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 inch cubes
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons good balsamic vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mixed greens for serving, including beet greens if possible
• ½ cup queso fresco or mild feta

Place the beets and mangos in a non-reactive bowl. Combine the olive oil and vinegar, adding salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the dressing over the beets and mangos and toss gently.

Line salad plates with the greens, spoon the salad over the greens, and sprinkle the cheese over all. Makes 6 servings.

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The mousse may be made in a six-cup ring mold or individual molds. It is frequently served in Mexico with camarón pacotillo – small cooked cocktail shrimp – in the center of the ring or as a garnish on individual molds.

Ingredients:

• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 1 ½ cups chicken or shrimp broth
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/3 cup finely chopped green onion or scallion
• 1 fresh roma or plum tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped
• ½ tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
• 2 large, soft avocados, or enough to make 2 cups puree
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream, whipped
• 1 pound small, cooked shrimp (optional)

Preparation:

In a small saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin on the broth and heat until dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, green onion, tomato, serrano chile and cilantro. Place in refrigerator until the mixture is cool but not set.

Mash the avocados with a fork until they form a smooth puree. Add the avocados and salt to the gelatin mixture, stirring to combine, then fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a non-stick or lightly greased ring mold or individual molds. Chill until set. Before serving, garnish with shrimp if desired.

Serves 6 as a first course.

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Passion fruit pulp is now more readily available north of the border than it is in Mexico. Here we have to wait for maracuya to come into season, whereas in the north, it is available year round in the form of Welch’s frozen passion fruit pulp.

Coriander seeds, a characteristic ingredient of many fruit vinaigrettes, are not native to Mexico but were introduced by the Spaniards and used most often in their sprouted form, cilantro, widely used in Mexican cooking. They are also said to be an aphrodesiac, mentioned as such in the tales of the Arabian Nights, dating back over 1,000 years.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup passion fruit pulp, fresh or frozen, thawed
• 1 large shallot, chopped
• 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
• 1/3 cup olive oil (or more, to taste)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 6-8 cups salad greens (mesclun, curly leaf, red leaf lettuce, etc)
• mini pearl or other small tomatoes, such as grape tomatoes, for garnish

Preparation:

Place the passion fruit pulp, shallot, vinegar and coriander seeds in a blender and puree until smooth. With the blender still running, add the olive oil in a stream until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the greens with the dressing and divide among 6 salad plates. Garnish with the tomatoes. Dressing may be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated.

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The combination of mangos and avocados gets a colorful and tasty lift from the addition of red bell peppers. Fresh bell pepper ( pimiento morrón) once meant green bell pepper, and red ones were available only in cans, but today the markets sell red and yellow bells year round. The avocado should not be peeled or cut in advance since they discolor once cut open.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

• 1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

For the salad:

• 1 ½ pounds mangos, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1″ cubes
• 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into thin crescents
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 large, firm, ripe avocados, peeled and cut into 1″ cubes

Preparation:

Mix the first 4 dressing ingredients together until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the oil until emulsified.

Combine the mangos, red bell pepper, onion and cilantro. Gently fold in the avocados and dressing.

Serve on individual lettuce-lined salad plates or in a lettuce-lined salad bowl. Serves 4-6.

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Soaking the cabbage in lemon water adds flavor, eases digestion, and cuts down on the need for salt. Some cooks add pineapple to this Aguascalientes style mixed vegetable salad, but I find it to be an odd fit with the Russian-style dressing. Try shredded jicama instead, and be sure to use red cabbage, which makes for an appetizingly colorful salad.

Ingredients

• ½ medium head red cabbage, shredded
• 2 cups water
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into strips
• ½ pound carrots, shredded
• 2 large stalks celery, very thinly sliced
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup Mexican crema or crème fraiche
• ¼ cup catsup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place the cabbage in a bowl with the water and lemon juice. Let the cabbage soak for one hour, then drain thoroughly. (I use a salad spinner to remove any extra water.)

