theabroma

Shelora, chilcoztlis are not particularly large chiles. Mine are maybe 3" or so long and .5 to 1.5" wide. Does that give you an idea about the amount of guajillos to use? RG: Chilcoztlis are one of the Oaxacan chiles that you principally find in that region. I have seen them on occasion for sale in markets in the city of Puebla and in Puebla itself. And yes, you can grow the seeds. I am hoping to be in Mx City in late August - Caroline sent me a notice of a taller on mushrooms from the Sierra Nevada at the UNAM Botanical Garden, and I really, really want to go. Should this actually happen, I shall be happy to go to La Merced, where I suspect one can buy chilcoztlis and shop for the group. They give an intense, almost saffron yellow color to the sauce. The closest effect from any other chile that I have seen is from a guajillo. The heat is in the ballpark one with the other. Theabroma

I love the stuff. It is not botanically related to cilantro, but my mouth agrees with yours: it has a very similar, yet spicier flavor profile. It often pops up as the green stuff on top of street tacos, huaraches, etc. where we have unimaginatively used shredded lettuce. Quelitl is the Nahuatl word for what we generically call 'greens.' Papalo means 'butterfly', so it is butterflygreens, based on the shape of the leaves. I think that seeds are available through either Redwood City Seed Company or J.L. Hudson, and possibly through Native Seed Search and the Seed Saver's Exchange. It's great stuff, and as a weed is very easy to grow. Theabroma

Alicia presented this at the IACP Puebla Workshop in late October/early November 2003. She simply said that she had collected this recipe, and I did not have an opportunity to follow through by asking her where and from whom. Caroline, you will likely see her before I do ... I hope you ask. I will certainly do so when I get the chance. TOASTING AND GRINDING THE CHILES: She served samples of this recipe at the workshop, so I can describe how it was served, texture, quantities of mole to hoja santa puree, etc. The sauce was very silky, which leads me to conclude that: the chiles were toasted, deseeded, and soaked to soften (that is as obligtatory as breathing anyway!) and then ground or pureed in a blender, then added to the broth. The masa must be diluted somewhat - thin enough to be whiskable into the broth - so that you don't wind up with yellow chochoyotes floating in the broth! The texture of the broth was velvety; it was not even roughly textured. I know that when you dilute masa to add to a broth or to cook for a tamal masa, you have to strain it to ensure that any stray pieces of grit or pedicel, etc. are removed. My guess would be - especially since this had been prepared in the kitchen at the Camino Real Puebla - that the sauce was strained through a china cap, if not a chinois (not a traditional strainer! but then, pichanchas sometimes come with very fine holes). The chilies are not soaked? I soak the chiles How did you grind them? In a molcajete? Molcajete or blender, depending on just how traditional I'm feeling! Should the resulting mix have texture? Not really. It won't ever be as smooth as a wheat flour thickened gravy or sauce, but it should be fairly smooth. The hoja santa poaching liquid gets pretty intense. You don't need that much liquid, and you only need to simmer them until they are wilted. They aren't really cooked - otherwise they'd lose tha beautiful green color. Proportions: Since I feel this is a very elegant dish, I would use chicken breasts. I would poach them on the bone and with the skin in chicken stock or broth, just until they are done. Let them cool in broth to cover. You can continue the preparation with the rest of the broth. Strain it and defat it. When the chx breasts are cool enough to handle, remove the bones and skin, and shred the flesh. I would serve about a cupful of chicken with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sauce and 2 TBSP of the hoja santa puree. I hope that gives you a better idea of portions. I don't see why you couldn't freeze the broth with the chile puree in it; in fact, you could probably freeze it with the masa cooked in it. I think it will take about 2 TBSP of masa per cup of broth to get the desired thickness - maybe a bit less. Does this help?? Let me know! Regards, Theabroma

