Understanding Mexican Cuisine

Salsas & Sauces

To truly understand Mexican Cuisine....you need to understand the Salsas & Sauces. In fact, Culinarily Anthropologists often say that Mexicans use meats & vegetables to decorate the sauces.

At the core of Mexican Cuisine there are six major types of Salsas & Sauces:

1) Raw Chopped Salsas

2) Pickled Relishes

3) Raw Smooth Salsas

4) Roasted Smooth Salsas

5) Seared Salsas / Simple Mole aka Calidillos & Mole de Olla

6) Moles, Pipian & Peanut Salsas

 

Raw Chopped Salsas

Raw Chopped Salsas such as Pico de Gallo:




...are the most simple in the repertoire....yet they are sooo unbelievable often completely screwed up by lazy people or misguided innovators. The crux of the salsas like Pico de Gallo, is the use of very fresh, high quality flavorful ingredients.

To make a basic Pico de Gallo, simply combine fresh chopped tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, serrano or jalapeno peppers & salt. Do NOT add spices like Cumin (a common misinterpretation is that everything in Mexico has Cumin), Coriandor or Black Pepper....do NOT add vinegar, chili powder, garlic or bell peppers. Those types of ingredients will just destroy the nuances of this classic 500 year old recipe. The ingredients are already flavorful...there is no need to mess with them.

There are a couple of simple tricks to a Pico de Gallo:

1) Deflamar - To deflame the onions. In order to not get the burps, that are often associated with Faux Mexicaine, what you need to do is chop the onions then let them sit in either lime juice or vinegar for 5 to 15 minutes....then rinse them thoroughly. This will get rid of a lot of the pungency while retaining flavor.

2) Let the salsa sit for at least an hour, particularly in a tightly sealed plastic bag, to let the flavors meld a bit. To goal is to have both a convergence of flavors while still being able to taste each ingredient seperately.

Variations of Pico de Gallo, include adding a little bit of chopped Cucumber, Oranges, Jicama, or Sour Cactus (Xoconostles)....another variation is using Chopped Raw or Slightly Grilled Tomatillos instead of Tomatoes for more of a green chopped salsa.


In the Yucatan, instead of Pico de Gallo they have Xnipec



The differences are:

1) Use the fruity but fiery hot habaneros instead of jalapenos/serranos
2) Use Red Onion instead of White
3) Add Sour Orange Juice (Seville Oranges). The Sour Orange can be replicated by combining fresh Lime, Grapefruit & Orange juice with a little bit of the Orange & Grapefruit zest (strain the zest out after they have sat for 5 minutes)

Tip: This salsa is about capturing the fruity essence of the Habanero pepper...and not about trying to create a salsa that will kill you. So don't hesitate to carve out the white film on the inside of the chile.


Another very popular Chopped Salsa, of course, is the Mango Salsa:



Its basically a Xnipec (or Pico de Gallo) with the addition of Mangos & less Tomatoes. Variations of this include using tropical fruits such as Papaya, Guava, or Zapotes.


Now this is key: We talk a lot about Authentic Mexican....but its important to understand that Contemporary Mexican cuisine is a Fusion Cuisine. Its a Fusion of Pre-Hispanic, European, African & Asian ingredients & techniques. And while I particularly like to emphasis the Pre-Hispanic elements....Mexican Cuisine is evolving as we speak. As such, I am NOT against innovation....I am against bad innovation. What is bad innovation? Ultimately its up to the person eating....my suggestion is make the Classic Recipe that has been successful for 100s of years...then make changes as you see fit. But, too often, people make up crap without understanding the Classic Recipe first (why would anyone add Black Beans & Coriander Powder to a Mango Salsa for example?)

With that said, one of my favorite innovations on the Fruit Salsa comes from Bobby Flay...who uses Grilled Peaches instead of Mangos & adds Mint:

http://wchstv.com/gmarecipes/yucatanstylechi.shtml

 

Re: Raw Chopped Salsas

Other uses for Chopped Salsas


(A) I am sure you all know to use Pico de Gallo as a dip with Tortilla Chips. Its also very good with Grilled Meats....specially as a crisp, refreshing counterpoint to heavily marinated or seasoned cheap steaks & Garlic-Citrus marinated Chicken (a la Pollo Loco).

