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Handling Canned Chiles
The membranes of a chile are its hottest part. Because the membranes have already been taken out of canned chiles, they do not contain the burning oils that make fresh chiles more difficult to use.
How you handle canned chiles depends on how you intend to use them. Whole chiles intended for stuffing (as for chiles rellenos) should be drained and laid out on a flat surface before filling. They may also be drained, sliced and added to salads as in the above recipe. Diced, canned chiles can simply be drained and added to your favorite recipe.
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Preparing Dried Beans
To make them tender, dried beans need to be soaked before cooking. If you have the time, simply place them in a bowl, cover with cold water and place them in the refrigerator to soak overnight.
Or, you can quick-soak the beans: Rinse beans. Combine 1 pound of beans and 8 cups cold water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook for 1 to 1 ¾ hours. Beans are done when they are soft.
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Buying and Storing Chicken
Choosing the best part of the chicken to make chicken mole is easy - it's the cut you like best! Chickens are sold whole (to cut yourself), cut up or by the piece (all breasts or all thighs for instance). You can also buy skinless chicken breasts, or chicken parts with the skin.
Chicken is highly perishable and requires a little vigilance in purchasing and storing. Be sure to check the "sell by' date on the label. That's the last day it should be sold. (If it's properly refrigerated, chicken will retain it's freshness for a couple of days after that date.) Store fresh chicken in the coldest part of your refrigerator, and plan to use it within 1 to 2 days. Chicken that's packaged in a Styrofoam tray can be refrigerated in its original wrapping.
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Buying Shrimp
You can buy shrimp in many forms - cooked or uncooked, in the shell or peeled, fresh, frozen or canned. When buying fresh shrimp, look for those that are moist, firm, fresh-smelling and have translucent flesh. Uncooked and cooked fresh shrimp are both available in the shell, or already peeled and deveined. Frozen shrimp can be raw or cooked, either in the shell or peeled and deveined. Cooked, peeled shrimp also is available canned.
To peel and devein shrimp. Open the shell down the underside. Starting at the head, pull back the shell. Gently pull on the tail to remove. Use the tip of a sharp knife to remove the black vein that runs along the center of the back. Rinse the shrimp in cold running water.
To cook 1 pound of shrimp, bring 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add shrimp. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for 1 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Rinse shrimp under cold water. Serve or chill until ready to use.
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Avocados
A fruit native to Mexico, velvety avocados appear in many forms in Mexican cuisine, but most frequently in guacamole. If you want fresh guacamole, it takes a little planning. Avocados are one of the few fruits that don't actually ripen on the tree. In fact, they don't ripen until they're in a warm place, so it's unlikely you'll even find a perfectly ripe avocado in the grocery store.
Buy firm avocados if you won't be using them for a couple of days. They'll ripen in 3 to 4 days (you can speed the process by placing them in a brown paper bag). Don't buy avocados with dark spots or broken skin.
You can tell an avocado is ripe when it yields to gentle pressure. Give the avocado a gentle shake. If you can hear the seeds rattling around inside, the fruit is over ripe.
To prevent the avocado garnishes from turning brown, brush the cut surfaces with lemon juices.
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