Notes about Recipes in this book

• Mexican green tomato salad (Ensalada de tomate verde)

  • L.Nightshade on June 04, 2011

    This is a chopped salad with tomatillos, serrano chiles, white onion, and cilantro tossed with olive oil and a little salt. It is then topped with queso fresco, crumbled chicharron and avocado. A very easy, bright, and refreshing salad. I loved the flavors, and it was the perfect flavor contrast to the main course. I will be trotting this one out any time I'm cooking Mexican food. Plus, the leftover salad was tasty the next day in fish tacos.

• Chiles stuffed with potato and sardines (chiles rellenos de papa y sardinas)

  • L.Nightshade on June 04, 2011

    While this dish was good enough to make again, I will make modifications when I do. The end result is quite picklish. The chiles marinate in 1 1/2 cups of vinegar, so no surprise there. Next time I will make the marinade with some oil and less vinegar. We liked the potato-sardine combination quite a bit. I didn't use salt as I thought the sardines were salty enough, but it could have used a little seasoning. Or maybe more sardine in proportion to potato. I'd also like to try this stuffed with a potato and anchovy combination. All in all, a success. The stuffed chiles plate nicely, and make a pretty first course. It will be a fun recipe to try again with variations.

• Chicken for a wedding (estofado para bodas)

  • L.Nightshade on June 04, 2011

    Chicken pieces are poached with onion and garlic, then drained and set aside. The sauce combines sauteed onion and garlic with tomatoes (recipe calls for fresh, I used canned Muir organic fire roasted). Then raisins, almonds, olives, pickled jalapenos with some pickling juice, a tablespoon of sugar (I used a bit less), and oregano are added. Peppercorns, cloves, stick cinnamon are ground and added, and a cup of the poaching broth is returned to the sauce. Sliced potatoes and plantains are fried and drained. Before serving, the chicken is returned to the sauce along with chunks of fresh pineapple. The dish is topped with the potatoes and plantains. We were struck by the wonderful combinations of flavors in this dish. Some bites remind me of an Italian caponata (olives and raisins), some bites were vaguely reminiscent of a sweet and sour dish (pineapple and a bit of vinegar). The flavors are complex and compelling. I liked it more with each bite. Definitely a keeper.

• Chilaquiles de parras

  • jessekl on May 19, 2013

    p.259