Another great use is as a Salad Dressing...maybe you you partially mash a little bit of tomatoes so that it is cohesive, and then you add to Romaine and bump up the Cilantro & Lime juice for a virtually non-fat Salad.

(B) The Xnipec and Fruit Salsas also go very well with Citrus Marinated Pork Steaks, and Banana Leaf Grilled fishes...particularly when they are rubbed with Achiote based seasoning. And they also go very well as a topping to an Avocado salad.

In Eastern Mexico...they have Avocados with very big pits...which are kind of nice...because you can remove the pit, stuff with Mango Salsa....voila....you have a great little Hors D'ouevre.

For an interesting experential trick...you can take half the Salsa and sear it quickly on a very hot griddle...then mix it back with the chilled Salsa...so that people get a the intense temperature interplay.

 

Re: Eggs Part II - Souffle Batter

That dish sounds hard core Mexican! I can't say I have ever had the pleasure...but it sure sounds interesting.

I think you are spot on with the tortillas. Factory Tortillas in L.A. are absolute crap...but there are a few hole in the walls & bakeries that have handmade at a decent price (4 for $1).

 

Re: Eggs Part II - Souffle Batter

....lfmao!!!

 

Beverage of the Gods

Before I continue with the analysis of Salsas & Sauces...I wanted to take a quick break to provide you guys with some relief from the Winter Blues.

As you may know, both Chocolate and Vanilla are native to Mexico. Just as with the Chile pepper, they became wildly successful around the world during the Colonial area. In fact, today Chocolate & Vanilla are considered the World's most popular flavors.

Chocolate (from the Nahuatl Xocolatl which means bitter drink) in Pre-Hispanic Mexico, and to some degree in Contemporary Mexico, had two purposes:
> Major caffeinated beverage for the blessed. In fact, Mayan priests imbibed Hot Chocolate on the long nights when they observed the stars...and on nights when they transformed into their alter egos (Jaguars, Eagles etc.,) in rituals.
> Savory condiment. Xocolatl contributes to Mole and other Chile based sauces & marinades. In fact, in Contemporary Mexican cuisine....Ground Chocolate is used as a dry rub on Filets & other fine cuts of meat.

Vanilla, which originated in Eastern Mexico (Veracruz & Tabasco) with Mexico's earliest civilizations (Olmecs)...and is still very commonly used in the traditional cuisines of those states. In addition to its sweet uses, Vanilla also features in savory cuisine...particularly as a floral addition to seafood specially shrimp & scallops.


As I type...I am enjoying a Mexican Hot Chocolate:



If you are ever in Mexico, you have to try one made completely from scratch (Chocolate & Vanilla beans ground in a volcanic metate etc.,). But for now you can make this at home, quite easily, from Dark Chocolate Chips (its best if the first ingredient is Chocolate Liquor rather than sugar)....I make it from Trader Joe's Belgium 72% Dark Chocolate (you get more than a pound for $4):


6 Squares of Chocolate (2.6 to 3.0 ounces)
3 Cups of Water
6 Tablespoons of Sugar (or Honey)
1 Teaspoon Real Vanilla
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Sprinkle of Chile Powder (like Cayenne, Arbol or Ancho)


(1) Combine all ingredients in a sauce pot (make sure you leave plenty of room) and bring to a boil over high hot

(2) At some point it will start to foam & boil over....let the foam almost get to the top...then remove from heat until the foam recedes. Repeat this 2 more times.....taste & make final adjustments.


Notes:

If you want to make this really specially you can start with Cinammon Sticks & Water....to make a Cinnamon tea before adding the remaining ingredients. It will make your house small better and give you a more delecate melding of flavors.

Mexican Vanilla was the world standard prior to trade disruptions in the 20th century, and corruption via Vanillin. Now its back, and has regained its status as the world's best (it has a sweeter, more floral character than Tahitan & others). If you want to splurge for a special ingredient:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/pDetail.asp?i=12&p=453&s=1&price=23.95

 

Relishes

Alright, its time to continue with Relishes & Pickled Type Salsas. As I mentioned in an earlier post, that in Mexico people don't have rice & beans as a side with everything they eat...as a matter of fact, it is fairly rare (there are sometimes when it makes the perfect complements)....instead you usually get one side dish that complements the flavor of your main dish. Often it is just refried beans....but it is just as common to get some kind of chunky relish or little salad known as Recaudos or Guarnicion.


