COOKLORE


Mexican-Style



to browse recipes, just click the menu button at top right of page



Carne con Chile





1840s, collected by Gen. Johnston during the Mexican War



1 lbs round steak

10 red peppers

1 small onion

2-3 cloves garlic

1 Tbsp salt

1 tsp black pepper


Cut steak in 2-inch pieces and fry brown in very slightly greased pan; no grease if meat is fat. Remove seeds from peppers and scald in pint of boiling water until soft. Rub them well with the hands and then through a colander. Chop onion and garlic and add with salt and pepper and chile sauce to the meat.


Add water to cover, and stew slowly about 2 hours. If too thick, thin with more water. Chicken can also be used instead of steak.



Frijol Guisado (Bean Stew)





1840s, collected by Gen. Johnston during the Mexican War



1 pint red beans

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 green peppers, chopped

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp bacon grease


Boil beans 2 hours. Put grease in frying pan, add garlic, onion and green pepper, add salt and pepper, then add beans with enough water to cover and let boil slowly until soft but not mushy. Add more water as necessary.



Enchiladas





1840s, collected by Gen. Johnston during the Mexican War



1 quart corn meal

1 teacup lard

1 dozen chiles, seeds and membranes removed

1/2 lb dry cheese

1 onion

3 dozen olives

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp wild marjoram (oregano)

2 Tbsp vinegar

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp black pepper


Scald corn meal well with enough boiling water to make stiff enough paste to slice. When cold, cut in slices 1 inch thick, 4 inches long, and 2 inches wide. Put lard in frying pan and when boiling, drop in the slices, frying them a light brown.


Prepare peppers as for sauce, make thick, and while hot dip the slices in and turn them until thoroughly soaked, then lay on a plate.


Chop the onion and olives, grate the cheese, and mix with other ingredients and sauce if any is left. Put a layer of slices in a deep dish, cover with sauce and repeat layering until all is used. Put in oven long enough to heat through and serve on dessert plates.



Chorizos Oreados





1840s, collected by Gen. Johnston during the Mexican War



5 lbs sausage meat

4 Tbsp salt

1/8 lb black pepper

3 tsp sage

3 Tbsp marjoram (oregano?)

1/2 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp cloves

25 chiles

1 1/2 heads garlic


Scald chiles and prepare as for sauce. Chop the garlic. Mix all together, stuff in skins and dry in the sun 2-3 days.



Arroz con Tomates





1840s, collected by Gen. Johnston during the Mexican War



1 coffee cup rice

1 Tbsp bacon grease

4 large tomatoes

1 onion

1 1/2 tsp salt

4 green peppers

1/2 tsp black pepper


Boil rice. Add bacon grease to frying pan. Chop tomatoes, onion and green peppers, add to pan with salt, pepper, and pint of water, and cook about 30 minutes.



Chili con Queso





1906



Toast several large red peppers over the coals, remove seeds and place peppers in warm water to soak. Then grind. In Mexico this is done on a stone metate, but I have rubbed them to a smooth paste with a heavy spoon. Add the same amount of ground tomatoes and cook. When nearly ready to serve add three-quarters of a cupful of sweet cream and a cupful of ground cheese.



Gulso





1908



Cut a round steak into small pieces and put in a frying pan with a tablespoonful of hot drippings, four tablespoonfuls of rice, a cupful of boiling water and a sliced onion. Cover closely and cook slowly until tender. Remove the seeds and veins from four Mexican peppers, cover with a half pint of boiling water and let stand until cool. Squeeze them from the water by hand, getting out all the pulp. Add salt and a little flour to thicken. Pour this over the cooked meat, let boil for a moment and serve very hot.


Chile Chicken





1908



Wash and dry a cupful of rice, put in a little hot olive oil and fry for a few moments; add a peeled tomato, an onion (cut fine), salt, and chile peppers or powder. Put in the chicken and some of the broth, and cook until rice is tender.


