Again, from Sunset Mexican. These sweet potatoes actually call for tequila, but since I had none sitting around, I just left it out, added water, and bumped up the lime a little. I doubt that’s an adequate substitute for tequila, but it turned out great. The only drawback is the vast quantity of butter required, but it helped push the sweet potatoes from ordinary to out of this world.
1 pound sweet potato (or yam)
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
½ tablespoon water
salt and pepper
Peel sweet potatoes; coarsely shred.
In a 12- to 14-inch frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add potatoes and sugar. Cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to caramelize and looks slightly translucent (about 15 minutes). Stir in lime juice and water and continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes about 3-4 servings.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Summer movie rentals I: Vantage Point
Caution: Spoilers
We rented Vantage Point the other day. This is a political thriller in which the same half-hour in an action-filled day is told from different points of view, hence the name, Vantage Point. The plot hinges around a plot to assassinate the president of the United States at an anti-terrorism summit being held in Salamanca, Spain. It’s topical and action-packed and mildly suspenseful.
However, there were some problems, some trivial, some not. Among the trivial: as a fan of all-things Spanish, I can’t for the life of me understand why they would set the movie in Spain, but film it in Mexico. That’s right: all the exterior scenes, including the never-ending chase that occupies the last half hour of the movie, were filmed in Mexico City. They even built a replica of Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor, in Mexico City. If you’re going to take the trouble to run an entire production in Mexico, why not just set it in Mexico? Here’s the thing: the movie gains nothing dramatically from being set in Spain, and therefore would lose nothing dramatically by being set in Mexico.
Quibble 2: the last third of the movie is taken up with a long chase that takes place after the last big reveal. Thus, there are no more surprises and no betrayals, so by the time the chase ends and everything is resolved it all feels anticlimactic. This seriously undermines the film’s central gimmick: that of showing the action from different points of view. This sort of gimmick implicitly promises that the audience will see something new from yet another point of view as part of the film’s resolution; the last reveal, as it were. There is no last reveal, which, in turn, shows the gimmick for what it is: simply a gimmick, and not well thought out, either.
Quibble 3: It seems to me that the whole point of showing different points of view is to examine relative truth; in other words, every change of point of view changes the tone of the film because we are not just seeing what is happening from a new angle, but we are also getting a different interpretation of what we are seeing. The problem with Vantage Point is that this change of tone does not occur. Instead of a new twist on what we are seeing, all that happens is a visual “meanwhile, back at the ranch.”
Quibble 4: I lied when I said there were no reveals at the end, or that nothing new happens. In fact, the happy ending occurs because the main terrorist—who has spent the entire movie showing himself to be a ruthless killer, not shy about blowing up an entire plaza full of innocent people to get what he wants—swerves to miss an innocent child in the street. He swerves, tips over, and the game’s up. Sorry if I’ve ruined it for you. Does this mean that the terrorist is a complicated guy who can’t be judged as bad because he won’t run over a child? Or does it mean that his character is not well thought-out? I think the filmmakers were aiming for the first, but achieved the second.
So: some good performances, especially by Dennis Quaid. A reasonably entertaining chase through the streets of Mex—er—Salamanca. But in the end, for me, anyway, unsatisfying.
We rented Vantage Point the other day. This is a political thriller in which the same half-hour in an action-filled day is told from different points of view, hence the name, Vantage Point. The plot hinges around a plot to assassinate the president of the United States at an anti-terrorism summit being held in Salamanca, Spain. It’s topical and action-packed and mildly suspenseful.
However, there were some problems, some trivial, some not. Among the trivial: as a fan of all-things Spanish, I can’t for the life of me understand why they would set the movie in Spain, but film it in Mexico. That’s right: all the exterior scenes, including the never-ending chase that occupies the last half hour of the movie, were filmed in Mexico City. They even built a replica of Salamanca’s Plaza Mayor, in Mexico City. If you’re going to take the trouble to run an entire production in Mexico, why not just set it in Mexico? Here’s the thing: the movie gains nothing dramatically from being set in Spain, and therefore would lose nothing dramatically by being set in Mexico.
