You have got to try this cake!

You have got to try this cake! I posted a link to it while I was in Mexico, and I was explaining what cajeta was. I wish there was a way (there probably is, and I just don’t know how!) to link to specific posts. Anyway, it was in July sometime, but here is the recipe. As the website where I found the recipe states, you may not want to have it all the time, but it’s great for special occasions. I am thinking of serving it with fruit, pecans, whipped cream, and a drizzling (be careful, a little goes a long way!) of cajeta. Cajeta can be purchased at any international or Mexican market, or check out the link to MexGrocer.com to the right.

Cajeta Pound Cake

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3 cups sugar

8 large eggs

4 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups cajeta

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and set a rack on the lower-middle level. Grease a 10-inch Bundt pan or tube pan. Dust lightly with flour, shake out the excess and set aside.

Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is light in color and texture, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl down with a spatula if necessary. Beat the mixture until it is light in color, about 3 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and slowly add to the creamed mixture, beating on low speed. Increase the speed and beat for 2 minutes. On the lowest speed, beat in the cajeta.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the cake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the middle comes out clean. (Begin to test after one hour of baking.)

Remove the cake from the oven, and let it cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Unmold the cake onto the rack, and let it cool completely.

Well-wrapped, the cake will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days and, in the refrigerator, for several days longer.

-from A Cowboy in the Kitchen:

Recipes from Reata and Texas West of the Pecos by By Grady Spears and Robb Walsh

I also did some experimentation with stir fry vegetables and shrimp. I made a big pot of rice, and was planning on making stir fry. I had the shrimp, and the rest of an unsatisfactory packet of stir fry veggies (it is offensive to my husband because it contains squash…), but nothing to season it with – no sauce. I collect packets of seasoning and sauces from the Farmers Market, and settled on one for

Mama Sita’s Tamarind Seasoning Mix, with which I made a bastardized version of the following recipe – served on rice, no less! I almost added a can of collard greens I had, but chickened out!

Sinigang na Hipon (Shrimps in Tamarind Broth)

Ingredients:

5 cups water

1 pc onion, medium-sized, quartered

2 pcs tomatoes, sliced into wedges

1 pc Labanos (radish), peeled and cut diagonally

1 cup sitaw (long beans), cut into 2″ (4 cm) strips

2 pcs sili (green chili pepper)

1/2 tbsp patis (fish sauce)

1 pouch Mama Sita’s Sinigang (Tamarind Seasoning ) Mix

20-25 pcs sugpo (prawns), trimmed 1 cup green leafy vegetables such as kangkong (asian watercress), spinach, or mustasa (mustard greens)

Directions:

Bring water to a boil. Add onion and tomatoes . Simmer for 5 minutes. Add radish, long beans, chili pepper, fish sauce, and Mama Sita’s Sinigang (Tamarind Seasoning) Mix. Continue to simmer for another 3 minutes uncovered. Add the shrimps and simmer for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the green leafy vegetables. Cover to steam-cook vegetables. Serve immediately.

Variation:

Fish or pre-boiled beef brisket may also be used instead of shrimps.

What I ended up with was a much larger amount – I got the Economy Pack! – with crushed tomatoes, onions, stir fry veggies, and shrimp – served over rice. I will try it again – I am always looking for something to do with fish pieces from Harry’s Farmer’s Market!

I just found an interesting article on Filipino food, and this dish called sinigang, in particular. Very interesting!