Cooking with Baja Magic Dos - Mexican Recipes by Author Ann Hazard
 In
honor of the upcoming Todos Santos Art Festival Ann Hazard has provided us
four new recipes keeping the quaint little town in mind.
These
recipe are featured in Ann Hazard’s newest book, Cooking With Baja
Magic Dos. It is, or will be soon, available throughout Baja and
California. The new cookbook has over 60 new recipes with corresponding
stories and all new art. Whether or not you have Ann’s original cookbook,
you will want a copy of Baja Magic Dos! For more information on Ann and
her Baja books, visit
http://www.bajamagic.com or order her book from Amazon.com on the
right.
Thank you to
Author Ann Hazard from BajaMagic.com for this contribution. MARC’S
MANGO SALSA TROPICAL
Marc Spahr came to Todos Santos, then a tiny undiscovered
town an hour northwest of Cabo San Lucas back in 1986. He came because he
wanted to farm and the water there was sweet and plentiful. First thing he
did was to buy a farm and plant every kind of tropical fruit tree he could
get his hands on. Now he grows 20 varieties of fruits and berries, plus 12
types of bananas. Almost all the fruits he grows are used at Caffé Todos
Santos, a one-of-a-kind gem of a restaurant he opened in ‘93.
More Below...
|
These are excerpts from Ann's new Cookbook "Cooking with Baja Magic Dos". Full of
tempting recipes from Baja California the book also contains many original
artwork photos by the author and her husband. Available from Amazon.com
this book will make a great gift for your friends and family that love
Baja. You better pick up an extra copy for yourself too!
|
|
With its totally tropical, spicy-sweet flavor, this salsa is incredible
served with Marc’s equally incredible Chicken Flautas (find them in the
Appetizer section). Or you can try it spooned over grilled chicken
breasts, red snapper, or with carnitas. I swear, you’ll think you're in
the little latitudes, serving dinner under a palapa at the edge of the
Pacific or the Sea of Cortez every time! Makes about a quart.
½ cup mango, chopped
½ cup pineapple, chopped
¼ cup papaya, chopped
2 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp water
¼ tsp salt
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
½ cup white onion, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup serrano chiles, chopped
Mix all ingredients and put in glass or plastic containers. It's best if
refrigerated at least three hours and will keep for several days in the
refrigerator.
POSADA LA POZA’S FLAUTAS DE ATÚN AHUMADO
SMOKED TUNA FLAUTAS
Sometimes the honeymoon has to precede the wedding; that
was Terry’s and my conclusion. We got married two days after Thanksgiving
in. We chose the date because my family was scheduled to spend
Thanksgiving at the Buena Vista Beach Resort, like we always do. We
figured that it would be a small, intimate wedding. Wrong! By the time we
left for Baja Sur, 28 friends had made airplane and hotel reservations.
There promised to be great revelry, but romance and privacy? Hardly!
We headed over to the Pacific coast to Todos Santos. We’d
heard about an amazing new resort there and wanted to check it out. You’ve
heard me say before that in Baja the worst roads lead to the best places.
There should be a deserted beach involved. Privacy, beauty and ample
wildlife are essential. Camping is the order of the day, because rarely is
there a world-class, boutique hotel at the end of one of these awful
roads. There are a few scattered up and down the peninsula, but not many.
The road leading from Todos Santos to Posada La Poza proved to be very
bad. We bumped and twisted, dodging rocks and mud puddles in our low-slung
Neon, praying all the while that we wouldn’t get a flat tire.
Finally, we passed through a dense palm grove, and brilliant gold, ochre
and orange buildings sprang up in front of us. We parked and walked
through the gate. Lush cacti and flower-filled gardens embraced us. There
was a saltwater pool next to a lagoon that fronted a magnificently
deserted stretch of beach. The owner, former Swiss banker Juerg
Wiesendanger and his Czech artist wife, Libusche welcomed us personally
and gave us a tour of the grounds.
