MEXICAN RECIPES

There are some great Mexican cook books. One of the best is:
"Cocina De La Familia"  
by Marilyn Tausend

In our world there are several great cuisines that have had a major influence on society. With the migration of the Mexican people into America we have become accustomed to cooking styles that have originated from their homeland of Mexico.

The styles of food prepared in Mexico depends a great deal on the available ingredients from the areas. Our journey will take us to Central Mexico to the state of Jalisco… In our exploration we will learn to appreciate as well as discover so many wonderful ingredients an how they are used. Mexicans hold great celebrations year round and food is a major part of these fiestas. 

Mexican cooking dates back some 3000 years. In 1521 with the influence of Spain to Mexico a new style of cooking evolved. Mexico is known for so many great gifts to the world of cooking, Chocolate, tomatoes, vanilla, corn just to name a few.

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With architectural links both to Jalisco’s French and Spanish past, the cuisine of La Rinconada  (The ‘Corner’) is solidly Mexican.  We arrived at seven in the evening, which is far too early for most Guadalajarans to dine, the better not to intrude upon the restaurant’s traditional ‘slam’ time, closer to nine.

As we’ve come to expect in Mexico, La Rinconada’s staff was both gracious and professional, standing by patiently as the Visionalist crew set up, displaying neither impatience nor  overt curiosity over the array of lights and cameras, which must have looked a bit out of place amid the staid colonial columns, forged iron, and nineteenth-century etched glass which subdivides the dining room. 

We sampled a galaxy of ‘typical’ botanas, or appetizers; garlic mushrooms, empanadas, guacamole, and Keith’s favorite, ceviche, which here at La Riconada is composed of tiny sweet shrimp cured with citrus, and a touch of chile.  For the American palate, the omnipresence of lime juice is the first culinary hurdle to overcome… once done, it’s amazing how versatile this sharp and flavorful addition can be, showing up, in some incarnation, in every course.

Main course selections brought us deeply into the realm of ‘classic’ Central Mexican dishes.  Pescado Vericuzana consisted of a full-flavored fish, probably snapper, wreathed in braised peppers, onions, and olives.  Keith’s Chicken Chipotle was the staff’s recommendation.  Dutifully, he passed it around the table for the crew to sample… though we left him a mouthful, which he pronounced, ‘sensational’.  Chef Keith offered a quick education to explain the dish: Chipotle is a popular sauce made of slow-smoked jalapeno peppers

HOW TO 
Select the Chile Peppers for your needs

Types of Chiles

  Ancho/Poblano- Ancho and Poblano are the same chile; Ancho being the dried form and Poblano being the fresh green pepper. It's a mild chile, often stuffed with meat or cheese, used in sauces... most commonly in mole sauce... and figures laaargely in Mexican cuisine.  Its heat is between 1,000 and 1,500 Scoville units. 

Bell pepper- Sweet bell peppers  come in numerous colors, red, green, yellow, orange... even chocolate. They can be roasted, stuffed, grilled, sautéed, or used raw in salads. Its heat is between 250 and 500 Scoville units. Cayenne- Mystery surrounds the origin of Cayenne's pepper's name. It is thought to originate in South America, then possibly transferred by the Portuguese to Europe, Africa, and India. It is most popularly used in powder form and in sauce from. Its heat is between 30,000 and 50,000 Scoville units.

Foods of the 
Mexican Kitchen

Tamales are simple food packages ….corn masa mixed with a fat like lard then its flavored with a sweet or savory food item then rolled in a dried corn husk. In the southern part of Mexico they sometimes use banana leaves. The tamales freeze well and can be steamed easily. The are made in a wide variety of styles from shrimp , chicken, pork, chilies ect.

Habanero- It is believed to originate from Cuba. It is also called Scotch Bonnet or Bahama Mama. It is grown in several colors, red yellow, orange or white. Orange is the preferred color. It is the hottest pepper in the world. It is the principal component in jerk sauces, also used in salsas, and bottled in hot sauces. Its heat is between 200,000 and 300,000 Scoville units.  

Pasilla-- Its name means “from the mountains” in Spanish. It is from the mountainous region of northern Peubla. It is most commonly used in salsas or pickled. Its heat is between 10,000 and 23,000 Scoville units.