Huazontle

[caroline]

Oh Shelora, Your remark about huazontle relleno hit home because I made it for myself last night (and had it again for breakfast this morning). It is one of the most heavenly vegetable dishes in the world I think. The texture of the green seeds, the way they make your mouth water, the cheese, the batter. yum.

And I was wondering if this could ever become a popular green in the States. It's time-consuming and difficult to prepare and messy to eat (if that bothers you).

Do you have any hints on cooking it? I could learn a thing or two about making the little bundles stick together,

Rachel

[shelora]

Hi there,

Roberto instructed me first to blanch them in very salty water. Once drained, we squeezed them dry and collected a few branches together, molding them around some cheese. The end of the stalks then work like a handle to dust the "object of your desire" in a bit of flour, then egg batter, then hot oil. If you pass on the the cutlery, you can use the handle to eat this delectable, getting the last bits of seeds, pulling the handle away from your teeth. (I hope that makes sense).

That dish is for gourmet sensibilites and I don't think it would work for pedestrian tastes so used to big honking burritos. Restaurants specializing in regional cuisine would have no problem. I've made it a few times in Mexico for friends and even then I had to special order it in the market. It's probably not that popular in Oaxaca either.

I just have to tell you about another dish, Roberto taught me. Peneques. It basically is a masa dumpling, stuffed with cheese and poached in a tomato caldo. That was very cool.

I've got to go and cook something now.

Adios,

Shelora

[theabroma]

Re: huauhzontli. I've had it in street markets where the mercadera blanched it in boiling water, squeezed it dry in a towel, buried a few thick fingers of queso in it and then trussed it rather like a roast beef with thin cotton thread. She dusted it lightly with harina de masa, then into the capa, and into the oil

They all seem to serve them in chilmole - some chopped tomato, onion, garlic, epazote and chile sauce quickly made in a sauce pan.

She left a 'tail' of the thin thread which peeked out through the capa. You just gave it a petite yank, and it began to pull out. Now I'm really hungry! FiestaMart sells huauhzontli from time to time here in Dallas.

As for popularizing it here, there are few restaurants that have figured out the way to put nitty gritty traditional in a nice plate on a white tablecloth. It will happen, though. And when I find the $$$$, I'll do it!

Theabroma

PS: also, tortitas de ... papa and other things, swimming in that heavenly tomato mole. Damn, I'm going to cry ...

T.

[rancho_gordo]

I sell at famers markets in Northern California. The problem with a lot of these greens is that they start to wilt the minute you pick them and locally I know people demand that everything look peppy and bright.

I grew and sold papaloquelite this year and it was a hit! So that's encouraging. It's starting to bolt so if any of you gardeners/farmers have any hints on saving seed, I'm all ears.

A lot of my customers ask directly for epazote. This warms my heart.

I sell out of cactus paddles every time I have them.

I also sell a lot of amaranth greens and when I have a lot of seeds, my more daring customers attempt to make allegria (none have done well so far!)

The public is slowly but surely getting it. Unfortunately, they're also "getting" something called a chalupa from Taco Bell!

[fifi]

I have to say that I have never run into this before. I found this reference here. So... I am confused. Is it the seed heads that are used? Stuffing with cheese? How does that happen? Boy... am I curious!

[caroline]

Rancho Gordo, Your stall sounds fabulous. And the huazontle does always look a little wilty in the markets now you mention it.

And Shelora, I was a bit surprised you had to special order it because when it's in season (now) it's everywhere in central Mexico including all the supermarket chains such as Carrefour, Wal-Mart, Soriana, Commercial and Gigante. And very cheap. I don't remember exactly but I think I paid about a dollar for a bunch big enough to feed ten normal people or me three times.

My technique sounds just like the ones you describe Shelora and Theabroma though the idea of wrapping up the bundles of seed heads with a thread would sove my problem of keeping the thing together. I think if I grated the cheese instead of using a lump it would help glue the thing together too.

And I agree it absolutely must be eaten with the fingers so you can nibble and suck all those tasty green seed heads off the stems.

As an alternative, my neighbor tell me that she boils it, strips off the tender parts, squeezes them into a tortita without cheese and then uses the usual batter and tops with the usual sauce that Theabroma described.

And Fifi, this is a must-try vegetable. The taste is quite exquisite. If you're having trouble imagining it, think of a chile relleno but instead of the chile you have these little bundles of tender seedheads on their handles of chewy stems.

Rachel

[caroline]

And now I discover that Ricardo Muñoz has a recipe for tiny tortitas de huazontle shaped liked albondigaditas and floated in a soup that is essentially the sauce you would usually use. That I have to try,

Rachel

[shelora]

Carolinita,

Tortitas! albondigaditas! I just love Mexico! By the way, where are finding these cookbooks by Ricardo Munoz and are they all in Spanish?

Sheloraita

[theabroma]

And now I discover that Ricardo Muñoz has a recipe for tiny tortitas de huazontle shaped liked albondigaditas and floated in a soup that is essentially the sauce you would usually use.  That I have to try,

Rachel

←

Yes, they are. I have his one on chiles rellenos, and the Dictionario Encyclopedico which is incredible, and I just got his latest Verde en la Cocina Mexicana. He is rather a rare character, and quite charming. Rather handsome, actually. But I just love his books. You can buy them at CONACULTA's Libros y Arte stores, and through Howard Karno Books www.karnobooks.com or Libros Latinos www.libroslatinos.com. The great Ignacio Urquiza was the photographer for Verde - it is also a gorgeous production. I think I paid about $45.00 US for it, in Mexico. It will set you back about $80.00 or so if you buy it through either Libros or Karno. I have bought books through Karno for several years now, and they are really great.

Theabroma

Edited September 25, 2004 by theabroma (log)