(Family Features) Many families constantly search for meal inspiration, and one of the best ways is to look toward trendy tastes for new options to add to the menu.
One of the country’s top Hispanic food brands, Cacique, tapped culinary experts and chefs Aarón Sánchez, Bricia Lopez and Santiago Gomez to curate the third annual “What’s Next in Mexican Cuisine” trends forecast uncovering popular flavors, techniques and dishes to expect in the coming year.
“One way we can all honor the impact of Latin culture in America is through food,” Sánchez said. “One easy step you can take to connect with a culture is by using authentic ingredients, like in this Chorizo Ragu with Cheesy Toast, which uses three staple Mexican ingredients – queso fresco, crema Mexicana and chorizo. It’s inspired by my prediction that Mexican comfort foods and deep, rich sauces made from scratch will rise in popularity.”
To find trend-inspired recipes, visit caciqueinc.com.
Chorizo Ragu with Cheesy Toast
Recipe courtesy of chef Aarón Sánchez
3 bolillo-style rolls or 1 long baguette
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 cloves garlic, divided
8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 pounds ground beef
1 package (9 ounces) Cacique Pork Chorizo
1 can (28 ounces) crushed or pureed tomatoes
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
9 tablespoons Cacique Crema Mexicana, plus additional for serving
1 1/2 cups crumbled Cacique Ranchero Queso Fresco
Preheat oven to 400 F. Halve bread lengthwise.
In heavy-bottomed pot, warm olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and salt then cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to soften, 3-4 minutes. Mince 2 garlic cloves and add to pot with mushrooms; cook about 3 minutes.
Use spoon to push vegetables to edges of pan then add tomato paste, oregano and cumin to center of pan; saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
Increase heat to high and add beef and pork chorizo. Break meat up with spoon but don’t over-stir. When beef is no longer pink, pour in tomatoes and bring to simmer. Decrease heat to medium-high and let simmer, stirring occasionally.
While ragu simmers, use fork to mash or whip butter with crema until smooth. Mince or finely grate remaining garlic cloves then stir into crema mixture.
Spread crema mixture evenly over bread, trying to cover as much area as possible. Sprinkle crumbled queso fresco all over and place bread on rimmed baking sheet, cheese side up. Toast 4-5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling. Finish under broiler 30-60 seconds for deeper browning, if desired. Cut bread into individual portions.
After about 20 minutes of simmering, ragu should thicken and flavors meld. Swirl in additional crema then serve ragu in bowls with cheesy toast or ladle over pieces of toast.
Source: Cacique
