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MEXICAN INGREDIENTS
Tortillas The staple food of generations of ordinary Mexicans,
tortillas can be made of flour (more common in the
north) or maize (the traditional method and still
the most common in the south). Often served
alongside a meal as bread would be, tortillas are
also used in many typical dishes – rolled and baked
for enchiladas, fried for tacos or grilled for
quesadillas.
Frijoles (beans)
A good source of protein, beans of different
varieties are most commonly boiled and then fried.
They can be a main ingredient in a meal or served
almost as a garnish.
Guacamole Avocado mashed with onions, chilies and cilantro
(coriander) and served as a dip or as a garnish.
Salsa
A salsa is actually just a sauce, although it is
most commonly associated with the red or green mix
of tomatoes, onion, chili and cilantro (coriander)
served on your table as a relish or a dip. Beware of
‘salsa habañero’ in innocuous bottles like small
jars of ketchup, and always try just a little salsa
first as a precaution.
Chilies,
in general the bigger the chili, the milder the
flavor. Large Poblano chilies are stuffed and served
as a main course, the small habañero is ferociously
hot. To ask if a dish is spicy, say "es picante?" –
Though hotel menus will often specify dishes that
might offend tourist palates.
Mole sauce
A wonderful rich sauce made with the unlikely
combination of chocolate, chilies and many spices.
It can be red or green depending on the ingredients
and the moles of Puebla and Oaxaca are particularly
famous. The sauce is often served over chicken,
though turkey is more traditional.
Tacos
Tortillas fried until they are crispy and served
with various fillings.
Tortas
Mexican sandwiches, often large rolls with generous
fillings.
TAMALES
 Tamales
can be traced back as early as 5000 BC. They served as a
nutritious and portable food for Aztec, Mayan, and Incan
warriors.
Tamales are cornmeal paste wrapped in corn or banana husks and often
stuffed with chicken, pork or turkey and/or vegetables,
then steamed.
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Ingredients
6 cups Maseca Corn Masa Mix for Tamales
6 cups Chicken broth
1 cup corn oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 large rotisserie chicken
2 cans salsa verde or tomatillo sauce
1 bag corn husks |
Method
Soak
the corn husks in warm water until soft. Blend
with an electric mixer Maseca corn masa mix for
tamales, corn oil, salt, baking powder and the
chicken broth to obtain a consistent mixture.
Shred the chicken and marinate in the green
salsa or tomatillo sauce. Spread masa evenly
over corn husks, and spread a spoonful of
marinated chicken on top of the masa. Fold the
sides of the corn husk to center over the masa
so that they overlap to make along package. Fold
the empty part of the husk under so that it rest
against the side of the tamale with a seam.
Place the tamales in a steamer and cook tamales
for 35-40 minutes. Check every 20 minutes. The
tamales are cooked when they separate easily
from the corn husk. |
ENCHILADAS
 Enchiladas are tortillas coated in a tomato and chili
sauce, stuffed with vegetables, chicken or pork then
folded and baked. Despite the chili content, enchiladas
are often fairly mild. Enchiladas suizas are topped with
sour cream.
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Ingredients
3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup oil,
divided
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 cup New Mexican chili powder
16 ounces chicken stock
10 ounces tomato puree
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken
1 onion, chopped
10 corn tortillas
1 cup sour cream, for garnish
1/2 cup chopped scallions, for garnish |
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make sauce: In saucepan heat 3 tablespoons oil,
add flour and cook, whisking, 1 minute. Add
chili powder and cook 30 seconds. Stir in stock,
tomato puree, oregano and cumin and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until
flavors are well blended. Season to taste with
salt. Combine cheese, chicken and onion for
filling. Heat remaining 1/2-cup oil in a skillet
until hot. Using tongs dip in tortillas, one at
a time, to soften, and drain on paper towels.
Dip each tortilla in sauce. On a plate fill with
a generous spoonful of filling and roll up;
place enchilada seam-side down in a baking dish
and repeat until all ingredients are used up.
Top with remaining sauce. Bake 30 minutes. To
serve, top with sour cream and scallions. |
TEQUILA
y CERVEZAS
Tequila This infamous spirit is
most commonly served to tourists in the form of a
margarita – mixed with lime juice in salt-rimmed
glasses. It is actually derived from the maguey
plant – a spiky bush often seen growing in fields.
Mezcal is a cruder form of Tequila traditionally
served with a worm in the bottle – the worm should
be eaten when the bottle is finished!
Cerveza Mexican beers are now known
all over the world. Corona, Sol and Dos Equis are
common brands, usually served cold and a very
refreshing alternative to iced drinks.
QUESADILLAS
 Quesadillas are tortillas stuffed with cheese, folded
and grilled. A simple dish often served with beans or a
little salad and suitable for those avoiding anything
spicy.
