The first truly comprehensive bible of authentic Mexican home cooking, written by a living culinary legend, Mexico: The Cookbook  features an unprecedented 700 recipes from across the entire country, showcasing the rich diversity and flavors of Mexican cuisine. Author Margarita Carrillo Arronte has dedicated 30 years to researching, teaching, and cooking Mexican food, resulting in this impressive collection of Snacks and Street Food, Starters and Salads, Eggs, Soups, Fish, Meat, Vegetables, Accompaniments, Rice and Beans, Breads and Pastries, and Drinks and Desserts.

Beautifully illustrated with 200 full color photographs, the book includes dishes such as Acapulco-style ceviche, Barbacoa de Pollo from Hidalgo, classic Salsa Ranchera, and the ultimate Pastel Tres Leches, each with notes on recipe origins, ingredients, and techniques, along with contributions from top chefs such as Enrique Olvera and Hugo Ortega.

Reprinted with permission from  Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte, ©2014. Photography by Fiamma Piacentini-Huff. Published by Phaidon. Please support your local bookstore or purchase through our affiliate links with IndieBound or Amazon.

 

POTATO TACOS

Region: Federal District

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons corn oil
1 onion, chopped
6 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
2½ cups (1 lb 2 oz / 500 g) mashed potatoes
12 corn tortillas

To serve:

Green salsa with avocado
Sour cream
Grated queso fresco or feta cheese

Instructions:

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until translucent. Add the chiles and cook for another few minutes, then add the mashed potatoes and heat through. Season with salt to taste and remove the pan from the heat.

Warm the tortillas by placing them in a dry frying pan or skillet and flipping them continuously until they are soft. Place them in a basket and cover with a dish towel to keep warm. Fill each tortilla, fold in half, and lightly cook on a grill (griddle) pan or heavy saucepan over medium heat. Serve with sides of salsa, sour cream, and cheese.

 

JALISCO-STYLE RED POZOLE / POZOLO ROJO ESTILO JALISCO

Origin: Jalisco

Preparation time: 40 minutes, plus 15 minutes soaking

Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

6 ancho chiles, seeded
2 teaspoons oregano
2 ¼ lb / 1 kg hominy corn
1 garlic head
1 small white onion
10 bay leaves
Sea salt
1 lb 2 oz / 500 g loin or pork leg
1 lb 2 oz / 500 g pig’s head
2 pig legs, cleaned and quartered

To serve:

12 lemons, quartered
Oregano, to taste
Piquin chile, to taste
1 white onion, finely chopped
½ lettuce, finely shredded
12 radishes, sliced

Instructions:

In a small bowl, combine the chiles and enough hot water to cover them and soak for 15 minutes. Put them with their soaking liquid into a food processor or blender, add 1 teaspoon oregano, and process until smooth. Strain, put into a frying pan or skillet, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the garlic head, onion, bay leaf, remaining oregano, salt to taste and water into a large saucepan and cook over low-medium heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the meat, head, and legs in a large saucepan, add enough water to cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 45 minutes, or until soft. Remove the meat and shred. Cut the meat from the head into bite-size cubes and set aside.

Add the corn to the garlic and onion stock and cook for 30 minutes, until the corn is fully soft. Add the chile paste and check the seasoning.

Ladle the soup into bowls, dividing the meat generously among each bowl. Serve with lemons, oregano, piquin chile, onion, lettuce, and sliced radishes.

 

Born in Mexico, Margarita Carrillo Arronte has dedicated more than 25 years to researching, studying, teaching and cooking Mexican cuisine. From 1996 to 2006, she was the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture’s chef and organized Mexican food festivals and gala dinners across North America, Europe and Asia. In 2010, she led a campaign to get Mexican cuisine recognized as a UNESCO cultural property. In addition to teaching Mexican Cuisine at Cucul Cultura Culinaria A.C. and the National University of Mexico, Carillo Arronte is also the leader of the Slow Food movement in Baja and ran the restaurants, Don Emiliano (San Jose del Cabo) and Casa Mexico (Mexico City). She lives in Mexico City.

 

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