276796 Mon Feb 28 16:51:25 -0800 2005 22 31 Home Cooking 0 1461148 So my plan for the beginning of this year was to start doing some Mexican cooking as "training" for a Mexican-themed party this summer. I have Diana Kennedy's Cuisines of Mexico and a Rick Bayless' book - I think it's Mexico One Plate at a Time. My usual method is to come up with some sort of menu, then start cooking my way through it, shifting the menu depending on what I like and don't like. But Mexican cooking is a completely new arena for me, and I'm feeling overwhelmed. I'm not sure how to put foods together in a coherent menu. This is usually a 30+ person crowd, so it's a buffet. I'm also concerned about last minute cooking - it seems like Diana Kennedy insists nearly everything be cooked at the last minute. I've done too many parties in a whirlwind of chaos, and I want to do something a bit calmer this year. Is it impossible to do a full menu of Mexican food in which very little needs to be right before guests arrive? Also, I don't want the kitchen to get miserably hot, as I don't have access to the outdoors or central air or anything. I can have the oven on, but I would rather not have the oven and frying and all sorts of heat being produced. I would appreciate any menu suggestions, or any recipes to try from the two books mentioned above, or other books I could get. Really, any suggestions at all would be helpful to get me started. (I don't know why I'm finding Mexican so much more intimidating than I did, say, Russian, but I am.) Thanks. I know it's off-topic, but if anyone knows of particularly good Mexican music, please email me. Thanks! Mon Feb 28 16:51:25 -0800 2005 0 curiousbaker 1 1461155 Moles actually taste better the day after they are made. There are mole (say mo-lay) recipes for turkey in both books. The Kennedy recipe might be a bit more complex but you could certainly do either recipe a day or two in advance and re-heat. Before the main course have some simple things like freshly made totopos (tortilla chips) a salsa or two maybe one green the other red again make ahead stuff. Have a bowl of chilled guacamole ready maybe some olives, sliced radishes maybe some pickled carrots with jalapenos and some salted toasted almonds? All of that for stand-up food. Then the turkey mole with simple rice and warm tortillas. The flavor is rich and complex, you don't need for it to compete with a lot of other flavors. For dessert I'd look at a flan recipe or two. Maybe one just with a traditional vanilla flavor, mabe a couple of other flavors too orange or anise? Those again are make ahead and chill. Outside of warming the mole and tortillas everything else is either chilled or room temp. Mon Feb 28 17:29:28 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Candy 2 1461239 If you say MOH-leh, you'd be closer. There is no long A sound in Spanish. Tue Mar 01 12:16:55 -0800 2005 1461155 0 poppytrail 1 1461162 I've used a lot of recipes from Bayless' book for my Mexican dinner parties. Some of the do-ahead dishes I've made: Classic ceviche (nice served on small tortilla triangles), the grilled salmon with thyme salsa veracruzana, and the shrimp with toasted garlic. A couple of taco fillings that are easy last-minute - the choriza and potato filling just needs to be warmed up, and the poblano rajas can be done ahead with the carne asada grilled in less than 5 minutes. I'd also recommend his "Mexican Kitchen" cookbook (the chipotle shrimp is one of my staples to bring to parties as an appetizer). Mon Feb 28 17:58:54 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Rubee 1 1461164 You wrote: "Mexican cooking is a completely new arena for me, and I'm feeling overwhelmed." Is it at all possible you have a friend with any Mexican decent with a mom living near? Actually getting in the kitchen with a few live, good Mexican cooks is a great way to learn the cuisine. You can ask questions, hear experiences of flavors and techniques, and learn sources of product in a short amount of time. I searched the Food Network site for "Mexican" because I don't recall seeing a Mexican cuisine cooking show. Many recipes of Mexican dishes by several of the TV Chefs. But, no show dedicated to Mexican cooking. (Saw "Melting Pot" with Aaron Sanchez listed, but haven't seen it) I am quite surprised because its a wonderful, diverse, and sometimes complicated cuisine. I'd watch it for sure. There's a great Mexican restaraunt in my area (Taco Rosa, Newport Beach) with many "heart healthy" menu items. I bet with their life exeriences, they'd be great at doing a Food Network cooking show! I went to a Christmas party one time and the entire banquet was Mexican (and set up in three locations at the home). They had a delicious soup and I later learned it was pozole (they also had a great albondigas-the caterer was excellent chef). I learned to make pozole (with beef short ribs, actually) at home and found that it was best made in a crock pot so the flavors simmered together