Classic Mexican
Originally published
the week of May 18, 1998
All content copyright by World Wide Recipes.
Quesadillas are a Mexican classic that are becoming
more widely available in Mexican restaurants in the US.
They are traditionally fried or grilled, but my version
is easier and less attention-demanding.
Crab
Quesadillas
4 flour tortillas
1 Tbs (15 ml) soft butter or
margarine
1 cup (250 ml) shredded queso fresco,
Monterey jack, or mild flavored, semi-soft
cheese.
1-6 oz (170 g) can crab meat, drained and
picked over
Hot sauce (optional)
Salt and freshly
ground pepper to taste
Grease a large baking sheet with the butter or
margarine. Rub the tortillas on the greased surface so
as to lightly grease one side of each tortilla. With the
tortillas greased side down on the baking sheet, place
one quarter of the shredded cheese on one half of each
tortilla. Top this with the crab, a dash or two of the
optional hot sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Fold
each tortilla over and bake in a 350F (180C) oven for
about 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown. Flip
the quesadillas over and cook an additional 5 minutes,
or until the other side is golden brown and the cheese
is melted. Cut into wedges and serve immediately. Serves
4 to 6 as an appetizer.
Our Classic Mexican menu continues with a delicious
and easy to cook soup. Its Spanish heritage is evidenced
by the use of almonds and sherry, but it gets its
Mexican flair from the spices used.
Chicken Breast
and Almond Soup (Sopa de Pechuga de Pollo y
Almendras)
1/2 cup (125 ml) blanched almonds
2 Tbs (30 ml)
butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
2
skinless and boneless chicken breast halves
8 cups (2
L) chicken stock or canned chicken broth
Salt and
freshly ground pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4
tsp (1 ml) ground cumin seed
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cayenne
pepper (or to taste)
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry sherry
(optional)
1 Tbs (15 ml) chopped parsley
Cook the chicken breast halves by simmering them in
the chicken stock for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove them and
set them aside. Sauté the almonds in the butter over
moderate heat until golden. Place the almonds, onion,
and one of the chicken breast halves in an electric
blender or food processor, along with a little of the
stock, and blend until pureed. Add this mixture to the
remaining stock, along with the nutmeg, cumin, and
cayenne. Add the second chicken breast half, cut into
small pieces, and heat over moderate heat, stirring
occasionally. Add the optional sherry just prior to
serving. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with
the chopped parsley. Serves 6.
Arroz a la
Mexicana (Mexican Rice)
2 cups (500 ml) 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 black pepper to taste
Optional
garnishes: chili pepper "flowers" (fresh, hot chili
peppers, 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 ½ cup (125 ml)
of the stock in an electric blender or food processor.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté 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.
"Classic Mexican" week continues with this
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
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 or canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2
cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (500 ml) tomato
puree
1/4 tsp (1 ml) cinnamon
A pinch ground
cloves
3 fresh or canned jalapeño chilies (or other
locally available hot chilies), 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 (60 ml) of the oil in a large
skillet over medium heat and sauté the fillets until
golden but not completely cooked. Set aside. Add the
remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) 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 chilies,
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.
This luscious dessert is the perfect topper to our
"Classic Mexican" menu. You can make just the pudding,
with or without the sherry, or you can dress it up as I
have here. Either way, es muy delicioso.
Pineapple
Pudding
12 ladyfingers, split horizontally (or pound cake,
sliced ¼ inch (5 mm) thick)
Apricot jam
2 cups
(500 ml) finely chopped fresh (if possible) or canned
pineapple
1/2 cup (125 ml) blanched almonds, ground
in a food processor or blender
4 egg yolks, lightly
beaten
1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry
sherry (optional)
1/4 tsp (1 ml) ground
cinnamon
1/2 cup (125 ml) sour cream
1/4 cup (60
ml) toasted slivered almonds
Combine the pineapple, ground almonds, egg yolks,
sugar, half (1/4 cup, 60 ml) of the optional sherry, and
cinnamon in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring
constantly, until the sauce has thickened. DO NOT BOIL.
Set aside to cool.
Spread a thin layer of apricot jam on the ladyfingers
or pound cake. Place half in the bottom of a serving
dish and sprinkle with half the remaining sherry. Spread
half the pineapple mixture on top. Repeat. Chill for at
least one hour, and spread a layer of sour cream on top.
Garnish with the toasted almonds. Serves 4 to 6.
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