MEXICAN MADDNESS

After indulging ourselves in Mexican cuisine - while visiting Monterrey, for only 3 days - to mark the 1 month off Mexican food (coincidentally on Valentine's Day), it was time to celebrate.

I really wanted to make a 'pollo con mole' that's mole chicken. So I asked my friend Lalo for some advice, he said "If you want to make it you can, but just so you know, most people in Mexico use mole from a jar." Normally I don't like to do this, but looking at a recipe I realised that, the jar is the way to go.

If you want to attempt - go for it, and please tell me how you go - here's a great mole recipe to follow, but it's not the easiest! 

Don't get scared, I'm giving you the FULL dinner run down. Sides, salads and all!

Mole Chicken (serves 4)

Ingredients: 
Chicken

• 4 x chicken breasts 
• 4 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs crushed garlic
• 1 tbs Mexican spices
• 1/2 dried habanero chili 
• Juice of one lime  
• 4 tbs mole sauce

Sweet potato chips

• 1 x sweet potato, chopped into chip
• 2 tbs oil 
• Salt and pepper

Salsa

• 1 can of corn
• 3 x tomatoes, diced
• 1/3 cup coriander (cilantro), chopped 
• 2 x shallots, chopped 

Sides

• 2 x zucchinis, shaved 
• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• Lettuce leaves
• Guacamole
• Ricotta Salata, garnish  

Method: 

1. Follow instructions to make mole sauce. 
2. Pre-heat oven to 250C (410F). 
3. Mix the chicken marinade together, pour over chicken breasts - either use a bag to coat the chicken, or dip into a bowl. 
4. Place the chicken on a lined baking tray and put in to oven for 40-50mins (depends on your oven). 
5. Add the cut sweet potato to a plastic bag, add the oil, salt and pepper and shake. 
6. Line the chips on a lined baking tray (you may need two trays).  Cook for roughly 45-50mins. Keep an eye on them. 
7. To make the salsa, combine all ingredients into a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 
8. For the zucchini, shave with a vegetable grater. Only grate until the middle spongy part of the vegetable. 

Assembling: 

1. Place the chicken on a plate. Pour mole over the center of the chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds. 
2. Grate ricotta salata over the black beans.
3. Put the salsa in a bowl. 
4. Season the chips again and put in a bowl.
5. Add the grated zucchini to a large bowl. 
6. Put the lettuce leaves in a bowl. 
7. Serve with Mexican salsas and guacamole.  

NB: I've been trying to stay on the healthy side so no tortilla wraps or chips (hence the lettuce and zucchini), but don't let me stop you! Enjoy it.

SWEETEST-SWEET POTATOES

I've unlocked the key to the perfect sweet potato dish! Mr. S is a HUGE fan of sweet potatoes, not regular potatoes, just sweet. Therefore, I'm always looking for new and exciting ways to cook them. On a Pinterest search I found it! Without much hint of a recipe, it was time to experiment.

So it was going to be just hubby and me for dinner, so it was time to put the picture to the test. I've now tested this a few times, and with a variety of guests, it was a hit, and I promise, not too complicated.

NB: When experimenting with a new/untested recipe, don't attempt to try it before six guests are walking through the front door, it's just less hassle to test it out a week before and then try the big reveal!

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 x large sweet potatoes, washed, with skin on
1/4 cup coconut flakes (you can use shredded if you have that)
1/4 coriander (cilantro), chopped
2 x shallots, chopped
1/4 pomegranate seeds
Salt and Pepper 
Alternative to pomegranate:
1/4 cup hazel nuts (and/or) almonds, roughly chopped
1 tsp maple syrup

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (405F). 
2. Cut bot ends off the potato.
3. Using a regular fork, poke holes in sweet potato (approx 20) around the whole potato.
4. Place the two potatoes on a lined baking tray and place in the oven for 45mins - 1hour (depending on your oven). The best way to tell if they're ready is use a skewer and feel how easy it is to go through - they should be soft but not mushy. 
5. While the potatoes are in the oven combine the coconut, coriander, shallots in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. When the potatoes are ready, cut an oval opening (use the side that was facing down), scrap off any of the sweet potato flesh into a bowl.
7. Using tongs, scoop out most of the sweet potato flesh (from both) into the bowl and mash with a fork. 
8. Gently place the mash back into the two whole-baked potatoes. 
9. Sprinkle over the coriander mix and pomegranate seeds. 

Alternative to pomegranates:

1. In a bowl mix nuts with the maple syrup. 
2. Spread the mix on a lined baking tray, and cook in the oven for 5 mins. 
3. Keep an eye on the nuts so they don't burn. 
4. Once cooled, add to the coriander mix.

Complete meal suggestion (comment below if you would like the recipe to any of these):
Grilled chicken breast
Green salad with feta cheese
Oven roasted Brusselsprouts