Oren, you're right about the size of the Jewish community here in the Metroplex. But ... the kind of deli delights we're talking about, and I'm getting teary eyed and slobber-jawed over belong squarely to the Eastern European Jewish community ... the Poles, Russians, etc. And since Dallas was not a major port of immigration, it never had a concentration of that group, unlike Houston, New Orleans, etc. As people became more "Reformed" and the grandmas who knew how to cook these things, and the number of people who were even familiar with this style of food began to decline, and then when fat, saturated fat, schmaltz, etc. became somehow more vile thank pork, the demand for these items declined sharply. Much of the meats and fish products are mfg in New York, often by companies producing kosher foods ... so they become rather expensive. The target audience is in decline, or will not be seen anointing a slice of black bread (where can you get good black bread, anyway??) with schmaltz and shredded black radish in public. So who buys? It's really sad because this is such wonderful food, evocative of such a rich culture. I would positively kill for some chopped chx liver made with chicken fat, real marble rye to eat it on, and garlic dill pickles right now. Then the mushroom barley soup, and a kasha knish. This, then, is the Jewish Rapture!!!!! Theabroma

I had the saddest Reuben of my life at the Deli News, Too at Preston and LBJ - open faced, and not freshly cooked corned beef brisket, but that compact, pressed stuff that you buy at the deli counter at Tom Thumb. I couldn't get through more than three bites. Now, their kasha varnishkes are good, as is their borshcht. The chopped liver on rye isn't too shabby either. I really don't know any good delis in Dallas. Once upon a time there was Phil's and Deli News was at the Crescent Court and it was killer. I guess the pleasure must be saved and treated on a trip to southern Florida, Los Angeles, Chicago, and, of course, New York. Theabroma

An eon ago in the midst of a discussion about chile chilcoztli, I promised Shelora the recipe for a very old, very traditional recipe for a yellow mole made with chilcoztlis and chicken, and served with an hoja santa puree. Guess what I just found? Recipe follows. I hope that this can become a general discussion, Q&A, repository of tales all about moles ... the good, the bad, the mythic, and yes, the ugly. I have made this and I find it both strange and exquisite. It is from Alicia Gironella d'Angeli, and it is, on occasion, served at her DF restaurant El Tajin. Mole amarillo de San Pedro Ixcatlan, Oaxaca: 2 free range chickens, disjointed, breast halved or quartered, placed in pot with cold water to cover by 2.5 to 3 inches. Add salt to the water, and bring it to a boil; drop to a simmer and cook 30 or so minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. (if using only breasts, poach them in chicken broth or stock as they cook quickly and, even with poaching, loose flavor when overcooked) When the chicken is cooked, add 1 ounce of ground achiote seed (plain achiote, not achiote condimentado for a recado rojo), and two hoja santa leaves. Simmer 5 more minutes. At this point, let the chicken cool in the broth. Skin and shred the chicken, and place on a plate or in a bowl. Strain and defat the broth. Don't drive yourself crazy defatting it ... you just don't want a huge oil slick on the surface. Place the broth back in a cooking pan. Toast, seed, and grind 20 chiles chilcoztlis ( if you cannot find them, you can use guajillos, but with a bit of a different outcome ... still good). Put some of the chicken broth into a small pot and add 18 hoja santa leaves; cook for 10-15 minutes, strain the leaves out of the broth and discard it, and puree the leaves. Place puree in a small dish. Add the ground chiles chilcoztlis to the broth where the chicken was cooked. Dilute 9 ounces of masa, preferably fresh ( if using Maseca, make the masa accordfing to package directions and weigh out 9 ounces of the reconstituted masa) in a small amount of water and strain it into the broth with the chilcoztlis. Bring it to a simmer, add the shredded chicken, and allow it to cook until the broth/masa has thickened and the masa has lost its raw taste. Think chicken in cream sauce. It will be very yellow and have a velvety texture. Serve in dinner plates with a deep depression ... or shallow soup bowls. Garnish with the hoja santa puree. It is saffrony-yellow, velvety, aromatic, and the green hoja santa puree makes a sharp color contrast. Though the only mention of salt is for the water in which the chicken simmers, you should adjust the salt to taste before serving. There is a note containing a warning from the original recipe: " This is ritual food. It must be prepeared by one person only, because of its importance it demands sexual abstinence for four days prior to (and including day of) preparation." Enjoy, Theabroma

