Scene from "Pasion jarocho" (1949), directed by Carlos Vejar © Producciones Churubusco, Coleccion IMCINE

Whole fish in Mexican green sauce: Pescado en verde

What better recipes to accompany a still from the 1944 film Pasión Jarocho, or “Veracruz Passion?” This classic regional dish od whole fish in Mexican green sauce goes perfectly with the story of lovers in a small Mexican fishing village who seem destined to be kept apart by rumors and jealousy. Will Rosalinda and Hugo ever find […]

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Mexican guavas go well with pork © Sergio Wheeler, 2011

Mexican pork tenderloins with guavas

Mexican pork tenderloins with guavas: Escalopas de cerdo con guayabas The Mexicans, like the Chinese, have created some wonderful dishes combining pork with fruit. Pork tenderloins with guavas is an example of the inventiveness of nouvelle Mexican cuisine. Escalopas de cerdo con guayabas have the same sweet-and-sour tanginess of many oriental dishes. The seeds of the guava […]

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Mexican-style beef in broth with carrots: Chambarete en caldillo con zanahorias

Carrots add a subtle sweetness to broths, and beef shanks — with their rich, tasty marrow (called tuétano in Mexico) — make an extra nourishing broth. Ingredients 6 beef shanks 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 6 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 bay leaves 1 sprig […]

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Fried cutlet torta: Torta de milanesa

While a torta can be filled with any kind of savory sandwich filling, the beans, avocado and tomato are always present. Leave out the onion if you are not a fan, or substitute mayonnaise for the crema; some torterías use melted butter instead of crema. The milanesa is probably the most popular filling, and part of its appeal is the crunch of […]

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Beef short ribs with pumpkin: Costilla de res con calabaza

The combination of meat and squash is typically West African, combined here with tomatoes, an indigenous Mexican ingredient, and spices introduced by the Spaniards. The original recipe, as presented by Raquel Torres and Dora Elena Carriaga in Recetario Afromestizo de Veracruz leaves out the tomatoes and spices, but nowadays most jarocha cooks use them.   2 tablespoons vegetable oil […]

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Chicken Enchiladas in Peanut and Almond Sauce: Enchiladas en Cacahuate y Almendras

This is a delicious and unique version of enchiladas, reminiscent of the chicken in nut sauces served in Oaxaca and Veracruz. If you can’t find raw peanuts, use the ones that come already roasted in bags, and in that case, do not toast them. If you do use raw peanuts, be sure to remove the […]

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