What does the American Dream look like? How does a family build a legacy? Is there a way to fulfill the desires God put in your heart? Bricia Lopez can speak to all of this as a chef, author and entrepreneur who is bringing a taste of Mexico to mainstream food culture. In this episode, I'm chatting with Bricia about:
· Her family and their American Dream
· Growing up in Mexico and immigrating to the U.S.
· Helping to establish a family business and building a legacy
· Bringing Mexican culture into the U.S. and attaining mainstream accolade
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month on the podcast, I'm exploring the concept and realities of the American Dream with Bricia. During our conversation, Bricia shares the story of her family and how they established a successful Oaxacan restaurant in Los Angeles. She speaks openly about the challenges they faced along the way as well as the huge success they've attained for their authenticity. Something that's special about Bricia's perspective is that she continues to build her family's legacy alongside her siblings. My heart and my hope is that as you listen, you'll learn about a new culture and that you'd give yourself permission to dream. Ideating is a free gift given to us and if God's put a desire in your heart, chances are you're the person to see it through to completion. Below you'll find one of Bricia's favorite recipes, so I'd love for you to recreate it and discover a tasty new Mexican dish. You can tag us @
biancaolthoff and @
bricialopez, we'd love to see what food and dreams you cook up after this episode.
Love you,
B
RESOURCES/LINKS
Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
Salsa Borracha Recipe
Ingredients
· 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
· 6 morita chiles (you may substitute with ¼ ounce chipotle chiles), destemmed
· 2 cloves garlic, peeled
· 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
· 2 tablespoons mezcal
· 2 bay leaves
· Sea salt
Instructions
· Preheat your oven's broiler to its highest setting
· Place the tomatillos on a baking sheet with a rim, on your broiler's highest rack, and broil for 20 minutes, mixing them around at the 10-minute mark to make sure all of the tomatillos are cooking evenly. The tomatillos should be lightly charred and change color to a light yellow. Set aside.
· Meanwhile, in a comal or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, toast the dried chiles and garlic until slightly charred and fragrant. This should take about 30 seconds for the chiles and about 5 minutes for the garlic.
· Bring about a cup of water to a boil. Pour the boiling water into a bowl, add the toasted chiles, let them sit for about 20 minutes or until they are soft and tender. Drain and set aside.
· In a blender, combine the reserved tomatillos, chiles, and garlic with the apple cider vinegar, mezcal, 2 tablespoons of water, and the bay leaves. Blend until smooth. Taste for salt and serve.
· This salsa will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a week.
Pollo Enchipotlado or Chicken in a Creamy Chipotle Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
· 1 (2 pound) whole chicken, butchered into 8 pieces
· Sea salt
· Black peppercorns, freshly ground
· 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
· 5 ¼ cups chopped tomatoes
· ½ small white onion, chopped
· 4 cloves garlic, peeled
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 tablespoon butter
· 3 whole chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (add an extra tablespoon of sauce for a spicier dish)
· 3 bay leaves
· Mexican crema, for garnish
Preparation
· Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and the Dijon mustard. Let sit for 10 minutes.
· Cook the tomatoes in a pot over medium-high heat with just enough water to cover them, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
· Preheat your oven's broiler to its highest setting. Place the chopped onion on a baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes on your oven's highest rack, until lightly charred. Add the garlic to the pan and broil for another 5 minutes. Set aside.
· Heat the oil and butter in a very large, deep skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. When the fat starts to smoke, drop the seasoned chicken into the pan and brown it on each side for about 5 minutes.
· Meanwhile, in a blender, mix the charred garlic and onion, the cooked tomatoes, and the chipotle chiles and adobo sauce until finely pureed. Pass through a double-fine-mesh strainer for a velvety texture.
· Add the chipotle mixture to the skillet along with the bay leaves and mix well with the chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 10 minutes. Once the sauce starts to change color and the texture resembles heavy cream, it is ready.
· Drizzle with Mexican crema.
Music by: Brad Tsushima, Instagram: @bradtsushima, email: bradtsushima94@aol.com, Spotify: "R.A.D."