Quibble 2: the last third of the movie is taken up with a long chase that takes place after the last big reveal. Thus, there are no more surprises and no betrayals, so by the time the chase ends and everything is resolved it all feels anticlimactic. This seriously undermines the film’s central gimmick: that of showing the action from different points of view. This sort of gimmick implicitly promises that the audience will see something new from yet another point of view as part of the film’s resolution; the last reveal, as it were. There is no last reveal, which, in turn, shows the gimmick for what it is: simply a gimmick, and not well thought out, either.
Quibble 3: It seems to me that the whole point of showing different points of view is to examine relative truth; in other words, every change of point of view changes the tone of the film because we are not just seeing what is happening from a new angle, but we are also getting a different interpretation of what we are seeing. The problem with Vantage Point is that this change of tone does not occur. Instead of a new twist on what we are seeing, all that happens is a visual “meanwhile, back at the ranch.”
Quibble 4: I lied when I said there were no reveals at the end, or that nothing new happens. In fact, the happy ending occurs because the main terrorist—who has spent the entire movie showing himself to be a ruthless killer, not shy about blowing up an entire plaza full of innocent people to get what he wants—swerves to miss an innocent child in the street. He swerves, tips over, and the game’s up. Sorry if I’ve ruined it for you. Does this mean that the terrorist is a complicated guy who can’t be judged as bad because he won’t run over a child? Or does it mean that his character is not well thought-out? I think the filmmakers were aiming for the first, but achieved the second.
So: some good performances, especially by Dennis Quaid. A reasonably entertaining chase through the streets of Mex—er—Salamanca. But in the end, for me, anyway, unsatisfying.
These kids today
So we were at the park having a picnic with some friends and this little girl, about 6 0r 7 years old comes over to our table and says "where are the kids' drinks?"
"There aren't any" we reply, because besides what Gabe was drinking, there weren't. She gets this wide-eyed look and gives a frustrated grunt, then goes back to her own table. Her parents and their friends continued chatting, oblivious.
Then when we're eating our delicious sausages, she's back. "Can I have a hot dog?" she asks.
"No," I say. She gives us another look of disbelief, as if to say "how dare these adults refuse me what I have so rightfully demanded?"
So, my question is, if you're at the park with your kids, and your kids start pestering another group in a not-cute way, shouldn't you intervene and tell your kids to knock it off? This girl's mom did nothing.
"There aren't any" we reply, because besides what Gabe was drinking, there weren't. She gets this wide-eyed look and gives a frustrated grunt, then goes back to her own table. Her parents and their friends continued chatting, oblivious.
Then when we're eating our delicious sausages, she's back. "Can I have a hot dog?" she asks.
"No," I say. She gives us another look of disbelief, as if to say "how dare these adults refuse me what I have so rightfully demanded?"
So, my question is, if you're at the park with your kids, and your kids start pestering another group in a not-cute way, shouldn't you intervene and tell your kids to knock it off? This girl's mom did nothing.
Friday, July 4, 2008
I want one of these
This product is no doubt a boon to many people, but I have to wonder at the marketing strategy.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Chicken in Pipián Sauce
For the pipián paste:
3 oz. hulled, unsalted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup chicken broth
½ jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
¼ teaspoon each ground cumin, ground pepper, and salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
For the rest:
1 small chicken for roasting (all I could find was a five-pounder)
1 or 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 can (11 oz.) tomatillos, drained
2 large romaine lettuce leaves, torn into pieces
1 recipe pipián paste
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 cup chicken broth
First, make the pipián paste.
Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and toast, stirring once or twice, in a 350 degree oven, until seeds begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. (Note: I used our toaster oven, and it took about half that amount of time). In a blender, combine pumpkin seeds with chicken broth, jalapeño, cumin, pepper, salt, and cilantro. Whirl until smooth; add a little more liquid if necessary. Sauce will be grainy. Set aside.
To make the chicken:
Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, in a 375 degree oven until done, about 1 hour and a half (90 minutes).
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine chiles, onion, garlic, cilantro, tomatillos, and romaine; whirl until smooth.
Heat oil in a 2- to 3-quart pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add chile puree and pipián paste; cook, stirring, until sauce bubbles. Blend in broth and bring to a boil.
Pour sauce into a rimmed serving platter. Cut chicken in quarters and lay over the sauce.
We had this with rice and a sautéed medley of corn, zucchini, and red peppers.
