fifi

Ooooo... This is hard... Other than my kitchen (fat chance) there are no guarantees. (No I am not Mexican. I am so Anglo it hurts. But I have traveled a lot in Mexico, outside the usual suspect places, and I delude myself that I am beginning to understand the cuisine and learn how to cook some of it.) One of the problems is that there is no "temple" to send you to. I don't eat out as much as some who post here so maybe they will be of more help here. Of course, you should know, (and it sounds lkie you might) that saying "Mexican" makes about as much sense as saying "American". It is an amazingly complex and diverse cuisine, fraught with astonishing regional differences. Since many in the Houston area either hail from Mexico or travel there, you find amazing things in unexpected places. For example... One of the best examples of a Northern Mexico Enchilada (NOT TexMex) is found at Goode & Company's hamburger joint at Kirby and Westlayen. They also have amazing milk shakes with a real cinnamon punch. Breakfast is fantastic. Irma's Southwestern Grill on Texas downtown (if you can brave the horrible construction) has been known to come up with some inspired dishes. Last time I was there, they do a limited daily menu that can have some real surprises. I had a really good Chicken Mole (Oaxaca) there for lunch some time ago. Then... I had an incredible Snapper Tampequena at the Topwater Grill in San Leon, Texas. It was at least the equal of any I ever ate in Tampico. You will have to google that one to find it then do a map search. If you are willing to drive, it is worth the experience. It is a typical bayside "joint" that I remember from my childhood except they can turn out some surprisingly sophisticated food. Their black beans were a knockout and were probably better than some I have had in the Yucatan. It is worth the drive for the atmosphere. (I am prejudiced. I live in the area.) The problem is that there is a surprising amount of really good REAL Mexican food in the area. The other problem is that it is often "hidden" in unexpected places because the influence is so pervasive here, many Houstonians travel to Mexico and know what real Mexican is, but there is not necessarily a flashing neon sign to lead the way. Try asking around... ask ANYBODY! We are a friendly lot. Hopefully some of our restaurant mavens will be able to add to this list and even give me some tips I haven't heard of.

Hmmm... I have this book and I am going to try this. Confession time... I HATE raw fish. I HATE half cooked fish. Tuna included. AND... I have had the very best of the belly meat after a 500 pounder flopped its last flop 15 minutes before it was expertly prepared by the first mate. Same with smaller ones... Bluefin, Yellowfin, you name it. I just don't get it. Really fresh Dorado (Mahi-Mahi), 10 minutes dead, does make the most sublime ceviche. But then, that really isn't raw.

Here is one that I haven't seen... Wash and snap off tough ends. Bundle 5 or 6 spears, depending upon thickness, and spiral wrap with a strip of good bacon. Tuck onto a rack with bacon ends down and roast over a pan at 375 for 30 to 45 minutes. Baste with some of the bacon grease after enough collects in the pan. This works best if the bacon is not too thick. It is pretty to serve too.

Since I am in an apartment temporarily, having sold a house with a big kitchen and walk in pantry, I have plenty of ideas... Some pots that I don't use all the time are under the bed in the "guest" bedroom. I also appropriated that bedroom walk-in closet. The second bathroom cabinets also have various large pots and other kitchen ware lurking there-in. What I did was ultimately winnow out those things that I don't use all that often and hide them away in otherwise unused storage spaces, no matter how unusual. Of course, it does get fun when I am looking for that old enamel steel pot that I got from my grandmother... bedroom? bathroom? As an added advantage, the search usually results in finding that long lost thingy.

Thanks Mamster... I relate. It isn't just a guy thing. On storing the storage containers. When I had a walk-in pantry (and will again in the new kitchen), I had a shelf space where I put all containers. Then I had a basket to hold all of the lids. The trick to making that work is to limit the kinds of containers you have. I had a truly maddening assortment. I bit the bullet and got it down to a few. I love the Ziplocs and standardized on those for leftovers. I also buy big packs of deli containers from the restaurant supply. They are even cheaper that Ziplocs for sending folks home with leftovers. I have the larger Tupperware for flour etc. but I have had those for years and don't know if I would buy them again. I really like the large, clear plastic, rectangular containers I got at The Container Store. I use them for bags of pasta, dried mushrooms, etc. I love that you can see through them so you don't have to go digging to see what you have. The spices are a MESS! Any suggestions?

Uh... Did I just see Tupperware at Target?