intensly. Couldn't get the same result from the stove top method even after several hours. Anyway, I learned Italian cooking from a years in the kitchen with my friend's mom and would consider that a great way to learn to cook a cuisine. She also appreciated the interest and assistance. Mon Feb 28 18:01:11 -0800 2005 1461148 0 kc girl 2 1461208 I would love to learn from a real Mexican cook, but the population of Cambridge, MA consists of only about 1% Mexican-Americans. (I just looked it up.) Sadly, I don't know any of them. Tue Mar 01 09:08:02 -0800 2005 1461164 0 curiousbaker 1 1461181 Check your email. :^) Mon Feb 28 20:23:02 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Cristina 1 1461238 How upscale of a party do you expect this to be? You could make it a "Taco/Burrito/Nacho" bar as a portion with high quality ingredients and let the guests put there own concoctions together. You could braise the beef/pork/chicken days ahead and reheat a la minute for the bar. Even if you were making specific dishes you could have all this made ahead of time and just contruct abd bake your final dishes. However, if uou are frying anything you pretty much have to do it that day to keep the quality high. Here is a salsa recipe I got from a woman who I look to as a Mexican Guru. Salsa Recipe 1 can peeled tomatoes (28 oz) with nothing but tomatoes in the ingredients (No Basil!) Cilanttro (depending on your taste) 3 Jalapeno Peppers Olive Oil Red wine Vinegar Garlic Salt (NOT FRESH GARLIC AND SALT) Cut Jalapenos in half lengthwise and take out seeds and/or veins to lower the heat. Put Jalapenos under a broiler (skinside up) for 2-4 minutes until brown and roasted Put tomatoes in a blender (or bowl and use a stick blender) and pulse until you have the salsa texture you prefer. Remove 2/3 of the Tomato mixture to another bowl To the 1/3 tomato mixture left in the blender, add Cilantro (I use about a third of a cup), roasted jalapenos, about a tablespoon of olive oil, and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar. Blend until smooth. Combine both mixtures and add garlic salt to taste. Msk Tue Mar 01 12:13:48 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Msk 1 1461241 No, not all Mexican food has to be prepared at the last minute. The very first "real" class in Mexican cooking that I ever took was with Diana Kennedy, and the first thing out of her mouth to all of us that were hanging on her every word was - "Mexican food is laborious".........and that it is, but not always. I've got to agree with Rubee who posted below about Rick Bayless' "Mexican Kitchen", I like that book a lot, especially for party type foods. Go to your local library or major bookstore and check the book out. You can xerox any recipes you think look promising. And the Chipotle Shrimp in "One Plate at a Time" (might be called Garlic Shrimp as well) is outstanding, easy to do and won't heat up your house. It would make a great starter. You also might want to check out the Mexico the Beautiful book or - believe it or not - the William Sonoma Mexican book, both were written by Marilyn Tausend who has an outstanding grasp on Mexican cuisine. That said, here are some ideas for you for which I think you can find recipes pretty readily -- Albondigas - can be made into soup or sauteed and served with a chipotle sauce. I like the recipe for albondigas in Diana Kennedy's first book "The Cusines of Mexico" Chicken Livers w/Chipotle Sauce - also Diana Kennedy, "The Tortilla Book" I think Enselada con Lentejas - salad of butter lettuce with a small disk of lentils/veggie which have been rolled in panko and sauteed, placed on salad (hot or cold, your call), serve with a tomatillo dressing (basic french to which you've added tomatillo salsa)and garnished with sliced radishes and cotija cheese (which you probably can find in MA, it's a crumbly cheese, similar to feta but with less bite). This is a variation on a suggestion from Rick Bayless' "Mexican Kitchen" Cream of Cilantro soup - lots of recipe for this and can be made ahead. Cactus Tartlet - nopales (cactus) strips (you can used bottled) that have been rinsed and rinsed and then sauteed with a little olive oil with some garlic, drained and then combined with some minced red onion and serrano chile and tossed in a light vinaigrette using oregano and cilantro finely minced for the herbs, all served in a tart shell made out of a corn tortilla (either deep fried or molded into and baked in a muffin tin) garnish with cotija. Empanadas - can be filled with anything and reheat well. You can use puff pastry instead of pie dough and fill with something like picadillo or a tuna picadillo. Fidejos - a sopa seca, kind of a noodle dish, a good side dish for almost any meat, or as a vegetarian entree. I use the recipe in Diana Kennedy's "Tortilla Book", very easy to do. Black beans are traditional in central and southern Mexico, lots of recipes out there. Same for Mexican Rice. Try recipes from Bayless, Kennedy or Tausend