Red Snapper Veracruz
I have declared this the Summer of Mexico (as opposed to last year’s summer of salad). Here’s Red Snapper Veracruz, also adapted from my Sunset Mexico book.
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small green bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of half a lime
¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons diced green chiles
2 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 snapper or rockfish fillets (about 1 pound)
½ tablespoon of capers, rinsed
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until soft (about 7 minutes). Add pepper, cinnamon, lime juice, olives, and chiles; cook for 1 more minute. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. (Note: I added a little water to the mixture. Check the seasoning before adding the sauce to the fish; we found that it needed salt).
Place fillets in a lightly greased baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour sauce over fish and bake in a 350 degree oven until fish is just slightly translucent or wet inside when cut in thickest part (10 to 15 minutes). Stir in capers just before serving. (Note: I don’t like capers, so I left them out).
We had this with white rice. It got the Gabe stamp of approval.
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ small green bell pepper, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of half a lime
¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
2 tablespoons diced green chiles
2 large tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 snapper or rockfish fillets (about 1 pound)
½ tablespoon of capers, rinsed
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add bell pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until soft (about 7 minutes). Add pepper, cinnamon, lime juice, olives, and chiles; cook for 1 more minute. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. (Note: I added a little water to the mixture. Check the seasoning before adding the sauce to the fish; we found that it needed salt).
Place fillets in a lightly greased baking dish just large enough to hold them. Pour sauce over fish and bake in a 350 degree oven until fish is just slightly translucent or wet inside when cut in thickest part (10 to 15 minutes). Stir in capers just before serving. (Note: I don’t like capers, so I left them out).
We had this with white rice. It got the Gabe stamp of approval.
Very tasty chili
As part of my ongoing attempts to find the perfect chili recipe, I tried my hand at Chili Colorado, from my Sunset Mexican Cookbook. The recipe in the book called for 5 pounds of meat, and I only wanted to use about a pound, so I adjusted the ingredients accordingly.
Chili Colorado
1 ounce dried New Mexico chiles
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
½ teaspoon each ground cumin, ground cloves, dry oregano, dry rosemary, and dry tarragon
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes (petite dice)
½ cup (or so) beef broth
Rinse chiles; discard stems and seeds. Break chiles into pieces. Combine chiles and water in a 2 ½ to 3-quart pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chiles are soft, about 30 minutes. (Note: Using different directions on the package of chiles, I pureed the chiles with about half the onion and the garlic, then added boiling water to the blender, and blended until smooth. I set it aside while I prepared the rest of the dish.)
Heat oil in a dutch oven or other large, heavy pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onions are soft (about 10 minutes). Sprinkle meat with flour. Add meat and chile puree to pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. (Note: when I make this again I’ll probably brown the meat first, then add the chile puree).
Add cilantro, cumin, cloves, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, tomatoes and their liquid, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until meat is very tender when pierced (3-4 hours).
Serve with diced onion, diced tomatoes, grated cheese.
We had it cheese and sour cream, which really went nicely. Gabe even liked it. We also had some warmed up corn tortillas.
Chili Colorado
1 ounce dried New Mexico chiles
¾ cup water
2 tablespoons salad oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
½ teaspoon each ground cumin, ground cloves, dry oregano, dry rosemary, and dry tarragon
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes (petite dice)
½ cup (or so) beef broth
Rinse chiles; discard stems and seeds. Break chiles into pieces. Combine chiles and water in a 2 ½ to 3-quart pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chiles are soft, about 30 minutes. (Note: Using different directions on the package of chiles, I pureed the chiles with about half the onion and the garlic, then added boiling water to the blender, and blended until smooth. I set it aside while I prepared the rest of the dish.)
Heat oil in a dutch oven or other large, heavy pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onions are soft (about 10 minutes). Sprinkle meat with flour. Add meat and chile puree to pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. (Note: when I make this again I’ll probably brown the meat first, then add the chile puree).
Add cilantro, cumin, cloves, oregano, rosemary, tarragon, tomatoes and their liquid, and broth. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring often, until meat is very tender when pierced (3-4 hours).
Serve with diced onion, diced tomatoes, grated cheese.
We had it cheese and sour cream, which really went nicely. Gabe even liked it. We also had some warmed up corn tortillas.
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