Layered Crepe Dish with Ham & Spinach (Sopa de crepas)
I just got back from a trip to Paris with beaucoup fabulous dining experiences. There are many French-inspired dishes in Mexican cooking because of the brief rule of Maximilian and Carlota. This Layered Crepe Dish of ground ham and spinach or Sopa de Crepas is my...
Soup-Stew with Vegetables and Herbs (Tesmole verde)
The state of Veracruz has a rich variety of soup-stews with vegetables and herbs with similar names such as tesmole, chilpachole, chileatole. What they have in common is that they are all thickened with ground fresh corn or corn masa or dumplings. Would you believe...
Chicken in Almond Sauce (Almendrado de pollo)
Chicken in Almond Sauce (Almendrado de pollo) This chicken in almond sauce was the first dish I ever ate in Oaxaca, at a little stand in the Mercado 20 de noviembre in Oaxaca City. It was the start of my love affair with Oaxacan food. The sauce was rich and full of...
Poor Man’s Picadillo (Picadillo de pobre)
All Mexicans are familiar with picadillo, which is something like our version of hash but infinitely more versatile. The most elegant kind, a favorite filling or topping for all kinds of chiles, tacos, or antojitos, features chopped or ground pork or beef (sometimes...
Grilled Octopus (Pulpo a las brasas)
Grilled Octopus (Pulpo a las brasas) This was the octopus I made last night. It looked great but was not perfect.I must admit that my experiment of broiling the octopus instead of grilling as specified in the recipe was not a total success. The octopus was tender and...
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.