LO BASICO
Learning the basics is where all good cooks start. You have to have a good foundation if you are going to have a great structure. So I wanted to take you through the most important basics you will need to make some of the most delicious Mexican meals. Many of these are recipes that people have long asked for from my mom. Luckily, I was able to convince her to share them with you in this book.
These basic recipes include everything from cleaning cactus to making flour tortillas, which as many of you may know can be quite difficult. Fortunately, my mom and I decided to show you step-by-step how we go about making these delightful accompaniments to any meal. Some of these “basics” take more than just a couple of tries to master, as evidenced by my years of practice, but stick with it and you will do just fine!
COMO PREPARAR NOPALES
Cleaning cactus is no easy feat to accomplish. In fact, I was too scared to attempt it until I was older, for fear of getting pricked. That’s because even though the bigger needles are visible to the naked eye, there are also some tiny needles that are as clear as water and virtually invisible.
You can blanch your cactus, boil it, sauté it, or even cure it in salt (see this page) for a different approach. Heck, some people blend cactus into their green smoothies. Note that the smaller the paddle, the more tender the cactus will be.
In this book, I’ve shared two of my favorite cactus-centered recipes, Cactus Salsa (this page) and Cactus and Queso Fresco Salad (this page).
here is what you will need:
Medium bowl
Tongs
Cactus paddles
Vegetable peeler
Cutting board
Chef’s knife or paring knife
Baking dish filled with water
To begin, invert the medium bowl so the dome is facing upward. Using tongs, place a cactus paddle over the bowl and, using a vegetable peeler, remove the cactus needles. It is OK to take off a bit of the green skin in the process, but you want to try to avoid losing too much of the cactus. Position any part of the paddle that is hard to reach over the domed area of the bowl, using the contour of the bowl to help the peeler remove the needles.
Lay a cactus paddle flat on the cutting board and use your tongs to hold the paddle in place. Cut ½ to 1 inch (12 mm to 2.5 cm) off of the base of the cactus. Then rotate the cactus, trimming ¼ to ½ inch (6 to 12 mm) off of the edges all the way around. Once you’re done, remove the edges from the cutting board and discard them.
When your cactus paddles are clean and trimmed, place them in the baking dish filled with water (this will remove some of the slime released by the cactus) until you’re ready to use them.
FRIJOLES DE LA OLLA
If you are going to learn one thing from me, it’s how to make great beans. Nothing screams Mexican food like beans, right? So I am going to share my family’s simple way of making frijoles de la olla (boiled beans), which go well with braised meat dishes of all types and are the foundation for our Traditional Refried Beans (this page).
When I was growing up, every Sunday my mom would boil a large pot of beans for the week ahead. This is that same simple recipe that I learned more than twenty-five years ago, and as simple as it may be, it is very important to follow every step carefully, as doing so will give you the best flavor and the correct texture.
makes about 10½ cups (2.6 L )
4 cups (780 g) dried pinto or Peruvian beans
5 quarts (4.7 L) hot water
1¼ tablespoons salt
Spread the beans on a counter or table and sort out any broken or damaged beans. Place the beans in a large colander and rinse under cold running water for 2 to 3 minutes, moving the beans around with your hands to make sure all sand particles are washed away.
Add the beans and hot water to a large stockpot. Place it over high heat, cover, and bring it to a boil (if the water bubbles over, uncover and stir the beans, then cover again and lower the heat if needed). Reduce the heat to medium and boil for an additional 20 minutes, checking the water level every 7 to 10 minutes and adding water to return the water level to where it originally was if needed. Boil until a bean can be squished between your pointer finger and thumb with ease and the beans are smooth in texture and not grainy on the tongue. Turn off the heat, add the salt, and stir with a large spoon. Cover and allow them to rest for 15 minutes before scooping out and serving or using to refry. Cooked beans will keep for about 1 week in the fridge or up to 4 months in the freezer (store them in their cooking liquid).
notes
This method of boiling beans at a high temperature is the fastest way of cooking beans and is what I use for beans that are going to be refried. For perfectly shaped beans, you’ve got to soak the beans overnight, drain the soaking water, add fresh water, and cook the beans at a simmer for about 1½ hours. Remember, the key is to keep the lid on the whole time (except when adding water) and to make sure not to salt the beans until they are off the heat.
You can add extra flavor to the beans by including a whole peeled onion or some peeled garlic cloves in the cooking liquid.
TORTILLAS DE MAÍZ
Corn tortillas were one of the first recipes I learned to make. It’s one of those basic recipes that all Mexican children grow up learning. In fact, teaching my Munchkin made for some of the most memorable kitchen experiences we’ve had together.
Fresh corn tortillas are easy to make, but I must warn you: fresh masa has a very different consistency from packaged instant corn masa flour. It is denser and the texture is smooth and starchy. If possible, use fresh ground masa for the best corn flavor.
makes thirty-two 6-inch (15-cm) tortillas
FOR FRESH MASA TORTILLAS:
¾ teaspoon salt
2 pounds (910 g) fresh unsalted ground corn masa
¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice
FOR DRIED MASA TORTILLAS:
¾ teaspoon salt
4 cups (520 g) instant corn masa flour, such as Maseca
¼ teaspoon fresh lime juice
If you’re using fresh masa for your tortillas, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead until incorporated.
