(Aves y Huevos)
When the Spaniards landed on the Yucatan peninsula in 1521, the culinary landscape of the world changed forever. One of the major contributions they brought were chickens, and of course the chickens’ eggs. Although the natives had plenty of fowl (quail, pheasant, turkeys, etc.) to choose from, chickens became one of the most popular domesticated animals.
The egg is an economical source of protein and is used in a variety of dishes. From the eggs dropped into sopa de ajo (garlic soup) or those cracked to make the creamy dessert flan, these perfect orbs are a staple in Mexican cuisine.
In small markets throughout the country, they’re sold by weight. Villagers would bring their own bags and baskets and buy kilos or medio (half) kilos of the eggs to make their Ranch-Style Eggs or the huevos con machaca (eggs and shredded beef) popular in Baja. Hun-dreds of them are cracked to make the Yucatan wedding dish higaditos (which also includes chicken livers), or just a couple of them are hidden in Mexican meat loaf.
The hollowed-out shells are decorated and filled with confetti, to be later cracked onto the heads of partiers during Easter, Christmas, or other festive occasions. Village shamans also pass eggs over the body in a spiritual cleansing ritual called limpia.
With all this talk about the egg, let’s not forget its producer, the chicken. The wonderful thing about chicken is that it’s inexpensive and the meat absorbs the fabulous spices and herbs that it’s marinated or cooked in. One of the most popular ways to enjoy chicken is as a filling for enchiladas. I make my Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce when I don’t know how many mouths I have to feed. These delicious birds can also be baked with a creamy chipotle sauce, smothered in mole sauce or rolled into crispy taquitos.
I’ve even included a recipe featuring Benjamin Franklin’s favorite native bird in the Turkey Chilaquiles dish, which makes a wonderful (and sinfully easy) after-Thanksgiving breakfast.
The beauty of Mexican cooking is that once you’ve perfected how to make a dish (e.g., enchiladas), you can make endless combinations to create your own culinary treasures. For instance, you can take most of the beef and pork recipes in Chapter 6 and just substitute chicken to increase your Mexican food repertoire. Never let your chicken be boring again.