The tomatillo, called tomate verde, was first domesticated in Central Mexico and has been the basis of sauces here since pre-Hispanic times. The cream in the recipe did not exist in Mexico until the Europeans introduced dairy products. Here the two combine beautifully to make a creamy sauce for enchiladas. For sauce: 1 pound tomatillos, husked 2 […]
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Chocolate comes from roasting and processing the bean which grows on the cocoa tree. The cocoa tree is harvested in the rain forests of the tropics, notably in Mexico, Brazil, and Ghana. Our global community owes chocolate to none less than the Aztecs, who populated what is now Mexico. In fact, the word chocolate comes […]
Continue ReadingFish filets in Mexican hoja santa 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 areas of Mexico. Ingredients 4 filets (about 1 ½ pounds total) bass, grouper or other firm-fleshed fish juice of 1 lime […]
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The term “comfort food” — the kind we all crave in the winter, when a bowl of something warm and satisfying is somehow more appealing than the salads of summer — is not usually considered in terms of being particularly healthy. But many of the Mexican guisados, those Mexican stews that are so welcome when temperatures drop, […]
Continue ReadingAs discussed in last month’s column, wild game played an important culinary role in pre-Hispanic Mexico. Although the Aztecs, Maya and other Mesoamerican people relied on corn as the staple food, along with a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, the carbohydrate-rich diet was supplemented by animal protein. The Aztecs had only five domesticated animals, […]
Continue ReadingThe sugar cookies called polvorones are sometimes known as “Mexican wedding cookies” in English, although I’ve never seen them served at a wedding here in Central Mexico. They are a common bakery item throughout the year, but the version made with fresh orange juice and zest is associated with the Christmas season, possibly because oranges are an abundant winter […]
Continue ReadingThis is the soup that my children still ask for whenever they visit, probably because it combines the delicious, characteristic flavors of Mexico with the ultimate comfort food, homemade broth. Whether you use chicken, beef or vegetables as a base, do use a homemade stock; its nourishing qualities combined with the healing properties of garlic […]
Continue ReadingHere the chaya, a leafy green used throughout the Yucatan, is incorporated right into the corn dough, a common technique in this region. The chopped hard boiled egg filling is complemented by the chile-laced tomato salsa, integral to this dish. Chard or spinach can be substituted for the chaya. The salsa that tops these chaya empanadas […]
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Coffee, that fragrant morning eye-opener, is considered a daily necessity by millions of people. The degree of that necessity is reflected in the fact that coffee is the second largest legally traded commodity in the world, after oil. The United States is its biggest consumer, downing a whopping twenty percent of all coffee sold in […]
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Many of Mexico’s holiday dishes are inspired combinations of seasonally available ingredients. Just as the chiles en nogada prepared for Independence Day celebrations combine the best of the late summer harvest, ponche navideño, the traditional Christmas punch, uses the fruit of late fall. Various combinations of apples, pears, tamarind, and tejocote (hawthorne fruit) come together in a drink flavored with sugar […]
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