The Mexican Slow Cooker: Recipes for Mole, Enchiladas, Carnitas, Chile Verde Pork, and More Favorites by Deborah Schneider Read Free Book Online Page A

Plantains
    For the best results, use soft, ripe plantains with black skin.
    2 large, ripe plantains
    About ⅓ cup vegetable oil
    Kosher or sea salt
    Peel the plantains and cut into rounds 1 inch thick. Heat ¼ inch of oil in a small, heavy skillet. Working in batches, fry the plantains on both sides until a light brown crust forms. Remove and let cool slightly, then flatten gently with a spatula to a thickness of ½ inch. Return the plantains to the oil and cook until brown. Drain well on paper towels and serve warm, sprinkled with a few grains of salt.

Costillos
    Pork Ribs inCHIPOTLE-TOMATILLO SALSA Serves 6
    This easy recipe consists of succulent braised ribs in a light sauce that has just the right kick of smokiness and heat. Costillos are pork rib tips, only a couple of inches long, with plenty of juicy meat. They are similar to country-style ribs, which may be substituted. The same salsa is terrific cooked with boneless pork shoulder, pork chops, or chicken. You can add peeled cubed potatoes or zucchini to the slow cooker with the meat, or roast red potatoes with oil and salt to serve alongside this dish. If you have a second slow cooker, Pan de Elote would be delicious with the spicy ribs.
    4½ pounds small costillos (see above) or country-style pork ribs
    2 large Roma tomatoes, diced
    1 (7-ounce) can chipotles in adobo
    ½ white onion, diced
    ⅓ cup garlic cloves
    4 tomatillos
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    TO SERVE
    Warm corn tortillas
    Cut the ribs into pieces 3 inches long and place in a 5-quart slow cooker.
    In a blender, combine the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Pour over the ribs, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.
    Serve hot with the warm tortillas.

Asado de Bodas
    WEDDING STEW WITH PORK Serves 6
    Asado de bodas is definitely something special, as befits a wedding feast. Recipes with this name vary from north to south and east to west. Some use only ancho chiles, while others are made with beef instead of pork, but all incorporate that touch of sweet and sour, cloves, and cinnamon, along with just a hint of orange and chocolate, an influence from medieval convents. Toasting the whole spices and grinding them just before cooking is a simple step that adds wonderful flavor. Another small step that makes a difference is mincing the onions almost to a pulp, so that they melt into the sauce. Serve with simple white rice and warm flour tortillas.
    4 large guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
    2 ancho or pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
    2 cups hot water
    4 large cloves garlic, peeled
    2 teaspoons kosher salt
    ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
    1 whole clove
    ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
    2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
    1 cup very finely minced white onion
    ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
    1 dried bay leaf
    1-inch piece cinnamon stick or ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 cup water, Caldo de Pollo , or Caldo de Res
    1 teaspoon white vinegar
    1 teaspoon firmly packed piloncillo or brown sugar
    1 teaspoon grated orange zest
    1 tablespoon grated Ibarra Mexican chocolate or semisweet chocolate
    Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chiles and toast on both sides, turning occasionally and pressing down with a spatula, until they soften and blister. Remove from the pan. Place in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot water over them. Soak for 15 minutes, stirring once. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid.
    In a blender, combine the chiles and the reserved soaking liquid, garlic, and salt and puree until perfectly smooth.
    In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the cumin, clove, and peppercorns until fragrant, stirring frequently so they don’t burn. Let cool completely and grind in a spice grinder.
    Place the pork in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker and sprinkle with the ground spices. Add the onion, marjoram, bay leaf, and cinnamon. Pour the chile puree over the meat and add the water. Stir well. Cover and cook on low 6 hours, stirring once or twice, until the meat