Stuffed Chiles Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup Raisins
• 1/2 Cup (125 ml) Dry or Sweet Sherry
• 8 Large Poblano Chile Peppers
• 3 Roma Tomatoes
• 500 Grams (1 Pound) Ground Pork
• 1/2 Medium White Onion, diced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 Cup (250 ml) Chicken Broth (or substitute 2 Teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Powder dissolved in 1 Cup Hot Water)
• 1 Small or 1/2 Large Granny Smith Apple, diced
• 1 Red Anjou Pear, diced
• 1 Plantain, peeled and diced
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin, or to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, or to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves, or to taste
• 100 Grams Slivered Almonds
• 2 Teaspoon White Sugar, or to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 1/4 Cup Olive or Vegetable Oil

Nogada Sauce Ingredients:

• 100 Grams Shelled Pecan Halves or Shelled Walnuts
• 1 Cup (250 ml) Créme Fraiche or Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Slice White Bread, with or without crust, as desired
• Milk or Cream, enough to soak the bread in
• 1/2 Cup (125 ml) Dry or Sweet Sherry, or to taste
• 1/3 to 1/2 Pound (200 to 250 Grams) Queso Fresco, or to taste
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, or to taste
• 2 Teaspoons White Sugar, or to taste

Garnish:

• 1 Fresh Pomegranate, halved, with seeds removed and set aside for serving (If these aren’t in season or available where you are, dried cranberries make a perfect substitute!)

Stuffed Chiles Directions:

Place the raisins in a small bowl and pour the 1/2 cup sherry over them. Cover and allow the raisins to soak at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.

Place the poblano chiles over an open flame on the stovetop and roast them until the skin is blackened. (Note: You can also roast the peppers under the oven broiler.)

Flip the chiles and roast them until they’re completely black.

Immediately transfer the peppers to plastic (Ziploc) bags, seal them, and allow them to sweat about 15 minutes for easier peeling.

Meanwhile, cut the roma tomatoes in half and place them on a foil-lined broiler pan.

Place under the oven broiler until the skins are blackened and easy to remove.

When the tomatoes have cooled, dice them and set aside. Remove the poblano chile peppers from the plastic bags and peel off the skins.

Slice them lengthwise and remove the seeds. Set aside while preparing the filling.

In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the oil and sauté the onions and garlic until tender.

Add the ground pork.

Cook the pork until it’s browned.

Add the diced, roasted tomatoes.

Then add the chicken broth, stirring to mix thoroughly.

Simmer until the meat is tender and the chicken broth is almost gone.

Pour in the raisins and sherry (which have been soaking for 6 to 24 hours). Add the apple, pear, plantain, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and slivered almonds and stir to combine thoroughly. Add the white sugar and salt to taste.

Remove from heat and stuff the poblanos with the filling. Set the stuffed chiles aside and keep them warm while preparing the nogada sauce.

Nogada Sauce Directions:

Place the pecans or walnuts in the créme fraiche or heavy whipping cream, cover, and allow to soak for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Pour milk or cream over the slice of bread and let that soak while you’re preparing the chiles and filling above.

Pour the nuts and cream into the blender and add the soaked bread.

Blend until smooth. Add the sherry, queso fresco, cinnamon, and white sugar to taste. Mix until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

When ready to serve the chiles, place a warm stuffed poblano on a plate.

Pour the nogada sauce generously over the chile and garnish with the pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries). Serve immediately and enjoy!

Bon Appétit!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Mexican cuisine includes the use of the delicate flor de calabaza (also known as squash blossoms or pumpkin flowers). These flowers are used in a variety of ways, such as in quesadillas, empanadas, and soups.

