intrigued me; this puree of nuts, seeds, dried chillies, garlic and oil seemed more akin to pesto than salsa, and indeed, it's proved a great dip, drizzle and baste for all...
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Oaxacan Mole Negro
Oaxaca is famous for it moles and maybe the most famous of all of their moles, is Mole Negro. It is a celebratory mole, because of the rarity and expense of one of the chillies used, the Chile Chilhuacle Negro and because of the process which involves burning the chillies and their seeds to obtain its beautiful colour and deep roasted flavours. So turn on the extract and open the windows, there is no way around it, this recipe makes you cough, however the delicious coffee notes obtained from...
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Classic Margarita - Jug
Our recipe omits the usual Triple Sec while doubling the tequila, which we feel gives you more tequila flavour. We like to use a strong flavoured but sipable 100% Blue agave tequila, either blanco or reposado. You can also make it with mezcal for a smokier taste. Use fresh-squeezed lime juice and simple sugar syrup, you can’t go wrong.
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HOW TO PREPARE MEXICAN DRIED CHILES
Dried chiles are an essential part of Mexican cuisine, they need to be toasted and re hydrated to release their flavour. At Cool Chile we stock 11 varieties of Mexican dried chiles which vary in heat and flavour. If you have a wrinkly-skinned or smooth skinned chile, follow the instructions below to achieve a rich and silky puree.
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Mexican Birria
The word birria means something that is a mess or deformed, but it is an affectionate name for this beloved meaty rustic brothy stew. It is usually made from lamb or goat but can also be made from beef or a combination of all three. It is marinated in a red chile paste and then cooked in a pit barbeque with steaming liquid below. The juices from the meat fall into this and are used to make a wonderful broth that is served with the meat in a bowl. It is then garnished with a scattering of chopp...
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Pink Pickled Onions
Pink pickled onions are from the Yucatan, where they put them on dishes such as puerco pibil and panuchos. The flavour is as perky as the colour with a pleasing heat. Using a habanero would be more traditional but a Scotch bonnet will work too.
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