MEXICAN TODAY by Pati Jinich

CONTENTSINTRODUCTION

SOUPS

SALADS

TORTAS, SANDWICHES, HAMBURGERS, AND HOT DOGS

SPREADS, GUACAMOLES, SALSAS, ADOBOS, AND GARNISHES

TACOS AND TOSTADAS

ENCHILADAS AND CREPE ENCHILADAS

CASSEROLES, DEEP-DISH PIES, AND SKILLET PIZZAS

STEWS AND ONE-POT MEALS

SIDES

DESSERTS

DRINKS

I N DE X

Any time you see a dish with the word bricklayer in its title, grab a

napkin. Bricklayer, in Mexicos culinary lingo, means a quick, meat-

based dish sauced in a combination of onions, jalapeos, and tomatoes

that can be easily tucked into tortillas for a fast meal. The tacos are so-

named because they were an easy, filling hot lunch served at construc-

tion sites: A woman would come by with a griddle or a comal, tortillas,

and a stew, and the workers would come and fill their own tortillas.

The beef is cooked in the smoky bacon fat (so no need to add any

other oil), and a chunky sauce is made in the same pan with toma-

toes, onions, and jalapeos. I build on the sauces natural smokiness

by roasting the tomatoes first, which also adds extra sweetness

and depth.

SERVES 6

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 25 minutes

MAKE AHEAD: Dont make it

ahead! But if you have leftovers,

feel free to reheat, as they will be

great for next-day quesadillas.

1 pound ripe tomatoes or 1

(14-ounce) can fire-roasted

tomatoes

8 ounces sliced bacon

2 pounds beef sirloin or

tenderloin, cut into 1-inch

pieces

Kosher salt or sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper,

to taste

1 large or 2 medium onions,

cut in half, then into thin

slivers (2 cups slivered

onions)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 jalapeo chiles, seeded if

desired, sliced thin (more or

less to taste)

Flour or corn tortillas

RECOMMENDED SALSA

Salsa Verde Cruda (page 000)

1. If using fresh tomatoes, preheat the broiler. Line a baking dish or baking

sheet with foil. Place the tomatoes on the foil and place under the broiler,

2 to 3 inches from the heat. Broil for 4 to 5 minutes and flip over. Broil

for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and the tomatoes are

completely soft. Once cool enough to handle, chop coarsely, without dis-

carding the juices or the seeds. Transfer with juices and seeds to a bowl.

(Note: You can also roast the tomatoes on a hot comal, but a broiler is

quicker.) If using fire-roasted tomatoes, chop, without discarding juices.

2. Cut the bacon strips crosswise into -inch thick pieces. Heat a deep

12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook for

4 to 5 minutes, until it starts to crisp and lightly brown. Add the meat and

season with salt and pepper. Sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side.

3. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 min-

utes, until softened. Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir occasionally and

simmer for 4 to 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

4. Heat a skillet or comal over medium-low heat. Once hot, heat the

tortillas for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, until completely malleable and

lightly browned in spots. Place the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or wrap

them in a clean kitchen towel or cloth napkin. Serve alongside the beef;

guests can fill the tortillas with the amount of filling and salsa they desire.

BRICKLAYER TACOSTACOS DE ALBAIL

TA C O S A N D T O S TA D A S 7

Mexican tortes, called tortas in Spanish, are sort of a cross between a

fluffy and moist bread, a savory pudding, and a souffl. This particular

zucchini torte is the one I make most often at home. It has a generous

layer of cheese on top, with two kinds of cheese. As the torte bakes in

the oven, the salty dry-aged cheese browns nicely on the top, while

the melting cheese is partly absorbed into the top layer of the zucchini

mixture. The dish is quite a showstopper.

SERVES 6

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes


MAKE AHEAD: Can be made a cou-

ple of hours ahead and covered.

1 pounds zucchini

cup rice flour

cup all-purpose flour

(substitute rice flour for a

gluten-free version)

2 teaspoons baking powder

teaspoon kosher or sea salt

8 tablespoons ( stick)

unsalted butter, at room

temperature

cup sugar

5 large eggs

cup Mexican crema,

Latin-style cream, or crme

frache

cup milk

2 ounces melting cheese,

such as mozzarella, Oaxaca,

or Monterey Jack, grated

(about cup)

2 ounces dry-aged cheese,

such as queso aejo, ricotta

salata, or Parmigiano-

Reggiano, grated

(about cup)

1. Butter an 8-x-11-inch baking dish.

2. Heat the oven to 350F.

3. Trim and grate the zucchini. Place in a colander and press hard with

your hands or the back of a wooden spoon to extract water. Let sit while

you prepare the other ingredients. Press and squeeze the grated zucchini

at intervals to extract the maximum amount of water. You should have

about 3 cups strained grated zucchini. Place in a bowl.