With only seven rooms, this place is all about privacy and romance. For
the three days we were there, we were the sole occupants of two chaise
lounges under a palapa, nestled between the pool and lagoon. Our major
activity was bird watching. Pelicans soared by, riding the warm air
currents. Occasionally they dive bombed, scooping fish out of the water.
Frigate birds glided along the surface, touching down like prehistoric
seaplanes, snatching up shrimp, fish or crabs and sailing off. Lease
terns, cranes and ducks shared the waters with them. The cries of the
birds blended with the pounding of the surf, the steady splash of the
pool’s waterfall and the hum of dragonfly wings. Terry told Juerg he’d
never seen me so relaxed.
Whenever we were hungry or thirsty, the bar and restaurant were only steps
away, and Juerg was always willing to make us whatever we wanted. Having
trained under a famous Swiss chef, Juerg doesn’t just cook. He prepares
gourmet cuisine. When we got tired of bird watching, eating and drinking,
we walked in the gardens trying to identify the different flowers, trees
and cacti. We hiked through the jungle to the beach and interrupted a
beachside pelican convention. We could’ve borrowed mountain bikes and
explored nearby beaches, but we were too lazy. We did spend an afternoon
wandering through town, exploring the numerous galleries and checking out
the restaurants. At sunset, we made the mandatory climb up to the Whale
Deck and counted whale spouts as the sun sank — pink-orange, red and
purple — into the Pacific.
This is one of Juerg’s amazing creations. Serves eight.
12 jalapeño chiles
1½ pounds smoked tuna
3 medium sized shallots
6 cloves garlic, minced
12 leaves fresh basil
¾ cup chopped Italian parsley
1 bunch cilantro, stems removed and finely chopped
Celery salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
Salad garnish
2 cups corn or canola oil
20 corn tortillas or 16 flour tortillas
Toothpicks
 To
make the filling
Buy one larger piece of smoked tuna as the small pieces tend to be dry.
Instead of cutting the meat, tear the fiber apart in small pieces with two
forks. Place in a bowl.
If you have a gas stove, lay the jalapeños over the open flame and char
skins well, turning with tongs frequently until they’re uniformly
blackened and stop snapping. The more charred they are, the easier it is
to remove the skins. If you have an electric stove, place chiles in a
large skillet on high heat. Turn frequently as above. Remove chiles to
plastic bag, close it and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove from bag, place
in ice-cold water and remove the stems, skins, veins and seeds.
Chop finely and add to tuna.
Chop the shallots and put them for one minute in hot water. Rinse then
with cold water and put it in the bowl, together with the chopped garlic.
Add basil, parsley and cilantro. Season with celery salt and olive oil.
Mix well with tuna-jalapeño mixture.
To make the flautas
For the presentation, prepare either a big plate to be put in the center
of the table or prepare individual plates with some salad garnishment
leaving sufficient space (half the plate) for the flautas.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. Warm up the tortillas on stove or in
microwave for about half a minute, so they are flexible to roll. Put the
filling in a line of 1½ inch on the tortilla and roll it. Fix with a tooth
stick. Put all the rolls on a plate.
Prepare some paper towels in a basket to soak up excess oil after frying.
Fry four tortillas at the same time until they become golden on all sides.
Do not overdo frying. The tortilla has to be crispy, but still a little
flexible. Put the fried ones in vertical position in a basket to let the
oil drip. Keep them warm until the last one is fried.
Cut each fried tortilla roll into even sized pieces (2 pieces for corn
tortillas, 3 for flour) and put them on prepared plate(s).
|
1 cup Thai peanut sauce
1½ cups coconut milk
1/8 cup Thai curry paste
½ tsp yellow Indian curry powder
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in strips
¼ package Juto-Naga Udon noodles (about 1 cup Thai rice noodles) cooked
and cooled
3 cups exotic leaf lettuce (mixed baby field greens)
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup pistachios
½ cup dried mango, cut into ¼ inch strips
¼ cup toasted sunflower seeds
½ cup jicama, cut into ¼ inch strips
2 tangerines, peeled and sectioned
1 cup dried chow mein noodles
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
In large skillet, combine Thai peanut sauce, coconut milk and curries. Add
chicken strips and dried mango strips and cook until chicken is done.
