Helene Siegel

Article / Updated 06-06-2016

The only thing that sounds like more fun than eating Mexican food is drinking Mexican drinks. Mexican beers, sangrias, and tequilas are so popular that they are the gateway for many people to tasting Mexican food for the first time. After you've munched on chips and salsa at a couple of parties, why not take the leap to tamales and empanadas, or to cactus (nopales) salad, the next time you're looking for an accompaniment to that ice chest of Mexican beers? Tequila 101 Tequila is the distilled spirit of the heart of the agave (ah-GAH-vay) plant — a spiky succulent of the lily family, not a cactus. To make tequila, the heart, or pina, of the agave is steamed in huge ovens, and the resulting sweet juice is fermented and distilled. Making the grade The Mexican government regulates tequila production so that all tequila meets the following conditions: It must come from one of five north central Mexican states: Jalisco, Guanjuato, Michoacan, Nayarit, or Tamaulipas. It must be at least 60 percent derived from the Blue agave or Tequilana Weber plant. It must be distilled twice. There are five distinct types of tequila: Plata, Blanco, and Silver are the youngest tequilas. They are clear like vodka, not aged, and they are frequently used for mixed drinks. Mixtos are the cheapest tequilas, made from 60 percent agave. Joven Abogado, or Gold, are unaged tequilas that are colored and slightly softened or sweetened with caramel or food coloring. Use this variety when you don't want to spend the bucks for añejo. Reposado is aged, but not as long as añejo. It is stored for two months to a year in small wood barrels, where it acquires a light gold color. Reposados combine the spiciness of clear tequila with the smoothness of añejo. Añejo, the most costly tequila, must be aged in wood, preferably small oak barrels, at least a year but sometimes as long as 3 years. This is great for sipping slowly, in the same way that people traditionally enjoy brandy. Although the complexity of a brandy can be overwhelming sometimes, tequilas are relatively simple and straightforward. They have a distinctive alcoholic flavor — with a slight sour edge. Top-shelf selections If you want to cultivate a taste for fine tequilas, check out this list of contenders for the tequila hall of fame: Patrón Añejo, with a smooth rich flavor, is Susan's favorite. El Tesoro Añejo, with its strong flavor of alcohol, is Mary Sue's favorite. Chinaco Añejo is named after the "Fighting Chinacos." With a name like that, how could we resist? Porfidio Silver, an elegant, crystal-clear plata, is distilled three times making it smooth as silk going down. Del Dueño is a slightly sweet añejo. What is this thing called mezcal? As you find out more about tequila, you may start wondering about mezcal — that mysterious beverage with the worm on the bottom of the bottle. Mezcal, the form of tequila from southern Mexico, hasn't changed much since the Spanish introduced the still to Mexico in 1520. Unlike tequila, which must be made from a specific plant and is produced by large industrial companies, mezcal can be made from several types of agave and is still being made in small batches by tiny distillers. The resulting drink is more rough-hewn and less uniform than tequila. One premium brand is Encantado. The worm, or gusano, found on the bottle's bottom, is not a worm at all, but a caterpillar. Once, locals may have believed that the gusano was imbued with magical powers. But today, it is merely thought to sell more bottles of mezcal. Favorite Mexican beers The Mexican approach to beer is closer to the American view of soft drinks: bubbly, refreshing beverages meant to be drunk throughout the day to quench a thirst rather than loosen inhibitions. In fact, beers are sold in 6-ounce bottles for quick snacks, and sometimes they're mixed with half lemonade or limeade for a bubbly morning drink. Beer is always served with a wedge of lime in Mexico, a custom that can be traced back to the Spaniards. Best beer picks include the following: Pacifico: A slightly acidic, light-colored beer, made in an ale style. Try mixing it with half lemonade or half tomato juice for a great summer drink. Bohemia: Slightly darker than the ales, but still light-colored. This well-crafted, flavorful beer has placed first in blind worldwide beer tastings — no mean feat against all those German brews. It has a smooth finish and slight aftertaste, best with just a rub of lime on the rim of the glass. Dos Equis: With its amber color, it is a nice cross between lighter and darker style beers. The recipe for this 100-year-old beer (named XX for the turn of the century) was created by a German brew master. Negro Modelo: A dark beer from the Yucatán. It has a hint of molasses, without being too sweet, and a strong flavor. For your complete drinking pleasure, coat the rim of a tumbler with salt, fill with crushed ice, pour in the beer, and squeeze in a few lime wedges. Leave yourself plenty of time to relax and enjoy such a carefully crafted drink. On the lighter side: Sangria A light fruit and wine drink, like sangria, is terrific for casual afternoon gatherings. Sangria looks especially nice when served in sangria pitchers. Sangria Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 2 hours steeping Yield: 4 servings 1 orange1 lemon1 lime1 bottle fruity red wine, such as Pinot Noir1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice2 cups ice cubes 1. Scrub the orange, lemon, and lime under running water and cut them into 1/4-inch slices. Cut each slice into quarters to form wedges. 2. Place the fruit wedges in a pitcher, pour in the wine, and let the sangria sit for about 2 hours at room temperature so that the flavors can combine. Alternatively, steep as long as a day in the refrigerator. 3. Just before serving, stir in the orange juice and ice cubes. Serve immediately. For sangria that stays cold longer, try making one large ice cube. Wash out a half-gallon cardboard milk carton and fill it with water. Add some thin slices of oranges, lemons, and limes for color. Stand the carton upright in the freezer and freeze. Empty the ice into a punch bowl by ripping off the carton just before adding the sangria.