In addition to flor de calabaza, epazote is another native plant which is an integral part of Mexican cuisine. You’ll find its use in many dishes, the most common being black beans and soups. You’ll need a sprig of epazote for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 Poblano Chile Pepper
• 2 Bunches Flor de Calabaza (squash blossoms/pumpkin flowers), rinsed
• 1 Stick Unsalted Butter
• 1 White Onion, chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves, diced
• 2 Zucchinis, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
• 1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 Cups Fresh or Canned Corn Kernels
• 3 Cups Chicken Broth (or substitute 1 & 1/2 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder dissolved in 3 Cups Hot Water)
• 1 Sprig Fresh Epazote
• 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
• Salt, if needed, to taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, if desired, to taste

Directions:

Place the poblano chile pepper over the flame on the stovetop.

When the skin is completely black on one side of the chile, flip and continue roasting until the whole chile is blackened. (Alternatively, you can roast the poblano under the oven broiler.)

Place the roasted poblano in a Ziploc (plastic) bag, seal it, and allow the chile to cool.

Chop the squash flower blossoms. You should end up with about 2 cups.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium-low heat. Add the chopped flowers.

Sauté until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with a little salt if desired.

Transfer half of the sautéed flowers to a small bowl and set aside to garnish the soup at the end. Add the chopped onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, yellow bell pepper, carrot, and zucchini. If using fresh corn kernels, add it at this point, but if you’re using canned corn, don’t add it yet.

Cover and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. While this is cooking, remove the poblano chile from the plastic bag. Peeling off the blackened skin should be easy now.

Remove the stem and seeds, then chop the poblano.

Check the sautéed vegetables. They should be tender and simmering in their juices.

Add the chicken broth and poblano. If using canned corn kernels, add them now also. Bring to a boil.

Add the epazote, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.

Turn off the stove and allow the soup to cool before blending.

Remove the epazote sprig. Pour half of the soup into a blender.

Blend until the soup is completely smooth.

Pour into a medium bowl and repeat the blending steps with the remaining half of the soup. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot and set over medium-low heat. Add the heavy cream and simmer a few minutes.

Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper if desired. (I don’t find that I need to season the soup, but tastes vary.)

You may add the sautéed flower blossoms to the soup at this point, or garnish the soup individually when serving.

¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Pollo Encacahuatado, a delicious dish originally from Puebla, does take a bit of prep time, but it’s definitely worth it! This recipe makes quite a few servings, so you can cut it in half if you’d like. I used my slow-cooker because I wanted the chicken to practically fall off the bones, but you can cook this in large pot on the stove as desired.

Ingredients:

• 5 Dried Ancho Chile Peppers, rehydrated in hot water until softened (I cover the chiles and let them soak while I’m shelling the peanuts)
• 2 & 1/2 Cups Roasted, Unsalted Peanuts (you’ll need to start with about 1 lb. whole peanuts before shelling)
• 5 lbs. Chicken Pieces (on the bone, with skin)
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• Ground Cumin, to taste
• Ground Cinnamon, to taste
• Ground Cloves, to taste
• 1/4 Cup Peanut or Vegetable Oil
• 1 Large White Onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves, diced
• 2 Árbol Chile Peppers (chiles de árbol), stems removed
• 5 Roma Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 & 1/2 Bolillos (large hard rolls)
• 2 Corn Tortillas
• 4 Chipotle Chile Peppers in adobo sauce
• 6 Cups Chicken Broth (you can substitute 3 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder dissolved in 6 Cups Hot Water)
• White Sugar, to taste
• 1 Cinnamon Stick
• 2 Sprigs Fresh Cilantro
• Toasted Sesame Seeds, to garnish (optional)

Directions:

Let the ancho chiles soak in hot water while you remove the shells from the peanuts. You should end up with about 2 & 1/2 cups of peanuts at the end. (Note: If you are using unroasted peanuts, once you’ve removed the shells, toast the raw peanuts in large skillet set over low heat until they’re golden.)

Remove the ancho chile peppers from the hot water. Remove the stems and seeds and chop coarsely. Set aside.

Season the chicken pieces as desired with the black pepper, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. In a heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat, add the peanut or vegetable oil (I prefer peanut oil for this recipe). When hot, add a few seasoned chicken pieces skin-side down and cook until browned.

Flip the chicken and brown on the other side.