Sounds like you have Lactaria indigo ... the first wild mushroom I ever had in Mexico (Zitacuaro, Mich from the market, about this time of year). I was taking classes from Diana Kennedy and we made crepes, roasted some poblanos for rajas, sauteed a wee bit of onion and garlic and the cut up mushrooms. Added the rajas, and then doused them with cream. Simmered that until reduced and thick. Salt, pepper, and then filled the crepes. Hardly major traditional but really divine. Sauteed like that, but with broth instead of cream added, they make a fine tamal filling. Or, just a plain guiso. Check out www.mexmush.com. Those are the people I have worked with. In fact, they have just started the Mexican Mycological Society and one of its members, Patricia Perrin, lives around Amecameca. She has a chinchilla farm. She's delightful. Unfortunately those folks mostly forage for mushrooms and groove on identifying them. My main mushrooms-as-food teacher, sadly, died about a year ago, so I am looking for someone else. Check out Cristina Barros and Marco Buenrostro who write the column Itacate for La Jornada ... they have done some pieces on mushrooms and may have included either recipes or mentioned areas known for mushroom cuisine. Also, quiz the market ladies. They're the best souce of all. Theabroma

You know, this all kinda breaks my heart 'cause I know and used to work with the chef de cuisine. He is really an odd pairing: a wonderful chef and a wonderful person ... and these things don't really sound like him. I need to go back there to see if he's still in the kitchen and what's up. It all souinds just too forced and too weird. Theabroma

Okay. That does it!!! Fish??? Meat??? Fascinating! Are we talking dried fish (eg: camarones secos) and dried beef (charqui and machacado)? Or, did they grind up fresh meats and fish? I have visions of a bowl of chilpachole de bolitas de pescado. And, of course, if the servants (I am assuming mestizos and indios) were making the choir of eight sing, my money would be on the fact that it was they who brought those traditions to the household rather than the patron/patrona wandering into the kitchen one fine day and saying: "You know, what if you did this ... ? There is also a location in Queretaro. You may know it, but I will try to get the location. The metates and molcajetes were for sale in the Que., Que, market - and were generally the darker, coarser stone. Too cool Theabroma

What were you thinking??!! Guess that depends ... was it described on the menu? And if so, how? I am most surprised that no one has rung a major warning bell over what they're calling jambalaya. I mean, your description sounds like it could have been a tasty dish, but it was not well prepared ... by a long shot. But it also strikes me that it bears about as much resemblence to jambalaya as wichetty grubs served over bangers and mash!!! Or, did I miss something in the discussion or description???? If so, hit me over the head with it!!!! Regards, Theabroma

Um, will the map be published = or otherwise available to the cook and collector? San Salvador el Seco, Pue. I indulged myself in one the size of a small coffee table. Made of fine-grained grey basalt, not the coarse black variety. That's what happens when you let a gringa loca and her car into the country! Regards, Theabroma

Sounds like they have been in refrigerated storage at some point. Try leaving them out on the counter, in a dry, cool spot for about 5-7 days. If the problem is due to refrigeration having converted starch to sugar, this counter treatment should set them on the road to reconverting the sugar to starch. They should, at least in theory, behave normally. Other than that, I can only wonder if they are some particular species that is not highly hybridized, or if it crossed with some other, funky little spuds at some point down the line??? Sounds dreadful ... and hear I was remembering the tiny, tiny little potatotitos I used to buy at Guiterrez Rizo in Vallarta and cook with olive oil, garlic, and epazote!! Theabroma

