Fish Filets in Hoja Santa: Filetes de Pescado en Hoja Santa
This dish is a specialty of Veracruz, where hoja santa is often called acuyo. It combines the fresh seafood for which Veracruz is famous with the anise-scented herb that grows abundantly in the warmer ...
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Pork and Hominy Soup: Pozole
The days of soaking hominy kernels - cacahuazintle - in calcified water and peeling each one individually are fading fast, thanks to the pre-cleaned hominy that comes in packages in the refriger...
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Cheese Fondue with Chiles and Mushrooms: Queso Fundido con Chiles y Champiñones
Many years ago, we received at least three fondue pots as wedding gifts.
Fondue parties were popular, but after a while, no longer in style in the "avocado green" and "harvest gold" of the seventies, ...
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Goat and vegetable mole: Mole de caderas
Every year pamphlets explaining the origins of this dish, along with a list of ingredients, are distributed in Tehuacan's restaurants by the city's Gastronomic Council, an association of restaurant own...
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Chicken Tequila Fettuccine: Pollo al Tequila con Fettuccine
This recipe is from the late Doctora Lorena Otero, good friend and "foodie" par excellence. I have seen several other versions of this dish, but this one is both the easiest and the best I have tried.
...
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Peanut Cookies: Polvorones de Cacahuate
The thick, crumbly cookies called polvorones are a basic item in even the smallest Mexican bakery. This recipe, a variation using peanuts, is from one of the earliest bilingual cookbooks, with t...
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Rabbit in Chile Sauce: Conejo en Adobo
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...
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Beans in Their Own Broth: Frijoles de Olla
This is the classic bean dish which is brought to the table in a large bowl after the main course has been eaten, for those who would like to help themselves to more food. It is the basis for innumerab...
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Steamed Turkey in Achiote Sauce: Pavo al Vapor en Recado Colorado
Achiote paste, a characteristic seasoning of the Yucatan, where it is known as recado rojo, has been discussed before in this column. Made from the seed of the annatto tree ground with cumin, cloves an...
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Lime Water: Agua de Limón
This beats any lemon or lime ade I've ever tried. Its sweet-and-tart zing makes it a good substitute for margaritas if you want to serve appetizers without alcoholic beverages. The recipe comes from my...
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Cornhusk Wrapped Chiles Stuffed with Fresh Corn: Chiltamales
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 ...
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Filet Mignon with Tomatillo-Chipotle Sauce: Filete de Res al Chipotle
The colonial silver mining town of Alamos, Sonora was designed by the king of Spain's personnal architect and remains every bit as impressive today as it was three hundred years ago. While staying at A...
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Sweet treats from Mexico: Los dulces
Mention "February", and one of the first associations that comes to mind is Valentine's Day. In Mexico, this is not only the saint's day to be celebrated by boys and girls named Valentín or Valentina,...
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Tequila-Lime Pie: Pay de Limón con Tequila
This dessert uses the pungent limes that are indispensible to so many Mexican meals. Piled high in markets all over the country, they are often squeezed onto food at the table in place of salt. The Flo...
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Penne Pasta With Mushrooms: Plumas Con Champiñones
A chunky sauce like this is best served with a shorter pasta shape, such as penne, shells, or rigatoni, which will "hold" the sauce, rather than spaghetti, from which the ingredients will slide to the ...
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Mexican Autumn: Otoño Mexicano
This elegant libation could easily serve as an after-dinner drink, coffee and dessert all in one. Since it is served in a mug, why not present it in an attractive new one, as one of Mom's gifts?
Ingre...
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Tomatillo and Tomato Salsa: Salsa de Tomate y Jitomate
Dried chiles, tomatoes and tomatillos come together in a versatile sauce that serves as a table salsa or a condiment for meat or chicken. This recipe is adapted from the Larousse de la Cocina Mexica...
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The Mexican kitchen: a taste for all seasons
One of the most fascinating aspects of exploring the cuisine of another country is the process of becoming acquianted with the history, customs and traditions that are an intrinsic part of the cultural landscape of cooking and eating. . .
read moreMarinated Pork Stew: Tatemado
From tatemar, a Hispanic version of what the Diccionario Mexicano alternately gives as tlatemar, a Nahuatl term for putting something on or in the fire, this dish is cooked in a clay pot....
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Chicken in Almond Sauce: Pollo en Salsa de Almendras
This dish is easy and elegant enough for company, as well as a delicious every-day comida. It may be made ahead and reheated, covered.
Ingredients:
1 3 1/2-4 pound chicken, cut into serv...
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Oaxacan Black Mole: Mole Negro Oaxaqueño
The most famous of Oaxaca's many moles, this sauce can be served with turkey, chicken, or pork; however, turkey is the meat of choice for festive occasions. In Mexico, the ingredients for large ...
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Bricklayers' Salsa: Salsa de Albaniles
Bricklayers in Mexico have traditionally prepared their midday meal at the job site and, because this salsa requires no cooking other than boiling the tomatillos, it was popular with them. It can be ma...
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Grilled Beef Steak: Bistec al Carbon
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:
...
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Date and Walnut Roll: Rollo de Datil y Nuez
This is a very easy sweet to make, requiring few ingredients. The minimal cooking time makes it a good project to make with children during vacation time, provided that young children are supervised ar...
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Northern Mexican "Drunken" Salsa: Salsa Borracha Nortena
This goes particularly well with the hearty grilled beef dishes of northern Mexico. If there is no tequila on hand, substitute with an extra ¼ cup of beer.
Ingredients:
1 mulato chile, se...
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