141 replies to this topic

[EatNopales]

Lunch Teaser


Duck fat from the Sunday:



Going in to this beauty:

Edited by EatNopales, 07 September 2011 - 10:28 AM.

[EatNopales]

I swear, I have these nopales looking things growing on the edges of our field out here. Maybe I should experiment.

Nopales have colonized the world... they grow wild in the Andes, China, Italy, Spain, North Africa, South Africa, Australia and more places. Interestingly of all the places where Nopales now grow around the world the only place were I have learned of it being used as food is China. In a Cuzco restaurant they had them growing in pots in a pation dining room.. when I asked how they cooked them the owner looked at me like I was absolutely crazy... even after I explained Nopalitos a la Mexicana he still didn't quite believe me. Who knows maybe in a decade I will go back & Nopalitos with Rocoto Peppers and Palta will be a regional specialty & there will be some interesting folktale about how the restaurant had run out of food so they decided to improvise with kitchen scraps & the only plant growing on the premises...


Tip.. cut of the most tender, pale looking leaves about the size of your palm... you can purchase specialty tools for de-spining

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Articles/Ethnic-Unique-Foods-Ingredients-645/nopalitos.aspx

Edited by EatNopales, 07 September 2011 - 10:38 AM.

[heidih]

Gorgeous pot. I look forward to finding out how it is used.

Duck fat is pretty good looking as well.

[Genkinaonna]

Frijoles de Olla? And with duck fat...my my sounds tasty...

[EatNopales]

[EatNopales]

Beans cooked in a Clay Pot (aromatized with onions, garlic), something a la Mexicana, homemade tortillas, queso fresco)... perhaps the proto-typical meal of Central Mexico

Edited by EatNopales, 07 September 2011 - 01:24 PM.

[heidih]

Lovely beans and tortillas. Can you elaborate on the salad?

[EatNopales]

Incidentally, the Zarco bean variety comes from San Jose de Iturbide in Guanajuato state; the beautiful olla is handcrafted, lead-free, in the Alta Mixteca region of Puebla (near the Oaxaca border) and is also a Rancho Gordo import (I would recommend pre-ordering one from them)


The beans may look simple but the dish is so delicious... I would not trade good beans for a steak.



Nopalitos a la Mexicana is such an iconic dish in Central Mexico... almost always served if they are in season. But what do Mexicans do when Nopales are not available? You find something else do prepare "a la Mexicana"... the primary substitutes are Ejotes (Green Beans), Calabacitas (Zucchini), Quelites (Wild Greens) & Cauliflower... however Eggplant is also used regionally in Sinaloa (where most of the country's eggplant bounty is grown) as well as in Xalapa, Puebla & Merida where Eggplant is stocked in the mercados for the benefit of Lebanese immigrants.


So Darienne if you can't source Nopales... don't sweat it, use some beautiful local Green Beans instead. Parboil them them macerate with white onion, chopped jalapenos / serranos & lime juice... add in some diced tomato (or not), cilantro, salt.... voila.

[EatNopales]

Lovely beans and tortillas. Can you elaborate on the salad?

Thanks! Roasted Calabacitas (Mex zucchini), heirloom tomatoes from our garden, chopped jalapeno, chopped cilantro, squeeze of lime, course sea salt.

[EatNopales]

Earlier in my blog I have mentioned the 8,000 year culinary history of Mexico, and the term Milpa. For the benefit of those who live on another continent and are only remotely aware of Mexican food traditions...


In my personal opinion, Mexican cuisine / gastronomic tradition was born the day that people in Southern Mexico first figured out agriculture. Until proven otherwise.. it was circa 6,000 B.C. that nomadic tribes in Oaxaca domesticated Cucurbita better known as Squash, Pumpkin, Zucchini & new world Gourds. In effect, every single Squash, Pumpkin or Zucchini consumed anywhere in the world today.. whether it is Kabosha Pumpkin in Japan, green Squash in the Philippines, Zucchini in Italy, Butternut Squash... you name it.. all these descend from the first cultivars in Oaxaca about 8,000 years ago and then quickly spread to other continents in the 16th & 17th centuries.