and see which one you like best. I have one by Ricardo Munoz that I can send you privately if you like. Black beans and rice are also good accompaniments. For entrees you've got lots of options Pescado Veracruzana - whole fish cooked/baked in a Veracruz style sauce, very flashy if you do the whole fish. Good recipe in "Mexico One Plate at a Time", or you could do individual servings baked in parchment. Pipians - faster than moles and not as heavy. There is a wonderful recipe for a red pipian in Diana Kennedy's "The Cuisines or Mexico", I think it used chicken. Carnitas if your guests will eat pork. Diana Kennedy has a couple of very good recipes as does Marilyn Tausend. The Pork Pibil in Rick Bayless' "Mexican Kitchen" is ridiculously easy and typical of the Yucatan. Manchamantele is one of the 7 moles of Oaxaca. It's fun and easy to do and is better served the next day. It doesn't call for any hard to find ingredients. Once again Diana Kennedy has several good recipes for it, as does Marilyn Tausend, but I think the best recipe comes from Elizabeth Lambert Ortiz in "The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking". Manchamantele, pibil and pipian would more likely be served with steamed white rice rather than Mexican rice. Salmon pairs well with tomatillos, so a simply broiled or pan sauteed salmon with a drizzzle of green tomatillo salsa works well. For dessert an arrangement of fresh fruit with fruit sorbets and Mexican wedding cookies would be appropriate, as would arroz con leche a thin rice pudding heavily garnished with ground canela (cinnamon). You might want to have an assortment of salsas, guac and pickled vegetables (carrots, onions, jalapenos - recipe is in Diana Kennedy) on the table for people to sample and try as desired. I've also found Rick Bayless' "Salsa That Cook" to be extremely useful. It's a small paperback book in which he gives 6 or 7 basic salsa recipes followed by 100 recipes for using the basic salsas, and variation for everything. Everything in this book is easy to do, so might want to try some of these recipes as well. MexGrocer on-line is a pretty good source for ingredients you might need, as are Asian and Middle Eastern grocers. Tue Mar 01 12:32:48 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Gayla 2 2004481 Rick's recipe for beef short ribs - there are slightly different versions in "Mexican Kitchen" and "One Plate" - is a wonderfully delicious dish that is better made a day or two in advance and then de-fatted (as necessary) before being reheated. Tue Nov 07 22:43:49 -0800 2006 1461241 11478 Will Owen 1 1461242 You wrote: "I'm not sure how to put foods together in a coherent menu." Oh, don't worry. Just keep it starch, protein, vegetable, and dessert. Sometimes, area inventions are incredibly good. Case in point, fresh mango salsa spooned on white fish just out of the oven. And, we were refrigerator scrounging once and mixed a ripe avocado with some pesto sauce and it was delicious. We used it as a dip, on artichokes, and with a fritata. You can easily get a list of Mexican food ingredients and go from there. But, you have the cookbook, so have to just figure out how to keep them warm? Mmmmmm. And, buffets are usually harder to control that than a sit down dinner so far as keeping things warm and good texture. I suggest you get a kitchen helper and start with a pozole. Maybe a baked fish or meat, maybe a casserole, spicy vegetable dish. I haven't seen the cookbook, but basic foods keep alike. Scroll to "The Mexican Diet" in the link below for an overview of Mexican cuisines and then maybe research your cookbook again. Link: http://www.sallys-place.com/food/ethnic_cusine/mexico.htm Tue Mar 01 12:38:15 -0800 2005 1461148 0 kc girl 1 1461263 I second Posole--it's one of those things where, once you have all of the ingredients in the pot, it pretty much takes care of itself. And it's great to make ahead--like most soups, it tastes better the second or third day. Can't comment on either the Bayless or the Kennedy versions, though, since I recently visited Mexico and picked up a recipe for the best Posole I'd ever had while I was there, so I've been making that one. Mexico One Plate at a time has a good recipe for chorizo and potato tacos with tomatillo-avocado salsa, though. You can't make the sala ahead, unfortunately, but the potato taco filling works great if made ahead and reheated. Both Posole and the tacos use ingredients that are pretty easy to find here in Mass, too. Tue Mar 01 13:53:31 -0800 2005 1461148 0 gorboduc 2 1461271 Even though posole is traditional a Christmas Eve pot-o-stew (or soup), I'm sure it would be a nice addition. And, consider setting up ceramic (or :?) dishes with tea lights heating them? Just a design techique instead of chafing dishes. And, maybe if you borrow a few crock pots from some of your friends planning to come over . . . you can also make a cream cheese with soft chorizo dip/sauce in it for a London Broil and chips warm from