Corn Tortillas

To soften the tortillas for recipes such as enchiladas, immerse the tortillas in about an inch of hot canola oil heated until a drop of water sputters instantly. Cook them just until they become pliable, then drain them on absorbent towels. In addition to making the tortillas supple enough so they can be rolled without cracking, the oil coating prevents the enchiladas from becoming soggy when the sauce is added.To sauce the tortillas, either dip them in the prepared sauce or spoon some on both sides.To make rolled or folded enchiladas, place a portion of the filling about 1 inch to either side of the tortilla`s center and wrap it into a loose cylinder. A common mistake is to use too much filling and to wrap the enchiladas too tightly.For final preparation of enchiladas, cover them with 1/2 cup or more of the desired sauce. Add optional items such as minced onion and sour cream. Sprinkle the enchiladas with grated cheese. To heat the enchiladas, place them in a 350?F oven and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.To make the best chips, fry corn tortillas that are at least 1 day old.

Enchiladas
EnchiladasSee instructions under "."

Coconut
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Croutons
CroutonsPut several garlic cloves in canola oil or olive oil to steep for about 8 hours. When the oil is deeply flavored with garlic, slice and toast small French rolls and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325?F until croutons are crisp and golden on both sides. When the croutons are co

Cumin (comino)
Cumin (Comino)Buy cumin seeds, not the ground cumin. Warm the seeds briefly in a dry skillet and grind them as needed.To roast cumin seeds, heat a small heavy skillet over a medium high flame and then add the amount of cumin seed called for. Stir it gently, and when it begins to p

Anise water
Anise WaterTo make anise water, put 1 tablespoon aniseed in 1/2 cup water and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Let steep for 10 minutes, then strain off seeds.

Dried chiles
Dried ChilesTo bring out their natural oils, toast them over an asador or in a dry skillet just long enough to release their fragrance.

Epazote
EpazoteAn herb that grows wild, it should always be cooked, at least minimally, to release its flavor. The tender inner leaves are preferable. Cook with all types of beans to reduce their gaseous qualities. Very good in stews, soups, green pipi?ns and moles.

Flour tortilla shells
Flour Tortilla ShellsIn a deep 4 quart pan, heat 1 1/2 inches canola oil to 375 degrees F. Float 1 tortilla on top of the oil. With the bowl of a metal ladle, press down on the center of the tortilla until it touches the bottom of the pan and oil bubbles up around the tortilla. Hold tort

Flour tortillas
Flour TortillasFlour tortillas are best stored in the freezer until needed. To soften tortillas, warm them on a hot ungreased skillet or griddle for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. They can be warmed at 150 degrees F in the oven for 15 minutes. They can also be wrapped in plastic wrap and

Garlic vinegar
Garlic VinegaruGarlic Vinegar/uTo make, put 4 to 6 minced garlic cloves in 1 quart of cider vinegar. Let stand, covered for 20 days. Strain, then bottle.uStoring Garlic in Oil/uIt is a practice with some of us who want garlic immediately handy for cooking, to

Herba santa
Herba SantaIt contains flavors of licorice and sassafras. Should be added during the last few moments of cooking. Good in green and yellow moles. If it cannot be found, try substituting equal parts fresh basil and tarragon, about half as much by volume than the epazote called for.

Jicama
JicamaSelect medium size jicama that are smooth, hard and free of spots.To prepare, pare away the brown fibrous skin, then slice into sticks. Jicama may be eaten raw or cooked. It is especially good sprinkled with lime juice and chili powder.Store jicama in a plastic bag in

Lemon extract
Lemon ExtractThinly peel 1 lemon with a vegetable peeler. Be sure you do not include any of the white part. Dice the peel and combine with 1/4 cup water and 1/2 cup vodka. Pour Lemon Extract into a clean glass jar and set aside to steep for at least 3 days. Store it anywhere, and it will

Avocados
AvocadosAvocados ripen best off the tree, so if you can wait to use them, buy the rock hard ones. The best are the purplish black, bumpy skinned Haas avocados. They have a rich, buttery flesh. The smoother, green skinned California and Florida avocados are too watery, too sweet, and tast
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Machaca
MachacaUse leftover Machaca to make tacos and flautas.

Mango
Mangoes (Selecting and Preparing)Reprinted with permission from Mango from Puerto Rico and The Mango Association Mangoes vary in color. This means that color is not an indicator of ripeness. Use these simple steps to select your mango.1. A mango is mostly green with a sligh