Pipian is a specialty of central Mexico, especially the states of Puebla and Mexico. Restaurants in Mexico seem to feature more duck on their menus in the last few years, although the native muscovy duck was domesticated and eaten in pre-Hispanic times. I have adapted my recipe for pipian verde, which I learned to cook in Puebla […]
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Many years ago, our intrepid little band of gypsies became hopelessly lost on a trip through what was then relatively undeveloped Baja California. Too dark to be on the road, and too late to find accommodations, the situation called for some ingenuity, and we got permission from a farmer to park our van alongside his […]
Continue ReadingWhen asked by the New York Times magazine to write about the most important contribution of the past millennium, Italian author Umberto Eco chose the humble bean. In How the Bean Saved Western Civilization, Eco points out that in the five centuries after the year 1,000 A.D. Europe’s population nearly tripled, and the amount of […]
Continue ReadingIn the introduction to her cookbook, Adela Fernandez talks about the flowers that adorned her father’s table and the heavily embroidered tablecloths and napkins, often with flower motifs, that were made especially for his theme meals. The food served often contained flowers, including hibiscus, nasturtium, squash blossoms and colorín, or “bird’s tongue.” This recipe for Aztec squash […]
Continue ReadingIt is customary for Mexican cooks to save the seeds they remove from dried chiles and store them, mixing several varieties in the same jar. This traditional recipe from El Bajio restaurant in Mexico City may be made with either boneless pork leg or beef shanks. Ingredients: 2 pounds cut-up boneless pork leg or beef […]
Continue ReadingIngredients: 5 large Beefsteak tomatoes or 10 plum tomatoes, roasted 2 poblano peppers, roasted and thinly sliced 1/2 onion, sliced lengthwise 4 Tbsp. oil Salt to taste Preparation: Grind the tomatoes in a blender, add salt to taste, set aside. In a skilet, heat oil then fry onion and peppers until onions are soft. Add […]
Continue ReadingThese are Great Grandma’s Pecan Balls: Ingredients: Cookie 1 C. plus 2 tsp. flour 1/2 C. plus 2 tsp. butter 1/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. sugar 3 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. ground pecans 1/2 C. chopped pecans Topping 1/2 C. powdered sugar Preparation: Mix first four ingredients together, form this mixture into small […]
Continue ReadingIngredients: 3/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. butter 3 eggs 2 tsps. sugar 1 1/2 tsps. salt 3/4 C. plus 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. rice flour 2 tsps. baking powder 3 oz. farmer’s cheese 1 lb. grated zucchini or, the kernels from 7 ears of corn ground in a blender with a […]
Continue ReadingThe Mexican trout farms in the mountains outside Atlixco have open air restaurants that are crowded with families getting out of the city on weekends. The menus feature trucha empapelada, or en papillote, with a variety of seasonings. This version of Mexican trout with sesame seeds in parchment paper is delicious and unusual. Ingredients 4 whole small […]
Continue ReadingAlthough undoubtedly made without chile in their native Cornwall, these tasty, filling meat pies have been mexicanized in translation, usually with the addition of serrano chiles, either canned in vinaigrette or fresh. Some cooks incorporate cream cheese into the dough, but the filling is so rich, the pastes do nicely without the extra fat and calories. Ingredients: […]
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