The Mexican Home Kitchen: Traditional Home-Style Recipes That Capture the Flavors and Memories of Mexico

From the Publisher

INTRODUCTION

In The Mexican Home Kitchen, you will find homestyle meals that are cooked in everyday life in Mexico, dishes that people are making today in their kitchens for their families. These range from comforting foods like caldo de pollo and carne con papas, celebratory recipes like mole poblano and pastel de cumpleaños, and classics like tamales and pozole, as well as aguas frescas prepared with in-season fruits. These are all meals that bring back memories for many Mexicans, who, like me, miss our culture. When we cook them, it’s almost as if we take a little trip back home and sit down with our grandma or mom to enjoy a meal that they prepared with lots of love. You will also find recipes for making basics, like corn and flour tortillas, salsas, rice, and beans.

Happy cooking!

Mely Martínez

CALDO DE RES (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

This beef and vegetable soup is known in Mexico by many names, including caldo, cocido, and puchero. It is one of the many dishes Mexicans inherited from Spain and adapted to use with their local ingredients. The good thing about this soup is that many variations are possible, from simple to sophisticated. You can make this soup using your favorite selection of herbs, vegetables, and cuts of meat.

POZOLE VERDE DE POLLO (Green Pozole with Chicken)

While the most popular pozole in Mexico is Pozole Rojo (page 38), there are also green and white pozoles. All pozoles are usually made with pork, but green pozole can also be made with chicken, like in this recipe. This recipe is similar in style to the one found in the state of Guerrero and was given to me some years ago by my dear friend Nora. Long before I started blogging, we used to email each other to talk and exchange recipes and photos of our cooking. I’ve made a few changes to the recipe, but I know she would be glad that I included it in this book.

POLLO ENTOMATADO (Chicken in Tomato Sauce)

Pollo entomatado is a simple but flavorful dish. It doesn’t need much in the way of spices or herbs to make it one of the most memorable stews you will ever taste. It is a homey dish, and I love to eat it with bread to soak up all those delicious tomato juices. For this dish, I try to buy the juiciest tomatoes in the market. I like to take advantage of summer tomatoes because they always produce a rich sauce.

TAMALES DE POLLO EN SALSA VERDE (Chicken in Green Salsa Tamales)

These tamales are among the most popular tamales in Mexico, particularly in the center of the country. They are also one of the most commonly known tamales in the United States, along with Tamales de Puerco (page 113). The word tamal comes from the Nahuatl word tamalli, meaning “wrapped.” Tamales are steamed in a leaf wrapper, usually a corn husk or a banana leaf, but other wrappers include avocado leaves, hoja santa, and other nontoxic leaves found in Mexico.

BUDÍN DE PAN (Bread Pudding)

Budín de pan can be found in almost every bakery in Mexico. Bakers make this using bread that went unsold the day before. Some bakers add extra ingredients to enhance the pudding, like shredded coconut, candied figs, and chopped pecans, in addition to the popular use of raisins. This pudding can be made with leftover toast, a sweet roll that has become stale, a piece of French bread, and so on (see Notas). I like to collect all the bits and pieces of leftover bread and store them in the freezer in a gallon-size (3.8 L) freezer bag. When it’s full, it means it’s time to make this dish. Enjoy this bread pudding with a cup of coffee.

GELATINA DE MOSAICO (Mosaic Gelatin)

Mexicans love gelatins of all shapes and sizes. You can find colorful gelatins sold at markets, state fairs, central plazas, and food carts. They can be prepared using a water or milk base, and can have a single flavor or multiple ones. Some people make them with intricate designs, ranging from flowers and hearts to butterflies. This is a colorful gelatin that is perfectly at home at a child’s birthday party, and is loved by kids and adults alike.

AGUA DE HORCHATA (Horchata)

A sweet and refreshing drink, horchata is often served during lunch or dinner, or enjoyed by itself throughout the day, especially during the hot summer season. Its fresh, creamy flavor makes it an excellent beverage to have on hand when you find yourself eating a dish that is spicy. Horchata is the most prevalent of the aguas frescas in Mexico. It is usually made with rice, cinnamon, and vanilla extract, but in the south of the country, you can also find it made with almond or coconut. Some people like to add milk in the preparation of this drink, like me, while others prefer it without.

PONCHE NAVIDEÑO (Mexican Christmas Punch)

Ponche Navideño is a traditional hot drink made in Mexico during the holidays. It is prepared with water and a variety of fresh and dried fruits. Other ingredients include sugar cane sticks, cinnamon, piloncillo, and sometimes hibiscus. While a few people might add aromatics, like anise seeds and chamomile flowers, many adults prefer to add a splash of spirits, such as rum, brandy, or aguardiente. I love the aroma of the simmering fruits and spices coming out of the kitchen when I make this drink. Delicious and warming, this fruit punch is the perfect way to bring the flavors of Christmas into your home.