There’s something just so refreshing about lime and tequila. They just pack the right pucker and punch for hot days. This summer it’s time to bring a little bit of that excitement into your meals with The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World's Greatest Spirit by Bravo’s Top Chef Alum, Chef Dave Martin.
You'll love learning more about tequila while you cook your way through this curated collection of Mexican favorites. Let this book be the delicious beginning of your own love affair with Mexican food and drink!
You can learn more about the author below my signature line and at https://www.mytequiladiet.com/.
The following is a recipe from The Tequila Diet: Exploring Mexican Food & Drink with the World's Greatest Spirit by Chef Dave Martin
PASTEL AZTECA (TORTILLA CASSEROLE)
Yields 6–8 portions
Ingredients:
● 2–3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (or other prepared Meat & Poultry from the book)
● 1 cup roasted corn, cut off the cob
● 1 cup 4-cheese Mexican cheese blend
● 1 1⁄2 cups queso fresco, crumbled
● neutral oil
● 12 each, 5-inch corn tortillas, homemade or store bought
● 4 cups Red Chile Sauce (or other sauce from Sauces & Soups)
● 1–2 roasted poblano chiles, cut into strips, seeds and stem removed
● queso fresco
● fresh oregano
Method:
Preheat the oven to 350°F, roast and devein poblano peppers like method in Roasted Corn & Poblano Salsa.
In a mixing bowl, add your chicken, corn & cheeses and set aside. In a small sauté pan, heat up some neutral oil and fry the tortillas on both sides until golden brown and crispy like a tostada (see Blue Corn Tortilla recipe).
In a medium sized baking dish, start by placing a layer of sauce then crispy tortillas, a layer of the chicken and cheese mix then more sauce, chicken & cheese mix until you have at least 2 layers. Place your layered casserole into your oven, cover with foil and bake for 15–20 minutes and then remove the foil. Pull dish out of the oven and add your roasted poblano strips, queso and oregano and put back into the oven for another 5–10 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from oven, let rest for a few minutes and serve.
Dave Martin is an American Chef who first made a name for himself on the small screen with an unforgettable appearance on the inaugural season of Bravo's Top Chef. Since the show, he's gone on to have a busy career in restaurant consulting, events, and private chef work. In his down time, he loves to eat, drink and explore – spending as much time as possible traveling and becoming an expert at global cuisine. While Dave loves the cuisine of every country he visits, his love for Mexican food and tequila is beyond compare. Dave is excited to share that love, and a piece of Mexico with everyone through food and drink.