Birria Tacos

A Mexican dish from the state of Jalisco, Birria is a meat stew or soup made from your choice of meat, which is marinated in an adobo made of vinegar, dried chiles, garlic, and herbs and spices before being cooked in a broth.

These Birria tacos are the best! Even my daughters liked them! A bit spicy but so delicious ~ enjoy!

~ Angie

Birria Tacos

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8 tacos

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 tsp ancho powder
  • 5 guajillo peppers
  • 2-3 chiles de arbol optional for spicier Birria
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion chopped
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cups beef stock separated
  • 3 pounds boneless beef shank
  • 8 flour tortillas

Fixings: Use your favourites!

  • Chopped red onion
  • Sliced jalapeno or serrano
  • Fresh chopped cilantro
  • Chili flakes
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Shredded cheese

Instructions
 

MAKE THE BIRRIA

  • Heat a large pan to medium heat and add the dried peppers. Dry toast them in the hot pan 1-2 minutes per side, until the skins darken.
  • Remove from heat and add the toasted peppers to a large bowl. Cover with hot water and steep 20 minutes, or until softened.
  • While the peppers are rehydrating, heat the olive oil in the same pan to medium heat.
  • Add the onion cook for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute, stirring. Add canned tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes.
  • Add mixture to a food processor. Puree.
  • Remove the softened chilies from water and add to the food processor. Puree.
  • Add the seasonings to the food processor along with the vinegar and 1 cup beef stock. Process until smooth. Strain if desired to remove any unprocessed bits of skin.
  • Cut the beef into large chunks and sear in a large stock pot 3 minutes per side.
  • Add birria sauce to pot. Add remaining 3 cups beef broth. Cover and cook at medium heat for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and easy to shred. It should be fairly saucy. Shred the meat with forks to your preference.
  • Toast tortillas straight on flame or in a pan with oil, depending on your stove top.
  • Serve tacos open face with side of birria sauce, some tortilla chips, and a margarita!
Keyword Chillies, Spicy, Tacos

    The Star Za’atar One-Pan Chicken

    Za’atar is a middle eastern spice blend of thyme, sesame, sumac, cumin, black pepper and salt. Mixed with chicken, potatoes, arugula and lemon in this one-pan dish and you have a tasty dinner ready family and friends! Love it!

    ~ Angie

    Star Za’atar One-Pan Chicken

    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 50 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Middle East
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 4 teaspoons za’atar
    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
    • 1 pound Yukon potatoes cut in quarters
    • 1 lemon cut in half
    • 1 bunch arugula approx. 2 cups

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    • In a small bowl, mix za’atar with 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons salt.
    • Rub za’atar mixture all over chicken.
    • Toss potatoes in silver mixing bowl with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to roasting dish and roast in oven, stirring once, until they start to brown, about 20 minutes. And add chicken pieces and lemon halves. Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest parts of chicken (not touching bones) registers about 150 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes.
    • Switch oven to broiler setting. Move roasting pan to upper third of oven; broil until chicken is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. In another mixing bowl, drizzle arugula lightly with oil; season with salt and pepper, and scatter over chicken and broil until just wilted and thermometer inserted into thickest parts of chicken registers 165 degrees, 1 to 2 minutes more. Let cool slightly, then squeeze lemon halves over chicken.
    • Toss everything together and serve. Enjoy!
    Keyword Chicken, Middle Eastern, Spices, Za’atar

      French Fireside Mustard Chicken

      This recipe for French Fireside Mustard Chicken comes from Posh’s own resident Chef Glenys. The star of the dish is a luscious mustard sauce, with a blend of shallots, garlic, Dijon mustard, and a medley of fresh herbs. It’s a deliciously creamy, tangy dish and you can adjust the amount of Dijon mustard for a more milder dish to suit your tastes!

      ~ Angie

      French Fireside Mustard Chicken

      Prep Time 15 minutes
      Cook Time 30 minutes
      Total Time 45 minutes
      Course Main Course
      Cuisine French
      Servings 4 servings

      Ingredients
        

      FOR THE CHICKEN

      • 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4 fillets
      • 1 teaspoon salt
      • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
      • 4 tablespoons flour for dredging
      • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
      • 1 tablespoon olive oil

      FOR THE MUSTARD SAUCE

      • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
      • 1 shallot chopped
      • 4 cloves garlic minced
      • 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
      • 1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard use 1 tablespoon for a milder flavour
      • 3/4 cup chicken broth
      • 1 tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon leaves
      • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
      • 1 teaspoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves
      • 1/2 cup whipping cream
      • Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

      Instructions
       

      • Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shaking off the excess. Set aside.
      • Heat the butter and olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
      • When hot, fry chicken breasts until golden on each side and just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Transfer to a warm plate.
      • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Sauté shallots until soft, about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
      • Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from bottom of pan with the end of your wooden spoon. Simmer until reduced to half, about 4 minutes.
      • Stir the Dijon mustard into the pan juices. Add the chicken broth and herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Stir in cream and let simmer until sauce starts to thicken, about 3 minutes.
      • Add chicken back into the pan. Simmer gently until chicken is heated through and sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste test and adjust salt and pepper, if desired. Serve chicken with sauce.
      Keyword Chicken, Dijon Mustard, Herbs

        Avgolemono

        Avgolemono

        Avgolemono is a Greek word pronounced ahv-go-LE-mono and refers to a mixture of eggs and lemon. In this recipe it’s used to created a delicious, tangy, creamy chicken soup.

