Although most commonly made with raw fish, ceviche, which originated in Peru and arrived via the Pacific coast of Mexico, is delicious prepared with smoked fish, and probably a bit more reassuring for those that have doubts about raw fish. Ingredients: 1 pound smoked fish, such as mullet, sable or tuna, boned and shredded 1 […]
Continue ReadingThis is a great hot weather choice, since it calls for no cooking at all. Serve it with bolillos or crusty French bread. ½ cup water, or more as necessary 1 ½ pounds ripe tomatoes, chopped ¾ pound fresh tomatillos (called tomate verde in Mexico) husked and chopped ½ cup finely chopped white onion 1-2 fresh serrano chiles, […]
Continue ReadingMexican trout in papillote is a specialty of the high country between Toluca and México City, where trout abound in cool mountain streams. If you decide to wrap more than one fish in a foil papillote packet, keep the contents of the packet to one pound of fish or less, to ensure that it will […]
Continue ReadingMany years ago, two young students of mine in California went on a family trip to visit their grandparents in Mexico. When they returned, they couldn’t wait to tell me the funniest word they’d heard: “cacahuates.” Those four catchy syllables really made an impression on them, possibly because of the incessant cry of the peanut vendor at […]
Continue ReadingThe 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 […]
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