I attended an inspirational lecture about Mexican cuisine last month, given by local foodie and owner of El Naranjo, Iliana De La Vega. The lecture was titled ‘The Culinary Birth of a Nation: Gastronomy and the Making of Mexican Identity;’ a fitting title for someone who has helped transform Austin’s new trailer-food scene into national status.

In her lecture, Iliana explained the evolution of the recipes consisting of vernacular produce, meats & spices, and the gradual introduction of ingredients from other cultures. At the heart of it all is the chile pepper, the basis for flavor in most Mexican dishes. Another indigenous ingredient is chocolate, which was first drunk rather than eaten; eventually, the cocoa powder found its way into mole poblano sauce (which, by the way, should never be purchased in a can!). She showed images of the other basic ingredients that form the Mexican palette: tomatillos, avocado, peanuts, jicama, corn, and onions. Interestingly, flavors of almonds, parsley, cilantro, cinnamon, and beef were not introduced until the Spanish arrived. The cuisine as we know it today is a derivative of a wide range of influences.

What I loved about the lecture was how Iliana spoke about the people making the food, and the places in which they were cooking. To understand the culture of food deeply is to have familiarity of crafting food in your hands: wrapping tamales, grinding spices in a mortar & pestle, stirring a pot of mole poblano. The cooking space is shaped by these items and the needs of the people (mostly women) who are cooking. Below is a gorgeous example of the Convent Santa Rosa in Puebla, a grand vaulted space interspersed with supersized pots, ovens, and platters.

I left the lecture wanting to push the envelope a little bit more in the design of kitchen spaces. As Julia Child said famously that the kitchen is the ‘beating heart and social center of the house,’ shouldn’t this important room also become a special place, something more than a row of rectilinear cabinetry and standardized appliances? The shape of the ceiling, the way light enters, the scale of pattern – all visualized to great effect in the image above. How could we introduce this idea into our smaller, more modest houses?

Great food for thought. In the meantime, I’m totally fiending for some good, REAL, Mexican food. After devouring Iliana’s chiles en nogada, chicken mole poblano and ante de almendras, provided gratis after the lecture, I consult Diana Kennedy in The Essential Cuisines of Mexico. My interpretation of Boiled Tamiahua fish tacos will definitely do the trick. Hope you enjoy!

First, make the chile paste & broil the fish:
4 ancho chiles, seeds & veins removed
4 piquin chiles, left whole
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp salt
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1 lb red snapper filet
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Cover the ancho chiles with boiling water & leave to soak until soft – about 5 minutes. Drain chiles, then transfer to a blender jar. Add the piquin chiles, garlic, salt, & vinegar and blend until smooth (mixture should be like a thick paste – use a minimum amount of water to release blades if too thick).
Divide paste in half; reserve for sauce below.
Spread the outside of the fish with the remaining half of the chile paste, then baste with the oil and broil until cooked through – 8 minutes per side, depending on thickness of fish.
Break fish into pieces along its natural courses.

Next, make the sauce:
remaining paste from above
6 peppercorns, crushed
1/8 tsp coriander seeds, crushed
1/2 piece of cinnamon stick, crushed
1/2 c. chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped white onion
1 serrano chile, finely chopped
6 green olives, pitted & finely chopped
1 tsp capers, roughly chopped
1 tbsp raisins

Heat oil in a heavy skillet and add the chile paste plus the remaining sauce ingredients above. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Carefully add the fish pieces to the sauce and heat through.

Assemble the tacos: heat tortillas on a cast-iron skillet till browned in spots. Place fish mixture in the tortillas. Garnish with fresh lime, pickled jalepenos, and diced avocado.

