News
Blog Mickey reviews Taste of Yucatán + new menu items at Frontera Cocina
Fresh on the heels of their delicious Taste of Baja menu, Chef Rick Bayless and the team at Frontera Cocina have rolled out a new menu inspired by the Yucatan region of Mexico. As explained to us in the first preview of the Taste of Baja menu, Frontera Cocina will be debuting a special menu celebrating a region of Mexico roughly every three months. Not only do they have a new regional specialty menu, but they also have new additions to their permanent menu. Let’s explore all of the new options.
To read Blog Mickey’s full review, click here.
WDW News Today visits Frontera Cocina for menu roll-out
This past week we were invited to celebrity Chef Rick Bayless’ restaurant, Frontera Cocina, at Disney Springs to check out brand new menu items. This included a full look at the new Taste of Yucatán menu as well as brand new items added to the regular menu. We love Frontera Cocina and have returned numerous times since their 2016 opening for dinner and drinks.
To read WDW News Today’s full review, click here.
Disney Day By Day reviews new Taste of Yucatán menu at Frontera Cocina
Welcome to this week’s Favorite Food Friday where we share our favorite foods with our friends. This week we headed to Frontera Cocina in Disney Springs to sample some of their new menu items……
Warning! Reading this article while hungry could be hazardous to your health.
Flavorful, unique, delicious…these are just some of the words used to describe the new menu at Frontera Cocina, a restaurant located in Disney Springs and owned by famed Chef Rick Bayless.
To read Disney Day by Day’s full review, click here.
Disney Food Blog: Taste of Yucatán & Menu Roll-Out Review
Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless opened Frontera Cocina in the Town Center of Disney Springs just over two years ago. In addition to his restaurant ventures, Chef Bayless is also well known as the host of the PBS show “Mexico—One Plate at a Time.” And Frontera Cocina keeps the focus on authentic Mexican cuisine.
On this visit, we were able to try items from a new specialty menu: the Taste of Yucatan! Additionally, we were also able to sample new items recently added to the regular menu while we were guests at this Media Event.
To read Disney Food Blog’s full review, click here.
Feature: Chef Rick Bayless speaks about his passion for Mexican cuisine
Chef Bayless spoke with Orlando Sentinel’s food reporter Lauren Delgado about Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and his passion for Mexican cuisine.
Read the article here.
Announcement: Orlando Weekly
NEWS: Celebrity chef Rick Bayless will be at his Frontera Cocina restaurant in Disney Springs on Tuesday, July 17, meeting guests and rolling out new menu items inspired by the Riviera Maya …
To read Orlando Weekly’s full article, click here.
Queso Fundido Burger
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium fresh poblano chiles
- 8 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, removed from its casing if there is one
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 ½ pounds ground chuck (chuck offers a beefy flavor and richness; you can choose a leaner cut if that makes sense for you)
- 1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, finely minced, seeded if you wish
- 8 thick slices Monterey Jack Cheese
- 4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
INSTRUCTIONS
- Roast the poblanos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler.
- Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let cool. Rub off the blackened skin and pull out the stems and seed pods. Cut into 1/4-inch strips.
- Set a large (10-inch) skillet over medium. Add the chorizo and cook, breaking up large chunks, until the chorizo is beginning to brown and is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Scrape on to a plate lined with paper towels and let cool.
- Return the skillet to medium heat, measure in the oil and add the onion.
- Cook, stirring frequently until it begins to brown, 7 or 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and poblano and cook for 2 minutes.
- Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Scrape the rajas into a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, the cooled chorizo, the chipotles and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mix thoroughly but lightly (to keep from turning out an overly compact texture).
- Divide into 4 portions, lightly pressing them into patties the size of your buns.
- Heat a gas grill to medium-high on one side, medium on the other; or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash (and still quite hot), then bank the coals to one side.
- Lay the hamburger patties on the hottest side of the grill and cook until the grill grates have seared beautiful marks on one side, about 2 minutes if your grill is quite hot, then flip and cook until the hamburger is a little less done than you like (usually a couple of minutes longer for rare to medium rare).
- Move the burgers to the cooler side of the grill. Lay one piece of cheese on top of each burger, top with a portion of the warm rajas and then another piece of cheese. Close the lid and continue cooking until the cheese has melted, about 1 minute.