the oven. Kind of Americanized Mexican, but kind of tasty. Keep it warm, though. Tea lights, ovens, tops/lids, corn husks, towels/cloths over tin foil (or Reynolds "Wrappers" foil sheets - or the ones you're hairdresser might use?) can help keep things warm. Tue Mar 01 14:29:37 -0800 2005 1461263 0 kc girl 2 2003436 Can you give us your recipe for Posole? I've been experimenting with the various recipes and haven't made one as good as what I had recently in Arandas, Mexico. Tue Nov 07 17:42:31 -0800 2006 1461263 10252 larochelle 1 1461289 my basic mexican feast is nearly all prepared the day before. I don't have the exact Kennedy book you have, but many moles do well the next day, and even improve. Alongside we serve black beans and rice, and if I had a lot of time the day before, a pickled onion or chile relish is always wonderful. Tortillas can be warmed in the microwave in a stack, 30 seconds at a time in a covered glass dish, turning after each blast. For a real big feast you could, as many have suggested, start with bowls of Pozole and the fun array of toppings. This can be cooked that day, or made in advance, and even frozen. We make it in huge quantities and freeze it for quick suppers later on. Then move on to your mole/beans/rice/pickles. There are some dishes that do require last minute cooking...enchiladas, enjococadas, etc--and Kennedy means it when she says it. So save those for family and small get togethers when your guests don't mind helping and getting a little greasy. For big parties, a nice mole is the way to go. anyway, i'd say the most important thing is to choose dishes that allow you do the bulk of your cooking the day before or even two days before. You'll use every pot in the house, and fill the kitchen with eye-watering airborne chili-toasting scents, and sometimes the making of a mole can be a very intense, humbling experience. Best done without the pressures of hosting. Then the next day you're cool and collected and all of your amazing concoctions are simmering away on the stove as your guests arrive. C'est ca! or...the spanish for c'est ca. Link: http://www.pdbd.com/henwaller Tue Mar 01 15:56:08 -0800 2005 1461148 0 patrick 1 1461306 Posole might be a little warm for an indoor-no air conditioning party with a bunch of people in early summer unless a cold snap is comng on. A big platter of salpicon would be another idea. Tue Mar 01 17:40:45 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Candy 1 1461332 Ceviche Beans Rice Salsas Guacamole Chips Mole Caldos Pozole Menudo Chile Verde Carnitas Cochinita Pibil Chilaquiles Pescado a la Veracruzana Flan Horchata Aquas Frescas all these can be completely cooked or at least mostly prepared in advance. A build-your-own taco bar is one of the easiest, tastiest, and funnest way to serve food at a party. Tue Mar 01 21:16:09 -0800 2005 1461148 0 nja 1 1461339 Three votes for *pescado a la veracruzana*--Gayla's, nja's, and mine. Ya gotta do it. Try it with a big whole red snapper for a fantastic presentation and the flavors--ay ay ay muchacha. Let me know if you need a recipe, I've got a good one from an old friend here in central Mexico. Tue Mar 01 23:46:48 -0800 2005 1461148 0 Cristina 2 1461350 And I've got a recipe from Ricardo Munoz (one of only 7 Master chefs in Mexico) who is from Veracruz, as is his recipe. Be happy to find it and send along to you. You could try his, and Cristina's friends recipe and see which one you liked best. Wed Mar 02 01:42:24 -0800 2005 1461339 0 Gayla 3 1461368 Now that sounds like the sort of science experiment I could get into. Please, I would love both your recipes. I think I'll start off playing with this and a turkey mole. I'll report back. Thank you to everyone for your generous help. Wed Mar 02 09:35:48 -0800 2005 1461350 0 curiousbaker 4 1461395 Please share the recipes! I want to perfect my veracruzano. Wed Mar 02 12:11:29 -0800 2005 1461368 0 rudeboy 2 1461454 That Bayless book that the OP has contains a good recipe too. Wed Mar 02 15:47:17 -0800 2005 1461339 0 nja 1 2003753 I am far from an expert on Mexican food- my favorite is taco's made using that "packaged" seasoning mix! I know, I should be ashamed but I just can't help it. I do enhance the experience my starting with a giant onion diced and a clove or two of garlic and sweatit all in EVOO. I then remove from pan and cook the ground beef. I drain the beef and add that and the onion mix back into the pan to cobine. Add the seasoning pack AND a large can of diced/crushed tomatoes and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. My newest trick is to put this mixture into a pie crust (uncooked one) that has grated sharp cheddar cheese in the bottom- add more cheese to top of mixture and then place a crust over all this. Bake in oven until crusts are cooked and browned. Serve in pie shaped wedges with salsa and sour cream and a side salad. You will never eat tacos the old fashioned way again! Tue Nov 07 19:12:38 -0800 2006 1461148 12606 MeffaBabe