I read cookbooks the way some people devour novels, not with the casual perusal of, say, a newspaper or a magazine, but with the curl-up-and-dig-in enjoyment of die hard mystery or romance fans. Many, though not all, of the cookbooks I’ve read in the last 25 years or so are Mexican, and my favorites are […]
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Walnuts, used famously in the classic chiles en nogada, are grown in central Mexico. This soup is reminiscent of the nogada sauce and looks nice garnished with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley and, if available, pomegranate seeds. It is important that a good homemade stock is used. Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons flour 8 cups good, homemade […]
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This was the perfect accompaniment to the grilled tuna. Use fresh lemongrass, rather than the dried version sold to make tea. Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as canola or peanut, or use coconut oil if available 1 cup rice, washed until water runs clear and left in a strainer to dry 1 6 inch […]
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A lightly dressed summer salad, Mexican beet and mango salad is good with grilled chicken or fish. Make sure to use mangos that are not overripe, so that they keep their shape when cubed. Ingredients 4 large beets, steamed or roasted, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes 2 firm, ripe mangos, peeled and cut into ½ […]
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A light dessert or a refreshing palate cleanser, this uses one of the most popular herbs in Mexico, but it also goes well with Thai food, with which Mexican cuisine has several ingredients in common. Ingredients 1 cup fresh spearmint leaves (hierbabuena) washed 3 cups water ¾ cups sugar Juice of ½ fresh lime (or […]
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Mexican Kitchen We’d always thought it would be fun to see the lucha libre, or “free fight,” that colorful form of professional wrestling wildly popular in Mexico. After many years in the country, my husband and I had bought countless wrestling dolls, wrestling masks, wrestling themed tee shirts, purses and refrigerator magnets for eager friends and family […]
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This cream of avocado soup uses tequila in place of the traditional sherry. It is a refreshing first course or, served with a salad, a light spring or summer lunch. The ingredients should be well-chilled before the soup is blended. Ingredients 4 medium Haas avocados, cut in half, pits removed, and pulp scooped out 3 […]
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The long, nasal cry of the ice cream vendor reverberates throughout the mercado. On a busy market day, he has some serious competition from people hawking other wares, but he trundles along with his huge wooden containers, successfully drowning out many of the other vendors. “¡Nieve-e-e-e-e-s!” The Spanish word for snow, a general term for frozen treats in […]
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On a shelf under the glass top of our coffee table sit two singular and beloved pieces of pottery, reminders of a visit to a wildly beautiful region with a distinctive culture. They bring back vivid memories of the Sierra Mixe, a unique part of the state of Oaxaca with an ancient culinary heritage. One […]
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Cumin flavored Mexican huazontle with onions: Huazontle con cebollas y comino This is a quick and easy side dish, a flavorful accompaniment to simple grilled or roasted meat or poultry. The recipe is adapted from 1,000 Mexican Recipes by Marge Poore. Ingredients 1 pound huazontle bud clusters (the tops, with stems and leaves removed) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 […]
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