Basic Tamal Dough
There are dozens of dishes called tamales with nothing in common except that they are folded before cooking in a wrapping, usually corn husks or banana leaves. This particular formula, in which masa is beaten very light with lard, is probably the most versatile tamal...
Achiote Paste (Recado de adobo colorado)
When I first wrote this recipe, I started with whole annatto seeds which are hard and difficult to work with, but with so many brands of commercial achiote paste available to use as a base, I have changed the recipe. This recado is the basis of many Yucatán...
Corn Tortillas (Tortillas de maíz)
When Mexicans say “tortillas,” you usually bet that they are not thinking of the blah versions of flour tortillas so popular in the United States — not much different from all those other flabby all-purpose “wraps.” Nearly everywhere in Mexico, the bread of life...Lamb Stock
Lamb Stock 6 pounds lamb bones10 cloves garlic (peeled)5 bay leaves10 whole allspice berries5 dried avocado leaves1 cup adobo chile colorado6 quarts waterSalt and coarsely ground pepper to taste Bake bones for 30 minutes.Place baked bones in boiling water.Add all...Hoja Santa Purée (Puré de hoja santa)
Hoja Santa Purée (Puré de hoja santa) This is not a traditional Mexican basic but it is the base for several dishes I make and will soon post. You can substitute cilantro or Italian parsley for the hoja santa. 1 teaspoon salt1-2 cloves garlic (peeled)1 jalapeño chile...
The many lives of Zarela Martínez
Culinary legend Zarela Martínez introduced finely tuned, highly researched regional Mexican cuisine to a national stage, and has continued to blaze trails for more than three decades.