The most popular guarncion, both in the U.S. and in Mexico is:



Guacamole is the perfect side dish to Grilled Skirt Steaks, Sirloin Skewers, & Chicken Breasts. As with chopped salsas...people often screw them by trying to get slick. Trust me....hold your impulses to add packaged seasonings, black pepper, cumin or ground coriander....and just let the avocados, tomatoe, onion, serranos, & cilantro shine through. A couple of tips, don't over mash the avocado...and add a little bit of fresh squeeze lime & orange juice (very little)...to get a little bit of sauciness & citrus. Enjoy!

I am sure most have had a pickled Jalapeno. In Mexico, they all also pickle Mushrooms & Cauliflower in the same solution and serve them as marinated little bits to accompany a nice cold beer. In Southern Mexico....they love to serve a pickled slaw as an accompaniment to greasy dishes like Carnitas (Pork that is deep fried in its own fat)....and Gorditas (really thick corn tortillas) stuffed with melted cheese. Everybody has their own vegetable mix...but the most common is shredded cabbage, finely julieneed zuchhini, carrots & cauliflower and some people like to add a little bit of fruit for some sweetness.



This is one of the best cabbage slaws you will ever eat...and its virtually fat free...and I am going to give you an easy, easy recipe:

Shred cabbage, juliene zucchini (add broccoli slaw if you want) and put this in a plastic zip lock bag with dried Mexican Oregano (preferably) & whole cloves of garlic, kosher or sea salt....then pour in enough pickling juice from a can of Jalapenos to cover most of the mix....then seal tightly...getting as much air out as possible. Let it sit for 24 hours (at least 2 hours & up to 36 hours)...then drain & enjoy.

Another, classic slaw is the ubiquitous pickled red onions so common from the Yucatan:



These are classic with Cochinita Pibil (I believe Dark Knight provided a recipe earlier)....or trying them with Souther Pulled Pork, Grilled Bratwurst, Chorizo, Linguica...or any other type of fatty meat that is seasoned with "sweet" spices likes cloves, cinammon or nutmeg.


In Southern & Eastern Mexico....they also do things like combine mashed chiles & meaty tropical fruits like coconut, plaintain or mamey, with leftover herby tamales (like Chaya or Hoja Santa)....into Chutney like relishes. Which are great with pork pot roasts & poultry in adobos (barbecue like sauces). Yum!

 

Re: Raw Chopped Salsas

Yup, sounds great. You can also Grill a Catfish Steak, brush it with a thin guacamole right before finishing...& serve it with a tomatillo pico de gallo to reproduce a dish common in the the rural area where my parents grew up:

 

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Raw Smooth Salsas

Next, we discuss the Raw Smooth salsas that are incredibly refreshing & tasty with a well seasoned grilled meat. As a frame of reference think about the El Pollo Loco chain (if you have one in your town):



Their House Salsa is basically the same ingredients as a Pico de Gallo...except that it is smooth. People in Mexico will tell you that the salsa needs to be pulverized in a Volcanic Molcate or Metate to get the right flavor:



I have watched Nahautl-speaking women identify the difference with a blindfold, but you I guarantee you will be very pleased by simply using a blender. Simply add the chopped ingredients with a few drops of water & salt into a blender & pulsate briefly until you get the desired texture.

Tip: Add the Cilantro (or any other herb) on the final pulse so that your red salsa doesn't become muddied with lots of green.

You can also add the tomatoes in batches to create interesting textural contrasts. For example, I add half of the tomatoes in the beginning & blend till they are smooth, then I add the onions & chile..pulse, add more tomatoes pulse again...so you have a thin base plus slightly chunky tomatoes.

The variations inlcude using Tomatillos or maybe some Habaneros. Feel free to experiment but remember that the emphasis on these salsas is freshness, lightness and a little bit of heat....so keep them simple.


