Chuletas Ahumdas, Semiya Payasam, Veg & Cheese Pie

Chuletas Ahumdas en Salsa Verde
That's Mexican Spanish for Smoked Pork Chops in Green Salsa.  We have a local Carnicera (Mexican butcher shop) that makes the best thin cut smoked pork chops you can imagine!  You can probably find smoked pork chops in your area too, even in a megamart.   If not, you could fry up regular pork chops with a few drops of Liquid Smoketm to get something close in flavor....

The dish is very simple.  Brown the chops in a splash of oil.   

While they're browning, remove the paper outer skins of  2-4 Tomatillos (not green tomatoes), chop them up and a dice a sweet white onion. to make a simple Salsa Verde. 

 If you can't find tomatillos in your regular megamart or Latin specialty store, you can still make this dish using commercial salsa verde

Remove the browned chops and reserve.

To make the salsa verde, start cooking the onion and tomatillos in the pan the chuletas came out of.  No sense in wasting any flavor! 

As the veg starts to break down, add about 1/2 cup of water, some minced garlic, and spices like cumin, pepper flakes,  black pepper, etc.  If you want some heat, add a minced jalapeno or other chili pepper.  Or, you can do like I did -- instead of water, I added about 1/4 cup of commercial salsa verde for its spice content.  I also added the canning liquid my side of Hominy came packed in, and just a splash of water.  

Turn the heat down, put the chops back in the skillet, and simmer/braise until the salsa verde ingredients are broken down and the chops are heated through.

I served mine with one of my favorite veg -- White Hominy -- a special preparation of corn which breaks down the skin of the kernals and makes the result more digestible.  The flavor of hominy is that interesting 'umami back taste' which you have in corn, but not flour, tortillas, especially noticeable when said tortillas are warm/hot.


Semiya Payasam
Sally first tasted this at her friend's parents home in India.  Think "rice pudding"... but instead of rice you have short broken/cut pieces of vermicelli pasta.  You can use Italian wheat Vermicelli, or thin Asian rice noodles (both are popular in various parts of India).  I used wheat Vermicelli because I had some on hand, although Angel Hair pasta is probably closer in thinness to what is used in India.  

1/2 cup 'broken' Vermicelli about 3/4" long
10-12 Cashews, halved
equal amount of shaved Almonds
20+ Raisins
2 cups Whole Milk, divided
6 Tbsp Sugar
1/4 tsp ground Green Cardamon
1/8 tsp Cornstarch

In a tablespoon or so of butter/Oliviotm saute the fruit and nuts until the nuts are golden and the fruit plumped.  Remove and reserve.

Add some more butter and the vermicelli.  Saute, tossing often until they start to turn golden but not brown.

Add half of the milk and all of the sugar.  Cook, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.  To the remaining milk add the corn starch and whisk to combine.  Then add that plus the cardamon to the pan.

Stirring constantly to prevent burning/sticking and bring the almost-pudding to a good boil to activate the cornstarch thickener.  

Reduce heat and keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken.  Add about half of the fruit/nut mix, reserving the rest for topping when served. 

Remove the thickening liquid from the heat -- it will continue to thicken after you transfer it to serving bowls.  Can be eaten warm or chilled -- I prefer warm.  Don't forget the fruit/nut toppings!    Can be kept in the fridge, covered, for  3-4 days.  

Really nice warm.  Not too much of either custard or the vermicelli; just the right texture balance.   Satisfying, slightly sweet, and the flavor of cardamon is just perfect!  

Veg & Cheese Pie
Not Shepherd's, not Cottage, a mixed Vegetable pie.  Not pastry, not mashed, a melted cheese top crust.

I started with a pre-made crust and blind-baked it.

Assorted veg -- I sauteed fresh celery, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and parsnips, then added frozen green peas and corn to fill in the corners.   

Next I made a cup batch of Bisto!tm Crystals gravy and poured that over around and through the filling.  

Then I sprinkled shaved Parmesan and shredded "Mexican Blend" cheese over the top.  Baked the pie at 400F in my airfryer for 30 minutes until the cheese toping was all nice and melted and crusty!  Yummmmm.