If preparing this with Mexican rice, thoroughly rinse and drain beforehand, to eliminate the excess starch. In the United States, rice is milled differently, so the rinsing is not necessary. Ingredients 1 ½ cups rice 4 large, fresh poblano chiles, roasted, seeded and peeled 2 lettuce leaves 2 sprigs fresh parsley 2 sprigs fresh cilantro […]
Continue ReadingAfter tasting this table salsa in a restaurant in Orizaba, my husband and I went to the market to look for the area’s famous comapeño chiles. We decided to split up and go searching in different directions, and he was the one who finally found them at a booth piled high with several kinds of dried chiles. Comapeños are […]
Continue ReadingMexican coffee flan comes from the Coatepec region of Veracruz. Instant espresso powder is a boon to the dessert maker, since it dissolves easily and has an intense flavor. Ingredients For the caramel: ¾ cup sugar For the flan: 2 ½ tablespoons instant espresso powder ½ cup boiling water ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon […]
Continue ReadingWhen we lived in Oaxaca, I liked to go the food stands that were right outside the university faculties downtown, especially the school of architecture, which was right next to a small park, with plenty of room for the food vendors to set up their ingredients and comales. Students are usually on limited budgets and know how […]
Continue ReadingThis recipe, adapted from Diana Kennedy’s The Essential Cuisines of Mexico, contains the characteristically Mexican ingredients nopales, fresh green chiles and cilantro. Ingredients ½ cup brown lentils, rinsed 6 cups water ½ pound nopal cactus paddles, cleaned and diced salt to taste 1 large green onion, quartered ½ pound tomatoes, chopped 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons […]
Continue ReadingPerhaps the most famous Baja street snack, and certainly one of the most frequent reader requests, fish tacos differ a bit from place to place, but are always served with the same basic selection of garnishes. A thin avocado sauce, vinegar-marinated onion rings, shredded cabbage salad, and a selection of red and green salsas are […]
Continue ReadingAlso known as recado colorado in the Yucatan, where it originated, this Yucatecan achiote paste is a marinating paste that can be used on chicken, pork or fish. Although the base for achiote paste is sold under several brand names, ready to be mixed with orange juice, this homemade version has a much fresher, livlier taste and […]
Continue ReadingThe pre-Hispanic pumpkin seeds and the sesame seeds brought by the Spaniards come together in a wonderfully textured candy, also sometimes called palanquetas. If giving the candies as gifts, wrap each in cellophane, twist the ends closed and tie them with thin curling ribbon, called listón chino in the mercerías, or notions stores. Ingredients: 1 pound piloncillo (brown loaf sugar) broken into chunks […]
Continue ReadingSince pre-Hispanic times, the Maya people of the Yucatan have eaten either the black beans known as buul or the larger, light-colored beans called ibes, usually cooked in water in which chiles have been steeped. This chile broth is the basis for many traditional Yucatecan dishes. In the following version, the chile-tomato puree is added […]
Continue ReadingThis could be called a Mexican version of the jalapeño “poppers” popular north of the border. The idea for the filling came from Susana Trilling, who has written about the smoked mullet of southern Oaxaca, and the idea for the chile soaking technique came from the experience of biting into a jalapeño so hot that […]
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