Naturally Healthy Mexican Cooking: Authentic Recipes for Dieters, Diabetics & All Food Lovers

APPETIZERS

THIS SECTION contains recipes for foods that are usually served just as appetizers or snacks. Many other recipes (a partial list appears below) can be easily adapted for use as botanas by serving them in smaller portions:

▸ Huitlacoche-stuffed Mushrooms (page 223)

▸ Shrimp Salad (page 98)

▸ Smoked Salmon Tacos, made with small tortillas (page 128)

▸ Mushroom Quesadillas, cut in half or made with small tortillas (page 145)

▸ Spinach Quesadillas, cut in half or made with small tortillas (page 146)

▸ Huitlacoche and Mushroom Quesadillas, cut in half or made with small tortillas (page 146)

Tuna Ceviche

6 appetizer servings, 4 as an entrée

This delicious and relatively quick ceviche was adapted from one served by Chef Miguel Ravago at the terrific Fonda San Miguel restaurant in Austin, Texas. Many supermarkets now carry frozen yellowfin or ahi tuna that is labeled “sashimi quality.” That means it is safe to eat raw, and that is what you should use. Other than a bit of slicing and juicing, this recipe could not be easier or tastier, but it will be no better than the juices you use, so they should be freshly squeezed. I often serve this for a light supper with a half avocado on the side.

INGREDIENTS

For the ceviche dressing

1 cup matchstick-size pieces of red onion, about 1 inch long and less than 1/8-inch thick

2 tablespoons matchstick-size pieces of peeled gingerroot, about 1 inch long and no thicker than a toothpick

2 tablespoons seeded serrano chile, cut same size as gingerroot

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

1 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To finish

1 cup sliced red bell pepper, 1/8-inch thick and 1 inch long

1 cup sliced mango, 1/8-inch thick by about 1 inch in length and width

1 pound yellowfin (ahi) tuna, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/4 cup loosely packed chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

Make the dressing. To remove any off flavors, soak the onion, gingerroot, and serrano chile for a few minutes in ice-cold water. While they are soaking, combine the juices, agave nectar, salt, and olive oil. Drain and pat dry the onion, gingerroot, and serrano, add to the dressing, and refrigerate for 1 hour for the flavors to meld.

Finish the ceviche. Stir in the bell pepper, mango, tuna, and cilantro and refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.

PER SERVING

Vuelva a la Vida

RETURN TO LIFE

4 servings

This seafood cocktail is also a traditional hangover remedy in Mexico. It makes a great appetizer or light lunch and can be prepared with any combination of seafood, including fish, shrimp, scallops, crab, and octopus. If you are in a hurry, use precooked shrimp and crabmeat. In Mexico it is often served with saltine crackers, which come in a low-sodium version.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup low-salt catsup

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup tomato juice

1 teaspoon minced, canned chipotle chile

1 teaspoon adobo from the can of chipotle chiles

2 tablespoons minced onion, rinsed with cold water and dried

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh tomato

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

1/2 tablespoon minced parsley

1/4 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 pound boiled and chilled shrimp (weighed after peeling), crab, fish, or a combination, refrigerated

20 low-salt saltine crackers

DIRECTIONS

Whisk everything together except the seafood and crackers and chill. This can be done several days ahead of serving. Stir the chilled seafood into the sauce and serve with the saltines.

PER SERVING

Pickled Chiles and Vegetables

About 16 appetizer servings

For years I enjoyed the pickled chiles, carrots, and other vegetables served as an appetizer in Mexican restaurants, mostly south of the border. I tried several recipes that were decent, but I always felt they could be better. Then I tried them at the La Canasta restaurant in Saltillo, and they were the best I’d ever had. I raved about them to such an extent that the owners graciously gave me the recipe. The following is my adaptation. Usually, ingredients are cooked in a combination of vinegar, water, herbs, and a little oil. In this recipe, the chiles are cured overnight rather than cooked. Except for the carrots, the other ingredients are given only brief dips in boiling water.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup water

2-1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

4 ounces jalapeño peppers, stems and seeds removed, cut into strips about 1/2-inch wide and 2-1/2 inches long (weighed after being stemmed and seeded)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons corn oil, plus a little extra for cooking the garlic

1/4 heaping teaspoon dried leaf oregano

1/4 heaping teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 heaping teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper

3 bay leaves

8 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into strips about 2-1/2 inches long by 1/2-inch wide and 1/4-inch thick

4 ounces white onion, peeled and cut into strips about 2-1/2 inches long by 1/2-inch wide

6 ounces zucchini or yellow squash, or a combination, cut into strips about 2-1/2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick

3 ounces jícama, peeled and cut into pieces about 1/16-inch thick and 1 inch in diameter

DIRECTIONS

Make the first-stage pickling liquid. The night before serving, dissolve the salt in the water in a nonreactive bowl. Add the vinegar and lime juice and mix well.

Prep and add the jalapeños. Prick the jalapeños all over with a fork or, much easier, use a spring-loaded meat tenderizer. Put the jalapeños in the pickling liquid and refrigerate overnight.

Cook and add the garlic. Put the garlic in a very small microwave-safe bowl and barely cover it with oil. Microwave on High until the garlic is soft, about 35 seconds. Discard the oil and stir the garlic into the jalapeños.