Over the next several thousand years the ancient peoples of Mexico continued experimenting with various plants and perfected agriculture. The major break through came when they bred the inedible, thumb size Teosintle in modern Corn. Somewhere between 3,000 BC & 4,000 B.C. the proto Mayan peoples of Eastern Mexico (Veracruz & Yucatan Peninsula) figured out that if you intercrop Squash / Pumpkin with Beans & Corn you get a sustainable farming system that produces ALOT of nutritious food... this system is of course the Milpa.

The first high civilization of the Americas, the Olmecs of Veracruz, emerged in 1,500 BC enabled by the Milpa. Shortly thereafter they exported their technology North, West & South.. influencing as far away peoples as the Pre-Inca populations of Ecuador & Peru.

Cacao (Chocolate) is actually native to the Amazon not to Mexico, but it was in Mexico where these early agronimically advanced civilizations figured out the complex process of turning indedible Cacao beans into the delicious indulgence we know today.

Similarly the Tomato is native to the North Amazon not Mexico... but it was in Mexico where it was first cultivated & bred to be the tomatoes we know today. In fact, the Zebra tomatoes so popular with the heirloom seeking, farmer market fashionistas is one of the oldest known cultivars & a native of Oaxaca.

Mexico is also the birthplace of Vanilla cultivation & elaboration..... as well as Chiles of the Capsicum family... many of the world's favorite flavors & foods originated in Mexico and are a foundation of the cuisine. Think about it for a second... 500 years there were no Zucchinis or Tomatoes in Italy, there were no Chiles in Thailand or India, there was no Chocolate in Belgium, no Vanilla in France, no Beans in Provence or Sicily.... all these foods (and many more) are the legacy of an 8.000 year agricultural & gastronomic tradition.



Elaborating a bit on the Milpa and how all the plants help each other, the soil & achive astonishing yields.... Corn stalks provide the pole for beans to grow on, beans replenish the nitrogen that corn depletes from the soil, squash / pumpkin / zucchini providing soil stability... beans have the lysine missing in corn's amino acid profiles... squash seeds are high quality protein & source of essential fatty acids etc.,... aggresive growing edible greens (known in Mexico as quelites) as well as tomatillo milpero encouraged to colonize the system crowding out inedible weeds... chiles & other strong aromatics planted throghout to discourage cerrtain pests. The Milpa is an ancient organic, VERY HIGH YIELD farming (the yields of the Milpa rival those of very intensive factory farming)... read the fascinating article below for other examples of modern Milpa methods.

The nutritional yield of the Milpa is so high, that such a mountainous country like Mexico (Afghanistan & Mongolia have got nothing on Mex) with really poor soil defied all odds and improbably became the seat of advanced ancient civilizations and accomplished some of the highest population densities in the history of man kind (even today the population density of the Yucatan, Chiapas & Guatemala absolutely pales to the population density during the height of Mayan civilization).


http://blogs.worldwa...ing-the-planet/

[nikkib]

what delicious history!

[EatNopales]

I am in the mood to hear myself speak so I want to address wine. Most people think of Margaritas or Beer when thinking of Mexican cuisine... let me tell you a couple of things that will surprise you...


The first winery in Mexico was established in 1597

Mexico produces (and drinks) more Brandy than Tequila

The first brewery in Mexico was established in 1860



Casa Madero established in 1597 is producing award winning wines today

[heidih]

Yup, here in Los Angeles the average person, I venture to guess, thinks of only Coronas beer with lime, margaritas, and tequila shots.

When I spent time in Baja California (mostly Ensenada) in the 80's I was surprised at the advertisements for wineries. While driving we saw large vineyards and enjoyed sampling the offerings.

Thanks for opening our eyes to the bounty and deliciousness of Mexico.

PS: I think it is sharing your excitement and knowledge, rather than "pontificating"

[Kouign Aman]

Its not that Mexico doesnt produce other liquors, its that only Mexico produces tequila.

[EatNopales]

I am in the mood to hear myself speak so I want to address wine. Most people think of Margaritas or Beer when thinking of Mexican cuisine... let me tell you a couple of things that will surprise you...