Chili Con Queso





1915



1/2 cup tomato pulp

1/2 small onion chopped

1 tsp lard


Cook until tender. Just before serving, add 1 cup grated cheese, 6 chili petines (mashed), salt to taste, and 1 Tbsp of cream. Serve on toasted bread.



Chile Con Queso





1923



Take a dozen fresh green chilis, place on the coals until the skins will come off easily, peel, wash, remove all seeds and stems and chop into small pieces; two cupfuls of well cooked meat cut into small bits, fry in hot lard with the chilis and two tomatoes; add two cupfuls of beef stock and boil. When ready to serve add one-fourth of a pound of white cheese cut into bits one inch thick; salt to taste.


Albondicas





1926



Grind 1/2 lb each of lean beef and fresh pork, mix with 1/2 cup of boiled rice. Rub you chopping bowl with a spoonful of lard and put meat and rice into it, then add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp chile powder (or more if you want it hot), 1 small minced onion, and 1 small clove of minced garlic. Add 1/2 sup tomato pulp, 3-4 minced mint leaves, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp cilantro. Mix whole thoroughly and roll into small balls the size of walnuts. Boil like dumplings in a deep saucepan of water.


Chile Con Carne





1926



Remove the seeds and membranes from 8 dried red peppers, then soak the peppers until soft and simmer gently until tender. Scrape the pulp from them and put aside.


Take 1 1/2 lbs beef or pork, diced, flour well and brown quickly in lard. When browned, add 1 clove of garlic, 1 finely sliced onion, and cover with boiling water. Simmer until meat is tender, then add the chile pulp with about 1 tsp oregano, salt to taste, and a dash of cayenne or chile powder.



Enchiladas





1928



Secure tortillas made of real masa, drop in hot grease to fry, then in boiling chili sauce. Put on a hot plate, sprinkle with ground onion and grated cheese; put a second tortilla on top, top this with a poached or fried egg and cover with boiling chili sauce.


To make chili sauce: 1 box dark red crinkled chili, wash thoroughly, remove seeds and veins. Pour boiling water over pods, cover and steam until very soft. Rub through a coarse sieve, rinsing with little water until all pulp is removed from skins. Add a generous tablespoon of bacon drippings, salt, a few grains of sugar, and boil until slightly thickened. It will keep well in the ice box.



Tamale Pie





1928



Put 3 Tbsp fat in pan over fire, and add 1 lb hamburger. Fry for 5 minutes. Add a small chopped onion, 1/2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 cup chopped ripe olives, salt and pepper to taste. Add 2 cups hot water and cook slowly half an hour. Add 2 cups tomatoes, thicken with 1/2 cup cornmeal.


Have a baking dish ready, lined with mush made of 3 cups boiling water, 1 tsp salt, and 1 cup cornmeal. Pour filling over this. Cover with more mush, put in oven and bake 20 minutes.



Chicken Tacos, Yucatan Style





1938



1 boiled chicken

18 small tender tortillas

3 large ripe tomatoes, minced

2 onions, minced

1 leaf Mexican tea

1/2 tsp lard

1 1/2 cups cream

Salt

2 poblano chiles, sliced


Remove meat from chicken and chop up. Make a sauce by frying onion in lard and adding peeled tomatoes, tea leaf, salt to taste and a little hot water. Have the tortillas very hot. Dip them in the sauce and put bits of chicken and a few slices of poblano in each. Roll up and line bottom of baking dish with them. Pour cream over the layer and some of the sauce over the cream. Put another layer of tacos and cover with sauce. Decorate with poblano slices.



Hot Sauce





1938



Mix together 12 large tomatoes, 4 chopped onions, 3 chopped green peppers, 1 chopped red pepper, 4 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 cup vinegar, and a dash of cayenne. Cook until done.