Remove chicken strips and grill over barbecue until golden brown to give
them a smoky taste. Set the mango strips aside to cool.
Pour the coconut milk-curry-peanut sauce mix into a bowl and cool by
placing another bowl of ice underneath it. (This will now become the salad
dressing.)
In large salad bowl, place a layer of Thai noodles. Add lettuce, nuts,
feta cheese, tangerines, cranberry, mango, jicama, chicken strips and Chow
mein noodles. Toss lightly with dressing and serve immediately.
HOTEL CALIFORNIA SHRIMP AND
SMOKED SALMON OPEN-FACED RAVIOLI
 For
years, day-trippers coming from Los Cabo to Todos Santos have flocked to
the Hotel California, hoping to see “mirrors on the ceilings and pink
champagne on ice.” Don Henley burst that bubble a while back when he
denied any connection between the Eagles and the hotel. That’s too bad. He
should stop by next time he’s down here. Once he tours the grounds and
samples the gourmet fare served in La Coronela Restaurant, he just might
change his tune. Hotel California’s new owners, John and Debbie Stewart
have recreated this former eyesore into an architectural, artistic and
culinary masterpiece.
For John, whose previous career was designing restaurants and office
buildings, this project was the dream of a lifetime. He indulged his
passion for brilliant, bold colors, colonial Mexican architecture and
furniture, metal and glass sculptures, exotic plants and art. Truly a
celebration of the senses, the Hotel California explodes with purples,
reds, hot pinks, oranges, periwinkles, and pulsating shades of green and
golden yellows. The old blends gracefully with the new, as original tile
floors and 100-year-old beams merge with the best modern Mexico can offer.
 The
patios, pool and terraces are private and lushly landscaped. Hotel guests
have a choice of 11 luxuriously appointed, wildly imaginative rooms and
suites. They can sit on a balcony overlooking the town and watch the sun
set in the Pacific as the choir sings in the church across the street.
This is a perfect place for weddings, honeymoons or just to get away and
wander along cobble stone streets, exploring Todos Santos’ art galleries,
restaurants and historical buildings. Venture out of town and enjoy some
of the most spectacular surfing beaches on the west coast.
When you visit the hotel, make time for a leisurely lunch under the
pagoda-style palapa at La Coronela Restaurant. Breathe in the fragrance of
tropical flowers; listen to live Mexican music with a backdrop of softly
tinkling fountains. John Stewart lured Chef Dany Lamote away from Calgary,
Alberta. Born in Belgium, Dany studied culinary arts in Brussels. He
immigrated to Canada in 1979 and settled in Calgary. There he was a chef
and partner in many successful restaurants, from small European style
bistros and cafes to fine dining establishments. Local organic ingredients
influence his style of cooking. As a passionate traveler he loves to fuse
the cuisines of different cultures in his recipes. For 15 years he was a
culinary instructor teaching in small private schools. Here in Mexico he
draws from Baja California ingredients to create a fresh, innovative
seasonal menu at the Hotel California.
Chef Dany offers this explanation about this unique, popular dish: “The
concept of open-faced ravioli is between lasagna and ravioli. The dish is
made in a frying pan. The ingredients are stacked and assembled at serving
time instead of being baked in the oven. The shrimp comes from the Sea of
Cortez; the salmon is imported. We smoke the salmon in our Texas smoker,
parked outside the restaurant. After having the smoker inside on the patio
for ambience and smoking out our customers a few times, we decided that it
was a better business practice to move the smoker outside. My preferred
wood for smoking is a fruitwood.” Serves four.
16 lasagna pasta sheets
1 tbsp olive oil
16 jumbo shrimp
1 cup white wine
½ lb sliced smoked salmon
1 cup whipping cream
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions. Drain and allow
to cool off. Rub with olive oil to prevent sticking.
Poach the shrimp in white wine for five minutes or until they turn white.
Add the cream and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper and add the pasta
sheets. Bring to a boil and let the cream thicken a bit.
Stack by alternating the shrimp and pasta. Garnish with the smoked salmon.
|