Article / Updated 04-26-2016

Achiote paste, a blend of spices and vinegar, gives this roasted chicken its distinctive orange hue and spicy aroma. Roasted achiote chicken is a recipe straight from the Yucatán — as Mexican as you can get! Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour marination Cooking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings 3 serrano chiles 7 garlic cloves, peeled 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1/4 cup achiote paste 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon salt 1 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 3-pound roasting chicken 3 medium yellow onions 1 head garlic 1 orange 3 Roma tomatoes Stem and seed the serrano chiles, if desired. Peel the garlic cloves. Combine the orange juice, achiote paste, serranos, garlic cloves, pepper, and salt in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Add the cilantro and vinegar and puree until smooth. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Rub the marinade all over the chicken, inside and out. Place in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or as long as overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lift the chicken from the marinade and place it on a work surface. Peel one of the onions. Cut the peeled onion, head of garlic, and orange in half and stuff inside the chicken’s cavity. Tie the legs together and place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, breast-side down. Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast for 20 minutes longer. Cut the remaining onions into 3 slices each. Cut the tomatoes into 4 slices each. Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat. Char the onion slices until blackened on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Char the tomato slices on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside with the onions. Turn the chicken, breast-side up, and bake for about 25 minutes. Baste occasionally with the pan juices. Add the charred onion and tomato slices to the roasting pan and continue baking for 20 minutes. The chicken is done when a drumstick feels loose when jiggled and the skin is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with the charred onions and tomatoes.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 03-27-2016