Transfer the browned chicken to a slow-cooker (Crock Pot) and repeat steps with the remaining chicken pieces. In the same pot used to brown the chicken, now add the onion, garlic, chiles de árbol, and tomatoes. Sauté until tender, stirring occasionally.

While this is cooking, tear the bolillo rolls and corn tortillas into pieces.

Add the roll and tortilla pieces to the pot and cook until softened a bit, 1 to 2 minutes.

It’s time to combine the sauce ingredients in the blender, and you’ll need to do this in batches. Combine about 1/3 of the onion-tomato-bread mixture, 2 cups chicken broth, 1/3 of the peanuts, 1 to 2 chipotle chile peppers, and 1/3 of the soaked, chopped ancho chile peppers in a blender.

Blend until it forms a smooth purée.

Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow-cooker. Repeat the blending steps two more times with the remaining ingredients, and pour over the chicken. Add a few teaspoons of sugar and stir the sauce in the slow-cooker, making sure the chicken pieces are completely covered. Add the cinnamon stick.

Cook the chicken in the slow-cooker on high for about 2 and 1/2 hours.

Add the sprigs of cilantro, cover, and cook 30 minutes more.

Remove cilantro, taste the sauce, and season with more sugar or salt if desired. Serve the chicken with a healthy portion of sauce, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if you wish. Accompany with white rice and black beans. Be sure to serve with warm corn tortillas or bolillos to sop up the sauce!

¡Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Huauzontle (also spelled guauzontle and huazontle) is an herb native to Mexico. Its name is of Náhuatl origin (“huautzontli”), and it has a long history of use in Mexican cuisine. Its appearance is somewhat like what broccoli would look like if it were elongated, and its flavor is a bit like spinach. Not only does it have high nutritional value, but it’s also economical and versatile. In Mexico, huauzontle is especially popular at the end of the year (November/December) and also in the spring (March/April), as many people observe Lent and look for meatless dishes. Some huauzontle recipes have you leave the cooked huauzontle flower buds on the stems when coating them with the egg batter and frying, but they are much messier to eat because you have to pull the fried flower buds off the stems with your teeth. In this recipe, you completely pull off the flower buds from the stems and form croquettes, which may take more time, but it’s ultimately more aesthetic and easier to eat at the end!

Sauce Ingredients:

• 5 Roma Tomatoes
• 3 to 4 Serrano Chile Peppers, or to taste
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Medium Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon Powder
• Powdered Cumin, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Croquette Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Huauzontle (about 8 stems)
• Water, for boiling
• 1/8 to 1/4 lb. Oaxaca Cheese (Mozzarella or String Cheese can also be used)
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• Salt
• 4 Eggs
• Vegetable Oil, for frying

Sauce Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half and place them along with the chile peppers on a foil-lined broiler pan.

Roast them under the broiler until they’re softened and their skins are slightly blackened, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.

Cut the onion in half. Finely chop one of the halves and set aside. Place the other half of the onion with the garlic and the roasted tomatoes and peppers in a blender. Purée until smooth. Heat the oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat, add the chopped onion, and sauté until tender.

Pour the sauce into the saucepan. Add the chicken bouillon powder, cumin, and salt to taste. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes.

Turn off the burner, but keep the sauce warm while preparing the huauzontle croquettes.

Croquette Directions:

Fill a large pot with water and salt generously. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Rinse the huauzontle stems and flower buds in cold water. Add the huauzontle to the boiling water, reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, or until the flower buds are tender.

Remove the huauzontle from the boiling water and drain, allowing it to cool for a minute or two.

Carefully remove the flower buds from the leaves and stems as much as possible.

Basically, you need to strip the flower buds off of the stems by holding the stem with one hand and pushing the flower buds off with the other.

Combine flour and salt to taste in a small bowl and set aside.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the egg whites with an electric hand-mixer until they form stiff peaks.

Carefully fold the egg yolks into the egg whites and set aside.

Shred the cheese and set aside.

