Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

I had never eaten Mexican cooking until 1947, when my companion Audrey and I decided to return to New York from San Francisco. We still had our round trip tickets on the Greyhound bus line that we had bought when we left New York early in January 1947. We decided to go back the long way round. We took the southwest route, and when we reached El Paso, Texas, we got off the bus and crossed the border to Ciudad Juarez, where we got on a Mexican bus and embarked for Mexico City. It was a great trip. The details are too complex, but both Audrey and I really enjoyed being there. It was en route to Mexico City, when the bus stopped to refuel, that I had my introduction to Mexican cooking. Audrey, who couldn’t handle the hot chiles, avoided them like the plague, but I loved them and still do. We spent about three weeks visiting small villages near Mexico City and making friends with a group of Spaniards we connected with who had managed to escape from the threat of being killed by General Franco, the then dictator of Spain. Enough! Enough! Here are some [tag]recipes [/tag]that I’ve come up with in my cooking Mexican style.

Guacamole

1 small onion finely chopped
1 or 2 chile serranos
3 sprigs fresh cilantro (coriander)
1 or 2 medium avocados
1 large tomato chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
lemon or lime juice, salt & pepper to taste

The Method
Mash the avocados well. Add all the other ingredients and blend them all together. It makes a great antepasto spread.

Salsa de Tomate Verde
2 chile serranos, or jalapenos
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
3 sprigs cilantro
1 lb. tomatillos
1/3 cup water
salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of sugar

The Method
Blend together the tomatillos, chiles, garlic etc into a smooth sauce. Dilute the sauce with water. It should have a fairly loose consistency. You can use this sauce to accompany a multitude of Mexican main dishes.

Salsa Ranchera

Here’s another Mexican sauce you can use!

1 lb.. tomatoes, thickly sliced
2 chiles serranos or jalapenos
1 clove garlic
1 1/2 tbls. canola oil
1 thick slice of onion
salt to taste

The Method
Toast the chiles. Don’t burn them. Broil the tomatoes about 8 minutes. Don’t burn them. Blend chiles, tomatoes and garlic. Don’t over-blend them Heat the oil and saute the onion until soft and golden. Add the blended ingredients and cook hot fro about five minutes or until sauce thickens.

Huevos Rancheros
Here’s a great Mexican Breakfast Dish.

2 to 4 eggs
2 large onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbls canola oil
1 crushed, hot, dried pepper
1 sweet red pepper chopped
1 can tomatoes, crushed 28 oz. or home grown tomatoes
1 tbls minced oregano

The Method
Saute the garlic and onions until limp. Add the remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the eggs and poach covered in the mixture until done. Serve with tortillas. Enjoy!

Be Sociable, Share!

•