The first winery in Mexico was established in 1597

Mexico produces (and drinks) more Brandy than Tequila

The first brewery in Mexico was established in 1860



Casa Madero established in 1597 is producing award winning wines today.. but was object of persecution by the Spanish crown during colonial times. The wines from Casa Madero were successful that the criollos (Spaniards born in the New World) stopped importing wines from Spain which royally ticked off the king... this was a time when the expected order of things was... Colonies export Gold, Silver & other valuable raw materials to Europe, Europe uses technology to turn raw materials into something exportable to be sent to the new rich of the Americas so those in Europe could also become new rich. The Wine industry was hamstrung for centuries but has made a come back over the last 100 years... Mexico now produces (albeit small quantities) award winning wines that are starting to find an identity independent of European & California wine traditions.

One of the most successful varietals in the salty soils of Baja's wine industry is the Chenin Blanc... unoaked, a dry chenin blanc is a brilliant grape to pair with the complex, deep, often spicy flavors of traditional Mexican cuisine. It is nearly impossible to get Mexican wines where I live, nor would it make sense given the abundance of Sonoma & Napa wines... the Dry Creek unoaked Chenin Blanc, although lacking in the characteristic minerality & brine of the Baja terroir, is similar to what they are doing there & a fantastic, unobtrusive wine to pair with Mexican cuisine particularly when you want to avoid the syrupy, sweet Rieslings & other stuff that is traditionally suggested for Mexican, Thai & Indian food.


Incidentally... Queretaro which lies just north of Mexico City is a major producer of sparkling wines in Mexico... and let me tell from the first time I was served a queso fresco sope paired with local sparkling at a downmarket bar in Mexico City's Centro Historico... I have been completely sold on the Sparkling Wine - Masa based Antojio pairing... give it a try you wont be disappointed.



Trust me you don't want to pair, good, hand crafted Mexican cooking with Margaritas... I like Margaritas and drink them somewhat regular as a cocktail... but please make yourself a palette cleanser and serve yourself something that pairs adequately with whatever you will have.

[Kouign Aman]

I'll have to look if there's a Casa Madera chenin blanc available locally.

[andiesenji]

That is a wonderful essay on the enormous importance of the agricultural traditions of Mexico.

Having grown up in western Kentucky near an ancient (1500 B.C.E.) settlement that had both friendly and occasional hostile relations with the mound people of southern Illinois, I've always been fascinated by this history.
It's interesting that the mound builders, who didn't have the advantage of extensive rock quarries, chose to build their mounds (pyramids) with earth but laid them out in the same manner as the cities in Mexico and brought their agricultural skills along with them.

There was obviously plenty of two-way importation as freshwater pearls from a species of clam found only in the Mississippi and its tributaries have been found in Aztec burials.
Very clever, these ancient peoples - a lot smarter than most modern people credit.

[EatNopales]

That is a wonderful essay on the enormous importance of the agricultural traditions of Mexico.

Having grown up in western Kentucky near an ancient (1500 B.C.E.) settlement that had both friendly and occasional hostile relations with the mound people of southern Illinois, I've always been fascinated by this history.
It's interesting that the mound builders, who didn't have the advantage of extensive rock quarries, chose to build their mounds (pyramids) with earth but laid them out in the same manner as the cities in Mexico and brought their agricultural skills along with them.

There was obviously plenty of two-way importation as freshwater pearls from a species of clam found only in the Mississippi and its tributaries have been found in Aztec burials.
Very clever, these ancient peoples - a lot smarter than most modern people credit.