Pour oil into a large skillet 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and set over medium-high heat. Press together enough flower buds in the palm of your hand to form a small patty.

Place a small mound of shredded cheese in the center of the huauzontle patty.

Close the flower buds over the cheese (adding more flower buds as necessary to completely cover the cheese), forming a small cheese-stuffed huauzontle patty or ball. Squeeze out any excess water.

Transfer to the salted flour and cover thoroughly, carefully removing any excess.

Coat with the egg batter and immediately transfer to the hot oil in the skillet.

Fry until golden brown. Carefully spoon some of the hot oil over the top of the huauzontle croquette to set the batter, then flip and fry until the other side is golden brown also.

Transfer croquette to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm. Repeat steps until you’ve used up all of the flower buds.

This makes about 6 to 8 medium-large croquettes.

Serve the hot huauzontle croquettes immediately, pouring the sauce over the top as desired. Serve with beans, rice, and warm corn tortillas.

Note: You’ll likely have some sauce left over from this dish, so use it to make red rice or as a salsa to garnish sopes or quesadillas.

Bon appétit!

Recipe posted by Lindsay

Here in Mexico, this dish is particularly popular in December, March and April. During these months, it’s very easy to find romeritos, a wild plant which has sprigs somewhat resembling rosemary, but which has a delicate taste closest to that of baby spinach. If you can’t find romeritos where you are, you can substitute fresh baby spinach, although the final presentation might look a bit different. Other versions of this dish feature dried prawn patties, but we’ve made it a little simpler here by just including dried prawns. Enjoy this traditional dish from Central Mexico!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. Small Potatoes
• 1 lb. Peapods
• 1 lb. Green Beans
• 2 Cups Nopal (Prickly Pear Cactus) Leaves, chopped
• 1 to 2 lbs. Romeritos (Fresh Baby Spinach may be substituted)
• 1/2 lb. Pre-made Mole Paste
• 100 grams Whole Almonds
• 100 grams Sesame Seeds, toasted
• 100 grams Powdered Chocolate or 1 Tablet Abuelita Brand Chocolate
• 2 Tablespoons Powdered Chicken Bouillon
• 300 grams Dried Prawns
• 2 Tablespoons Olive or Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Boil the potatoes until tender, drain, and set aside to cool.

Once the potatoes have cooled, remove the skins, and cut into halves.

Steam or boil the peapods until cooked through. Drain and cool, but reserve the water.

When the peapods have cooled, remove the peas and discard the pods.

Steam the green beans until done, then set aside to cool. Again, reserve the water.

Once the green beans have cooled, coarsely chop them.

Boil or steam the chopped nopal cactus until tender, then set aside. Reserve the water.

Season the romeritos (or baby spinach) lightly with salt and simmer until softened. Drain and reserve the water.

Break up the mole paste into smaller pieces using your hand.

Measure out and prepare the almonds, toasted sesame seeds, and chocolate.

To make chicken broth, add the chicken bouillon powder to 1 quart of the water reserved from the steamed peapods, green beans, nopal, and romeritos. If you don’t have enough reserved water, just add fresh hot water. Meanwhile, measure out  and prepare the dried prawns.

Remove the heads and tails from the prawns and peel them.

Set aside the prawns.

Place the heads, tails, skins and about 2 cups of water in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer 10 minutes.

Pour this mixture into a blender and combine until smooth. Then strain the purée through a sieve to remove any fragments.

Pour this strained mixture back into the blender and add the mole, almonds, sesame seeds, chocolate, and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Pour this into a large pot containing the 2 tablespoons of oil and set over medium-high heat. “Rinse” the blender with the remaining chicken broth and pour it into the pot.

Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the prawns and reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add an additional cup of water so the sauce is not too thick, and stir to mix well. Then add the steamed chopped green beans to the mole sauce.

Add the peas.

Add the chopped and steamed nopal cactus.

Top with the steamed romeritos.

Add the skinned and halved potatoes and mix to combine well. Remove from heat.

Serve with fresh bread, such as Telera or French bread – great for mopping up the mole!

