Here are some of the some of recipes for the dishes Chef Miguel prepares for the guest staying at the villas.

1. PICO DE GALLO

2. GUACAMOLE

3. FLAUTAS WITH CHICKEN

4. MEXICAN RED RICE

5. MAYAN COCHINITA w/ MARINATED RED ONIONS (PORK BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES)

6. ENCHILADAS w/ GREEN SAUCE

7. FISH VERACRUZ STYLE

8. CHILES STUFFED WITH CHEESE (CHILES RELLENOS DE QUESO)

9. FLAN

10. RICE PUDDING WITH RAISINS AND CINNAMON (ARROZ CON LECHE)

Are interested in an Evening Mayan Cooking Class in your villa or an 3 or 4 day Mayan, Caribbean, and Mexican Cooking Class Vacation see Chef Miguel's Cooking Class webpage www.CancunChef.com.

PICO DE GALLO

3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ cup chopped onion
4-6 Serrano Chilies, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
 

Combine all the ingredients in a sauce dish. Stir well add the seasonings to taste. This salsa is best if made 1 hour in advance so the flavors will blend.

GUACAMOLE  

2 Large avocados
1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 or 2 Chiles Serrano, sliced
1 Large tomato, peeled and chopped
2 Sprigs cilantro, chopped
Lime juice
Salt and Pepper

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits and scoop out the flesh. Mash with a fork. In a bowl, combine the avocado, onion, chilies, tomato and cilantro and mix thoroughly. Add a few drops of lime juice and salt to taste. Serve immediately. 

FLAUTAS WITH CHICKEN

1 lb. Boneless cubed chicken
1 Clove garlic, peeled
Salt and Pepper
4 Cups water
20 Corn tortillas
Oil for frying

Place the Chicken, ½ teaspoon pepper, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan, add the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so that the mixtures simmers, cook covered for 35 minutes or until the chicken is tender. Let cool, then shred the meat.
Place a large spoonful of the chicken in the center of each tortilla, roll up and secure with 2 toothpicks. Heat ½ in oil in a skillet, add the taquitos and fry until they are golden brown. Remove the toothpicks and serve the flautas as a snack, accompanied by guacamole.

MEXICAN RED RICE

2 Cups long-grain white rice
3 Tomatoes
¼  Cup oil
1/3  Onion, chopped
4 Whole cloves garlic
5 Cups chicken stock or water
1 Small spring parsley
2 Whole chilies Serrano (optional)
½ Cup chopped carrot
¼ Cup shelled green peas

Soak the rice for 5 minutes in warm water, rinse well and drain. Meanwhile, puree the tomatoes in a blender and strain. Heat the oil in a skillet; add the onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the rice and sauté, stirring, until translucent and the grains separate. Pour off excess oil. Add the pureed tomatoes to the skillet with the rice. Cook for 4 minutes and add the stock, parsley, chilies, carrot and peas. When the mixture comes to a boil, cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. 

MAYAN COCHINITA w/ MARINATED RED ONIONS
(PORK BAKED IN BANANA LEAVES)

MARINATED RED ONIONS
3 red onions, thinly sliced
1 ¼ cups fresh orange juice
¾ cup fresh lime juice
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
PORK
2 3.5-ounce packages achiote paste
¾ cup fresh orange juice
¼  cup fresh lime juice
8 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 Tablespoon salt
½ Teaspoon ground black pepper
3-pound boneless pork butt, trimmed
4-foot-long piece fresh banana leaf  (cut from 1 large leaf)

FOR ONIONS: Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring occasionally.

FOR PORK: Salt and pepper meat. Rub Achiote Paste on Pork.

Refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Lay banana leaf lengthwise in deep baking dish. Place Pork butt in middle of banana leaf top with garlic and fold banana leaf to cover pork. Mix orange and lime juice pour over pork. Cover dish with foil. Roast pork 2 1/2 hours; baste with juices, cook until pork is very tender. Remove foil. Pull back leaf, shred pork. Serve pork with tortillas and onions.

ENCHILADAS w/ GREEN SAUCE

1 Whole chicken breast
6 Cups water
5 Cloves garlic
1 Small onion (½ cut in half &  ½ thinly sliced)
Salt
1 Carrot, cut into large pieces
2-4 Chiles serranos
2 lb. Tomates verdes, husks removed
½ Cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon oil
12 Corn tortillas
Oil for frying
½ Cup thick cream (crème fraiche) (optional)
½  Cup crumbled queso fresco or grated Cheddar cheese (optional)

Place the chicken, water, 3 gloves garlic, ¼ onion, salt to taste and carrot in a large saucepan, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and shred the chicken, reserving the stock.