This isn't unconventional but has become addictive to my family and friends. When I have made a particularly good batch of pickled or escabeche jalapeno halves, I sometimes can't wait to get home and make this. (You said tuna salad so I am going to assume this is different.) Stuff with 1/2 good tuna (preferably oil pack if you can find it) and 1/2 grated SHARP cheddar with just enough mayonaise to hold it together. It is one of those more-than-the-sum-of-its-parts things. Look at some of the escabeche recipes for your peppers in some of the more authentic Mexican cook books. They can be quite complex and flavorful with a mix of spices, garlic, onion, etc. You can control the heat by careful seeding and deveining. I, too, have grown beyond wanting the screaming hot sensation. I now look for pleasant warmth and flavor. I love the way haberneros start out slow and spread.

Simon... Are green peas the same as what you refer to as "garden peas"? That dish sounded so good I went to the store and bought the stuff to make it. I do skinless thighs with lots of garlic cloves, preserved lemon, olive oil and white wine. You brown the chicken in the olive oil, add the other ingredients and bake at about 325 until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender and the garlic is squishy. For 4 big thighs use about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup wine and as much lemon and garlic as you want. We take the meat chunks off the bone and serve with rice. Leftovers are great for lots of uses... (salads, sandwiches in pita bread, etc.)

To judge from the writing on this site, methinks some of their fruit fermented.

I love just about any dried fruit. Dates are my current favorite. Saffy... That cake sounds wonderful. Can you put the recipe in the recipe archive?

Snowangel... You may have a point. It is well known that breast feeding passes on immunities to the kiddos. You sound like a testimony to that theory. I don't doubt that there are some very real food allergies. I have friends that have allergies to shellfish and other things and those can be serious. But, in general, we build up immunities over time. I go to Mexico fairly often and not always to the tourist areas. I eat everything in sight (well... I draw the line at insects) and I don't get sick. I did, once, many years ago but never since. I am curious about lactose intolerants not being able to eat yogurt and cheese. Isn't all of the lactose fermented away in these foods?

I have seen some studies lately that the rise in allergies in developed countries may be related to raising our kids too "clean". Also, in the US, some studies show that the incidence of asthma is lower in children that are raised on a farm, exposed to pollens, animal danders, insect parts, etc. from an early age. It seems that the human immune system needs to get some exercise to "butch up" and, like other developmental processes, the optimum time for that to happen is when we are very young.

I, too, have been on the hunt for Sichuan peppercorns. This thread explains a lot. Why don't they just irradiate the damn things (like other spices are treated) and just let them in?

Thanks Marlene! I was thinking about doing that. Are there rules to the recipe data base? Should I go in and add an ingredient list? Or is it ok as-is... After all, it is just an assembly thing.

Since I got a marvelous new Le Creuset gratin pan, everything is a gratin. This has become a favorite. Peel the eggplant. Slice in half lengthwise and slice into half rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Peel a large onion, cut in half then in half rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Spray a shallow ovenproof dish with cooking spray or oil with olive oil. Alternate rows of eggplant and onion slices, overlapping slices and rows by about 1/3. Salt lightly, Sprinkle with herbs of your choice. (We like basil, thyme and fennel seeds.) Distribute a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes over the top. Slice a 14 to 16 oz. smoked sausage link in 1/4 inch wheels. Distribute evenly across the top. Bake at 325 in the lower part of the oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Fifi's Favorite Eggplant Gratin 1 eggplant 1 large onion 14 oz can diced tomatoes 14 oz smoked sausage link, sliced 1/4 inch thick herbs of choice, basil, thyme, fennel seeds etc. salt Peel the eggplant. Slice in half lengthwise and slice into half rounds, about 1/4 inch thick. Peel a large onion, cut in half then in half rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Spray a shallow ovenproof dish with cooking spray or oil with olive oil. Alternate rows of eggplant and onion slices, overlapping slices and rows by about 1/3. Salt lightly, Sprinkle with herbs of your choice. (We like basil, thyme and fennel seeds.) Distribute a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes over the top. Slice a 14 to 16 oz. smoked sausage link in 1/4 inch wheels. Distribute evenly across the top. Bake at 325 in the lower part of the oven for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Late breaking news: When I have leftovers, I hollow out a nice crusty baguette and stuff it with this stuff. Let it sit for a while to absorb some juices, maybe press it. Slice and you have a dynamite sandwich. Adding some provolone wouldn't hurt. Actually, the sandwich is so good, I would make this just for sandwiches. Lately, I have been preparing this dish without the sausage and liberal drizzles of olive oil and it still serves well as a sandwich ingredient and a side dish. This could probably be appealing to vegetarian friends. For more eggplant discussion, please visit Eggplant in the Cooking forum. Keywords: Main Dish, Vegetables, Easy ( RG278 )