If you're new to cooking Mexican food, you're in luck — this Cheat Sheet offers tips for cooking festive and delicious Mexican dishes and a look at different types of chiles to give just the right flavor to your South-of-the-Border meals. In addition, handy charts help you convert cooking temperatures and measurements.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Most Mexican restaurants offer flan, a classic caramel-flavored, sweet and silky vanilla custard. The perfect make-in-advance dessert, flan is a soothing custard finale to spicy foods, and, as an added bonus, it keeps for a few days in the refrigerator without losing freshness or flavor. Credit: PhotoDisc, Inc. Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 4 hours refrigeration Cooking time: 1 hour and 15 minutes Yield: 8 to 10 servings 2 cups sugar 1 1/4 cups water 12 large eggs 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups milk 2 cups half-and-half 1 vanilla bean Combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of the water in a medium saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the color is dark brown and the mixture has a distinctive fragrance of caramel, about 15 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to wash down any sugar granules from the pot’s sides. Pour enough of the hot caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan to coat the bottom and sides. Swirl to coat evenly. Slowly and carefully add the remaining 3/4 cup water to the caramel in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the caramel dissolves, about 5 minutes. Occasionally stir and brush down the sides with the pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystallization. Set this caramel sauce aside to cool and then chill until serving time. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Separate 6 of the eggs. In a large mixing bowl, gently whisk together the 6 whole eggs, separated yolks, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Avoid incorporating air, which happens when you whisk briskly. Pour the milk and half-and-half into a medium saucepan. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and, using the tip of a paring knife, scrape the black seeds into the milk. Add the bean and bring the milk to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pass the milk and egg mixture through a strainer into the caramel-coated cake pan. Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan and carefully pour hot tap water in the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the flan pan. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the center just feels firm when pressed with a finger. Set aside to cool in the pan of water. Remove from the water bath, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Run a knife along the inside edge of the pan and gently press the center of the bottom to loosen. Cover the pan with a platter, invert, and lift the pan off the flan. Cut the flan in wedges and serve topped with cold caramel sauce.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Fresh fruits and vegetables are an integral part of everyday eating in Mexico. Fruits — beautifully sliced and seasoned — are sold on the Mexican street as snacks. And vegetables, besides being used in Mexican sauces, stews, and garnishes, are also eaten as snacks throughout the day. Here are some Mexican-food fruit and vegetable essentials: Avocado: Pebbly-skinned greenish brown Hass have a rich, nutty flesh that strikes the perfect balance with fiery Mexican foods. The leaner, smooth-skinned Fuerte has more-watery flesh and a bigger seed than the Hass. Banana leaves: In addition to keeping foods moist, these fragrant green leaves impart a delicious fruity flavor of their own. Cactus paddles: The type of cactus most often eaten in Mexico is the prickly pear, the one traditionally pictured in movies about the Old West. Chayote: This pale green, pear-shaped squash was one of the principal foods of the Aztec and Mayan people of Central America. Also known as the mirliton in Louisiana, the chayote mixes the mild taste of zucchini with the firmer texture of a kohlrabi. Corn husks: Dried corn husks are the traditional wrapper for tamales, but you can use them to wrap other foods for steaming or grilling. Jícama: This plain, round, brown-skinned root yields crisp, white flesh that’s terrific for adding sparkle to salads and raw vegetable platters. Lime: Mexican cooks use the yellow-skinned key lime, or limón as it’s called there, and the taste is sweeter than the limes typically eaten elsewhere. Plantains: These large, thick, cooking bananas are classified as a fruit, but plantains are used more like a starchy root vegetable such as a yam by cooks in Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula. Tomatillos: These small, pale green fruits are the key to most green salsas. Though they resemble green tomatoes when out of the husk, tomatillos are acidic, pale-green members of the Cape Gooseberry family, and bear no relation to tomatoes.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Banana-Stuffed Mexican Toast with Coconut Syrup appeals to morning sweet lovers. This Mexican-style French toast features a stuffing of mashed bananas, a cinnamon-scented egg wash, and a topping of homemade coconut syrup. Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: 2 servings 1 (4-1/2-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 pieces crusty white bread, about 1-inch thick 1 large or 2 small ripe bananas 2 eggs 2/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon butter Combine the coconut milk, coconut, and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Set aside. Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut a horizontal pocket in each bread slice. You want to come close to the edges of the bread but leave the crusts intact. Be careful not to cut holes in the dough. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Using a spoon, stuff each piece of bread with mashed bananas. Stuff them as full as possible. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the milk, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Dip the stuffed bread in the egg mixture and let soak about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until all the egg mixture is absorbed. Melt the butter in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the toast in the hot skillet until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with the warm coconut syrup.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Guava cheese puffs, delicious fruit- and cheese-filled tarts, really show the Mexican kitchen’s knack for combining sweet and salty. You can find guava paste in the jam and jelly section or the ethnic section of the supermarket. Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 2 1/2 hours chilling Cooking time: 50 minutes Yield: 8 servings 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 cup grated añejo cheese 2 pieces puff pastry, 1/2 pound each 1 egg 3/4 cup guava paste 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice or 3/4 cup other fruit jam or puree 1 tablespoon heavy cream Combine the cream cheese and añejo cheese in a bowl, mixing well with a spoon. Cut each puff pastry into a 12-inch circle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 puff pastry circle on the baking sheet. Crack the egg into a bowl and lightly beat it with a whisk or fork. Brush a 1-inch rim around the outside edge of the puff pastry with the beaten egg. Pat the cheese mixture into an 8-inch circle in the center of the pastry. Mix the guava paste with the lime juice or jam. Spread the guava mixture evenly over the top of the cheese. Fold the remaining piece of puff pastry in half. Place it over the first piece, edge-to-edge. Unfold the pastry to enclose the filling. Chill for 30 minutes, or until thoroughly cold. Firmly press the edges of pastry together with the tines of a fork to seal. Work about 1 1/2 inches from the outside of the pastry. Trim the excess dough around the edge, leaving an even 1-inch border of crust around the filling. With a sharp paring knife, cut out and discard a 3/4-inch circle of dough from the center. Press out any trapped air with your hands. Making shallow cuts, trace 6 to 8 lines — shaped like arcs —from the center hole to the inside edge of the sealed crust, like the spokes of a wheel. If the dough gets too warm to work with, just return it to the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so to harden. Mix the heavy cream with the remaining beaten egg and brush over the top of the tart. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the tart for 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown on top. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake until the jelly is bubbling and the bottom crust is browned, about 35 minutes. To check the bottom crust, lift the tart gently with a spatula. Set aside to cool on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

