Mexican-style salsas are all the rage these days, and they are showing up in every kind of restaurant. This one can be served as a dip with tortilla chips, or as a relish to accompany meat-it is particularly good with fish. You may substitute papaya, mango, or even peaches for the pineapple.

Pineapple and Black Bean Salsa (Salsa de Piña y Frijoles Negros)

1 cup (250 ml) fresh or canned pineapple, chopped
1 cup (250 ml) canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (60 ml) fresh lime or lemon juice
1/2 cup (60 ml) chopped fresh cilantro
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeño or other hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl and toss to thoroughly combine. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for 2 hours and serve chilled. Makes about 4 cups (1 L).

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The chayote was a food staple for the ancient Aztecs and Mayas, as it still is today in Mexico. Also known as mirliton and christophene (my family calls it susu from our South America days), it is a green, pear-shaped fruit with a thin, furrowed skin. Although it can be eaten raw, I prefer it cooked, when it becomes the most succulent vegetable imaginable.

Chayote Salad (Ensalada de Chayote)

3 to 4 chayotes, peeled and seeded, cut into 1-inch (2 cm) pieces
1/2 tsp (2 ml) Dijon-style mustard
2 Tbs (30 ml) lime or lemon juice
6 Tbs (90 ml) olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tomatoes, cut into eighths
1 onion, finely chopped
12 to 18 ripe olives
Lettuce leaves for garnish

Boil the chayote in enough salted water to cover for 20 minutes, until tender. Drain and chill. In a large bowl combine the mustard, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper and whisk until emulsified. Add the chilled chayote, tomatoes, onion, and olives and toss to thoroughly coat the vegetables. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Serves 4 to 6.

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The stuff piled next to the refried beans on nearly every plate served by Mexican restaurants in the USA bears little resemblance to anything you'll find in Mexico. Here's the genuine article.

Mexican Rice (Arroz a la Mexicana)

2 cups (500 ml) long-grain rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups (1 L) chicken or beef stock
1 1/2 cups (375 ml) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) canned tomatoes
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1/2 cup (125 ml) frozen or fresh green peas, cooked
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional garnishes:
Chile "flowers" (fresh hot chiles sliced from the tip to the stem into 4 or 5 sections and immersed in cold water until they curl back to form "flowers")
Fresh coriander or parsley sprigs
1 large avocado, peeled and sliced

Puree the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and 1/2 cup of the stock in an electric blender or food processor. Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the rice until it turns golden. Add the tomato puree, remaining stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed (about 15 minutes). Mix in the peas and continue cooking until all the liquid has been absorbed. Garnish with the optional garnishes. Serves 6.

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This classic Mexican dish is a world-class fish recipe. Many travelers to Mexico are surprised at the number of seafood items on restaurant menus. The abundance of fish in the gulf of Mexico and the Sea of Cortez account in part for this, as do the thousands of miles of coastline on two oceans. But the real clue to the popularity of seafood in Mexico is the love of fine food that the Mexican people have demonstrated in the creation and evolution of their unique cuisine.

Red Snapper a la Veracruzana (Huachinango a la Veracruzana)

6 large red snapper fillets or other firm, white-fleshed fish fillets
3 Tbs (45 ml) all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) tomato puree
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
A pinch of ground cloves
2-4 fresh or canned jalapeños or other locally available hot chiles, seeded and cut into strips
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
12 small new potatoes, cooked and peeled
1/2 cup (125 ml) pimiento-stuffed green olives, cut in half

Dust the fish fillets lightly with the seasoned flour. Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the fillets until golden but not completely cooked. Set aside. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of the oil, the onion and the garlic to the skillet, and fry until the onion is transparent but not brown. Add the tomato puree, cinnamon, and cloves and cook over moderate to low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chiles, lemon juice, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the potatoes and fish fillets and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the fish is firm and flakes easily. To serve, arrange the fish on a hot serving platter and cover with the sauce, surrounded by the potatoes and garnished with the olives. Serves 6.

 

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This dessert is found throughout the Spanish-speaking world, which makes sense since it originated in Spain. This version is typical of many Mexican desserts because of the addition of cinnamon. It can  be made in one large mold, or in individual custard cups. Either way, es muy delicioso.

Flan

1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
2 Tbs (30 ml) water
4 cups (1 L) milk
3/4 cup (180 ml) sugar
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp (2 ml) ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp (2 ml) grated lemon rind (optional)
A pinch of salt

Combine the 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar and the water in a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat until the sugar melts and turns golden brown. Pour this into a 6-cup (1.5 L) mold (or into 6 individual ramekins) and tilt to cover the entire bottom of the mold. In a separate pan, heat the milk until a film forms on top. Remove from the heat and cool. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and remaining sugar together. Add the milk and the remaining ingredients and mix well but not too briskly-you don't want bubbles in the mixture. Pour into the mold and place the mold in a large baking dish filled with enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the mold. Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 1 hour, until the custard is set and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. To unmold, run a knife around the edge of the mold and invert onto a serving platter. Serves 6.

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