On Food & Culture
Ajoblanco is an ice-cold soup from the Andalusía region of Spain. The English translation of ajoblanco is white garlic, and it’s indeed a beautifully white soup made with only four ingredients: almonds, garlic, olive oil, and hearty bread. It’s humble and so delicious. It predates …
The above photograph of “Quelitre” is by visual artist César Martínez whose work is in the collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum. He shared the picture with me, along with this detail of how he reconnected with quelitre. Pulling weeds in his backyard, César …
Chile Dulce, bell pepper, was common at our kitchen table when I was growing up in San Antonio. Caldos and guisados feature chile dulce, and as a stand-alone dish the chile can be stuffed with a meat filling. This bell pepper salsa has lots of …
Chile Petin, Petín, also called piquín and chiltepin, is native to the area around Brownsville, Texas and its border sister, Matamoros, Tamaulipas. Actually it grows wild all over Texas, New Mexico, Southern Arizona, throughout all of Mexico and has for centuries. Its scientific name is …
Nopal, cactus, is delicious and nutritious. The diminutive form of nopal, nopalitos, signals that it is one of the most endeared and important Mexican indigenous foods. Ascribed the scientific name, Opuntia ficus-indica, nopalitos are native to central and southern Mexico. Cactus spread from there throughout …
My Carne Guisada recipe is featured in the New York times today, recommended by Sam Sifton in his column, “What To Cook This Week.” The NYT recipe is one adapted by the brilliant food writer, Rachel Wharton. I love the picture by Linda Xiao for …
Enchiladas Rojas are delicious, delicate and they are traditional. You can buy red tortillas at the grocery store, but I suggest you make some. You can make the red tortillas several days before and keep them in the fridge until you make the enchiladas. I’ve …
Chiles Toreados are perfect for any Mexican food feast. They can be cooked days ahead of your party, kept in the fridge, and just before serving, add lime juice and salt. Done! The Texas Mexican region has the honor of being considered to be the …
Special shout-out to intrepid, passionate cooks who like a challenge. This salad requires a bit of skill, but it’s really fun. I’ll be serving this ensalada compuesta, a composed smoked trout salad, at a gala dinner in San Antonio next month during which I will …
Basil Bruschetta normally says “summer,” here in Houston, but when the basil in my little winter green- house surprised me by growing luxuriantly, I had to taste it, so I winter harvested some. The flavor is very mild, but it’s perfect just after the tamales …