In Mexico, tortillas are often made by hand before almost every meal. The taste of a good homemade flour tortilla adds an extra dimension to any Mexican dish. Make your own flour tortillas for the next Mexican feast you prepare: Place 3 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup (plus 1 tablespoon) shortening, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt in a bowl. Lightly rub the ingredients together with your fingers to evenly mix the ingredients. Pour in 1 cup and 2 tablespoons warm water and mix with a wooden spoon. Stir until a smooth dough has formed. Divide the dough into 12 piece, then roll each piece into a ball and place them on a baking tray. Cover them with a towel and let them rest at room temperature for 15 minutes to an hour. On a lightly floured board, roll each ball into a 8-inch circle. Transfer each rolled-out ball to a square of parchment paper. Stack the dough, on the parchment paper, on a baking tray or platter. Refrigerate them until you’re ready to cook them. When you’re ready to cook, heat a dry skillet. Heat the skillet (or dry griddle) over medium heat. Peel the paper off of the top tortilla and place that tortilla in the heated skillet. Cook it until it’s puffy and slightly brown, about 40 seconds on each side. Remove the tortilla from the skillet and place it on a towel-lined platter. The tortilla needs to cool — how long is up to you. Cook each tortilla in the same fashion. After you cook them all, it’s time to eat!

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Handmade corn tortillas have a pebbly texture and a definitive, earthy corn flavor. You can make corn tortillas yourself with the help of a tortilla press. Impress your friends with your Mexican-cooking, corn-tortilla-making expertise: Combine 2 cups masa harina and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Use a spoon to incorporate the salt into the masa. Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water while stirring the ingredients. Stir until the dough becomes slightly sticky and forms a ball when pressed together. Divide the dough into 12 to 18 pieces. The number you roll depends on the size you prefer for your tortillas. Roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on a plate covered with a damp cloth towel. Cut squares of plastic big enough to cover the plates of the tortilla press. They should be about as thick as a sandwich bag. Place a ball of dough on the bottom plate. Flatten the ball slightly with your palm. Gently close the top plate, then firmly close the handle. Make sure the handle is fully closed. Open the press, turn the tortilla 180 degrees, and close the press again. Make sure the tortilla is pressed evenly. Open the press and carefully lift off the top plastic, then turn the bare tortilla onto your hand. Lift off the second sheet of plastic after the tortilla is in your hand. Repeat the pressing process with each of your masa dough balls, and you’ve just made yourself some homemade corn tortillas.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Colorful liquados are sold all over Mexico at juice stands where you can get an instant, made-to-order fruit milkshake. This strawberry banana liquados recipe gives you that juice-stand experience in your own kitchen. (If you’re not a milk drinker, water works just fine.) Preparation time: 10 minutes Yield: 3 servings 1 banana 10 large strawberries 1 1/2 cups milk 2 cups ice cubes 3 tablespoons honey Peel and chop the banana. Cut out the strawberries’ stems and chop the berries. Combine the fruit with the milk, ice, and honey in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.