        ~ Angie

        Avgolemono

        Avgolemono

        Prep Time 15 minutes
        Cook Time 30 minutes
        Total Time 45 minutes
        Course Soup
        Cuisine Greek

        Ingredients
          

        • 1 tbsp extra Virgin Olive Oil
        • 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
        • 1 cup finely chopped celery
        • 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
        • 2 garlic cloves microplaned
        • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth Chef’s Elite
        • 2 bay leaves
        • 1 cup rice
        • Salt and pepper
        • 2 cooked boneless chicken breast pieces shredded
        • 1/2 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
        • 2 large eggs
        • Fresh parsley for garnish

        Instructions
         

        • In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium-high. Add the carrots, celery and green onions, toss together to saute briefly then stir in the garlic.
        • Add the chicken broth then raise the heat to high. Add bay leaves. Once the liquid has come to a boil, add the rice, salt and pepper. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Now stir in the cooked chicken.
        • Combine egg and lemon the following way: in a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and eggs. While whisking add 2 ladles-full of the broth from the cooking pot (this helps temper the eggs). Once fully combined, add the sauce to the chicken soup and stir. Remove from the heat immediately.
        • Serve hot with your favorite bread. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
        Keyword Avgolemono, Chicken, Eggs, Lemon, Soup

        Chicken Marbella

        This Chicken Marbella recipe is comfort!  If you love olives and savouries you will devour this recipe! It’s a classic… thanks to my friend Cleo for bringing it back!

        ~ Angie

        Chicken Marbella

        Prep Time 10 minutes
        Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
        Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
        Course Main Course

        Ingredients
          

        • 2 lb bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
        • 4 cloves garlic minced
        • 3 bay leaves Morton & Bassett
        • ½ cup pitted prunes
        • ½ cup assorted olives with pits Casina Rossi Smashed with Lemon
        • ¼ cup capers with 1 tsp of juice (Epicureal)
        • ¼ cup caperberries Epicureal
        • ¼ cup red wine vinegar Beaufor
        • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil Castella Notti
        • 2 tablespoons dried oregano Ritrovo
        • 2 tsp Kosher salt Diamond
        • Ground pepper to taste Tellicherry
        • ½ cup white wine
        • ¼ cup brown sugar
        • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley optional

        Instructions
         

        • In a large bowl combine bay leaves, garlic cloves, prunes, olives, capers, red wine vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir it together then add the chicken. Rub it in well to the chicken, getting under the skin. Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for a minimum 30 minutes, but preferably overnight.
        • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Transfer the chicken and all the marinade into a large baking dish or cast iron skillet and spread it out a bit so the chicken pieces don’t overlap. Pour the wine into the baking dish. Place in the oven for 50 to 60 minutes.
        • Check the temperature of the chicken once it is browned. It’s done once it reaches 165 degrees. Transfer the chicken to a large serving platter and spoon the prunes, olives, and capers on top.
        • Transfer juices from roasting pan to a small fry pan and boil over medium heat. Reduce liquid to about ½ cup, approximately 10 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl, then pour it over the chicken.
        • Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve with rice and enjoy!
        Keyword Chicken, Olives, Savoury

        Amarena Cherries & Anise Glazed Ham

        Amarena Cherries glazed ham

        This recipe uses Amarena Cherries & Star Anise in a fabulous ham glaze.

        Amarena is a famous cherry preserve from Bologna, Italy. It is a variety of wild cherries with a flavour that’s sweet and bitter with herbaceous notes. Use them in Black Forest Cakes and Manhattan cocktails, spooned over almond cakes, in puddings such as panna cotta, on crepes, and as a beautiful ice cream topper.

        Amarena Cherries glazed ham

        Amarena Cherries Anise Glazed Ham         

        Prep Time 5 minutes
        Cook Time 2 hours
        Resting Time 15 minutes
        Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
        Course Main Course
        Servings 24 servings

        Ingredients
          

        • 1 cup Amarena Cherries stems removed
        • 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
        • 2 Star Anise
        • 1 cup Brown Sugar
        • 2 Bay leaves
        • 1 cup Water or Broth
        • 12-18 pound Fully-cooked Boneless Ham or Bone-In Ham

        Instructions
         

        • Preheat oven to 325°F.
        • Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern. Place the ham in a large roasting pan, cover in foil and bake for 1 hour, depending of the package directions.
        • In a saucepan on medium heat, combine broth, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, star anise, and amarena cherries. Cook until reduced or until desired thickness, about 15-20 minutes.
        • After 1 hour of baking time, brush the glaze on the ham in 20 minutes intervals. Put the ham back in the oven, uncovered. Glaze the ham 2 or 3 times.
        • Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. Enjoy!
        Keyword Anise, Baked, Cherry, Glazed, Ham