Yup.. the first time I saw pictures of Cahokia artifacts I thought these people must have had contact with Mayan... having read up on it quite a bit since then.. there is very little doubt that the Mayans or Huaxtecans were heavily involved at Cahokia... the ritual sacrific, "pyramid" building, the intense focus on astronomical observation, the accurate solar calendar, the timing... Cahokia emerged a century after the demise of Highland Maya cities & their artistic style - the Mayans & Huaxtecans had a unique style different than the Aztecs / Mexica, Otomi / Toltec, Zapotecs etc.... what are the odds that a completely unrelated group 1,000 miles away would independently invent a Mayanesque style? After the demise of Highland Maya civilization in Chiapas & Central America we see the emergence of Lowland Maya civilization in Yucatan.. is it too farfetched that some Maya pushed northward until they found the lush soil of the Mississippi River Valley? Or perhaps with the Maya pushing into the Yucatan & Veracruz around 600 AD... as the Huaxtecans prospered maybe the Huaxtecans chose to grow northward to avoid a major conflict? They were already as far north as Tamaulipas... maybe Cahokia was a trading colony that grew to be its own City-State?

[rancho_gordo]

Incidentally, the Zarco bean variety comes from San Jose de Iturbide in Guanajuato state; the beautiful olla is handcrafted, lead-free, in the Alta Mixteca region of Puebla (near the Oaxaca border) and is also a Rancho Gordo import (I would recommend pre-ordering one from them)

Rancho Gordo sounds fascinating! I can't wait to learn more about them!
(Sorry. It can't be helped.)

The pots we have in the store or they can be mail ordered from Bram in Sonoma when we get our next shipment.
The Zarcos are a favorite but we are running low. We will get them again next harvest.

[kalypso]

EN, more lovely posts And thank you for giving Paco at Aqui es Texcoco a shout out by posting the You Tube video. He really does a great job wtih the lamb barbacoa and it's one of the only places in SD to get fresh huitlacoche preparations.

Kouign Aman - Mexican wines in SD are as hard to come by as they are for EN in NorCal. The wine store in downtown SD usually has a small selection, but mostly from Baja. Holiday Liquors in Escondido sometimes has Mexican wines, but once again, mostly from Baja. L.A. Cetto is getting easier to find, I can get their Petite Syrah in the SDSU area for about $10 a bottle, and it's a nice everyday wine. Hope this helps.

Okay, EN, I promised I wouldn't hijack your blog, so over to you...

[EatNopales]

EN, more lovely posts And thank you for giving Paco at Aqui es Texcoco a shout out by posting the You Tube video. He really does a great job wtih the lamb barbacoa and it's one of the only places in SD to get fresh huitlacoche preparations.

Kouign Aman - Mexican wines in SD are as hard to come by as they are for EN in NorCal. The wine store in downtown SD usually has a small selection, but mostly from Baja. Holiday Liquors in Escondido sometimes has Mexican wines, but once again, mostly from Baja. L.A. Cetto is getting easier to find, I can get their Petite Syrah in the SDSU area for about $10 a bottle, and it's a nice everyday wine. Hope this helps.

Okay, EN, I promised I wouldn't hijack your blog, so over to you...

Thanks... I appreciate the contribution!

[kalypso]

So where did you use the duck fat? Beans? Tortillas? Other?

[EatNopales]

So where did you use the duck fat? Beans? Tortillas? Other?

Beans... I did the Rancho Gordo method... soften onions and garlic in the fat, then add water and beans.

[kalypso]

So where did you use the duck fat? Beans? Tortillas? Other?

Beans... I did the Rancho Gordo method... soften onions and garlic in the fat, then add water and beans.

Yummy, totally works for me

[Shelby]

Incidentally, the Zarco bean variety comes from San Jose de Iturbide in Guanajuato state; the beautiful olla is handcrafted, lead-free, in the Alta Mixteca region of Puebla (near the Oaxaca border) and is also a Rancho Gordo import (I would recommend pre-ordering one from them)

Rancho Gordo sounds fascinating! I can't wait to learn more about them!
(Sorry. It can't be helped.)

The pots we have in the store or they can be mail ordered from Bram in Sonoma when we get our next shipment.
The Zarcos are a favorite but we are running low. We will get them again next harvest.

I LOVE the beans we get from you.

We had Avocote Negro with pork chili verde the other night and we couldn't stop eating the beans. Both my husband and I remark all the time about the difference between your beans and grocery store beans. Yours are light years better.

They just burst in your mouth like pillows of bean goodness!

