Hot Mexican Volcanoes Recipes

MASHED POTATO VOLCANOES WITH HOT LAVA

Steps:

• Put the diced potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water.
• Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
• When the potatoes are done, drain them and transfer to a mixing bowl.
• Add the margarine and 1/2 cup milk and stir.
• Mash the potatoes well with a potato masher, then add a little salt if desired.
• In the meantime, make the "lava."
• Heat the 1 cup milk in a small saucepan.
• Dissolve the flour in just enough water to make it smooth and flowing.
• When the milk is hot, stir the dissolved flour slowly into the saucepan.
• Sprinkle in the cheese and stir until it melts.
• Simmer the mixture gently until smooth and thick.
• Stir the ketchup into the sauce, but leave some red streaks showing, so that it looks "fiery."
• Divide the mashed potatoes among 4 serving plates.
• Have everyone shape them into mountains, then press the tops down lightly to flatten, and finally make a small indentation at the very top with their thumb.
• Then, have the children arrange some of the broccoli florets around the base of the volcano.
• Let each child pour some of the "lava" into the indentation at the top of each "volcano" with a small ladle.
• It should flow down the sides.
• It's fine if it drips over the "greenery" too.
• Eat at once, before the lava solidifies into magma!

PORK VOLCáNES AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Place pork shoulder on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, until almost completely frozen, about 2 hours. Using a very sharp knife, thinly slice pork (shoot for about ⅛" thick). Transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, bring guajillo and morita chiles and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit 30 minutes to allow chiles to soften.
• Transfer chiles and soaking liquid to a blender. Add garlic, orange juice, lime juice, achiote paste, and salt; purée until smooth. Pour over pork and toss to coat. Cover and let sit at room temperature 2 hours, or chill up to 6 hours.
• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°F. Evenly space out tortillas on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and very crisp (edges will curl and pucker), 35-45 minutes.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over high until smoking. Spread about one-fourth of pork across skillet in a single layer; cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter and wipe out skillet. Working in 3 batches, repeat process with remaining pork and 3 Tbsp. oil.
• Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Divide pork among tostadas and top with quesillo; bake until cheese is melted, 8-10 minutes. Top with onion and cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

BEEF AND CHEESE VOLCANO

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a heavy skillet, heat oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch until the oil shimmers. Fry the tortillas, 1 at a time, until crisp and light brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. (The tostadas can be fried up to 2 days ahead. Cool, then store in a cupboard in a sealed plastic bag.) 2. Prepare the salsa and guacamole, if using homemade. Then, pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the tortilla-frying oil in the skillet, and heat until hot. Fry the steaks about 4 minutes per side or until browned on the outside and still pink and juicy inside, for medium-rare, or adjust time for desired doneness. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and a bit of pepper. Remove to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. 3. In the same skillet, cook the onion, stirring, until limp but not soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining salt. Reserve in the pan. Cut the steaks into bite size pieces. Toss with the onion. 4. Place the crisp tortillas on a large baking sheet. Mound the steak and onion equally in the center of each tortilla, and put 1/4 of the cheese on top of each mound. Put in preheated oven until the cheese is melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a large wide spatula, transfer each tostada to the center of each of 4 large serving plates. Surround the tostadas with a few snipped sprigs of cilantro or parsley. Put a tiny bit of red salsa on the top of each tostada. Serve at once, accompanied by condiment bowls of salsa and guacamole to be added at the table.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

HOT MEXICAN VOLCANOES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine condensed milk and chocolate and cook over low heat until chocolate melts. Transfer to a bowl. Refrigerate about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line 15 muffin pan cups with foil-and-paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, instant coffee, cinnamon, and either chili powder or cayenne.
• Using an electric mixer on low speed, beat in water and whole egg. Increase speed to medium and beat about 2 minutes more.
• To make meringue, clean beaters thoroughly, then beat egg whites until foamy in a clean, nonreactive (glass or ceramic) bowl.
• Gradually beat in sugar until stiff and glossy.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
• Remove chocolate mixture from refrigerator and wrap about 1 teaspoo of the mixture around each macadamia nut, shaping it into a ball. Set aside.
• Fill muffin cups 2/3 full of cake batter. Spoon 1 heaping TB of meringue on top, making sure meringue extends all the way to paper liners and no batter is exposed. Place a chocolate ball in exact center of meringue; do not push inches.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the side of a cupcake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• Cool in pans on rack, then carefully loosen meringue with tip of sharp knife and remove cakes from pans. Place on wire racks set over wax paper and cool completely.
• In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, cocoa, vanilla and enough milk to make a glaze of drizzling consistency. Spoon glaze on top of meringue, letting it drip down sides, and serve.