Buen Provecho!

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Ingredients:

• 1 Kilo Pork Loin
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 2 Tablespoons Oregano
• 1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 Tablespoons Chili-Lime Powder, or Chili Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken Bouillon Powder
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
• Salt to Taste
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• 1 Large Onion
• 2 Habanero Chile Peppers, Minced
• 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 Cups Orange Juice
• Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1 Lime
• 2 Cups Milk
• 1/2 Cup Butter, or Lard
• 1/2-1 Cup Water

Directions:

Lay the pork loin fat-side down. Cut it through to the fat in about 1-2″ wide strips. Be careful not to cut all the way through the fat! The “strips” must still be attached by the fat.

Mix the cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, chili-lime powder, chicken bouillon, black pepper, salt in a small bowl. Coat the pork loin with spice mixture, including the fat side and down into all the cuts.

Put the pork loin fat-side down in a large heavy-bottomed pot set over medium heat. Pour the vegetable oil into the pot around the pork loin. Cut the ends off the onion, peel off its skin, cut the onion in half. Then cut it into wedges. Arrange the onion wedges in the pot around the pork loin. Add the habanero peppers, garlic, and bay leaf to the pot.

Pour the orange juice into the pot surrounding the pork loin, being careful not to wash the spices off it. Add the lime juice and milk, again trying not to wash the spices off the pork loin. Cut the butter into smaller slices and add to the broth.

Add enough water to just cover the pork loin, about 1/2 to 1 cup.

Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for about 3 hours. Remove the pork loin from the pot. It should be falling apart at this point.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Using a large fork, press the meat apart into smaller bite-size pieces. This will be very easy to do as the meat should be very tender and easily fall apart.

Put the pulled pork (carnitas) into an oven dish and add the onions. Spoon some of the broth from the pot over the meat. Toss the meat to cover it thoroughly with the broth. Discard the remaining broth in the pot, or freeze it to serve as a base for another dish.

Bake the carnitas for about 15 minutes until the broth cooks off and the tips of the meat are a bit crispy. If there´s still broth in the dish, remove it from the oven, toss the meat in the juice again, put it back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes or so, and then remove.

Enjoy the carnitas with warmed corn tortillas, beans, and pico de gallo.

Recipe Posted by Lindsay

Cochinita Pibil (CC photo by ecollins93 courtesy of Flickr)

Cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish, originates in the southern Mexico, specifically the Yucatan Peninsula, comprising the states of Yucatan, Campeche and Quintana Roo. Traditional Yucatan food as we know it today arises from the fusion of early European influences with native Mayan food and preparation techniques. For example, cochinita pibil resulted from the succulent combination of Spanish pork with pre-Hispanic Spices and cooking methods.

Traditionally, this dish involves marinating cochinita, which is literally baby pig (pork shoulder, loin, or Boston butt roast can be used instead), in the juice of Seville or bitter oranges, coloring it with achiote (annatto seed), wrapping it in a banana leaf, and then slowly roasting it over hot stones underground. Such preparation is thus well-summarized by the descriptive Mayan name “cochinita pibil” which basically means “baby pig roasted under the ground”. The tender, flavorful pork results both from marinating it for at least 8 hours in highly acidic juice and slowly cooking it for hours. Since bitter oranges aren’t always available, you can combine lemon or lime juice with orange juice to achieve the same results. The achiote gives cochinita pibil it’s characteristic color and is best if added in paste form, which is made from grinding the achiote (or annatto) seeds along with other spices.

A firey, pickled onion-habanero salsa is the vital condiment that must be served with cochinita pibil, whether enjoyed in tacos or tortas (sandwiches).

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 Cups Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
• 1 1/2 Cups Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
• 90 grams Achiote Condimentado Paste
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• Salt to Taste
• Pepper to Taste
• 2-3 Tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder, optional
• 3 lbs. Pork Shoulder or Loin

Wrap Ingredients:

• 2-4 Large Banana Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil or Melted Lard

Salsa Ingredients:

• 6 Habanero Chiles
• 2 Cups Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
• 1 Cup Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
• Salt to Taste

Marinade Directions:

Dilute the achiote paste in the lime and orange juice. Add salt and pepper to taste as well as chicken bouillon if desired. Cut the pork into stew-sized pieces. Marinate the pork in the achiote-juice mixture in a covered dish in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Marinating is essential to succes, so this step cannot be skipped.