- Remove from the grill and place on a toasted bun. Serve immediately.
Green Chile Chorizo Tacos
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large fresh poblano chile
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 or 2 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 1 medium bunch cilantro, (tough lower stems cut off, the leafy part roughly chopped), plus additional for serving
- 1 medium bunch parsley (tough lower stems cut off, the leafy part roughly chopped)
- 1 1/2 pounds ground pork (you’ll need pork that’s a little fatty—25 to 30%—and preferably coarsely ground)
- 3 tablespoons spinach powder (available at well-stocked grocery stores and from online sources)
- 2 tablespoons light-flavored vinegar (i.e. rice wine vinegar)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 12 fresh corn tortillas
- Roasted Tomatillo Salsa for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
- Roast the poblano chile directly over a gas flame or 4 inches below a very hot electric broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes for the broiler.
- Cool until handleable, rub off the blackened skin, tear open and pull out the stem and seed pod.
- Quickly rinse to remove any seeds or bits of skin.
- Roughly chop and scoop into a food processor, along with the garlic, serrano(s), cilantro and parsley.
- Pulse until uniformly chopped, then run the machine until you have a coarse puree.
- In a large bowl, combine the pork with the green seasonings, spinach powder, vinegar, and the salt—your hand is the most efficient utensil for working the seasonings thoroughly into the meat.
- Break up the meat mixture as you transfer it to a 12-inch non-stick skillet set over medium heat.
- Cook turning frequently until cooked through (there will be browned edges), about 10 minutes.
- Scoop the mixture into warm corn tortillas and top with salsa and cilantro leaves, serve immediately.
Coconut Bread Pudding
Budín de Pan y Coco
INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoons of butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan
- 14 ounces bread (i.e. brioche, challah, or cakey white sandwich bread), crusts trimmed off if you wish, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, preferably Mexican or dark rum or Xtabentún
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (regular, not “lite”)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
OPTIONAL GARNISHES:
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 cup chopped papaya
- 1 cup crema
INSTRUCTIONS
- Turn on the oven to 400 degrees.
- Scoop the butter into a large, microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave at 50% power for 1 minute.
- Scoop the bread into the bowl and stir slowly until it is evenly coated.
- Spread the bread on a rimmed baking sheet, slide it into the oven and toast, stirring every 5 minutes, until it is richly browned, about 15 minutes.
- Remove the bread and turn the oven down to 300 degrees. Butter an 8-inch-square baking dish and scoop the bread into it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and salt.
- In a small (1- to 2-quart) saucepan, heat the coconut milk and the granulated sugar over medium-low, stirring until the mixture is just warm (not close to boiling) and the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the warm coconut milk into the eggs in a slow stream, whisking constantly, until well combined.
- Pour the custard over the bread.
- Let the bread soak up the custard for 15 minutes, gently stirring the mixture every few minutes.
- Slide the baking dish into the oven and bake until the bread pudding is barely set at the center, about 30 minutes.
- Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, cut into pieces, place them on small plates and you’re ready to delight a few friends.
Variations: Garnish the finished bread pudding with about 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil and 1 cup chopped papaya. Serve with crema.
Simple Guacamole
Guacamole Sencillo
INGREDIENTS
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- Fresh hot green chiles to taste, stems removed
- 3 avocados, preferably the black-skinned Hass
- A couple of tablespoons Fresh Mexican herbs (such as cilantro, pipisa or papalo)
- 1 small white onion (fresh knob onion—green tops still on—is best), finely chopped
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- A little crumbled Mexican fresh cheese (queso fresco) for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Finely chop the garlic and green chiles, and scoop them into a bowl.
- One at a time, run a knife down through each avocado, starting at the top, until you reach the pit; continue cutting around the pit until you reach the point you started.
- Twist the two halves of the avocado apart. Remove the pit and discard. Scoop the flesh into the bowl with the chiles. Mash coarsely with the back of a spoon or an old-fashioned potato masher.
- Add the herbs and onion, stir to combine, then taste. Season with salt (usually about a teaspoon) and lime juice. Scoop into a serving dish and garnish with cheese and radishes.