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Ingredients
3 tbsp + 1/2 cup oil,
Maseca (corn masa mix)
2 large potatoes
Chorizo
16 oz can of refried beans
Cooking oil
Salt
Black pepper
Butter or margarine
shredded Monterey Jack or
Manchego cheese
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Method
Peal the potatoes and cut them in
small chunks
Boil the potatoes in water for 10
minutes or until cooked Once the potatoes are
ready, mash them and add pepper, salt and butter
to taste Keep potatoes warm at low heat Heat the
beans, keep them warm at low heat Shred and cook
the chorizo by itself in a frying pan, then keep
at low heat In a large bowl, add 4 cups of the
masa mix and add some warm water, mix with your
hands until the masa is firm adding water as
necessary.
With your hands, make small balls
of masa about 2 inches in diameter, each one of
these will be a quesadilla.
Set large frying pan in mid-high
heat, once hot lower heat to medium Add enough
oil to cover the frying pan to 1 inch deep Make
a round (tortilla like) shape with each of the
masa mix balls, using a roller if nescesary Put
chorizo, beans with chorizo, cheese or potatoes
in the tortilla and seal the sides by pressing
with your fingers Fry one side until brown, then
flip, repeat for all others, cooking as many as
you can at the same time.
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TOSTADOS
 Tostadas are thin and crisp tortillas served loaded with
guacamole, sour cream, chilies, chicken etc.
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Ingredients
2 cups shredded beef or other
filling (for chicken and turkey filling-see
recipes, which follow)
12 corn tortillas
1/2 cup corn or canola oil
1 1/2 cups frijoles (optional)
1 tomato, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 head lettuce, shredded
2 cups guacamole
2 cups Chihuahua or Jack cheese, grated
1 cup salsa fresca and/or salsa verde |
Method
In small frying pan, heat oil
until a drop of water sizzles immediately when
added to it. Fry tortilla lightly on one side.
Turn and fry lightly on the other side. Remove
from oil and drain on paper towel. Repeat with
all 12 tortillas.
Heat filling and frijoles until steaming. Place
one to two tablespoons of frijoles on top of
fried tortilla. Top with another two tablespoons
of filling. Add shredded lettuce, onions,
tomatoes and guacamole. Top with cheese. Repeat
for all tostadas. Serve immediately. And enjoy.
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CHILES RELLENOS
 Chile Rellenos are large poblano
chiles stuffed with cheese or spicy
meat (picadillo). The chiles are
mild, thought the sauce may not be.
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Ingredients
2 chiles, roasted and peeled
1 1/3 oz cheese, Monterrey jack
oil, for frying
1 eggs, separated
1 cup flour, all purpose
Tomato Sauce
1 1/3 pounds (about 2 or 3)
tomatoes, peeled
1 medium onion
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
chiles
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
pn cloves, ground |
Method
Prepare tomato sauce. Cut a tiny
slit in one side of each chile to remove seeds,
leaving stems on. Dry the chiles on paper
towels. Cut cheese into long thin sticks, one
for each chile. Place one stick in each chile,
using more if chiles are large.
If chiles are loose and open,
wrap around cheese and fasten with wooden a
wooden toothpick. Pour oil 1/4" deep into large
heavy pan. Heat oil to 365 F. Beat egg whites in
a medium bowl until stiff. Beat egg yolks
lightly in a small bowl and fold into the beaten
egg whites, gently but thoroughly. Roll chiles
in flour, and then dip in egg mixture to coat.
Fry in hot oil until golden brown, turning with
a spatula. Drain on paper towels. Serve
immediately topped with tomato sauce. For the
preparation of the tomato sauce, combine
tomatoes, onion and garlic in blender or food
processor and blend to a puree. Heat oil in a
medium saucepan, add tomato mixture. Cook 10
minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, salt,
chiles, cloves and cinnamon. Simmer gently 15
minutes.
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Tamales
can be traced back as early as 5000 BC. They served as a
nutritious and portable food for Aztec, Mayan, and Incan
warriors.
Tamales are cornmeal paste wrapped in corn or banana husks and often
stuffed with chicken, pork or turkey and/or vegetables,
then steamed.
Enchiladas are tortillas coated in a tomato and chili
sauce, stuffed with vegetables, chicken or pork then
folded and baked. Despite the chili content, enchiladas
are often fairly mild. Enchiladas suizas are topped with
sour cream. 
Quesadillas are tortillas stuffed with cheese, folded
and grilled. A simple dish often served with beans or a
little salad and suitable for those avoiding anything
spicy. 
Tostadas are thin and crisp tortillas served loaded with
guacamole, sour cream, chilies, chicken etc.