Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzman
May 3, 2017 by Jenny
Nopalito: A Mexican Kitchen
by Gonzalo Guzmán and Stacy Adimando is a stunning book from
the head chef at San Francisco’s popular restaurants by the same
name.
Featuring 100 Mexican dishes with a Californian vibe along with
stunning photographs throughout makes this another must-have
restaurant cookbook. Techniques, insights into Mexican food and
culture are also included.
I love everything about this book – the vibrant food and
photographs and even the quality and feel of the paper. Recipes
include Teleras (Mexican sandwich rolls), Quesadillas Con Repollo
De Bruselas (an incredible looking quesadilla filled with Brussels
Sprouts and Cascabel Chile Oil), Gorditas de Papas Con Chorizo and
Tostadas de Picadillo (ground beef tostadas) – the latter three
recipes I want to try to make this weekend for Cinco de Mayo.
Special thanks to Ten Speed Press for sharing the recipe below for some cheesy deliciousness with our members. (I did some googling – and if you can’t find fresh nopales – you can use canned but the texture will be different – or substitute okra, green beans or green peppers. I am going to make this recipe for our Cinco weekend as well and will probably just leave them out.) Be sure to head over to our contest page for a giveaway on this title.
QUESO FLAMEADO CON CHORIZO Y NOPALES
Hot Oaxacan and Jack Cheese Dip with Chorizo and
Cactus
This delicious dish of molten cheese and
crumbled, spiced chorizo is loved all over Mexico, but my favorite
versions are in the southern part of the country, where cooks often
add tender cactus leaves, ornopales. (Outside of Mexico you can
usually find cactus at Mexican markets or online.) Once you have
all the ingredients prepared and layered, it takes just 10 minutes
in the oven.
Acazuelais a Spanish-style ovenproof dish; you can use any comparable casserole dish or cast-iron pot. Queso flameado is best eaten hot, so be sure to get it onto the table just as soon as it is out of the oven.
Serves 4
2 small nopales, spines trimmed away
Salt
2 teaspoons rice bran oil or canola oil
6 ounces (3/4 cup) Chorizo Oaxaqueño or crumbled store-bought
Mexican chorizo (discard the casings)
1 cup shredded Jack cheese
2/3 cup shredded Oaxacan cheese
Chopped cilantro leaves
Tortilla chips or warm soft corn tortillas, for serving
Rinse the cactus leaves with cold water and pat them dry; season on both sides with salt. Preheat a skillet big enough to contain both cactus leaves over high heat (if they won’t both fit, work in batches or in two separate skillets). Add the cactus leaves and cook, flipping them every 3 to 4 minutes, until well seared on both sides, about 15 minutes total. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest until cool enough to handle, then slice into thin, bite-sized strips.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat that pools in the bottom of the pan.
In a 16-ounce (6-inch) cazuela or other ovenproof baking dish, layer half of the Jack cheese evenly on the bottom. Top with a layer of the chorizo, then one-quarter of the Oaxacan cheese, the cactus strips, and the rest of the Jack and Oaxacan cheeses mixed together.
Set the dish on a baking sheet and bake until the cheese is completely melted and bubbling around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove and garnish with cilantro leaves. Serve immediately with chips or tortillas for dipping.
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