Ingredients Of Mexican And Southwestern Cooking – 1

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

ACHIOTE SEED:  The dried reddish seeds of the annatto tree give food  a
brig orange-yellow tint when they are cooked first in hot fat;  then,
the seeds themselves are discarded.  Sometimes they are ground  to a
powder and stirre into such foods as butter for color.  They  impart a
flavor that is gentle a hard to describe; like that of  saffron, it has
an earthy quality.  ADOBO:  A piquant sauce of tomato, vinegar and
spices.  ANISE SEED:  This small, elongated seed tastes sharply of
licorice.  ATOLE BLUE CORNMEAL:  This is blue corn that has been dried,
roasted,  and ground specifically to be used in make ATOLE, a cornmeal
gruel.  Blue corn, unlike ordinary field corn, is always dried and
ground  before use. Cornmea blue, yellow, or white, can be used as a
thickener.  AVOCADO:  This fruit is ripe when the flesh under the
leathery skin  yields light pressure.  A hard avocado will ripen if
left at room  temperature for or three days.  The Haas or California
type is  smaller and darker green tha the emerald type grown in
Florida, and  some say it is more flavorful as wel Keep avocado flesh
from  discoloring by brushing it with lemon juice as it i peeled.
BEANS:  It takes time to prepare dried beans, but the result is a
tender b that is still firm.  Canned beans are sometimes mushy, but
they are conveni to keep on hand and are packed in liquid that adds
flavor to many recipes. Dried beans keep almost indefinitely.  Before
cooking dried beans, rinse th well and pick them over for stones or
inferior beans.  TYPES OF BEANS:  BLACK BEANS:  (frijoles negros,
turtle beans) though small, have a  hearty flavor.  South American
cooking makes great use of them.  With their dramatic dark purple-blue
color, they lend themselves  nicely to garnishes.  BLACK-EYED PEAS:
(cowpeas) are the seeds of the cowpea, an annual  vine. They are tan
with a blackish stain, hence "black-eyed".  GARBANZO BEANS: (chickpeas)
are Spanish in origin.  These rounded  beige be have a nutty flavor.
NORTHERN BEANS: are white, relatively large and mild.  PINTO BEANS:
(frijoles) are charmingly speckled with brown on a pale  or pinkish
background.  RED BEANS: are favorites in the southern states.  Pinto
beans may be  substituted.  BUFFALO:  This commercially raised red meat
is lower in cholesterol  and fa than beef.  Unlike beef, it isn't
marbled with fat.  Accustomed as we are today to tender cuts of meat,
buffalo is best  enjoyed ground rather than steaks.  CAPERS:  These are
the pickled, green buds from the prickly caper  bush. T are somewhat
smaller than raisins and are bottled in brine.  CAYENNE:  See Chile.
CHAYOTE: (christophine, mirliton, vegetable pear):  Related to gourds,
chayote squash have none of their brilliant decoration.  Light green
skin encases firm flesh of an even paler green.  Chayote may be  baked,
steamed, stuffed and sauteed.  A 1 lb Chayote makes a nice  serving for
two or three people.  CHEESE:  Traditional Mexican cheeses were mad
with goat's or sheep's  milk. The following cheeses are used in this
style of cooking:  CHEDDAR: is a mild firm cheese of English origin
that becomes more  sharp w age.  It melts beautifully.  CHIHUAHUA:
(Asadero Or Oaxaca) is white, creamy and tangy.  Sometimes  it i sold
braided.  Mozzarella or Monterey Jack may be substituted.  CO-JACK: is
an American invention.  Block cheese marbled with Colby  and Monterey
Jack.  COLBY: is a slightly sharp cheese with a flavor similar to that
of  Cheddar This American cheese has a rather soft open texture.
MONTERY JACK:  is a mild cheese usually sold in blocks.  It softens  at
roo temperature.  QUESO ANEJO: is an aged, hard grating cheese.  It
ranges from pale  cream t white in color and is quite salty.  Romano or
Parmesan may be  substituted.  QUESO FRESCO: (Ranchero seco) can be
compared to a very salty farmer's  cheese.  A reasonable substitute for
this crumbly cheese is Feta  Cheese.  SIERRA:  is another rather dry
sharp cheese that grates easily.  Romano or Parmesan may be
substituted.

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