Since chiles en nogada are really a tradition from Puebla, go there to try them. I suspect, however, that Las Girasoles in DF has good ones, the traditional place (among Poblanos and not typically tourists) is the Fonda Sta Clara in Puebla, Pue. Other possibilities in Puebla are the Hotel Royalty (go back for the rabbit with garlic and rosemary) and the Meson de la Sacristia. But be forewarned: the nogada at Fonda Sta Clara is a monstrous thing, fully 10-12 inches long. There is a vivacious debate among locals as to whether the chiles en nogada should be capeados (dipped in egg batter and fried) or not. They b&f them at the Fonda, and that makes them even richer and more impossible to eat the whole thing. Although a chile can be - and is - filled with whatever, the classics are either quesillo de Oaxaca, queso asadero, or queso Chihuahua/Menonita, or picadillo. The picadillo is usually made with coarsely ground pork or pork and veal, sauteed onions, garlic, (then sear the ground meats), chopped green olives, capers, slivered almonds, raisins, diced peaches, diced pears, and diced biznaga (candied cactus, very similar to properly made candied citron). Added to the mix are salt, pepper, cinnamon, sometimes a touch of clove or allspice, and a bit of thyme and Mx oregano, and chopped Italian parsley. A bit of water to simmer the flavors together, et voila! That is used to stuff the roasted, peeled poblanos. The capa is made from eggs, separated. The yolks are beaten until well mixed, with a bit of salt and pepper added. The whites are whipped to a just more than soft peak, and the yolks are gently folded in. Roll the filled and sutured chile in flour or masa harina, gently spank off the excess, and dip into the capa. Fry in a skilled with about 1.5 to 2 inches of hot oil. Drain on paper towels in a pan in a low oven. The nogada salsa is typically made from Mexican crema - for which you can substitute good quality creme fraiche or, in a pinch, mascarpone. Immediately flush any recipe which suggests that you substitute cream cheese for it. The walnuts you get at this season in Mexico are not our English walnuts, further they have just ripened and the nutmeats are still rather buttery and soft ... and .... this is important ..... the skin on the nutmeat peels off relatively easily. Not so with the walnuts here. I usually soak them overnight in milk, peel what I can, and then puree them with the cream, queso fresco, and sherry, and then put the whole thing through a chinois. They are traditionally garnished with the leaves of Italian parsley and pomegranate seeds. Although it is a very patriotic dish green, red, and white, the colors of the flag. it is not a particularly Mexican one: only the chile and the biznaga are natively Mexican, and the biznaga bit had to wait for the arrival of cane sugar and the Spanish (Arabic, really) techniques of candying fruits. It is really rather French in its richness and elegance. However that may be, it is one of the prides of the Poblano kitchen, and that says a lot when you remember the moles and sweets, and tingas, etc. I side with those who feel that battering and frying the chiles is too much when put together with that rich sauce. And truly they are eaten warm or at room temperature. If you are looking for guidance, consult Diana Kennedy or Rick Bayless. Quintana has a couple of recipes for it - one in her Puebla, La Cocina de los Angeles. If you would like a translation, I'll be happy to oblige. Regards, Theabroma

I see what you mean by the necessity of the sous-vide book ... may have to smash the piggy bank! And on an errant note, as I perused the table of contents I noted a recipe and explication of the following: Concept Recipe for Indirect Cooking Suckling lamb shoulder with ewe’s milk ... and couldn't help but smile remembering the ancient injunction "thou shalt not seethe the kid in it's mother's milk" ... and that it supposedly formed the basis of the dietary restriction of consuming milk and meat together. A charming coincidence. Regards, Theabroma

I believe that Avner travels to France periodically, and works with some cooks named Robuchon (I think he's known for his mashed potatoes) and Ducasse, or something like that. As for a Dallas pedigree, I am not certain what that means ... outside of a kennel, and I don't think the Dallas Co. Health Dep't allows the service of dog in restaurants here (something about not being inspected by USDA or somesuch thing). Call me a provincial or a bumpkin, but I still believe that dining is a great pleasure, and sometimes the table delights, sometimes it is even, and sometimes it is off. It is always a learning experience: maybe the kitchen is not speaking the dialect I go in expecting ... sometimes it is wrong and sometimes it is just not something I understand. But dining as entrapment? Reviewing as a blood sport? Confusing a bile coulis with bona fides? That should be left where it belongs: Chez Jerry Springer. Cheers, Theabroma

