I had these for the first time at Las Cazuelas de Tlaxcala, a restaurant in Tlaxcala with really authentic Central Mexican cuisine. They can be served with a simple tomato sauce or with a pasilla or tomatillo sauce. Ingredients 1 pound huazontle bud clusters (the tops, with stems and leaves removed) 1 pound rice, cooked and allowed to cool […]
Continue ReadingIn a previous column, I gave a recipe for the standard nopales salad that the market ladies all over the country seem to sell, but when my husband overdid it on the grilled nopales (his favorite grilled vegetable) at one of our parilladas (Mexican version of an outdoor barbeque) I made a salad with the leftovers. In my opinion, the grilled nopales, with […]
Continue ReadingThis dessert uses the pungent limes that are indispensible to so many Mexican meals. Piled high in markets all over the country, they are often squeezed onto food at the table in place of salt. The Florida native known in the U.S. as Key lime is perfect for use in this dessert, which is a […]
Continue ReadingChiles rellenos — poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, covered with beaten egg whites and fried — are a perennial Mexican favorite. They are served in a savory tomato broth. Ingredients 2 cups oil 8 poblano peppers 3 cups grated Manchego, Chihuahua, Gouda or farmer’s cheese 5 eggs, separated 4 small tomatoes or 2 large tomatoes […]
Continue ReadingWhen preparing cactus (nopal) paddles, make sure you wear gloves to avoid the agüates or tiny thorns. Use a potato peeler or small paring knife to remove them. Ingredients: 12 tender cactus (nopal) paddles 3 C. water 6 slices of Manchego or Panela cheese 1/4 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise 1 clove garlic Salt to taste 1/2 C. […]
Continue ReadingPilar Cabrara created this dressing was designed for her exclusive Oaxaca Salad. Ingredients 100 ml (about 3 fluid ounces) adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo) 250 ml (about 8 fluid ounces) of apple cider vinegar 125 ml (about 4 fluid ounces) of olive oil 50 grams (about 1 ¾ ounces) of fresh […]
Continue ReadingYucca has always been a staple in the cooking of the Caribbean and the Yucatan peninsula. Fairly bland on its own, it takes well to the flavor of other ingredients. In Mexican yucca in orange sauce, it blends with garlic and oranges. Ingredients 6 medium size yuccas 2 tablespoons corn oil 4 cloves garlic, peeled […]
Continue ReadingAlthough fresh fava beans appear only in springtime in the markets of Central Mexico, the dried versions are available throughout the year and cook much more quickly than other dried beans. I gave a recipe for a Puebla style fava bean soup in the November 2003 issue of Mexico Connect, but this one differs in its use […]
Continue ReadingThis recipe is adapted from Nueva Salsa Recipes to Spice It Up by Rafael Palomino and Arlen Gargagliano. The original calls for ají amarillo, but serrano chile is a good substitute. If you like it really hot, try using habanero chile. White balsamic vinegar is not always easy to find in Mexico, but apple cider vinegar, found in any […]
Continue ReadingThese Mexican cactus fruits are always available in larger mercados in Central Mexico, because they are used in mole de olla. If you don’t see them, ask. They make a delicious jam. Do yourself a big favor and buy them with the spines already removed. I see women in the market holding xoconostle with their bare hands and scraping […]
Continue Reading