Related articles
Food Interview: El Naranjo Presents A Foodways Of Mexico Lecture And Reception Thursday (austinist.com)

Last Saturday afternoon, we needed to make a quick family dinner but had only a handful of ingredient options in the fridge and pantry. This summery quinoa salad / stir-fry was the result – and it was perfect after the hot, humid day.
I realized that I’ve done two quinoa recipes on this site already: Quinoa Salad with Summer Veggies and Quinoa with Kidney Beans, Peppers, & Feta. I think I’ve improved on both of these, but it might just be that I’m craving avocados and broccolini lately!
Oh, and don’t you like the photo? Taken with my new Nikon camera – it’s about half the size of my old Canon and takes much richer photos. It probably helped that I photographed during daylight rather than under the incandescent lighting in the kitchen! I might have to make this a trend…

Late Summer Quinoa Salad
1/2 c. quinoa
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 package firm or extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2″ cubes
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp peanut or olive oil
1 small bunch broccolini, chopped
juice of one lemon (about 1 tbsp)
1 tsp soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil
1 avocado, peeled & diced
2 tbsp slivered almonds, toasted
2 tbsp feta

1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly and drain. Combine Quinoa, a dash of salt, and 1.25 cups of water in a small pot and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer, cover the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes. Check the grains at this point – if you see the little white curly-cues of the grain, and it is firm but tender to the bite, then it’s done. Remove the lid and set aside to cool.

2. In a wok or skillet, heat the peanut oil till very hot, and toss in the tofu. Let sit until browned on one side, then flip and do the other sides. After about 8 minutes, remove tofu to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt.

3. In the same wok, heat 1 tbsp of peanut or olive oil, and add the garlic. Stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the broccolini. Stir fry until slightly browned and tender. Remove to a bowl where you will toss the salad.

4. Make the dressing: combine the lemon juice, soy sauce, and olive oil. Add salt & pepper to taste.

5. Combine quinoa, tofu, broccolini mixture and dressing. Divide onto two plates, and top with the avocado, almonds and feta.
Enjoy!

Hi! It’s been simply too long since I’ve posted about food. Lots of things getting built lately, but I have to say that longer work days have meant less invention in the kitchen (ironically). But this weekend I finally felt a reprieve and enjoyed a seriously large salad alongside a big glass of Pinot Noir and a Times crossword puzzle. Yes!
But before I get into the details, I have to share this great food blog that I’ve enjoyed during many a late-night web trolling. Food Stories : Food & Drink from Peckham is written by a Brit with a talent for putting together edgy combinations: Peaches w/ Walnuts & Feta, Sardines with Gremolata, Grilled Aubergines w/ Yogurt Tahini Sauce. She also stole my heart with the effort and love that went into the Big Peckham Lunch – an event that she planned to gather her then-unacquainted neighbors and have one huge, foodie feast in the streets. How awesome is that? Is this stuff happening in Austin?
So I guess the theme of this post is BIG food, since this salad features one of my favorite canned / ready-made ingredients: Divinia Gigande Beans. I usually find these in the deli section at Central Market, tucked away on a high shelf above the olives. Hailing from Greece, they are huge, sweet-tasting beans that hold their shape and therefore work well as a salad ingredient. Although the ones I use are marinated, I would love to find the dried or fresh bean to cook with in different ways – maybe do a braised pork with gigande beans and ancho peppers for the fall season.
Arugula w/ Divinia beans, Tapenade & Teardrop Tomato Vinaigrette
(adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison)
1 large bunch of baby arugula
1/4 c. basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 c. Divinia Gigande Beans
sliced baguette
Tapenade:
1/2 c. Nicoise olives
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
1 garlic clove
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
fresh milled pepper
fresh lemon juice
Tomato Vinaigrette:
1 garlic clove, minced
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt & fresh milled pepper
4-6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3/4 c. teardrop or cherry tomatoes, diced
In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the vinaigrette: the garlic through the pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes, then whisk in the oil and add the tomatoes. Taste and adjust the balance if needed.
Make the tapenade: in a food processor, make a smooth paste of the olives capers, & garlic. Add olive oil while the machine is running. Season w/ pepper and add lemon juice & fresh thyme.
In a large bowl, combine the arugula, basil leaves & Gigande beans. Toss with the vinaigrette, and serve with the baguette and tapenade on the side.
Enjoy!