Finally, to make the best Tortilla Chip Dipping salsa follow this recipe:

2 Tomatoes
1/2 Onion
1 Teaspoon Pickling Vinegar from can of Jalapenos
1 Jalapeno
2 tablespoons of cilantro
A few pinches of salt

 

Raw Smooth Salsas

Next, we discuss the Raw Smooth salsas that are incredibly refreshing & tasty with a well seasoned grilled meat. As a frame of reference think about the El Pollo Loco chain (if you have one in your town):



Their House Salsa is basically the same ingredients as a Pico de Gallo...except that it is smooth. People in Mexico will tell you that the salsa needs to be pulverized in a Volcanic Molcate or Metate to get the right flavor:



I have watched Nahautl-speaking women identify the difference with a blindfold, but I guarantee you will be very pleased by simply using a blender. Simply add the chopped ingredients with a few drops of water & salt into a blender & pulsate briefly until you get the desired texture.

Tip: Add the Cilantro (or any other herb) on the final pulse so that your red salsa doesn't become muddied with lots of green.

You can also add the tomatoes in batches to create interesting textural contrasts. For example, I add half of the tomatoes in the beginning & blend till they are smooth, then I add the onions & chile..pulse, add more tomatoes pulse again...so you have a thin base plus slightly chunky tomatoes.

The variations inlcude using Tomatillos or maybe some Habaneros. Feel free to experiment but remember that the emphasis on these salsas is freshness, lightness and a little bit of heat....so keep them simple.


Finally, to make the best Tortilla Chip Dipping salsa follow this recipe:

2 Tomatoes
1/2 Onion
1 Teaspoon Pickling Vinegar from can of Jalapenos
1 Jalapeno
2 tablespoons of cilantro
A few pinches of salt


.....and follow my tip above.

 

Re: Commercial Break

Yup....Tequila, Beer & Wine will get their posts for sure. Tequila is both, the hottest spirit in the World and at the same time one of the most misunderstood. The finer Tequilas are in high demand everywhere....yet there still many that have written it off after experiences with low quality products....and others who spoil a good tequila by mixing it with stuff.

Also, you are absolutely correct...no self respecting Mexican would drink the low end Jose Cuervo Gold or 1800 crap (although they have are producing some decent high end Tequilas like their Reserva).

Mass produced 1980's brands like Jose Cuervo Gold are a complete sham...they usually only had 51% Tequila (Agave Liquor from the Tequila region of Jalisco)....then blended it with cheap Rum & added carmelized sugar for color etc.,. Today its all about 100% Blue Agave. The quality of Tequilas improved immensely when it became popular in Mexico, specially in the new chic bars, displacing brandy's, whiskeys & cognacs as the spirit of choice.

Most of you will be suprised to know that Mexico actually produces large quantities of decent brandy & whiskey (think quality equivalent to Crown Royal & Jack Daniel's etc.,). As a matter of fact, Presidente is the world's most purchased Brandy.



http://www.allieddomecq.com/en/OurBrands/Spirits/LocalMarketLeaders/MexicanBrandies/








In fact, Mexicans drink more Brandy (including Cognac etc.,) than Tequila or any other type of spirit (mostly because Tequila is soooo expensive) On top of those, there is also a heavy presence of Rum, Whiskey & Vodka.

 

Roasted Smooth Salsas

Back to Salsas....we now come to the real deal...Roasted Salsas. This is where Salsas start becoming a sophisticated layering of flavors (not that multi-dimensional chopped & fresh salsas aren't World Class in & of themselves)....this is where we start talking about Salsa tastings etc.,





Roasted Salsas are identifiable as smooth, with a little bit of textures particularly seeds & black speckles, also they look cooked...that is they are tyically not brightly colored, instead they are muted and earthy.

You can think of Roasted Salsas as a method...more than a specific combination of ingredients....because this is one area where each cook combines the basic components to exploit the nuances of the dried & fresh chiles, tomatoes, & tomatillos to create myriads of unique flavors.