Salsa Directions:

Toast the habanero chiles in a skillet over medium heat. Remove from heat and cool. Finely chop the chiles, and add the onion, lime and orange juice. Add salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving with the cochinita pibil.

Wrap and Roasting Directions:

Pre heat oven to 325 degress Farenheit.

To prepare the banana leaves, hold them over a gas burner or put them in a skillet over medium heat. Heat them until they can change color a bit and soften. This prevents them from tearing when you wrap the pork in them. Be careful not to overtoast them or they’ll become brittle.

In a rectangular pan, lay a banana leaf lenghtwise and another along its width. Place the marinated pork, pouring all the marinade on top of it, on the leaves and pour the vegetable oil or melted lard over the pork. Fold the banana leaves over the pork and flip the wrapped pork seam-side down in the pan. Make sure the leaves are moist so they won’t burn. Cover with foil. (Some people just choose to cover the pork with foil without the banana leaves because they think they are just for show. However, the leaves do add their own unique, subtle flavor to the pork, so don’t skip this step either).

Bake for 2 hours. Remove from oven and carefully remove foil. The pork should be very tender and fall apart easily when pulled with a fork. If not, return to the oven and cook until tender. Shred pork with 2 forks when done.

Serve the cochinita pibil with warm corn tortillas and eat taco style. If prefered, serve it sandwich-style on warm bread. In either case, don’t forget the pickled onion-habanero salsa!

Posted by Lindsay

Real del Monte (CC photo by McMexicano courtesy of Flickr)

If you travel to the beautiful state of Hidalgo in Mexico, you’ll find there a small town called Mineral del Monte or most commonly known as Real del Monte. With a population approximately of 36,000, Real del Monte it is a beautiful place to visit, like no other city in Mexico. As soon as you get there is like traveling back in time, where you see original constructions build around 1824 – 1848. This place is one of the first silver mines in Mexico and because of that is one of the favorite spots to visit. Not that far from Real del Monte you find the city of Pachuca, where the traditional pastes are originally from and considered by many the symbol of their traditional menu.

Pastes (CC photo by maggiemoo 1 courtesy of Flickr)

The word “paste” comes originally from the world in English “pasty” and basically refers to an empanada made from flour, lard, and salt , and it’s traditionally filled with potato and meat. In those days due to their size and easy transportation, pastes were the main lunch for the workers at the mines. A unique feature of pastes is that traditionally they have on the edge a brided sim were miners used to hold, and that was the only part of the paste they did not eat.  The reason was that the environment was totally dirty and they didn’t have chances to wash their hands so the maker of pastes made it possible for them to hold it without the risk of eating dirt.

Mineros (CC photo by MoOnie 79 courtesy of Flickr)

The time for working on the mines is over, but the tradition of pastes remains and now with a wide variety of flavors like: mole verde, frijol, mole rojo, tinga de pollo, piña, arroz con leche and many other combinations. Although there are many places where you can get good pastes, I recommend you to ask a local for the best place to get pastes and they will give you no doubt a good suggestion.

Posted by Magdiel

Tortillas, made from nixtamalized maize dough (masa), are circular and totally flat. They are an essential element of any Mexican meal, and they are used to make some of the most popular dishes in Mexico, like tacos, flautas, quesadillas, enchiladas, chilaquiles, totopos, enfrijoladas, and many other delicious dishes. In modern times, the production of tortillas has expanded from just being made for the family at home to becoming such a necessity that tortillerias (tortilla shops) flourish throughout any city, no matter which part of the country you visit. Normally, they’re in full swing producing a great quantity of tortillas around the time people eat lunch, that is, around 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

Blue Corn Tortillas (CC photo by Ilhuicamina courtesy of Flickr)

Of course, the most delicious tortillas are hechas a mano (handmade). Although they’re more expensive, what you get is a little bit thicker and bigger tortilla with an excellent flavor. There are 2 basic colors of tortillas: azul (blue) and the regular ones, which are either amarillas or blancas (yellow or white). According to a recent study, tortillas made out of blue masa are healthier for those with diabetes. While the masa for yellow and white tortillas contains a substance that has an effect on the production of sugar, blue ones lack that component, which makes them a better option for those who suffer from diabetes.

