98551. Try Your Hand at Cooking Mexican Food
By Doug Gillert
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON -- If you're a gringo like me -- especially a
northern U.S. gringo -- you may not have discovered the
wonderful tastes and aromas of Mexican cuisine. In fact, it's
still not that farfetched to hear from friends like one in a
small Northeastern city who boasted in a letter of that town's
first Mexican restaurant -- a franchise fast-food place.
Well, as they say in Manhattan, that ain't Mexican, honey. Not
even close.
Many service members get a taste of something closer to real
south-of-the-border cooking during assignments just north of the
Mexico-U.S. border at major military training centers like San
Diego and San Antonio. The former gives them a taste of the
"California" or "Southwestern" styles of Mexican cooking, heavy
on the burritos and guacamole. The latter introduces them to the
variety of cooking called Tex-Mex -- fajitas, gorditas, puffy
tacos and, of course, chili.
I've experienced both styles, as well as the highly popular --
and spicy -- New Mexican cuisine featured in upscale restaurants
everywhere. Because the basis of my Mexican cooking and eating
experience is centered on South Texas, however, I tend to create
mostly Tex-Mex dishes with Southwestern accents.
The Mexican culture is rich and colorful in one of the United
States' largest "Hispanic" cities, centuries-old San Antonio,
Texas. Food-centered festivals take place nearly every weekend
somewhere in or near San Antonio, often winding along the
sidewalks and over the arched footbridges of the Paseo del Rio -
- San Antonio's famous river walk.
In the spring, the city celebrates its rich heritage in La
Villita, the heart of Old San Antonio, footsteps from the Alamo.
Here is the birthplace of fajitas -- the rich, smoky aroma of
char-grilled beef and warm flour tortillas blend with the
piquancy of chopped onions, tomatoes and fresh cilantro, and
waft through the still night air beneath the brooding live oak
trees. As a Texan friend of mine likes to say, "Them's good
eatin'."
You don't need a Hispanic surname or heritage to prepare
delectable dishes that will tantalize the taste buds of family
and friends. There are hundreds of good cookbooks and many
online resources that will help you.
Below are some simple recipes to get you started. Each is based
on service for four. These are my variations of other folks'
recipes that I've developed in my kitchen over the years. I
invite you to try them and use them as a base from which to
develop your own brand of Mexican cuisine. Adjust quantities to
meet your needs.
Breakfast
Breakfast tacos
I first encountered breakfast tacos in San Antonio in the 1970s
and became immediately hooked. They're easy to make and great
for camping, too.
8 flour tortillas
6 large eggs (egg substitutes or egg whites can be used)
1/2 cup milk (whole or skimmed)
1/2 pound ground chorizo (Mexican hot sausage) or regular ground
sausage; or 8 bacon strips
Salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
In large mixing bowl, combine eggs, milk, salt and pepper and
completely blend with a whisk or fork. Set aside. Over medium
heat, cook sausage or fry bacon in 10-inch or larger skillet.
Remove fully cooked meat from skillet and drain on paper towels.
Pour off all but just enough grease to scramble eggs.
Wrap tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven at 450 degrees
for about 5 minutes. Don't overheat or they will harden at the
edges and break when you fold or roll them. One-half teaspoon of
water placed in the foil wrapper with the tortillas will help
keep them supple.
Scramble egg mixture until fully cooked. Spoon eggs and meat
into each tortilla. Add one or two tablespoons of salsa to each
or provide as a condiment on the table. Serve with coffee, tea
or juice and sliced fresh fruit or whole fresh berries.
Lunch
Black bean chili and tortillas
This variation of that famous Tex-Mex "bowl of red" has a rich
texture of flavors that never fails to please.
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 15-ounce cans black beans
1 10-16 ounce package frozen corn
2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes without salt
2 cups chicken broth (nonfat recommended)
3 dried chipotle peppers
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup finely grated, blended Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese
Cooking oil spray or 1/4 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
Adobo seasoning
Salt and pepper
Butter or margarine
Place chipotle peppers in 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Cover
and bring to boil, then turn off burner and allow peppers to
continue soaking in covered pan. Rinse and drain chicken
breasts. Cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place chicken pieces in
a bowl and sprinkle amply with Adobo seasoning. Set aside.
