Yayas Pastelera Recipes

YAYA'S PASTELERA

Steps:

• Melt margarine in a saucepan over med heat. Add onions and cook until caramelized.
• Add grated corn. It is best to use fresh corn but will also work with frozen.
• Turn heat to low. Slowly add milk (or soymilk), stirring constantly. Continue to stir as corn cooks. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Whisk eggs, salt and pepper. Mix into the cooled corn mixture.
• Pour mixture into greased ramekins or a shallow baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes (for ramekins), or 35-40 minutes (for baking dish), or until centre appears set.
• Garnish: For sweet - sprinkle sugar on each; For savory - place one basil leaf in the centre of each ramekin.
• Serve hot. Typically, sugar is set on the table for those that would like to add a little more to their pastelera as they eat through the sugar on top!

PASTRY CREAM (CREMA PASTICCERA)

Steps:

• Stir together milk and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring, just until small bubbles appear at edges. Remove pan from heat.
• Put egg and yolks and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until pale, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Beat in the hot milk mixture. Raise speed to high; beat 1 minute more. Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Transfer warm pastry cream to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto surface. Refrigerate until just chilled, about 2 hours, or up to 1 day.

YAYA'S EASY AND DELICIOUS MEATLOAF

Steps:

• Put the stuffing mix into a large mixing bowl and add water. Mix with hands until stuffing feels good and moist. You may need a bit more than the half cup.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the stuffing mix. Using your clean hands, mix very well -- make sure everything is really mixed up well.
• Place mixture into 2 ungreased meatloaf pans. Pack firmly.
• Using your fingers, press down all around the sides of the meatloaves seperating the sides about 1" away from the pan -- the top of the loaves will look a bit rounded (this helps allow the grease to run off the top of the loaves).
• Bake on middle oven rack at 350 - degrees for about 1 hour. Let cool for
• 10-15 minutes before slicing.
• *NOTE* I usually can test doneness by the way the center of the loaf feels when I touch it (feels about like the area around my wrist). If you are new to cooking, you may want to stick a knife in the center of the loaf and if the juices run clear (no blood) then it is done. Those more experienced than I may want to use a meat thermometer but I have no idea what it should read. LOL.

YIA YIA'S BAKLAVA

Steps:

• Stir together water, 2 cups sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, and 1/2 the lemon juice together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until flavor blends and syrup consistency is reached, about 15 minutes. Stir remaining 1/2 the lemon juice into syrup. Strain and refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes.
• Stir walnuts, 1 cup sugar, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush butter on the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.
• Lay the phyllo dough out on a clean, dry surface and cover it with plastic wrap. Cover the plastic wrap with a damp towel.
• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough in prepared baking dish and lightly brush with butter. Lay another 1 sheet of phyllo dough on top, brush with butter. Repeat layering and brushing with butter with 4 more sheets of phyllo dough.
• Gently spread 1/3 the walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with 3 more sheets of dough.
• Spread another 1/3 the walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with 3 more sheets of dough.
• Spread the remaining 1/3 walnut mixture in an even layer over the phyllo dough in the baking dish. Place a sheet of phyllo dough over the walnut mixture and brush it with butter. Repeat layering and buttering with the remaining 5 sheets of dough. Cut baklava into 1-inch diamonds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden brown, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Pour cooled syrup over baked baklava and cool for 1 day to absorb syrup.

GUMBO YA-YA

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup of the oil an 8-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium to medium-high heat. Coat the chicken wings with 2 tablespoons of the Creole seasoning in a large bowl. Pour 1/4 cup of the flour over the chicken and coat evenly, then slowly add additional flour as needed until all of the chicken is completely coated (see Cook's Note). Working in batches, fry the chicken wings until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the wings to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
• Carefully add the remaining 1/4 cup oil to the pot and heat until smoking (there should be a thin faint white smoke coming off the oil). Whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup flour and cook, whisking continuously, over medium-high heat until it turns into a dark chocolate brown roux. If the roux is browning too quickly, remove the pot from the heat and continue whisking until the roux reaches the desired color. Turn the heat down to low and stir in the celery, onions and peppers with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are coated with the roux, about 1 minute. Add the garlic, cayenne, bay leaves, thyme and 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning and turn up the heat to medium-high. Whisk in the chicken stock in three parts to make sure it's fully incorporated. Add the chicken wings, sausage, Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning. Stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, using a ladle to skim off any foam that rises to the top, until the gumbo is slightly reduced and thickened, about 1 hour. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Combine the green onions and parsley in a small bowl or on your cutting board.
• To serve, ladle the gumbo over bowls of cooked white rice and garnish with the green onion and parsley mixture.