Tortillas (CC photo by juanpablo torres courtesy of flickr)

But please, don’t get me wrong when I say that blue tortillas are healthier than the others. While they might be a better option for some people, the yellow and white tortillas are just as good and don’t cause any harm at all.

At any rate, tortillas are the perfect complement to our meals. We miss tortillas when we don’t have them, and many of us can proudly say that a meal is not complete without tortillas.

Posted by Magdiel

Tlayuda (CC photo by ikuya courtesy of Flickr)

The Tlayuda, (sometimes mistakenly called “Clayuda”) originates specifically in the central valley regions of Oaxaca State. An age-old local specialty, tlayuda refers to the large, unique type of corn tortilla that’s native to central Oaxaca as well as to the dish using this same type of tortilla but topping it off with various ingredients. We might loosely call this dish “Mexican Pizza”, for lack of a better expression. The most important component of this dish is the big tortilla, which sometimes has a diameter measuring more than 40 centimters (16 inches).

Making Tlayudas (CC photo Paolita A courtesy of Flickr)

It’s baked on a clay skillet, grill, or directly over hot coals, then placed in a basket made of woven palm leaves in order to give it it’s characteristic texture – somewhat flexible, yet brittle, slightly moist, with unique smocky flavor. It’s smothered in refried beans, with additional toppings such as chorizo, tasajo (beef), shredded chicken, cecina (pork), asiento (unrefined pork lard), chicharron (fried pork rinds), lettuce, avocado, tomato, Oaxaca cheese (the Mexican version of string cheese), and salsa. However, there are no hard-and-fast rules about the toppings. And you can eat your tlayuda open faced or folded in half, almost like an empanada or Italian calzone.

Tlayudas are very popular antojitos (snacks) in the delicious array of Oaxaca Food, especially late at night after parties. So, the next time you have a craving for some munchies, why not prepare your own version of tlayudas?

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups black beans (homemade or canned), drained with liquid reserved
• 1 Clove garlic, minced*
• 1 Onion, finely chopped*
• Chile powder to taste
• Cumin to taste*
• Salt to taste*
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste*
• 2 Large (12-inch or bigger) corn tortillas
• 1 Cup shredded Oaxaca or Mozzarella cheese
• 1 Cup meat of your choice, like chorizo or shredded chicken, cooked, optional
• 1 Cup chopped lettuce
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 Avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 Cup crumbly cheese of your choice, like queso fresco or farmer’s cheese, optional
• Salsa to taste

*Note: If you’ve prepared black beans from scratch and already added seasonings, these additional spices might no be necessary. If using plain canned beans, it’s best to add these ingredients.

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit.

If using canned beans, put them in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion, chile powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Place the mixture (or your homemade beans) in a blender. Blend after adding just enough reserved liquid from the beans to achieve a chunky-style purée.

Place one tortilla on a baking sheet or pizza stone and spread half of the beans on it. Add 1/2 cup of the Oaxaca cheese and 1/2 cup of the meat. Bake for 5 minutes

Remove and sprinkle with 1/2 cup lettuce, half of the diced tomatoes, half of the sliced avocado, and 1/4 cup of the crumbly cheese. Bake another 3-5 minutes, until the toppings are hot and the tortilla is crispy around the edges.

Repeat procedure with the other tortilla.

Top them off with salsa to taste. Eat them open-face, fold them in half, or cut them into slices and serve.

Posted by Lindsay