Chili Relleno





1940



6 large green chilis

3/4 lb American cheese

3 eggs


Roast chilis, peel them and remove seeds and veins. Wash and soak in cold water with plenty of salt for 1-2 hours. Cut cheese slice as long as chili. Put inside of chili and use toothpick to hold. Beat whites of eggs until stiff, then add yolks and beat together. Use enough shortening to fry the chilis in, dip chilis in egg and fry. Remove to paper towel to take up grease. Serve with tomato sauce.



Chef Socorro Ruiz’s Mole Poblano for Thanksgiving





1946



1 8-9 lb turkey

1/2 lb mulato chile

7 oz ancho chile

4 oz pasilla chile

3 chipotle chiles

6 Tbsp sesame seeds

3/4 cup shelled almonds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

3/4 cup shelled peanuts

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 cup prunes

1 ripe plantain

1 stale croissant

2 oz chocolate with cinnamon

5 tomatillos

4 tomatoes

3 white onions

6 cloves garlic

8 peppercorns

6 cloves

1 tsp anise seed

1 tsp coriander seed

1 tortilla

1 stick cinnamon

4 Tbsp sesame seeds for garnish

3 quarts chicken stock


Cut turkey into sections, and brown them in lard in a large earthenware casserole or pot. Clean chipotle, boil until tender. Grind chipotle with tomatoes and tomatillos. Add this mix to the turkey and let simmer until almost dry. Add 1 quart chicken broth and salt to taste, continuing to cook. Clean rest of chiles and brown lightly in lard. Toast sesame, coriander, anise seeds and pumpkin seeds in a frying pan. Fry almonds, peanuts, raisins, prunes and plantain along with croissant, tortilla and spices. Grind together the chiles, seeds, fried ingredients, onions and garlic. Dissolve all this and the chocolate in 1 quart of chicken stock. Add this to turkey when bird is well cooked. Let simmer with sauce until thickened. When serving, sprinkle with sesame seeds.



Guacamole





1950



10 avocados

2 tomatoes

1 onion, shredded

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper


Peel and stone the avocados. Mash together with other ingredients, and serve chilled.



Frijoles de Olla





1950



Add 1 lb Mexican beans (cacahuate, black, or bayo gordo) to 1 quart briskly boiling salted (1 Tbsp) water and cook until near tender (at least three hours). Add 1 chopped onion and 1 Tbsp oil or lard. Cook another half hour.


For frijoles refritos, drain the liquid and mash the beans. Crumble in Oaxaca white cheese and sauté in sufficient oil until mixture can be rolled. To make totopos, brown 6 tortillas in oil until crisp. Break into pieces and decorate the tortilla roll, together with strips of Oaxaca cheese.



Chicken Mole





1957



Simmer cut up young chicken in salted water with whole cloves of garlic and Spanish onions until tender.


Prepare mole sauce by combining: tomato puree, salt, chile powder, ground Jalapeno chiles, and a small amount of cocoa and sugar.


Add same quantity of chicken broth as tomato puree and thicken to desired consistency with corn starch.


Combine mole sauce and chicken and simmer until chicken is thoroughly flavored.



Alcachofas en Salsa de Mostaza (Artichokes in Mustard Sauce)





1959



1/4 cup wine vinega

3 Tbsp oil

2 tsp horseradish

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, mashed

2 Tbsp prepared mustard

12-18 baby artichokes, or frozen artichoke hearts, cooked


Combine all except artichokes, mix thoroughly. Marinate artichokes in sauce for several hours before serving. Makes one cup sauce. (Elena Zelayetta)



Chile Con Queso





1959



1 small onion, minced

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup tomatoes

1 can peeled green chiles, chopped

1/2 Monterey Jack cheese, cubed

1 cup cream

Salt and pepper


Sauté onion in butter until wilted; add tomatoes, chiles, salt and pepper, then simmer 15 minutes. Add cubed cheese; when it begins to melt, add cream. (Elena Zelayetta)