special techniques

[marlena spieler]

I'm compiling a section in a book of Mexican things, for UK publication, and part of it is techniques. Is there anything I should include in addition to: making tamales using corn husks, banana leaves, steaming tamales, roasting fresh chiles for stuffing and using in sauces etc, rehydrating dried chiles for stuffing and using in sauces, making tortillas, making lard (the yummy kind from leftover carnitas), 'frying a sauce' to intensify the flavours after pureeing the ingredients.....

i don't know. they need 4 pages of stuff, and i'm about a page short. how can people work by filling up pages, i ask you, rather than including information, but with this pub house its all about the appearance/photography which is the way some publishers are. and i do suppose the visual stuff is very good for many readers, to get a picture of what things look like if they haven't seen them in person.

anyhow, i want to fill up the space, and also i don't want to miss anything out. i especially want to include all the techniques that make mexican food so unique.

thanks,

Marlena

[caroline]

Hi Marlena,

The grat grandaddy of all mexican techniques is surely nixtamilizing maize. But that's probably a bit tough for the kind of book you describe.

You could do something modern like making and cooking sopes of masa harina.

rachel

[piazzola]

What about the different kinds of cheese?

They certainly differ from the so called queso amarillos used up north for the tex mex food

[marlena spieler]

thanks so much, Rachel and Piazzola. you're right, rachel that nixtamiling maize is really really important/evocative/real, but that it would be something they wouldn't be interested in (i had to fight for the simple trimming off of spikes of nopales!). And piazzola, i made a small mention of the whole hispanic cheese thing and monterey jack thing made by hispanic cooks in monterey california........i don't think they'll let me wax too much more lyrical than that.

But thanks soooo much for answering! I do appreciate it and am thinking that if I don't get back to Mexico soon i'm going to die of a broken heart!

Marlena

[kalypso]

Marlena, what about roasting/toasting tomatoes, tomatillos and garlic before using? Also, have you included anything, even if it's only anecdotal, on the use of leaves such as avocado and hoja santa as ingredients and flavoring agents? Use of masa as a thickener?

[andiesenji]

what about making empanadas or empanaditas, the "little turnovers" which are filled with pumpkin, mashed beans or meats - these can be fried but more often are baked as they keep better without the dough becoming soggy.

Unlike most pie dough, traditionally this dough is made with sugar, an egg, and includes baking powder and sometimes aniseed or other spice.

[marlena spieler]

Marlena, what about roasting/toasting tomatoes, tomatillos and garlic before using?  Also, have you included anything, even if it's only anecdotal, on the use of leaves such as avocado and hoja santa as ingredients and flavoring agents? Use of masa as a thickener?

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Great, thanks! I mean, gracias! I actually have all the roasting stuff but hey: i forgot the use of masa as a thickener, and its such a good and simple technique.

MUCHO gracias!

Marlena

[marlena spieler]

what about making empanadas or empanaditas, the "little turnovers" which are filled with pumpkin, mashed beans or meats - these can be fried but more often are baked as they keep better without the dough becoming soggy. 

Unlike most pie dough, traditionally this dough is made with sugar, an egg, and includes baking powder and sometimes aniseed or other spice.

←

wonderful idea too! i hadn't thought of it, must email it in.

i'm a total empanada hound. i have a cousin who lived in argentina and uraguay and bolivia, and made such good empanadas. i must remember to ask her to make some for us next visit. i love the aniseed in the dough, and the crisp/sweet quality too.

Marlena

[andiesenji]

what about making empanadas or empanaditas, the "little turnovers" which are filled with pumpkin, mashed beans or meats - these can be fried but more often are baked as they keep better without the dough becoming soggy. 

Unlike most pie dough, traditionally this dough is made with sugar, an egg, and includes baking powder and sometimes aniseed or other spice.

←

wonderful idea too! i hadn't thought of it, must email it in.

i'm a total empanada hound. i have a cousin who lived in argentina and uraguay and bolivia, and made such good empanadas. i must remember to ask her to make some for us next visit. i love the aniseed in the dough, and the crisp/sweet quality too.

Marlena

←

It came to mind because I just mentioned on another thread that I had received an old cookbook about early California cookery, from the Spanish colonial period, and it has a recipe for empanada dough with a list of different fillings.

I love empanadas of all types.

The first time I visited Mexico, in the late 50s, I tried some from a street vendor. (He had a little charcoal brazier with a metal box on top and they were so hot I was sure I didn't have to worry about germs.) He had three varieties, including one with finely chopped beef tongue, raisins and spices that was sort of like mincemeat.

Edited January 8, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[Jmahl]

Did you mention how the electric blender has become ubiquitous in the Mexican kitchen?

[marlena spieler]

Did you mention how the electric blender has become ubiquitous in the Mexican kitchen?

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Yeah, and you're so right! thanks!

Marlena

[Jaymes]

And the pressure cooker. Especially for flans.

But I particularly hope you explained the molcajete. They are available in Europe by the more common names, and they are so visual. Especially when piled high with guacamole.

[sandra]

How about the adding of nuts and seed and chocolate to sauces to add depth of flavour - i.e. "uncommon" ingredients?