Pati’s Blog: Latest Entries : Pati's Mexican Table

April 15, 2009

You will find that refried beans are one of the most common sides for traditional Mexican dishes. From breakfast, to dinner, they are always a welcome companion. You can make them with different kinds of beans, like Black, Pinto, or Peruvian. The choice in Mexico varies among regions but also among cooks. I tend to use the Pintos more, because they have a creamier consistency and softer flavor. The Black, delicious as well, have a stronger flavor and texture. The Peruvian have a peculiar flavor, that is hard to define, but it is stronger than the Pintos and lighter than the Black.

You can make the Refried beans in a traditional way, which is by mashing the Frijoles de Olla in the pan with onion that has been sauteed in lard, or you can substitute for oil. You can also make quicker and smoother Refried beans, by skipping the mashing part, and placing the Frijoles de Olla in the blender, to make a smooth Bean puree that you can then thicken and season.

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Beans: Refried Beans

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April 7, 2009

Preparing Poblano Peppers

Poblano Peppers, or Chiles, are rarely used in their raw form. While some ingredients are ready to jump in your mouth or in the pot, like an apple or a carrot, others have to go through a couple steps to bring out their finest qualities in flavor, color and texture. But those extra steps are so worth it! It can seem hard at first but once you prepare them a couple of times the process becomes very simple. Plus you can make more than you need and freeze them for up to 4 or 5 months. Here are the steps.

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Preparing Poblano Peppers

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March 26, 2009

Tex Mex or Mex Tex: Take Two

Talking about American foods enriched by Mexican ingredients, I can’t leave out those tasty, juicy and smoky Ancho Chile hamburgers. My mother used to make them for our birthday parties as me and my sisters grew into teenagers. We felt more hip having funky burgers instead of kid sized tacos. Plus, they were a hit with our friends.

They are a snap to make and for the Mexican spin you just need to prepare a seasoning paste with Ancho Chiles. Anchos, being ultra mild and somewhat fruity with a hint of prunes, make an instant click with the meat.

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Tex Mex or Mex Tex: Take Two

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March 25, 2009

Ancho Chile

The Ancho chile is a stellar ingredient in Mexican cuisine. It is probably the most used dried Chile throughout Mexico and no wonder why: Its flavor is unmatchable.

The Ancho is the Poblano Chile that has been ripened to a deep red and then dried. This concentrates the already exuberant and fruity flavors of the Poblanos (continue for more information and photo).

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Ancho Chile

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March 25, 2009

Tex Mex or Mex Tex

“Can you think of an American dish that has been Mexicanized?” My friend Andrea asked. “It has gone the other way around, no?” I responded, thinking about Tex Mex and the complaints from Mexican food aficionados about Mexican food being Americanized in the US.

But the other way around? As I swam through my childhood memories in Mexico City I was startled by how wrong my natural response had been. Of course there are Mexicanized American foods, and plenty!

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Tex Mex or Mex Tex

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March 16, 2009

Avocados

The smooth, soothing, creamy qualities of avocados are the perfect combination to the richly flavored and sometimes spicy Mexican food. My favorite avocados are the Hass variety and for some reason… I like the Mexican ones the most (!) They tend to be larger, meatier, creamier and just more luxurious than others (continue for more information and photo).

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Avocados

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