Sweet pepper molcajete

A steaming molcajete filled with shrimp, cheese and chorizo titillates the taste buds!

Early in the season Chris and I were invited out to dinner with friends and I had my first steaming molcajete; impressive to view and divine on the taste buds! I was inspired to create my own version. I first created one mimicking the delectable delight I had when we were out; twice in fact and I must say yummmmmy! A molcajete is:

Borrowed from http://www.mexgrocer.com

This is the exact molcajete that had me wanting more!

Well, Chris wasn’t wild about walking ONE of these HOT out of the oven, heavy containers, up 3 flights of stairs where we serve our guests our weekly ‘chef’s table’ dinner…  and forget about 4 -18 of them! So I got to thinking; the one I was served had peppers IN it, why not serve it IN a pepper. Every experiment proved appreciated by guests but I must say the last one was the one that I liked best in both looks and flavour (although my photos don’t do it justice.)

If you have a small group, I prefer this style of ‘container’ as it is small and simply looks pretty. Find a pepper with a flat bottom, that will stand up when filled and cut to desired height. For a large group, I use 1/2 a pepper laid on its side, one per person.

In researching, there are a zillion ways to make this and some include everything but the kitchen sink. I chose to make mine using:

• 3 cheeses
• salsa verde
• chorizo
• shrimp

My earliest version I;

1. Filled the bottom of the pepper with cream cheese;
2. Spread Mexican chorizo over that.
3. Poured salsa verde over.
4. Topping it all off with asadero cheese and then baked.

Asadero has become one of my favourite cheeses!!

Everyone loved it, yay!

I’m working on creating a perfect Chile Verde recipe but haven’t mastered it yet. So I buy it. I have two sources; sadly unless you visit you can’t get the first but Katia’s mom makes a fabulous one. If you’re not here and if you can buy in your area, my fave store-bought brand is Herdez.

The version I’ve decided to use from now on;

1. Filled the bottom of the pepper with cream cheese;
2. Pour salsa verde over.
3. Top it off with a combination of;
   1. asadero cheese
   2. manchego, Chihuahua, Oaxaca or your fave Mexican cheese. Read about Mexican cheese here.
4. Add your favorite extra to the top. Unless guests have allergies I add shrimp and Spanish Chorizo. I like to marinate the shrimp in chimichurri that a friend makes.
5. Bake until bubbly…
6. For smaller groups its fun to add a drop of tequila and light a flame.
7. If you do make it in a true molcajete; serve with tortilla chips or chicharrones. My version… use a knife and fork.

Enjoy!!