On okra and file... My family and friends are firmly in the NO OKRA camp. If you are not careful, you can end up with a slimy mess. Some recipes call for blanching before adding (there goes another pot) or sauteing at a high temperature to "seal the cut ends". I don't know how well either approach works since we don't like it. I have never seen the file available as whole leaves. I have picked my own (sassafras leaves), dried them, then pounded them to powder in a plastic bag (didn't have a spice grinder). I concluded it wasn't worth the trouble. The leaves don't have the flavor that sassafras root does. It is used for thickening more than flavor, added by the pinch at the table. The darker the roux, the less thickening power it has, so it is most common with the darker end of the gumbos. It is an acquired taste... er... texture. BTW... Gumbo is an African word for okra. That is where it all got started and why some say it is not gumbo if it doesn't have okra. I think it has evolved to mean the particular style of dish we are discussing here.

Awbrig... You have probably just saved my son! He is an ex-New Orleanean living in Chicago and is in a gumbo crisis. He was about to get a cheap ticket to Houston so his Momma could make him some gumbo. I will be sending him the link to the site so he can go find his gumbo on his own. (I am big on child self sufficiency.) Thanks.

Uh... Awbrig... What the hell does that mean? Oh... now the picture shows up. editted for too fast fingers

I don't know where you got your instructions but, a real Cajun Momma would never use another pot if not necessary. I have never known one (and I have known a few) that would do anything like saute veggies separately. They do everything in the one pot. Plus, the heat hitting the vegatables is a flavor thing. One tip on adding the liquid. If the roux/veggie mixture is hot (as it will likely be) you need to have the liquid at room temp. Then you add a little at a time and stir in. If you don't, you get this gloppy goo. I made this mistake one time when I was simmering the turkey bone broth while I was doing the roux and veggies. I like to have never got it together. The rule is to add cold to hot, a little at a time and stir.

Something doesn't "smell" right here... The quote looks funny and not much like a press release... no fooling.

First... Gumbo is gumbo. It is NOT soup. I am not sure what you mean by adding roux to a "soup base" but that is the wrong way around. following is the typical technique for Louisiana gumbo. The normal technique is to make your roux (color depends on the style of gumbo), add your seasoning vegetables (onion, celery, green pepper seasoned with salt and cayenne) to the hot roux, add the liquid, then you add your meat or seafood at the appropriate time and cook it as long as you like for the proper effect. Adding the vegetables to the hot roux is a flavor thing and stops the roux from cooking any further. A little explanation about style... There are the very dark gumbos that typically have sausage, chicken, duck or whatever. The vegetables are cooked away and you don't really see them. If you add seafood, it is added at the end to not overcook. At the other end of the spectrum is a lighter roux, vegetables in recognizable pieces, usually seafood. Tomatoes and okra tend to be controversial. Black beans? OH THE HORROR! But I suppose you could branch out from the classic and get something good. I have even done that but hesitate to call it gumbo. Every "real" gumbo recipe I have dealt with or had recited to me follows this general pattern. Sometimes the meat portion is precooked since gumbos are often made with leftovers, such as the Thanksgiving turkey or the remnants of a big seafood boil. So you could cook the seafood separately, but WHY???

Xanthippe... Thanks for the tips. I am on the search for those books.

Marcelle Bienvenu is probably my favorite writer on the Cajun/Southern tradition. In the Houston area, we are on the border between what some folks call "Southern Tradition" (like my grandmother, great aunt, etc.), some Western with BBQ etc., Cajun seeping in from the east of the border, TexMex and authentic Mexican, so that I am a little confused as to whether this area is "Southern" or not. I agree that the "women's groups" books are my main source so I don't have any particular author to cite. If you extend "Southern" into Florida it gets even more complicated. I am about to decide that there is no such thing as "Southern" but a very complex tapestry of tradition. It seems to me that Southern Living continues to grapple with this complexity. Mark... Thanks for bringing up Nathalie Dupree. I couldn't remember the woman's name. I just remember her show in the early days of FTVN. I saw one show where she caught a towel or hot mitt on fire, casually tossed it in the sink with "Oh... That was such a nice towel, too." The woman was an absolute ditz and always had some kind of disaster on camera. But she handled it all with such class that you had to admire that. I seem to remember that her recipes were kind of ok, too.

The chil1 has to be all meat, medium hot, God Forbid! Never beans!, finely chopped onion, finely grated cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos on the side. The consistency of the chili has to be relatively thick so that when you splop it on, it kind of holds its shape. Pickle relish is a political issue.