Bread of the Dead: A Santa Fe Cafe Mystery (28 page)

 

Fluffy and Flavorful Spanish Rice

Approximately 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 c long-­grained rice, such as Jasmine rice

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes drained (reserve liquid for other uses)

1 c broth (low-­sodium chicken or vegetable) or water

½ large onion, diced

2 New Mexican roasted green chiles, deseeded and diced, or 2-­3 T canned green chiles or diced bell pepper

2 T olive oil or any flavorless oil

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 t salt

DIRECTIONS

Spanish rice can sometimes become gummy. In this recipe, rinsing, sautéing, and baking the rice in a pilaf style produces a wonderfully fluffy and flavorful dish.

Preheat your oven to 350˚ F. Set out a 9 x 9-­inch casserole dish.

Prepare vegetables and drain the canned tomatoes, reserving liquid for flavoring other dishes such as pinto beans.

Place rice in a fine-­mesh colander and rinse and drain thoroughly. Add the oil to a large skillet or heavy-­bottomed saucepan and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the rice, being careful to avoid splatters. Stir the rice over medium heat until it turns translucent and golden, about 7-­10 minutes.

When the rice is golden, add onions and garlic. Sauté for a minute or two. Then add the drained tomatoes, diced peppers, broth, and salt. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.

Transfer the rice mixture to the casserole dish and cover tightly with tin foil.

Bake for 15 minutes. Stir. Recover and bake another 20 minutes. Remove from oven and fluff the rice again. Check for tenderness. If the rice needs more time, cover tightly and return to the oven, testing after another 5 or 10 minutes.

 

Flori's Award-­Winning Pan de Muerto

Makes two loaves

Don't be intimidated by yeast bread. The heavenly scent alone is worth the effort and the taste of fresh-­baked bread is even better. And, although this recipe takes some time, most of it is spent waiting for the yeast to work its magic. Start in the morning, and you can enjoy warm bread with hot chocolate for afternoon tea.

INGREDIENTS

4-­5 c all-­purpose flour, plus more for dusting the work surface

8 T unsalted butter

4 large eggs

1 egg yolk beaten with 2 teaspoons water (for the glaze)

½ c granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling

½ c whole milk

½ c warm water

½ oz. (2 packets) active dry yeast

1 T orange zest (from about 1 large orange, preferably organic)

1 t anise seed

½ t fine salt

DIREC
TIONS

In a small bowl, add the yeast to ½ cup of warm water (about 90˚ F). Add a pinch of sugar for the yeast to munch on and then whisk gently. Soon, the yeast should start to bubble and froth. If nothing happens after about 15 minutes, your yeast might be dead. In that case, start over with a new batch of yeast.

While the yeast proofs, warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan just until the butter melts. Do not boil. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Add the orange zest and anise seed and let the milk mixture cool to about 90˚ F or cooler.

When the milk has cooled, stir in the yeast mixture, sugar, and eggs. Next, add the salt and then the flour a cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Add flour until the dough starts to come away from the side of the bowl. Sprinkle some flour on a clean, dry countertop, scoop out the dough, and knead, adding small amounts of flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the counter. The amount of flour you use will depend on the humidity and other factors, so go by feel instead of exact quantities. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Knead for about 10 minutes, producing a supple and elastic dough.

Clean the mixing bowl and butter it. Place the dough in the bowl, turning so that all sides get buttered. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm, draft-­free place until doubled in size. Doubling should take about an hour. A good place for warm, draft-­free rising is your microwave. Heat a mug of water, push it to one side of the microwave, and add the bowl of dough. Just be careful not to turn on the microwave while the dough is inside.

When the dough has doubled, gently deflate it and shape into a ball. Divide the dough ball into equal halves. Unless you have lots of oven space, cover one half and reserve it for baking later. From the other half, cut three small (about 1 oz.) balls to form the “cross bones” and a “skull.” Form the larger piece into a round. For the bones, roll the dough into a dog-­bone shape—­skinny in the middle and larger at the ends. For the skull, make a simple round shape. Place the large round on a parchment-­paper-­lined cookie sheet. Arrange the bones in an X shape across the large round. Press down on the edges and ends. Place the skull in the center of the X, pressing down firmly. It's okay to flatten the skull because it will puff up when rising.

Cover the dough lightly with buttered plastic wrap and let it rise again until nearly doubled in size, about an hour. When the dough is nearly doubled, prepare your oven. Place a rack in the middle of the oven, with several inches of space above for the dough to rise. Heat the oven to 350˚ F.

Mix together the egg yolk and water. Gently brush this egg wash over the bread; keep the remaining egg wash. Place the sheet with the bread on the center rack and bake for 20 minutes. Then remove the bread from the oven and brush it again with the egg wash. Sprinkle sugar over the egg-­washed bread and return it to the oven. Bake 20 minutes more or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

Important: resist the urge to eat the bread immediately! Let the bread cool on a wire rack for at least half an hour. Serve with butter and a cup of spiced hot chocolate. Repeat with the second loaf, which you can form and let rise while the first loaf is baking. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the second half of the dough for a few days or freeze it for several months. In that case, seal the dough in a gallon-­sized Ziploc bag. Let refrigerated or frozen dough come to room temperature and then proceed with the shaping, proofing, and baking steps.

Note:
if you don't like the licorice flavor of anise, you can leave out the anise seed and enjoy a buttery orange bread. You could also substitute a teaspoon of cinnamon for the anise.

 

Victor's New Mexican Hot Chocolate

Makes two big mugs or four 8 oz. servings

INGREDIEN
TS

¾-­1 c semisweet chocolate chips

2 c milk (any kind, although whole milk will make a richer drink)

1 t vanilla extract

½ t ground cinnamon

Pinch of powdered cayenne or hot New Mexico red chile powder (optional)

Pinch of allspice

Pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients except vanilla in a pan and warm gently, whisking, until the chocolate chips melt. Do not boil. Remove the pan from the heat. Add vanilla and whisk vigorously. Serve topped with marshmallows, whipped cream, and/or chocolate shavings, if desired. Have fun experimenting with pinches of other spices too, like cardamom, nutmeg, or cloves.

 

Chile Sources

Many of the recipes call for New Mexican chiles or chile powder. If you can't find any locally, consider ordering by mail. Stores and farms throughout New Mexico ship chiles fresh, frozen, powdered, and jarred. Here are just a few places to get you started:

The Santa Fe School of Cooking
offers cooking classes and recipes and has an extensive online market: http://santafeschoolofcooking.com/

El Potrero Trading Post
is a family-­run shop located in Chimayo, a tiny village that's world-­famous for its sacred chapel and its heirloom chiles. The Trading Post website provides products and prices, as well as a phone number for placing an order: http://www.potrerotradingpost.com/

The Hatch Chile Store
ships New Mexico's most well-­known chiles in fresh, flame-­roasted, and powdered form: http://www.hatch-­green-­chile.com/

 

About the Author

ANN MYERS, her husband, and extra-large housecat live in Colorado but, like Rita, feel most at home in Santa Fe. Follow Ann's writing, cooking, and Southwest adventures at

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