Chile Seed Pipian: Pipián de Semillas de Chile Karen Hursh Graber

It is customary for Mexican cooks to save the seeds they remove from dried chiles and store them, mixing several varieties in the same jar. This traditional recipe from El Bajio restaurant in Mexico Ci... read more

pork meat main-dishes salsas México D.F.

Corn Fungus Crepes: Crepas De Huitlacoche Karen Hursh Graber

Sometimes translated to English as "corn smut," huitlacoche has become popular in recent years as a nouvelle cuisine offering in everything from ravioli filling to omelettes. Corn fungus crepes, how... read more

vegetables main-dishes vegetarian salsas

Nixtamal Para Pozole: Pozole Corn Karen Hursh Graber

Preparing dried corn for pozole is not difficult, and follows the same basic process as preparing corn for masa - tortilla dough, although for the latter the corn is soaked much longer. If the dried co... read more

main-dishes soups rice-and-grains

Baked rice and picadillo: Torta de Arroz Karen Hursh Graber

In México, the word torta most often means a sandwich on a bolillo, or French roll. However, as in this case, it can also take on its original Spanish meaning of a flat, round cake or, figuratively, f... read more

vegetables meat main-dishes rice-and-grains

Chicken with Anchos and Oyster Mushrooms: Pollo al Ancho con Setas Karen Hursh Graber

Oyster mushrooms (pleurotis ostreatus), called setas in central Mexico, are now widely grown commercially, and therefore easy to find at any large market. This may be made one day ahead and refr... read more

vegetables poultry main-dishes salsas

Shredded Venison Salad: Salpicon De Venado Karen Hursh Graber

This dish is found on restaurant menus throughout Mexico, but particularly in the western part of the country and in the Yucatan, where it is called zic de venado. This recipe is a good buffet dish,... read more

meat main-dishes

Shredded venison salad: Salpicon de venado Karen Hursh Graber

This dish is found on restaurant menus throughout Mexico, but particularly in the western part of the country and in the Yucatan, where it is called zic de venado. This recipe is a good buffet dish,... read more

meat main-dishes salads Yucatán Peninsula

Rabbit and corn stew: Segueza Karen Hursh Graber

This ancient dish is a specialty of the Central Valleys of Oaxaca. When we lived in Oaxaca, I learned about segueza from Maribel Bautista who prepares traditional Zapotec food at La Cúpula Restaura... read more

meat main-dishes soups Oaxaca

Rabbit in chile sauce: Conejo en adobo Karen Hursh Graber

The rabbit that I recently bought in the Cholula market, weighing in at a hefty 3 ¾ pounds, was perfect for this recipe, since it calls for the meat to be cooked and marinated before being combined wi... read more

meat main-dishes salsas Puebla

Cornhusk wrapped chiles stuffed with fresh corn: Chiltamales Karen Hursh Graber

In this recipe, corn is cut fresh from the cob and used to fill poblano chiles, which are wrapped in fresh cornhusks, eliminating the need for soaking. Although a metate would traditionally be used ... read more

vegetables main-dishes vegetarian Puebla

Spiced Lamb Steamed in Maguey Leaves: Mixiotes de Carnero Karen Hursh Graber

Mixiotes de carnero are a specialty of the central Mexican states of Puebla, Tlaxcala and Hidalgo. They are flavored with two of the most distinctively Mexican of leaves: avocado leaves, which are encl... read more

vegetables meat main-dishes salsas Puebla Tlaxcala Hidalgo

Chicken Livers Cooked in Corn Husks: Tamal de Higado Karen Hursh Graber

Although it contains no corn dough, this dish is called a tamal because of its cornhusk wrapping. Chicken livers are popular in Mexico, and in Oaxaca they are a traditional food at weddings. This re... read more

poultry main-dishes

Fish Empanadas: Empanadas de Pescado Karen Hursh Graber

Empanadas are different all over México. In many parts of the country, they resemble a filled puff pastry; in Tabasco, they are filled, fried tortillas. There this recipe would invariably be made with... read more