Finish the pickling liquid. Add the 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons corn oil to the pickling liquid and stir in the oregano, thyme, marjoram, pepper, and bay leaves.

Parboil the vegetables. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the carrots, and simmer until they just start to become tender. Put the carrots into ice water to stop the cooking. Using a large strainer, submerge the onions in the boiling water for 5 seconds then put them into ice water to stop the cooking. Submerge the squash in the boiling water for 15 seconds then put it into the ice water.

Complete the recipe. When the vegetables are cold, remove them from the ice water, pat them dry, and add them to the pickling liquid. Add the jícama and mix everything thoroughly. Refrigerate the vegetables for at least 3 hours, stirring every half hour. At first it will seem that there is not enough liquid, but with an occasional stirring, there will be. The vegetables will keep for at least a week refrigerated.

PER SERVING

Hot Garlic Peanuts

12–16 appetizer servings of about 2 tablespoons each

Chile-spiced peanuts are a favorite snack in Mexico. Although they are high in calories, in small portions they are a delicious alternative to other snacks (that is, if you or your guests are not allergic to them). This is my version of the wonderful treats that used to be made by an old man in the border town of Piedras Negras. Sea salt is specified because in this application its pure flavor improves the dish. Be sure to use raw peanuts, meaning they have not been roasted or blanched. After roasting and cooling, the peanuts should be refrigerated and will keep at least a week.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup dried pequín chiles

1/2 teaspoon dried leaf oregano

10 cloves garlic, separated into groups of 2 and 8, and then peeled and chopped into approximately 1/8-inch pieces

1/2 cup canola oil

12 ounces (about 2 cups) raw Spanish peanuts

1/4 heaping teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

DIRECTIONS

Make the chile oil. Put the chiles, oregano, and 2 of the chopped garlic cloves in a small saucepan. Add the oil and turn the heat to medium. As soon as you see more than a few bubbles rise from the bottom of the pan (if you have an instant-read thermometer, that will be about when the temperature reaches 205°F), remove the pan from the heat. Do not allow the oil to reach a full simmer. Pour the warm oil and chiles into a blender and blend for 2 minutes. Leave in the blender for 20 minutes. Blend again then push the contents through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth. You should have about 1/4 cup chile oil with very little sediment.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Make the peanuts. Put the peanuts into a 9-inch iron skillet or a ridged baking sheet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the peanuts with 1 tablespoon of the chile oil and put them in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Stir and bake for 10 more minutes. Stir in the remaining 8 chopped garlic cloves and cook for another 7 minutes. Remove the peanuts from the oven and immediately stir in the salt. At this point the nuts will still be a bit raw. Let them cool in the pan they were cooked in for 45 minutes, by which time they should be crunchy and delicious.

PER SERVING

Pepitas

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS

About 6 servings of 2 heaping tablespoons each

This popular appetizer and bar snack is made with one of the only plant foods that contain sizable amounts of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The pumpkin seeds are “popped” in much the same way as popcorn. When I intend to use them as part of another recipe, I toast them without oil. When I make them for a snack or appetizer, I use just a little oil, which gives them a better mouthfeel and helps the seasonings adhere. If the seeds are not fresh, they will not pop properly, but they should still taste all right, just not as light and crunchy.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 cup hulled raw green pumpkin seeds

1/4 teaspoon pure ancho or New Mexico chile powder

1/8 heaping teaspoon sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 425°F.

Put the pumpkin seeds in a 9-inch oven-safe skillet. I use an iron one or a similar-sized baking dish. Add the remaining ingredients and toss them with the seeds. Bake for 9–10 minutes. They are ready when they have popped. Do not let them scorch or they will be bitter.

PER SERVING

Guacamole

4 appetizer servings with chips or as a garnish for antojitos

So versatile is guacamole that it is always difficult to decide whether it is an appetizer, a salad, or a sauce. Whatever you call it, it is best made with Hass avocados or a similar variety—anything but the large, watery, smooth-skinned ones. Growers have learned how to peel, preserve, and package avocados, but to me they have an artificial flavor and lack the buttery goodness of a perfectly ripe avocado, so I use them only when fresh ones are unavailable.

To speed up the ripening process, put an unripe avocado in a plastic bag with 2 or 3 bananas. Please note that in the fall even the best avocado varieties lose some of their rich flavor for a month or two. Mexican chefs often compensate by adding about 1 tablespoon crema mexicana or sour cream. The following recipe, using 1 large avocado, makes a nice appetizer dip or topping for tacos for 4 people.

INGREDIENTS

1 large avocado (6–7 ounces after peeling and seeding)

1/4 heaping teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion, rinsed in cold water and drained

1–2 tablespoons finely chopped stemmed and seeded serrano chile

3 tablespoons finely chopped Roma tomato

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS

With a sharp knife, cut the avocado in half lengthwise down to the seed. Move the knife in a circle around the fruit to cut the avocado in half. Twist the halves apart, remove the seed, and with a spoon scoop the flesh into a molcajete or large mortar and pestle and chop it into large pieces. Add the salt and lime juice to the avocado and mash to the desired texture (I like it a little chunky). Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a spoon.

PER SERVING