¡Híjole!

Al entrar se nos hacía la boca agua con el olor de tortillas de maíz y harina recién hechas. Nos sentamos a la mesa vestida de fiesta con el aperitivo de chips que comimos con salsa de pico de gallo, salsa fresca, salsa verde y mole. A continuación nos saciamos con exquisitos platos de tamales, chiles rellenos, tacos de pescado, enchiladas, y otros platos típicos mexicanos, todos servidos con frijoles, arroz, ensaladas y guacamole.
He incluido más abajo algunas explicaciones de cómo se los describí a mi marido español, en castellano, por supuesto, que aún está descubriendo estas delicias mexicanas. La comida mexicana NO es parte de la cocina española. ¡Híjole, mexicano para decir Madre Mía! ¿Cómo es posible no haber probado tortillas, guacamole, tamales, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, tostados, y tantos otros platos típicos mexicanos?  En serio, aunque la cocina española es deliciosa, la mayoría de los españoles no conoce a ninguno de estos platos típicos de la dieta Californiana y del suroeste de los EE.UU. que hasta están incluidos en la lengua y el patrimonio californiano. ¡Brindis por descubrir la cocina del viejo y nuevo mundo juntos!

Restaurante Casa Guadalajara, Old Town, San Diego, California

September 22, 2012

As we entered our mouths began to water with the smell of fresh homemade corn and flour tortillas. We sat at the colorful table and began with chips that we ate with *pico de gallo/salsa fresca, salsa verde (green) and *mole. We continued with exquisite plates of tamales, chiles rellenos (stuffed peppers,) fish tacos, enchiladas, and other classic mexican plates, all served with beans, rice, salads and guacamole (avocado and spice spread.)

Below are definitions just as I explained them to Spanish husband, in Spanish, of course, who is still discovering how delightful Mexican cuisine is. Mexican food is NOT part of the Spanish diet. ¡Híjole, Mexican for Madre Mía! How is it possible to not have tasted tortillas, guacamole, tamales, enchiladas, tacos, tostados, burritos, and all the other classic dishes? While Spanish cuisine is delicious, most Spaniards don't know any of these foods that are so heavily a part of the California and southwestern diet in the US and part of a Californian's language and heritage.  Here's to tasting and discovering New World and Old World cooking together!

_________________________

*Pico de gallo is a fresh, uncooked condiment made from chopped tomato, white onion, and chilis (typicallyjalapeños or serranos). Other ingredients may also be added, such as lime juice or apple cider vinegar, fresh cilantro (coriander leaf), cucumber, radish or firm fruit such as mango.

*Mole - Spanish, from Nahuatl mōlli, "sauce") is the generic name for a number of sauces used in Mexican cuisine, as well as for dishes based on these sauces. Outside of Mexico, it often refers to a specific sauce which is known in Spanish by the more specific name mole poblano. In contemporary Mexico, the term is used for a number of sauces, some quite dissimilar to one another, including black, red, yellow, colorado (another name for red), green, almendrado, and pipián. The sauce is most popular in the central and southern regions of the country with those from Puebla and Oaxaca the best known, but 60% of the mole eaten in the country comes from San Pedro Atocpan near Mexico City. The popularity of the sauce, especially at major celebrations, is such that 99% of all Mexicans have tried at least one version of it.

____________________________________________
One Mexican Favorite:

Mexican Black Bean Corn Soup
Serves 8
Ingredients:
• 1 large onion, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 5 cups of vegetable broth (homemade or low sodium)
• 4 15 ounce cans of black beans, low sodium (or 7 cups cooked) undrained
• 1 15 ounce can of whole sweet corn, drained
• 1 14.5 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes, diced
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• Juice of 1 small lime
• Fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped to garnish

Instructions:
In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery, carrots and garlic in 1 cup of vegetable broth over medium heat for 6-7 minutes. Add chipotle chili powder, roasted cumin, and black pepper and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the remaining vegetable broth, 4 cups (or 2.5 cans) of beans, and sweet corn. Turn to high heat and bring to a boil.

Add remaining 3 cups (or 1.5 cans) of beans and crushed tomatoes to a Vitamix or blender and process until smooth. Stir into soup when boiling, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes until beans and vegetables are done to your desired tenderness.

Taste test. Add Herbamare or salt to taste and lime juice.

Serve in bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro

Enjoy!