Pink Cooking Party with Chef Johnny Hernandez

Baptist Health System teamed up with Chef Johnny Hernandez, world-renowned chef and owner of La Gloria, to bring you a pink-themed cooking class for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Joining us is Registered Dietician, Marien Apellaniz Muzquiz, to provide some healthy tips and tricks to incorporate while cooking up this amazing food!

MOLE SAUCE

Recipe courtesy of Chef Johnny Hernández, La Gloria

YIELD: 1 Quart

INGREDIENTS:

1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 Large Orange Bell Pepper, diced
1 Large Roasted red beets, peel & diced
1/2 Onion, medium dice
6 Tomatillos, washed, keep whole
6 Garlic cloves, whole
1/2 cup Pineapple, large dice
2 Habanero, chile fresh
4 Large Dates, pitted
2 oz Pistachio, lightly toasted
2 tbsp Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
1 tbsp Sesame seed, lightly toasted
3 oz Agave Nectar
1 Root beer plant leaf – to garnish
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Sauteing Vegetables
2. In a large sauce pan at medium heat add vegetable oil, followed by bell peppers, onions, tomatillo, garlic, pineapple, and habanero chile. Sauté these at medium heat, while stirring regularly until golden brown, cover with lid between stirring. After tomatillos are fully cooked allow to cool and reserve to blend
3. Toasting nuts and seeds: place nuts and sesame seeds on a small sheet pan and lightly toast at 325-degree oven
4. Blending and season mole: combine cooked vegetables and Nuts together in a Vitamix, blend to a smooth purée, may need to add very little water, but just enough to puree
5. Run through a fine mesh sieve, may need to push thru with a rubber spatula
6. Season with Agave nectar and Salt

MAKING YOUR QUESADILLAS:

INGREDIENTS:

2oz Masa ball, pressed thin
1Tbsp Mushroom Mixture
1oz Oaxaca Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Shallow fry Quesadilla in vegetable oil, 3min on each side.

Serve with your favorite salsa, crema or guacamole

MUSHROOM FILLING FOR QUESADILLAS

Recipe courtesy of Chef Johnny Hernández, La Gloria

YIELD: 6 ea.

INGREDIENTS:

1oz - Olive Oil
1/2lb - Shitake Mushrooms, remove stems, slice
1oz - Garlic, minced
1 ea. - Hoja Santa, chiffonade
1 oz - White Wine
1/2 - tbsp Salt and Pepper
5 oz - Oaxaca Cheese, shredded
Prepared Corn Masa, Maseca

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a frying pan, heat up olive oil and sauté mushrooms on medium heat until fully cooked
2. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. 3 minutes.
3. Deglaze pan with white wine and cook until evaporated.
4. Take pan off the heat and stir in the hoja santa.
5. Adjust seasoning and cool

MACHACA DE PINA

Recipe courtesy of Chef Johnny Hernández, La Gloria

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup of dry Jamaica flowers (steep overnight)
4 cups of sweet pineapple chunks
2 Limes, juice only
4oz Sugar or sweeten to taste
Mint to garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take dry jamaica flowers and place into a small glass bowl and add 4 cups of water, heat I microwave till water is steaming hot and allow to steep on the counter for 2 hours.
2. Next strain the Jamaica water to remove flowers, reserve
3. Next place chunks of pineapple and sugar in a shallow bowl and muddle till completely crushed, if you don’t have a muddler, you can use a small whisk
4. Combine crushed pineapple, Jamaica and lime in a large pitcher top off with ice and water, adjust sweetness to taste
5. Serve and garnish with mint.