main course, Regional Cuisine

Pork in Red Sauce – Asado Rojo

by Irene5 Comments on Pork in Red Sauce – Asado Rojo
Pork in Red Sauce – Asado Rojo

"Asado"  translates from Spanish as "roasted"; this dish probably got that denomination from being cooked traditionally over an open wood fire.  Now also cooked over the stove, it could receive a promotion to stew, with its generous chunks of pork, in a rich red sauce (as the name indicates, by rojo).  Several of Mexico's Northern states have their own versions; this recipe is based on the state of Durango's seasonings, which include a variety of dried red peppers, spices, and an acidic accent, traditionally achieved by adding orange juice or vinegar ... click on title for more

History and Regional Cuisine, Ingredients

Discada – A Farmer’s Meal

by Irene10 Comments on Discada – A Farmer’s Meal
Discada – A Farmer’s Meal

Traditional discadas were cooked on a plow disc, and included a variety of meats, fresh or cured.  Onions, tomatoes and hot peppers, particularly jalapeños, were brought from the fields for the disc.  More contemporary recipes may be prepared on a propane bbq, or indoors, in an iron skillet or pan, and have added cold cuts, such as ham, and hotdog sausages, and other vegetables and aromatics. Pouring some beer in towards the end of the cooking process was probably introduced by a sassy cook who was drinking by the side of the disc, noticing the dish getting too dry, which works well and also helps to scrape all the good charred bits at the bottom of the pan ... click on title for more

Ingredients, Regional Cuisine

Durango Style Gorditas

by Irene8 Comments on Durango Style Gorditas
Durango Style Gorditas

The word gordita means “chubby”, a very appropriate name for this dough patty, since it is formed into a nice, round shape, often stuffed generously.  It is safe to say that every region in Mexico has its own gordita recipes; in Northern Mexico, it is traditional to grill plain corn masa patties, which are then opened and stuffed with a variety of dishes or stews, called guisados ... click on title for more

Ingredients, Regional Cuisine

Torta de Macal – Malanga Cake

by Irene5 Comments on Torta de Macal – Malanga Cake
Torta de Macal – Malanga Cake

Malanga is an edible corm, similar to eddo (satoimo) and taro; while the last two are originally from Asia, malanga is native to South America and naturalized in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico, where it is known as macal. One recipe for macal from that region is torta de macal, a sweet creamy cake; since I had some eddo (satoimo) from my garden, I simply used them instead ... click on title for more