fish masa main-dishes

Chicken in Tabascan Pipian: Pollo en Chirmol Karen Hursh Graber

Chirmol is a thick sauce resembling the pipian rojo of central Mexico. It is served in Tabasco with fish, chicken and pork. Ingredients for the chicken: 1 3 ½-4 pound chicken, cut into serv... read more

poultry masa main-dishes salsas Tabasco

Chicken Cooked in Avocado and Banana Leaves: Pílte de Pollo Karen Hursh Graber

This dish, which I first had at a wedding in Atzompa, Oaxaca, is sometimes called barbacoa de pollo. It is flavored with either avocado or hoja santa leaves, both of which have an anise-like flav... read more

vegetables poultry main-dishes salsas

Plaza-Style Chicken: Pollo Placero Karen Hursh Graber

From early evening until late at night, stands are set up in the plazas of Morelia, Pátzcuaro and other cities in Michoacan selling this popular supper. We watched women bring the different elements of this dish - chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce - which had been pre-cooked at home, then heat them in hot oil or lard just before serving individual customers. The same thing is easy to do for guests, preparing the chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce separately, ahead of time, and frying and assembling just before serving. Use individual oval platters if possible.

The five senses of Frida Maggie Van Ostrand

Frida Kahlo was a captivating artist and an intriguing, seductive woman. If we hadn't figured that out from the many books written about her, we would certainly have gotten the point from the motion pi... read more

main-dishes salsas side-dishes

Grilled steak: Bistec al carbon Karen Hursh Graber

The usual choice for grilled steak in Mexico is arrechera, a cut known as skirt steak in English. Flank steak could also be used, but would need to be marinated about twice as long. Ingredients: ... read more

meat main-dishes

Tortillas with Shredded Fish and Black Beans: Pan de Cazón Karen Hursh Graber

We first tried this dish at a restaurant near the seawall in Campeche. Perhaps because pan means bread, we were expecting something like a tuna or salmon loaf, but these stacks of tortillas spread... read more

fish masa main-dishes beans Campeche

Stuffed Anchos in Cilantro Cream Sauce: Anchos con Salsa de Cilantro y Crema Karen Hursh Graber

This recipe may be made ahead and reheated in the casserole dish just before serving. If made ahead, wait until the casserole is ready to go into the oven before adding the cilantro cream sauce, to avo... read more

vegetables main-dishes vegetarian

Campeche-Style Pompano in Green Sauce: Pampano en Salsa Verde a la Campechana Karen Hursh Graber

Fish and salsa verde make a great combination. Serve this with black beans and rice for a classic campechano meal. Ingredients: 1 2-pound pompano, cleaned and scaled (snapper may also be u... read more

fish main-dishes Campeche

Duck Breast in Pumpkin Seed Sauce: Pechuga de Pato en Pipian Verde Karen Hursh Graber

Pipian is a specialty of central Mexico, especially the states of Puebla and Mexico. Restaurants in Mexico seem to feature more duck on their menus in the last few years, although the native muscovy du... read more

poultry main-dishes salsas

Grilled Chicken: Pollo al Carbon Karen Hursh Graber

Although there are two distinct schools of thought on grilled chicken, one that advocates par boiling and one that does not, Mexican cooks do not par boil and are not afraid to let the chicken skin bla... read more

fruit poultry main-dishes

Chiapas style chicken and fruit stew: Estofado de pollo en frutas Karen Hursh Graber

Somewhat akin to the manchamanteles of Oaxaca and Puebla, this Chiapan main dish typically uses very little chile. Instead it is characterized by the sweet and tart contrast of the vinegar marinade and... read more

vegetables fruit poultry main-dishes soups Chiapas

Braised Pork with Pumpkin: Carnitas con Calabaza Karen Hursh Graber

Although carnitas are a specialty of Michoacan, serving them with pumpkin is more common in Veracruz, where I bought a hard, meaty, pale orange pumpkin and carried it back to Oaxaca to make this d... read more

vegetables pork main-dishes