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...
Three Kings Cake (Rosca de reyes)
Three Kings Cake (Rosca de reyes) Latina magazine ran this recipe developed by Zarela’s pastry chef, Ed Bonuso, that results in a perfect Rosca de reyes but amply demonstrates why I do not bake bread! But for those of you who do… This coffee cake-like recipe is good...Poached and Sautéed Chicken (Pollo guisado)
Poached and Sautéed Chicken (Pollo guisado) This is one of my real standbys, the basis of many dishes at Zarela. As the chicken emerges from the stockpot it is plain poached chicken, ready to be pulled into shreds and used as is. You can do this if you want — but I...
Tortilla Casserole (Chilaquiles)
Tortilla Casserole (Chilaquiles) In Mexico, chilaquiles are eaten for breakfast. I used to make them as a brunch dish at home. But at Zarela, they became our most popular luncheon and dinner appetizer, which I suppose says something about different breakfast...
Pork with Pumpkin Sauce (Puerco con calabaza)
This recipe is a marvel of layered flavors. The combination of cumin and coriander seed is unexpectedly vibrant. The pork is cooked in the pumpkin water. I have changed the method for cooking pork. I now cut it in big chunks, about 2 inches, and place in a...
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.