[EatNopales]

Last night Mrs Nopales had a book club outing so we made a couple of small plates for that:



Graveinstein Apples, Chevre, Crispy Sage, Walnuts, Honey & drizzle of Sage infused Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Honey vinaigrette



We also made a little "paleta" of roasted butternut squash cube on a stick, dipped in Pipian Rojo (which she assembled on site). Ingredients for the pipian:





For the kiddos I made Grilled Cheese sandwiches & slices of Gravenstein apple with drizzle of Cajeta




As was pondering what I would have for dinner... I had an extra Ancho chile that had been toasted & soaked... hmm what to do with it?

[EatNopales]

For dinner I pulled some of the leftover Fried Green Tomatoes (not exactly beautiful at this point), served them with the Pipian Rojo I had made for the book club, and took some leftover Quinoa... tossed with Ponzu, Sesame Seed Oil, lots of Pistachios & sliced Apples (I imagine this sounds strange, but is quite tasty on its own and was a fine pairing for the other elements of the dish).



As I was finishing up my entree I heard the toaster oven "ding"... so I pulled my little attempt at a Nicautole / Custard hybrid... quite pretty I thought:




After unmolding it I decided it needed to be jazzed up a bit, so I went into the pantry and came up with:




I tossed the chopped banana with a little Banana Vinegar imported from Veracruz (by our friend Rancho Gordo), drizzled everything some Clover honey, sprinkling of honey roasted peanuts, sea salt & black pepper. The dish was not perfect as is but has a lot of promise... once I get the recipe down & experiment with the garnishes I think it will be quite nice.

Edited by EatNopales, 08 September 2011 - 09:27 AM.

[EatNopales]

Lunch with friend & e-gulleteer Rancho Gordo at La Mixteca in Napa


"Faux Chicharron" Preparado (Shredded Cabbage, Pickled Pig Skin, Salsa Mexicana / Pico de Gallo, Avocado Slices, Drizzle of Crema sitting on a freshly fried Durito i.e., wheat pasta instead of fried pig skin)





RG went with the Oaxacan Mole Coloradito (a brown mole in the same genre as Poblano) served over Chicken with Arroz & Frijoles




I went with their Mole de Olla (Beef Shank, Guajillo-Xoconostle broth, Calabacitas, Green Beans, Chayote, lots of Cilantro & Parsley simmered in the broth, freshly made Tortillas)




Here is a close up of the luscious meat, tendon & marrow (although by the time I took the photo I had gotten all the marrow into a tortilla)




Also had a refreshing Canteloupe Agua Fresca. I was ready to burst at this point so no dessert (which was Strawberries & Crema on that day)



Solid Mom & Pop shop situated across the street from Napa High School... such a waste though the vast majority of their customer base are high school kids showing up for burritos & snacks. If you are in Napa.. this would be a delicious, wholesome, easy for the pocketbook alternative to the 4 star restaurants. Incidentally their house specialty are the Costillas en Chileajo... luscious spareribs and a to die for garlicky guajillo-sesame sauce that you would want to drink by the pint... stop by Ceja Vineyards on the way to get some of their Bella Flor rose to pair with either the Ribs or the Mole de Olla. If you are not into wine... then a Sour Lambic would be interesting with the Soup, or a rich Belgian ale with the Chileajo.



If you are wondering about Xoconostles.. they are a sour variety of prickly pear that is a common soup, mole & salsa ingredient in Hidalgo, Guanajuato & the Lower Mixteca regions of Guerrero & Oaxaca. You can see them in my market photos above the cactus paddles:

Edited by EatNopales, 08 September 2011 - 02:12 PM.

[Darienne]

A tasty lunch with companions RG and EN. That would be a treat like few others. And think how much I would learn.

[EatNopales]

A tasty lunch with companions RG and EN. That would be a treat like few others. And think how much I would learn.

Come on down.. Sonoma / Napa is lovely most times of the year... plenty of good food to share here. Don't tell anyone but the Camarones Borrachos (Shrimp in Tequila-Guajillo-Arbol sauce at El Michoacano is fantastic)