The Flavor of Mexican Tradition : A Collection of Recipes Little Known North of the Border

Maguey worms, ant eggs and corn fungus are not in many American larders. But to actually prepare the recipes that call for these ingredients is not the point of Patricia Quintana’s “The Taste of Mexico” (Stewart, Tabori & Chang: $35).

The joy of this book is its glorious photographs of food in settings that capture the romance and tradition of Mexico. Cheeses are displayed on the gray stones of an old convent in Oaxaca. An earthen casserole of soup rests on a hand-crocheted tablecloth. An ornately tiled, wood-fired stove holds casseroles of mole and rice. A handblown glass is crusted with salt so real you could almost lick it off the page. These marvelous images appear on page after heavy, glossy page, making this book as much a credit to the photographer, Mexico City-born Ignacio Urquiza, as to Quintana. The book is divided into regions, and recipes come as close to the California border as Rosarito style lobster. (The town of Rosarito Beach is about 20 miles south of the border.)

There is some attention to new, experimental styles of cooking in the chapter that deals with Mexico City, but mostly the food is traditional. Whether recent or from times past, the dishes are as imaginative and varied as those of today’s innovative chefs. Guacamole from Monterrey contains mashed zucchini. The flowers of the biznaga cactus that grows in the state of San Luis Potosi join hearts of palm in a salad. Dried chiles, prunes, and tomatillos blend in a sauce for pork loin. And venison is baked in a dough made of red wine and flour and served with sherry sauce.

Old ways of cooking have not been expunged from the recipes. A comal (griddle) is heated for 25 minutes and held over a pudding to caramelize the sugar on top. The recipe for Morelia style hot chocolate starts with roasting the cocoa beans and grinding them in a special mortar for chocolate that is heated with coals. The dried corn used to make the dough for Patzcuaro style tamales called corundas must first be boiled with wood ashes and limestone. In order to tell if the water boils dry while the tamales are steamed, one adds a coin to the pot. When the coin ceases to rattle, the water has evaporated and must be replenished.

Quintana usually gives alternatives to antique methods and suggests substitutes for ingredients that are difficult to obtain. That makes most of her recipes feasible. The publisher should have edited the recipes more tightly, however. The confusing instructions for enchiladas de Octozingo tell one to prepare a complicated sauce that is never used. Instead, the tortillas are coated with a mole sauce that appears on another page.

Quantities could be better defined too. There might be trouble at the seafood counter if a customer asked for the 160 shrimp required for a ceviche recipe. A pound weight would have been more useful. And the size of the shrimp (small? medium?) should have been specified.

Utensil sizes are often vague. Just how large a stockpot does it take to soak the two baby goats required for northern style cabrito al pastor? For $35, the reader should have recipes that are as polished as the remainder of the book.

“The Taste of Mexico” is a joint effort. Quintana, who teaches cooking in Mexico City and writes about food for Mexican publications, did the recipes, and William A. Orme Jr. is credited with the text. The beauty of the book and its portrayal of food that is little known outside of Mexico make it worth its price, despite the flaws.

In the following selection of recipes from the book, the mushrooms sauteed with epazote represent Central Mexico; the roasted cheese comes from Oaxaca, and the caramelized pudding, a very old recipe, is included in the chapter of northern dishes. The recipes have been slightly edited, and readers who do not like extremely hot foods are advised to reduce the quantity of serrano chiles added to the mushrooms.

HONGOS AL EPAZOTE ESTILO EL CHICO

(Mushrooms with Epazote, El Chico Style) 1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cups onion, minced

1/2 cup serrano chiles, minced

1/2 cup epazote, finely chopped

3 1/2 pounds small mushrooms, sliced

Salt

Corn tortillas

Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, chiles and epazote and saute until onion is translucent. Add mushrooms, season to taste with salt and cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn out onto a platter and accompany with corn tortillas. Makes 8 to 12 servings.

QUESILLO ASADO EN SALSA VERDE

(Roasted Cheese in Green Sauce)

2 quarts water

3 to 3 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked

2 onions

9 serrano chiles

9 cloves garlic

20 sprigs cilantro

3/4 cup corn oil

1 slice onion

Salt

4 pounds very fresh Oaxaca, asadero or mozzarella cheese, cut into 16 slices

Oil

Hot corn tortillas

Bring water to boil in heavy saucepan. Add tomatillos, 1 1/2 onions, sliced; 6 chiles and 6 cloves garlic. Cook until tomatillos are tender. Cool slightly. Drain vegetables, reserving liquid. In a blender or food processor, blend tomatillo mixture with remaining 1/2 onion, 3 chiles, 3 garlic cloves, cilantro and a little cooking liquid. Set aside.

Heat oil in heavy saucepan. Add onion slice and fry until golden. Remove. Add tomatillo mixture to hot oil. Season to taste with salt and cook over medium heat until fat begins to rise to surface. Add 2 cups reserved cooking liquid. Sauce should be slightly thick. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Heat griddle or heavy skillet. Brush each cheese slice with a little oil. Grill slices briefly on griddle. Place 2 slices on each of 8 plates. Keep warm in oven but do not allow cheese to melt. To serve, cover cheese slices with hot sauce. Accompany with hot corn tortillas. Makes 8 servings.

LECHE CARAMELIZADA

(Caramelized Milk)

8 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch, blended with a little milk

1 tablespoon flour

4 1/2 cups milk, boiled 8 minutes

1 tablespoon vanilla

3/4 cup almonds, blanched and ground

5 1/2 tablespoons butter

Beat egg yolks with electric mixer, gradually adding 1 cup sugar, until mixture is light-colored and airy. Add cornstarch mixture, flour and milk alternately to egg yolk mixture. Beat until well blended. Pour mixture into saucepan and heat over low heat 20 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add vanilla and almonds. Cook until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat, add 1/4 cup butter and mi2015393637stirring constantly so top film does not form. Pour pudding into ovenproof serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and dot with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter. Place under preheated broiler 2 minutes or until sugar caramelizes. Makes 8 servings.