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage with the lettuce, carrots and celery. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.

Mix the mayonnaise, crema and catsup. Taste and add salt and pepper. Refrigerate this dressing, covered, separately if not serving the salad right away. Just before serving, add to the vegetable mixture and toss thoroughly. Serves 4.

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In this recipe, two of central Mexico’s favorite greens are combined with corn, radishes and green onions and dressed with a chile vinaigrette. This makes a good accompaniment to almost any barbequed meat, fish or fowl. Fresh corn kernels cut off the cob are best in this salad, but thawed frozen kernels may be used.

Ingredients

• ½ pound spinach leaves, washed and dried
• 4 ounces watercress, tough stems and any wilted leaves discarded
• 3 ancho chiles, seeded and cut into strips
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¾ cup cooked, cooled corn kernels or an equal amount of thawed frozen corn kernels
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions or scallions
• ½ cup thinly sliced radishes
• 4 ounces cubed queso panela or any firm, fresh white cheese
• 1 large avocado, peeled and cubed

For the dressing

• Reserved oil from sautéing the chiles
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• ½ tablespoon soy sauce

Wrap washed and dried spinach leaves and watercress in paper towels and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Sauté the chile strips in the olive oil 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until they release their fragrance, being careful not to burn them. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside, reserving the oil for the dressing.

Mix the cider vinegar, garlic and soy sauce. Add the reserved chile oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify the dressing.

Combine the spinach and watercress with the corn, green onions, radishes, cheese and avocado. Toss with the dressing. Place on salad dishes and garnish with the sautéed chile strips. Serves 4.

For Soups, Stews and Summer Salads: Mexico’s Leafy Greens

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Esta ensalada fue inspirada por los enormes aguacates que compramos en el mercado se San Blas Atempa, un pequeño pueblo afuera de Tehuantepec. Habíamos visto unos parecidos en Chiapas, pero nos dijeron que estos se cultivaban localmente. Lo jugoso de los gajos de naranja hacen un buen contraste de textura con lo cremoso de los aguacates.

Ingredientes

• • 1 aguacate de Chiapas, o 3 aguacates grandes, pelados y cortados en trozos
  • 2 naranjas, peladas y separadas en gajos, sin la membrana blanca
  • ½ cebolla roja, pelada y cortada en delgadas “medias lunas”
  • 3 cucharadas de jugo de limón fresco
  • 1/3 de taza de aceite de oliva
  • ¼ de taza de cilantro fresco picado
  • Sal y pimienta al gusto
    

Colocar los trozos de aguacate, gajos de naranja y cebolla en un tazón. (Si la prepara por adelantado, espolvoree los aguacates con un poco de jugo de limón fresco para prevenir su oxidación, ya que se vuelven oscuros después de quitar la cáscara.)

Batir el jugo de limón, aceite de oliva, cilantro, sal y pimiento hasta obtener una emulsión. Verter sobre los ingredientes de la ensalada y mezclar. Puede ser servida sobre hojas de lechuga si lo desea. Rinde para 4 porciones como entrada.

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This salad was inspired by the nearly football-size avocados we bought in the market in San Blas Atempa, a small town right outside Tehuantepec. We had seen some similar ones from Chiapas, but were told that these were locally grown. The juiciness of the orange segments makes a nice textural contrast to the creaminess of the avocado.

Ingredients:

• 1 Chiapas avocado, or 3 large Haas avocados, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 oranges, peeled and separated into segments, membranes removed
• 1/2 medium red onion, peeled and cut into thin crescents
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and pepper to taste

Place the avocado chunks, orange segments and onion slices in a bowl. (If preparing in advance, sprinkle the avocados with a little fresh lime juice to prevent discoloration after peeling.)

Whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour over the salad ingredients and toss gently. May be served over lettuce leaves if desired.

Serves 4 as a first course or side dish.