If you’re making dried masa tortillas, first whisk the salt into the corn flour, then add 3 cups (720 ml) warm water and the lime juice and mix until incorporated. If the masa is too sticky or wet, add a bit more masa flour and continue kneading until it is easy to manage. Allow the masa to rest in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes before proceeding.
For either masa dough: Divide the masa into four equal portions and place them in a bowl; cover with a damp towel to keep your masa from developing a dry crust.
Preheat a griddle or comal (tortilla griddle) over medium-high heat.
Cut through both sides of a large plastic bag, preferably a produce bag from the grocery store (see Notes), from the opening of the bag to the bottom edge (do not cut past the seam) to create a long strip of plastic with the seam down the middle. Lay the plastic flat on your tortilla press with the seam at the joint of the tortilla press. There will be extra plastic bag by the handle, but don’t worry; you will be using it to retrieve the tortilla later.
Divide the first portion of masa into eight equal-size balls. Place a ball onto the middle of the lined tortilla press. Cover the tortilla ball with the plastic, leaving the seam near the joint of the press, and press down to close the tortilla press. Be careful not to press too hard, as you don’t want to make your tortilla too thin (see Notes). Don’t be afraid to take a peek.
Open the tortilla press. Remove the plastic from the press, lay the tortilla facedown on one hand, and carefully peel back the top layer of plastic. Place your other hand on the tortilla and flip the tortilla onto that hand. Carefully peel back the plastic again, removing it completely and leaving the tortilla on your hand.
In one sweeping motion, almost as if you were going to brush the back of your hand over the griddle, carefully lay the tortilla on the griddle, taking care not to burn yourself. This sweeping motion will ensure there are no marks on the tortilla from flipping it once again.
Cook the tortilla for 1 minute on each side, or until it puffs up, flipping the tortilla with your hands or a spatula if you aren’t familiar with the heat of a griddle. Remove the tortilla from the griddle and wrap it in a kitchen towel or place it in a tortilla warmer to keep warm. Continue pressing and cooking the tortillas in this fashion, adding them to the towel as they are made. Store leftovers for up to 2 weeks in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and reheat before serving.
notes
Using thin plastic is best, as it makes it easier to separate the dough from the bag, so avoid heavy-duty plastic storage bags.
How thick or thin you make your tortillas is up to you, but the most authentic thickness is between 
and ⅛ inch (2 and 3 mm). When you’re using your tortillas to make fried tacos, thinner is better.
TORTILLAS DE HARINA
At a very early age, my mom would bring me into the kitchen and say, “You have to pay attention and watch how I do things.” Watching my mamí cook is like watching a professional. She moves with authority and finesse and knows her flavors through and through. When I was a kid, I would mimic the way her hands moved when she made tortillas before I even fully understood what I was doing.
My mom tells everyone how my first flour tortilla was shaped like the continent of Africa. I’ve come a long way, and I encourage you not to get discouraged with your first attempts. Being able to roll out a perfectly round flour tortilla is a hard-earned skill, so try to be patient. Just remember that it’s not so much the shape of the tortilla but how it tastes. Spread a little butter on a just-made tortilla, take a bite, then you tell me if you care what shape that tortilla is!
makes twelve to fourteen 10-inch (25-cm) tortillas
3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
¾ cup (155 g) cold lard or vegetable shortening, plus more for greasing
1 cup (240 ml) hot water
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the lard or shortening and break it up with your hands until you have a cornmeal-like texture. Add the hot water and carefully mix with a spoon or your hands. You will have a very sticky dough. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for 5 to 8 minutes, dusting it with a small amount of flour as needed. Your dough will quickly turn from sticky to completely nonstick.
Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. While you wait, set a griddle or comal (tortilla griddle) over high heat.
Spoon a dime-size amount of lard in the middle of your palm and rub it between your hands to grease them generously (the added grease will prevent the balls from sticking to each other). Take the dough out of the bowl and pinch some off with your index finger and thumb to form balls that are about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter (the balls should weigh about 2 ounces/55 g each). Set the dough balls on an even surface, greasing your hands every 2 or 3 balls.
Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Create a small mound of flour on one of the top corners of your work surface. Press a dough ball into the flour mound, flattening it with your four fingers (rather than the tips of your fingers). Flip it and press it into the flour again.
Place the floured dough round at the center of your work surface and roll from the middle away from you and then back toward you. Flip the tortilla over so that the now oval-shaped tortilla is horizontal instead of vertical. Repeat the rolling motion and continue to roll and flip the tortilla in the same manner until it measures about 10 inches (25 cm) across and inch (2 mm) thick. Don’t be scared of the dough—if you mess up, you have plenty more to work with, and if you break the dough, you can pinch it and roll over it to fix it with no problem. If at any point your rolling pin starts to get stuck, dust the tortilla surface and rolling pin lightly with flour and you will be all set to continue.
In one sweeping motion, almost as if you were going to brush the back of your hand over the griddle, gently lay your tortilla on the griddle, taking care not to burn yourself. Cook for 30 seconds, or until the tortilla bubbles up and lightly browns in spots. Flip the tortilla and cook for an additional 20 seconds on the second side. Flip the tortilla a third time and cook for an additional 15 seconds. Remove the tortilla from the griddle and wrap it in a kitchen towel or place it in a tortilla warmer to keep warm. Continue making tortillas and cooking them in this fashion, adding them to the towel as they are made.
