After a long walk through the Merida market, we took our purchases to a local private home to cook. This is such a great way to see a market and then learn how to cook the local cuisine.
On our menu: Cheese Empanadas, Achiote Pork, guacamole and Mango Pudding for dessert.
Everyone had a job, but because I don’t like to cook, I wasn’t forced to. I appreciate that if you don’t want to cook you don’t have to.
They did find a menial job for me- pulling apart string cheese into 4-inch pieces. I can do that!
The empanadas were quite a process, definitely easy, but a bit time-consuming. First, we had to make the masa dough, chopped tomatoes and herbs and added to the dough. After hand kneading the dough, we rolled it into golf ball-sized balls and put the balls in a tortilla press. After that Kat stuffed them with cheese and crimped the edges, Rick fried them.
Dang they were good!
Honestly, I didn’t see the pork being cooked, due to the empanada process. But achiote is a spice mix local to the Aztecans. According to Google, it’s made from ground annatto seeds, this bright orange-red spice has a peppery aroma and a subtle flavor that’s been described as nutty, sweet, and earthy.
Oh and the guacamole! They have huge avocadoes in the Yucatan. Smooth skin. ¾
Mango pudding for dessert!
Because it was so dang hot we enjoyed lunch with a cold, cold beer!
My colleagues really enjoyed the cooking process. I enjoyed watching them!