Cooking Mexican Food

ON THIS PAGE [Hide/Show]    Authenticity    The interplay of flavor    Common ingredients    Common condiments and side dishes

Edit

Authenticity

I am no expert in Mexican cooking, being neither Mexican nor speaking much Spanish. I do, however, know a little about cooking and am living in Mexico. The Mexican recipes on VittleAnte are written to mimic the flavors I eat day to day, and will continue to be revised as I explore more of this rich and varied cuisine.

Rather than picking Mexican recipes and westernizing them, I have opted instead to only pick recipes whose ingredients are common enough outside of Mexico. Like anywhere, cooking authentic Mexican food is about using the same ingredients as used in Mexico. Varieties of tomatoes, onions and limes, for example, are really important, and authentic flavors will be realized if you can find and use the same varieties found in Mexico. As such, I have included some important notes about ingredients, flavors and techniques below.

Edit

The interplay of flavor

Salt, sweet, sour, heat, and fat. There is a game of rock paper scissors going on when you cook Mexican food. Certain things are combined to heighten or neutralize the effect of other things. Just like rock beats scissors, paper beats rock and so on, knowing what ingredient "beats" another is key. For example many spicy salsas are heavily salted because salt "beats" (lessens) the taste of chili. Lime also beats chili. Fat beats chili, but not sugar or salt.

Successful Mexican dishes have these key elements in balance and know when to let one flavor shine while others lurk about in support.

Edit

Common ingredients

Cheese Queso de Oaxaca, requeson, asadero, or panela to name a few. Mexico is overflowing with wonderful cheeses that work well in different dishes. Although it is hard to find good examples of Mexican cheese outside Mexico, it is worth the effort. An excellent Mexican cheese primer can be found here.

Chicken Broth Ingredients for chicken broth in Mexico are pretty simple. They include chicken bones or pieces, white onion, bay leaves, black peppercorns, and salt. Depending on the dish, I also add a few allspice seeds or a few sprigs of fresh thyme. In a pot of water, add the chicken and aromatic ingredients, bring to a simmer. Cook for 90 minutes.

Chilies There are literally hundreds of varieties of chilies in Mexico. Check the chilies page for some common types.

Limes There are two common varieties of limes, one larger and one smaller. The small ones are the ones used in Mexico. You will see them labeled in markets as Mexican limes or Key limes (or when the supermarket is feeling oxy-moronic "Mexican Key Limes"). Mexican limes are sweeter than regular limes. Regular limes are bigger (about 1.5 inches in diameter) and will work almost as well. Do not consider lemons to be a good substitute for limes. Lemons are fairly unheard of in Mexico and if used, will subvert the flavors of your dish away from authenticity.

Tomatoes Organic, locally produced, slow cultivated tomatoes, and all the rest of it are not common in Mexico. There are in essence two common varieties of tomato - roma and beefsteak. If you are making a sauce, try to use roma, and if you are doing anything else, use the beefsteak. If only one or the other is available, it won't matter too much.

White onions White or Spanish onion is the primary onion used in Mexico. Yellow onions, although occasionally used, impart a different flavor and are actually considered a different vegetable. As such, always use white onion for authenticity.

Edit

Common condiments and side dishes

Beans Cooked whole or refried beans accompany many a meal in Mexico and serve the same function as a side of mashed potato does in many English speaking countries. They are simple to prepare and easy to store as most are purchased dried or in tins.

Grilled Scallions Scallions, brushed with oil and fried on the grill are a popular accompaniment. They arrive at the table nicely browned and blackened. Simply trim scallions of any limp green ends, brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pan fry or grill until nicely browned and a little softened. Transfer to a plate and serve.

Pickled Red Onions I see this dish a lot in food from the Yucatan. The picked red onions give a slightly bitter and tangy freshness when sprinkled over a number of braised meat dishes.

Rajas A great side dish to whip up at a moment's notice, rajas are strips of poblano pepper cooked in Mexican crema.

Chopped onion and cilantro On nearly every table in Mexico, there is always a small bowl of chopped white onion and cilantro for people to sprinkle over their tacos. It is easy to make and adds a lot of freshness to any dish. Finely dice 1/2 a white onion and rough chop some cilantro. Place both ingredients into a small bowl, the onion on one side and the cilantro on the other. This way people can spoon out whatever combination of each they desire.

Rice In Mexico, a medium to long grain white rice is cooked with chicken broth. Cook the rice according to the directions on the packet, but instead of water, use a Mexican-style chicken broth.

Salsas What Mexican meal would be complete without a few salsas? Fresh salsas are everywhere and there are many to choose from. A few common examples are salsa picante, a classic red salsa of tomatoes and chilies. Salsa verde, another classic, is a green salsa made with cilantro and tomatillos. Once you have a handle on the basics, you can branch out and try toasted red salsa or a salsa made with deep fried arbol chilies.

Tortillas and totopos (corn chips) Tortillas are the bread of Mexico. They are sold by the kilo and are eaten with breakfast, lunch and dinner. Great for mopping up sauces, stuffing with meats and vegetables or deep frying into totopos, tortillas go with everything. Tortillas can be made of either corn or flour, and each has its place alongside a number of different dishes from tacos with carnitas to fish tacos.