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Los dos tipos de calabaza utilizados en éste platillo, al igual que las semillas de calabaza y flor de calabaza, son ingredientes característicos de la cocina del centro de México. Si no puede conseguir chilacayote en su área, sustitúyalo con crookneck squash. Los quintoniles son verduras comestibles, similares a espinaca cambray, el cual se puede utilizar. Al asar los vegetales y al tostar los granos y las flores de calabaza en el horno, agregan sabor que por lo general hace falta en los platillos con vegetales.

Ingredientes

• 1 libra de chilacayote, cortado en rebanadas de ¼ de pulgada
• 1 libra de calabacitas, cortadas en cubitos de ¼ de pulgada
• 1 manojo pequeño de ajo, separado y con cáscara
• ¼ de libra de quintoniles tiernos
• ¼ de libra de flor de calabaza, limpias, sin pistilos ni hojas verdes.
• 6 onzas de pepitos de calabaza crudos sin cáscara
• ½ taza de aceite de oliva, y un poquito más para asar los vegetales
• ¼ de taza de vinagre de arroz
• Unas cuantas gotas de jugo de limón, o al gusto
• Sal y pimienta molida al gusto
• 12 onzas de queso feta, cortado en cubos de ½ pulgada
• ¼ de libra de cebolla morada, cortada en rodajas finas

Manera de hacerse

Coloque los chilacayotes, calabacitas y ajo en una charola para hornear con bordes, rocíe con un poco de aceite de oliva, y ase en un horno moderado (aproximadamente 350°F) hasta que estén dorados, volteándolos una vez. Asegúrese de no quemar los vegetales. Remueva del horno y déjelos enfriar. Pele los dientes de ajo.

En otra charola para hornear, ase los quintoniles y las flores de calabaza, rociados con un poco de aceite de oliva, por unos 10 minutos o hasta que estén secos y tostados. Remueva y deje enfriar.

En una sartén sin grasa, tueste las semillas de calabaza hasta que comiencen a tronar y a inflarse. Remuévalas y deje que se enfríen.

Coloque el chilacayote, calabacitas y ajo en un tazón grande. Revuelva con una mezcla de aceite de oliva, vinagre de arroz, jugo de limón, sal y pimienta. Agregue las hojas verdes, flor de calabaza, semillas de calabaza, queso y cebolla, y revuelva ligeramente. Rinde para 4 personas.

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In English

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Both types of squash used in this dish, along with pumpkin seeds and squash blossoms, are characteristic ingredients in Central Mexican cooking. If chilacayote is unavailable in your area, substitute crookneck squash. Quintoniles are an edible green, similar in taste to lamb’s quarters or baby spinach, which can be used. Roasting the vegetables and toasting the greens and squash blossoms in the oven add a dimension of flavor often lacking in vegetable dishes.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chilacayote squash, cut into ¼” slices (or substitute crookneck squash)
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into ¼” slices
• 1 small head garlic, cloves separated, left unpeeled
• ¼ pound quintoniles (young, tender greens)
• ¼ pound squash blossoms, cleaned, pistils and green outer leaves removed
• 6 ounces raw pumpkin seeds without shells
• ½ cup olive oil, plus extra for roasting vegetables
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• a few drops of lime juice, or to taste
• salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
• 12 ounces feta cheese, cut in ½ 2 cubes
• ¼ pound purple onion, thinly sliced

Preparation:

Place the chilacayote, zucchini and garlic on a large, rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, and roast in a moderate oven (about 350ºF) until golden brown, turning once. Take care not to burn the vegetables. Remove and cool. Peel garlic cloves.

On a separate baking sheet, roast the greens and squash blossoms, sprinkled with olive oil, for10 minutes or until dry and toasted. Remove and cool.

In a dry skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds until they begin to pop and inflate. Remove and cool.

Place the cooled chilacayote, zucchini and garlic in a large bowl. Toss with a mixture of the olive oil, rice vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper. Add the greens, squash blossoms, pumpkin seeds, cheese and onion, and toss lightly. Serves 4.

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