4. In another bowl, combine the flours, baking soda, baking powder, and

salt and set aside.

5. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on

medium-high for a couple of minutes until creamy. Add the sugar and

continue beating until well incorporated and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one

at a time. Add half the flour mixture and beat in. Scrape down the sides of

the bowl and the beaters. Beat in the Mexican crema, the remaining flour

mixture, and the milk, and again scrape down the sides of the bowl and

the beaters.

6. Squeeze the zucchini one more time and add to the mixing bowl. Mix

over low speed just until well combined. Scrape the mixture into the

baking dish. Sprinkle on the melting cheese, then sprinkle the dry-aged

cheese over the top in an even layer.

7. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the cheese is com-

pletely melted and the edges are a light golden brown. Remove from the

oven and serve hot, warm, or cold.

ZUCCHINI TORTA TACOS DE CALABACITAS

T O R TA S , S A N D W I C H E S , H A M B U R G E R S , A N D H O T D O G S 9

SPIKED POMEGRANATE COCKTAIL WITH MEXICAN CHOCOLATE AND STAR ANISE CCTEL DE GRANADA CON ANS ESTRELLA Y CHOCOLATE

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes,

plus 30 minutes chill time


MAKE AHEAD: Drink can be made a

day ahead, covered, and refriger-

ated

2 star anise pods

1 cups pomegranate juice

1 cup freshly squeezed

orange juice

1 cups vodka

cup Triple Sec, Cointreau, or

other orange liqueur

cup grated Mexican

chocolate

1 orange, quartered

1. Heat a comal or dry skillet over medium heat. When hot, gently toast

the anise pods, flipping occasionally, until fragrant and toasted, about

2 minutes. Transfer immediately to a pitcher. Add the pomegranate and

orange juices, vodka, and orange liqueur. Stir and place in the refrigerator

for a minimum of 30 minutes, until ready to serve. Remove the star anise

before serving.

2. Place the grated Mexican chocolate on a small plate. Rub the rims of

the glasses with a quartered orange and dip into the grated chocolate.

Place a couple of ice cubes (or more) in each glass and top with the

pomegranate cocktail.

Tart pomegranate juice and sweet, citrusy orange juice create a

lovely base for the airy and crisp vodka in this light drink. Triple Sec

provides a sweet balance, and it all gets spiked with the strong, spicy

presence of toasted star anise. When you taste the sugary and grainy

Mexican chocolate on the rim, youll want to sip it as slowly as

you can.

10 M E X I C A N T O D AY

PUBLICATION DATE: APRIL 12, 2016

ISBN 978-0-544-55724-6Paper over board$30.00288 pages7-15/16 x 10Full-color throughout

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PUBLICITY CONTACT

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www.hmhco.com/cookingFollow us @HMHCooks

Praise for Pati Jinich and PATIS MEXICAN TABLE: Amazon Top 20 Best of the Year Cookbooks

New York Times Best in Books

Washington Post Best Cookbooks of the Year

PATI JINICH is a breath of fresh air in the food world. Shes

warm, beyond smart, and shes funny and a generous and

gifted cook. She knows Mexican food as her heritage and

as a scholar, but knows, too, the realities of being a working

mother. She never gave up on the tastes she grew up with,

but shes got an uncanny way of streamlining how she recre-

ates them.

LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPER, host of The Splendid Table from American Public Media

PATI has such skill in delivering recipes full of detail and

complexity with a nurturing cadence.

HUGH ACHESON, author of A New Turn in the South

PATI JINICH is the

host of the popular PBS

show Patis Mexican Table,

which airs on 169 channels,

covering 94 percent of the

country. She is the official

chef of the Mexican Cultural

Institute in Washington, D.C.

She has appeared on the

Food Network and is a regular guest on NBCs TODAY show,

ABCs The Chew, CBSs The Talk, NPR, and The Splendid

Table. She hosts live programs for the Smithsonian Institution,

is part of its Kitchen Cabinet, and has been guest chef for the

President of the United States Cinco de Mayo White House

celebration.

A RUX MARTIN BOOK

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MEXICAN TODAY by Pati Jinich