The basic components:

> Griddle roasted Tomatoes or Tomatillos or Both
> Griddle roasted Garlic or Onions or Both or None
> Griddle roasted Chiles, fresh or dried or both
> Fresh onions or not
> Cilantro or Mexican Oregano or both or None
> Spices like cumin or none

Lets start with a recipe:

> 8 tomatillos
> 2 serrano chiles
> 2 cloves garlic
> 1/4 onion diced finely
> handful of cilantro
> sea or kosher salt
> a little bit of water

Griddle Roasting:

> Place the tomatillos, chiles & unpeeled garlic straight on a hot griddle (no oil) & blacken on all sides
> Once they are blackened remove from the griddle, put a layer of wax paper on aluminum foil & create a little pocket...place the blackened ingredients in the pocket & seal it, put everything back on the griddle for about 5 minutes...so that everything cooks through.
> put the cooked ingredients in a blender & puree (adding a little bit of water so it doesn't stick to the blades)
> add chopped onion, cilantro & salt to taste


The roasting develops the natural sweetness of the ingredients, adds hints of smoke & charcoal, while excarcebating the natural characteristics of the ingredients. For example, the tomatillo becomes quite lemony while the serrano contributes muted herbal & bacon like flavors. This salsa makes a great pairing for barbecued ribs & a pulled pork, as well as Garlic Rotisserie chicken.


Now lets take out 1 Serrano chile & add 2 arbol chiles. For the arbol chiles we take the dried chile & roast on the griddle for about 10 seconds on each side then we submerge them in hot tap water for 20 minutes....drain & blend with the remaining ingredients.

Now we have added a little bit of bold, direct heat with raspberry tones....to offset some of the smokey tones.

Now lets replace half the tomatillos with 1 large tomatoe, also griddle roasted, and we now have a sweeter, redder salsa that pairs better with dark meat chicken.

Now lets add half an Ancho chile (process like the Arbol)....and we have add more of a tangy tamarind flavor.


I think you guys get the idea. There about 20 basic combinations of chiles, tomatoes & tomatillos...and each can & is taken in different directions by varying the herbs & processes. Some notable variations are:

Salsa Borracha (serrano & dried passilla with pulque, tequila, wine, or beer)
Salsa de Cacahuate (tomatillo, tomatoe, arbol chile & peantus)

The possibilities are unlimited.

Note, these Salsas are important to understand & get to know....because they are not only consumed as spicy condiments, but actually form the base for main dishes....like the saucy pot roasts we talked about early in the thread.

The following website has a couple dozen Salsas to get you started. The recipes are in Spanish...but I will translate some of them upon demand, and as the thread progresses.

http://mexico.udg.mx/cocina/cocinamex.html


For now I will give you another interesting one:

4 Ancho Chiles
1 Guajillo
1 Chipotle from a can
1 Cup of Mexican Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
1/4 Cup of Beer
1/2 Roasted Onion (chopped)
Salt

Mix the roasted Chiles & Crema or Yogurt in the blender...puree. Add sliced Roasted Onion, Beer & Salt. Use it to as a substantial sauce for Grilled Fish & Poultry or brush it on after griilling one side.

 

I will get to them....there is a lot to discuss. I will do another Street Food section where I talk about Churros & Sweets...and another a Part II on the savory street foods where I will cover Mexico City Style Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs, Enchiladas & Taquitos.

 

Day of Calendaria (Candlemas)

In Latin America, Iberia & France....the celebration of Jesus' birth ends on February 2nd (40 Days) with the Jewish tradition of his presentation to Temple. (I guess these 40 day periods where very important in Jewish religion).

In Mexico, this day might as well be ranamed, Day of the Tamale. As everyone in Mexico celebrates with Tamales (in France its Crepes). This is noteworthy because the Spanish Colonial Governments regulated the consumption of Tamales, for their association with Pre-Hispanic rituals & deities. As is typical of their governing style...they chose to Co-Opt the tradition.

Another interesting thing is that, Mexican's celeprate the Day of Epiphany (Jan 6th) with the Rosca de Reyes (Baby Jesus Cake)....whoever gets the Baby on that day has to host the Candelaria party. BTW, every other day in Mexico is a celebration

Today is the best day to eat tamales, as they are most likely to be fresh if you have any Mexicans in your community. In fact, I just saw on the news Mexicans peddling some very authentic looking tamales around 115th Street in New York.

You can learn more about tamales & get recipes from the following article:

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/recipes/puebla/kgtamales.html