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Kimpatsu Hekigan

Dec 6, 2005, 7:45 PM

Post #1 of 7 (1492 views)

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Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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Does anyone have a favorite recipe for fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves (a.k.a. 'pepperleaf' or 'rootbeer plant')?

How about a mole verde recipe containing chopped hoja santa?

A friend has a huge plant growing in her garden. Would like to play with some recipes.

As always, many thanks in advance...

-- K.H.

P.S. More info on hoja santa is here.

Before enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.
After enlightenment: Chop wood, haul water.

esperanza

Dec 6, 2005, 8:18 PM

Post #2 of 7 (1485 views)

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Re: [kimpatsu_hekigan] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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A few months ago in Mexico City I ate at El Tajín, a fine restaurant in Coyoacán. The chef/owner is Alicia Gironella d'Angelis, one of the deservedly best-known Mexican chefs in the world.

A dish of chicken with hoja santa and mole was on the menu. Ay ay ay, it was so delicious. As best I could tell, the chicken breast was flattened as if for milanesa and rolled in pinwheels around hoja santa leaves, cut as if the pinwheel were a sushi roll in sections about 2" high, poached until done but still tender, and then plated on a pool of mole and drizzled with more of the same. I didn't think to ask Sra. Gironella which mole she uses, but you could experiment until you decided which you like best. It was absolutely out of this world, and I planted an hoja santa plant just so I could replicate the recipe at some point. The plant is almost big enough now to cut some leaves!

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Cynthia7

Dec 7, 2005, 7:40 PM

Post #3 of 7 (1458 views)

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Re: [esperanza] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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What does hoja santa translate to in the horticultire world..does it have another name?? The dish sounds delicious.

esperanza

Dec 7, 2005, 7:57 PM

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Re: [Cynthia7] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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Cynthia, the OP posted a link to a site with all the information about hoja santa. Click on the link and read all about it--and there are excellent pictures there, too.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

thriftqueen

Dec 7, 2005, 8:04 PM

Post #5 of 7 (1453 views)

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Re: [Cynthia7] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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Diana Kennedy in Cuisines of Mexico talks about Hoja Santa (Piper snctum). Quoting her - the hoja santa has a strong anise flavor and is considered to be a stimulant to the digestion. They can be blended with other herbs and ingredients for the pipian verde of Puebla, for the mole verde or tamales of Veracruz. She gave a recipe for tamales Veracruz where the tamale is wrapped in the hoja santa leaf.

sfmacaws

Dec 7, 2005, 9:49 PM

Post #6 of 7 (1440 views)

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Re: [thriftqueen] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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Is anyone worried about the hepatic problems mentioned on that web site? I see the leaves in bundles in the produce section but before this didn't know what to do with them. Now I know I don't want to eat them.

Jonna - Mérida, Yucatán

Anonimo

Dec 8, 2005, 12:03 AM

Post #7 of 7 (1436 views)

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Re: [kimpatsu_hekigan] Fish or chicken wrapped in hoja santa leaves?

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We once enjoyed a filete de pescado en salsa de hoja santa. It was exquisite. The sauce was based on a béchamel, with a puree or infusion of hoja santa leaves.
All generalities are suspect, including this one.

Saludos,
Anonimo