Thoroughly rinse cilantro sprigs and pat dry. Set two sprigs
aside. Chop remaining four sprigs and set aside. Heat oil in 10-
inch or larger skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook
about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Meanwhile, place beans and chicken broth in a 5-quart saucepan.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered. Add the
beans and broth, the chicken, one can of tomatoes, corn, cumin
seeds and chopped cilantro. Drain "broth" from small saucepan
into the chili, then chop and add chipotle peppers. Cover and
cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 15
minutes. Add salt and pepper for additional flavor.
Wrap tortillas in foil and warm in oven at 450 degrees for
several minutes. Keep warm.
Rinse, pat dry and chop remaining cilantro. When chili is fully
heated, spoon into serving-sized bowls. In center of bowl add
two or three tablespoons of diced tomatoes. Sprinkle grated
cheese and cilantro on top.
Serve chili with tortillas and butter and iced tea.
Dinner
Cheese enchiladas, Spanish rice and guacamole salad
After spicy red chili, this is my favorite Tex-Mex dinner and a
traditional offering during Fiesta Week in San Antonio. I
recommend three enchiladas per serving, but count on those with
larger appetites wanting seconds.
Spanish rice
1 cup rinsed, uncooked basmati or long-grain white rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon margarine
1 cup salsa
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir to blend. Cover and
bring to boil. Reduce to low heat and cook 20 minutes. Turn off
and allow to stand 10 minutes. Keep warm. Loosen and stir with
fork before serving.
Enchiladas
2 dozen yellow corn tortillas
1 pound grated cheddar cheese
2 pounds grated Monterey Jack cheese
4 8-ounce cans tomato sauce
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup cumin seeds
1 large white onion, chopped
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend cheese, cilantro and cumin
seeds in large bowl and set aside. In 5-quart saucepan, add
tomato sauce and water and bring to boil, stirring to blend.
Reduce heat and allow to simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste
and water as necessary so that mixture is like a watery soup.
Set two large, rectangular baking dishes, tortillas and cheese
near range and still-simmering tomato "soup."
Using kitchen tongs, grasp one tortilla at a time and dip into
soup for about 20 seconds, or long enough so that tortilla
becomes limp but doesn't fall apart. This may take a few times
to perfect, so be sure and have extra tortillas available,
depending on how many you want to prepare. After dipping a
tortilla, lay it in a baking dish and fill with about 1/3 cup of
the cheese mixture, then roll with the ends face down in the
dish. Repeat until you use all the tortillas and most of the
cheese or run out of room. Filled tortillas should be placed
side-by-side in a single layer in the baking dish. Spoon some of
the remaining soup, onions and remaining cheese over the rolled
tortillas. Bake enchiladas for 10-15 minutes on center rack of
oven. Serve hot.
Guacamole salad
4 medium, ripe California avocados (the black, bumpy-skinned
variety)
2 cups plain yogurt
1 cup salsa
1/8 cup lime juice (fresh or bottled)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
White or blue corn tortilla chips
While enchiladas are baking, peel, pit and coarsely mash
avocados in a bowl with a fork or spoon. Add and blend all other
ingredients except shredded lettuce. Guacamole should be
slightly lumpy rather than smooth. The lime juice adds tang and
helps retain the green avocado color -- avocado flesh quickly
blackens once peeled. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and keep
in refrigerator. Clean and shred lettuce and arrange on salad
plates.
When enchiladas are finished, spoon guacamole onto shredded
lettuce servings and garnish with two or three tortilla chips.
Serve enchiladas and Spanish rice on dinner plates with salad
and cold beverages.
The Internet boasts plenty of on-line sources for recipes. Check
out:
o Mexican Recipes
(http://SOAR.Berkeley.EDU/recipes/ethnic/mexican/)
o Diana's Links to International Recipes
(http://user.online.be/diana.van.den.broek/mex.htm)
o The Mining Company (http://mexicanfood.miningco.com/)
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