Add 2 cloves garlic and the chilies to a saucepan of boiling water. After 5 minutes, add the tomates verdes and cook another 7 minutes. Drain. In a blender, puree the tomates verdes with the garlic, chilies and another onion quarter. Add the cilantro and process briefly so that the cilantro is not ground too fine. Add 1 cup of the reserved chicken stock.

Heat the oil in a small skillet and sauté the pureed tomates verdes in it. Add 1 teaspoon salt and correct the seasonings. Lower the heat and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, add another ½ cup stock.

Heat ½ in oil in a skillet and fry the tortillas in it until they just begin to soften, 10 seconds on each side. Immerse each tortilla in the warm sauce, then transfer to a plate. Place some chicken in the center of each tortilla, roll up and arrange on a platter. Spoon the warm sauce over the enchiladas, garnish with the sliced onion and add cream and queso fresco if you wish.

Variation: The enchiladas can be placed in an ovenproof dish, covered with sauce, wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a preheated oven (375 F / 190 C) for 10  minutes. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and return to the oven until the Cheese browns slightly.

FISH VERACRUZ STYLE

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice, well drained, reserved juices
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped white onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 small bay leaves
1 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
¼ cup chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons drained capers

Place drained tomatoes in medium bowl. Using potato masher, crush tomatoes to coarse puree. Drain again, reserving juices.  Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and stir 30 seconds. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add tomato puree and cook 1 minute. Add bay leaves, parsley, oregano, and ¼ cup reserved tomato juices. Simmer until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Add olives, capers, and all remaining reserved tomato juices. Simmer until sauce thickens again, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 425 F. Spread 3 tablespoons sauce in bottom of 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange fish atop sauce. Sprinkle fish lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon remaining sauce over. Bake uncovered until fish is just opaque in center, about 18 minutes. Using long spatula, transfer fish with sauce to plates.

CHILES STUFFED WITH CHEESE
(CHILES RELLENOS DE QUESO)

5 Chilies Poblano
1 Teaspoon salt
2  Teaspoons white vinegar
3 Large ripe tomatoes
¼ Small onion
1 Clove garlic
1 Tablespoon oil
2 Bay leaves
½  Teaspoon pepper
3  Cups grated queso Chihuahua  (or Monterrey Jack or medium-sharp Cheddar cheese)
3 Eggs, separated
½ Cup all-purpose flour
Oil for frying

Roast and peel the chilies. Make a lengthwise slit in each one, being careful not to break it, and remove the seeds and membranes. Soak the chilies in water to cover with 1 tablespoon salt and the vinegar for 20 minutes. Rinse, drain and set aside.

In a blender, puree the tomatoes, onion and garlic, then strain. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet, add the tomato puree and bring to a boil. Lower the heat; add 1 teaspoon salt, the bay leaves and pepper and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. If the sauce is too thick, thin with up to ¾ cup of water. Set aside.

FLAN

1 ¼ Cups sugar
4 Cups milk
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 Eggs
3 egg yolks
½ Teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold water

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F
Place ¾ cup of the sugar in a heavy saucepan over a medium heat. Swirl the pan constantly until the sugar melts and caramelizes, turning a golden brown. Pour into a 1½ qt. ring mold. Tilt the mold so that the caramel covers the bottom and sides. Set aside.

In a separate saucepan, combine the milk, ½ cup sugar, vanilla and salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the milk is reduced by ½. Cover to keep warm and set aside. Lightly beat the eggs and yokes in a large bowl. Stir the cornstarch and water together and add to the eggs, slowly pour in the warm milk, stirring constantly. Mix well, strain and pour into the caramel-coated mold. Cover with foil, set in larger pan and pour in 1 inch of boiling water to surround the mold. Place in oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let the flan cool then refrigerate. To serve invert onto platter.

RICE PUDDING WITH RAISINS AND CINNAMON
(ARROZ CON LECHE)

6 cups water
2 cups long-grain white rice
6 (2x1/2-inch) strips lemon peel
(yellow part only)
½ teaspoon salt
5 cups (or more) whole milk
1 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup evaporated milk
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
¾ cup brown raisins or golden raisins
2 tablespoons sugar
Ground cinnamon
Grated peel from 1 lemon
Additional Cinnamon sticks (optional)

Bring 2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add rice, let stand 15 minutes. Pour rice into strainer and drain, and then rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Bring 4 cups water to boil in large saucepan. Add rice, lemon peel strips, and salt and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain. Discard lemon peel.

Combine 5 cups milk, sweetened Condensed milk, evaporated milk, and 2 Cinnamon sticks in heavy large saucepan. Add vanilla. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until mixture thickens and is reduced to approx. 3 cups, add sugar and raisins. Stir until raisins are plump and flavors blend, about 5 minutes.

Spoon pudding into bowls. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and grated lemon peel. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, if desired.