holy guacamole!

happy cinco de mayo! in honor of this mexican holiday, i'm posting my recipe for guacamole! ok, it's not exactly "holy", but it's so good, you just might think it is. whip it up for your next fiesta and your guests will be muy feliz!

p.s. it also makes a great condiment for carnitas!

mise en place

guacamole
2 (medium-large) ripe avocados
1/4 medium onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 - 1 jalapeño (depending how spicy you want it), finely minced
juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon mayonaise
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
few sprigs of cilantro, chopped

peel and seed avocados and put them in a bowl. using a potato masher, mash the avocados.

add the rest of the ingredients, mix it up and voila, guacamole! it's that easy!

couple things to note:

• the lime juice is important not only for the flavor but it keeps the guacamole from turning brown. and there's nothing more unappealing than brown guacamole.
• i find that guacamole tastes best served at room temperature. if you need to put it in the fridge, wrap it w/ plastic wrap so that the wrap is touching the top of the guac. let it come to room temp before serving.
• my recipe calls for SEA SALT because that is what i use. if you are using regular table salt, reduce the amount by 1/2. add more to taste if needed.
  

bon appétit~!

yo quiero carnitas

having been born and raised in the city of angels, i have quite an affection for mexican food. i've traveled to mexico many many (many) of times, even to the most remote and un-touristy parts where the food is nothing but totally authentic, and i have to say, mexican food is just as good in LA. but never did i think i could make it at home. until now. until i found this recipe.

it comes from david lebovitz. yup, an american pastry chef turned food blogger who lives in paris. i know!! when i lived in paris, his blog was my bible. and mexican food was a major craving. when i saw his recipe for carnitas, i knew i had to try it. and OMG, am i glad i did because c'est très bon, not to mention, so easy and now forever in my répertoire. merci beaucoup, david!

the cut of meat you will need is pork shoulder. i get mine at the local mexican market where it's fairly inexpensive and seemingly very fresh.



carnitas
adapted from david lebovitz
serves 6 (generously) - 8
5 lbs. pork shoulder
sea salt
2 tablespoons vegetable or other neutral cooking oil
water
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon chile de arbol (or ancho chile powder)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
5 cloves garlic, minced

cut the meat into 4-5" chunks, removing any excess fat. season all sides of the chunks well with sea salt. david's recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of sea salt but i'm pretty sure i used more.

in a large dutch oven or pot, heat the oil and cook the meant until very well browned on all sides. you will probably have to do this in batches. once they are brown, remove them from the pot and blot on paper towel.

preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

once all the meat is browned and all removed from the pot, add 2 cups of water and scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the brown bits. add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, garlic, chile powders and cumin. mix so it's well combined and then add the meat back in. add more water until the meat is about 2/3 covered.

braise in the oven, uncovered, for 3 1/2 hours. turn the pork a few times during braising. much of the liquid will evaporate and the pork will be oh-so-amazingly falling apart tender.

remove the pot from the oven and transfer the meat to a platter.

strain the liquid into a bowl. reserve any meaty bits and discard any other solids. the fat will rise to the top. skim off as much as possible.

when the meat is cool enough to handle, shred it up and put it back in the pot. add the liquid and return the pot back to the oven. cook until much of the liquid evaporates and the outer edges of the pork becomes caramelized and crispy. the time will depend on how much liquid you have left and how crispy and crackly you want it. just keep an eye on it.

serve with tortillas, onions, cilantro, salsa, limes....

the possiblites are endless!

bon appétit~!

perfect pound cake

this pound cake is so perfect, buttery, dense (as a pound cake should be) and yummy. i always intend on baking it up and using it to make a parfait with custard, whipped cream and strawberries, but always end up just eating it by itself because it's so good!

mise en place

perfect pound cake
makes 1 loaf
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups cake flour, measured and sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

butter and flour a 9" loaf pan. make sure to tap out any excess flour.

in a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and set aside. combine the cream and vanilla in a cup and set aside.

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes pale, light and fluffy. add the eggs and yolk, one at time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. add the flour in 3 batches, alternating with the cream, beginning and ending with the flour. mix until everything is well incorporated but do not over mix.


pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula.

put the loaf pan in a COLD oven (you do not preheat the oven for this recipe!). turn on the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 60 - 70 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

cool in the pan, on a wire rack for 5-10 mins. invert and cool completely on wire rack before serving.

bon appétit~!