Are we to assume, then, that you are back in Dallas? If not, would - like Joiei - love to know where you cook in Austin. We go there often, and are always stressing our metabolisms with research. Would also love to hear about your stage with Gagnaire. And why you chose Gagnaire over Passard, Ducasse, or Veyrat, and France over, say, Spain and Arzak or Akelare, one of the Adrias, Buitron, or Santamaria. Am hoping to dine at Aurora in the next few days to see if they've really taken a header off the high board with no water in the pool. Hope to have a postprandial up by the weekend. Cheers, Theabroma

I believe pulpa originally referred to the flesh of fruits or vegetables, with the seeds, skins, husks, etc. removed. It has become generalized to flesh as well, and indicates flesh without skin, bones, or fat. Theabroma

Yes, you do. And you need to consider the tasting menu. What an amazing place. What breathtaking food. What a complete lack of fanfare. How incredibly refreshing. Theabroma

That's a good question. There appear to be a lot of local and 'house' brands around. Here in Texas we can get 'Fiesta' which is the house brand of Fiesta Markets, El Galindo, which is a large tortilleria chain, etc. Of course there are innumerably morphed shapes bagged by Frito-Lay. I would suggest looking for a tortilla maker in your area - they often sell chips, and usually are the best ones around. Here in Dallas we go to Luna's Tortillas; in Austin, El Rio. Also, you can make your own - just use the thinnest tortillas you can find. The thick corn ones come out like armor plate! Theabroma

I say go for the whole, ah, quack! Are you using fresh masa or reconstituted Maseca? Chill the duck fat and whip it on a stand mixer. Whip in the masa/recon Maseca by apricot=sized chunks. Salt it real well, and if you're going to add baking powder, now's the time. Check the consistency, then add cold duck or chicken broth. I usually beat it and add broth until it is the consistency of pound cake batter, or like real heavy whipped cream - it still slumps a little in the spoon, but will not fall off the spoon if you turn it upside down. When steaming, make sure that there is at least a 2" bed of corn husks between the water and the tamales. Top them with another thick layer of corn husks and then tuck a towel over everything before putting on the lid. That will keep the condensate from falling back into the tamales while they steam. Shouldn't take more than 1 hour to 1 1/4 hours unless you make them really huge. Turn off the fire and let them sit in the pot about 20 minutes before taking them out. That should give you moist but not wet tamales. Theabroma

Yes. And yes. Render it down with bits of skin and then cool it. A little chicharron de pato makes the masa really, really great. Not that the cardiologist would approve!! Let me know how they turn out. BTW what kind of fat to masa ratio do you use? Regards, Theabroma

I found a few thin references on the 'Net to 'remembrance cookies.' Problem for me was that they were for celebrating the departed at Samhain (so would be in the Muertos vein), but it was impossible to tell whether they were old tradition (they were to be made in the shapes of people) or a new Wiccan addition to the observance. I will likely see the LaDuni owners this weekend, so will be happy to ask for a Spanish name for the cookie, and whether they have any idea of its origin. I have a few other Latin American and Spanish informant I intend to ask as well. It's a lovely tradition and I want to know more about it too. I look forward to the publication of your book! Regards, Theabroma

Did they mention a Spanish name for the cookie, by any chance? It may be a tradition among certain groups in the larger cities. I have not run across it, but what an absolutely wonderful tradition. thebroma

Golly- I keep having it die every winter. It never comes back and I have given up! ← Maybe I was just lucky and had a mutant! I planted it on the northwest side of the house. It would wilt a bit in the summer afternoon sun, and then perk up again in the evening. It did die back most winters, but would jump right back up starting about March. The thing was about 6' tall, and kept putting up new plantlets through suckers. I don't know if altitude has anything to do with it, or what. It really did surprise me, though. I didn't think it would grow past a few months. T.

Piper auritum it is. A gorgeous plant, and almost as invasive as bamboo! I don't know where you are, but it grows very well in Dallas. It will winter outside and hold up through all but the most harsh and killing frosts. I am going to be real ticked if I can't find that recipe. It was amazing because it was so simple, an absolutely screaming shade of chrome yellow, and the hoja santa puree was just divine. Of course, I was eating it in Puebla where I am so happy to be that I would think eating dirt was delicious. Theabroma