Pollo con Mole y Ajonjoli

Chile a la Moneda

Gordita de Requezon

This Gordita is not to be confused with my earlier post. This gordita (flat top grilled) is made from an entirely different masa. In this case, this one is made from blue corn. The masa is a lot lighter in taste and consistency, and flakier. This variation is as every bit as good as its fried counterpart. Masa is filled with requezon, which is a creamy cream cheese type of Mexican cheese, and formed into a disk. The disk is placed on a flat top and each side is browned until crispy. It is topped off with whatever you desire, but I went with sautéed nopales and cotija cheese.

The crispy corny masa is airy and flaky, with oozing melty requezon. The requezon is a bit on the salty, yet just salty enough to be enjoyed marvelously. The nopales don't have a bad taste, its more a matter of texture, they are mucilaginous (go ahead, google it). Along with the cotija and crispy masa the gordita takes on a life of its own. The moistness, juiciness and crunchiness set of a slew of culinary experiences all at once.

Never will it replace the original fried Gordita de Chicharron, but damn, it sure hits the spot.

Caldo Tlalpeño

If I could define any Mexican dish as comfort food, this would be it. Tlalpeño Soup, or Soup from Tlalpan, which was a small town outside of Mexico City. As the city grew, Tlalpan soon became part of the city, along with all its customs and dishes.

This hearty and comforting soup is not that far away from chicken soup, but not close enough to be associated with it. In a big pot with boiling water just add (roughly), shredded onions, carrots, garlic, chipotle chiles, xoconostle (bulb of cactus), green beans, chicken thighs, chicken breast, and other chicken pieces with some bone on them (for flavor purposes). Boil and cook the hell out of all of them until all the flavors have married with each other and the broth is thick and flavorful. The soup is garnished with cilantro and some chopped avocado when it’s served.

My first spoonful was packed with heat. The chipotles that were boiling away have let out all this wonderful spiciness that is nicely balanced out with the fresh veggies and the melt-in-your-mouth chicken. I was in luck that day, to top off my experience it was really rainy and horrible outside, so I really did get the full effect of what a good soup must do. At this point there was no avoiding the heat, so I enjoyed the ride. As I continued eating, my body slowly warmed up, and I felt, well, comforted.

Tostada de Pollo

Chicken Tostada. Maybe Mexicans version of an open faced sandwich, or maybe a slice of toast with a load of stuff on it. This is a rather simple dish that can be piled high with whatever ingredients you'd like.

The base is a corn tortilla, which is either fried to a crisp, or toasted until crunchy in the oven. A thin layer of refried beans is smeared atop the tortilla. Afterwards, the beans are coated with shredded lettuce and diced(or whole) smoky chipotle chiles. The chiles are then covered with shredded chicken, that has been stewed in chicken broth along with other spices. In a blink of an eye you have yourself a Chicken Tostada. Just top it off with some crema and salsa, and you have yourself a perfect snack or appetizer.

Like with any other open faced morsel, the first bite is always the hardest one. You know that stuff is going to start splashing and falling down your sides. With ease and surgeon like precision i took my first bite. Luckily, there was no splashing or falling, everything had made it into my mouth. The chicken was moist and juicy, the warm corn tortilla(oven toasted), was light, packed with great corn taste. The beans were smooth and creamy, and worked like glue to keep the tostada from coming tumbling down. The lettuce, along with the crema and salsa added great freshness.

It seems like I repeat myself with the same shpeal of the meat, and then the freshness of the whatever other ingredient in the dish. The truth of the matter is that Mexican cuicine is very balanced, and that you will mostly, if not always have a trinity of flavor profiles in each meal. You'll have corn, in some way or another, a protein, and then the condiments of salsa, lime or cream, depending on the dish. Why can't everybody take a hint and follow their lead?

Quesadilla de Queso y Flor de Calabaza

Somebody says Quesadilla, and you think of a big grilled flour tortilla stuffed with cheese and veggies and chicken, or whatever the hell they stuff into them at Chili's, TIGF, or Ruby Tuesdays..... NO!! Erase all these images from your head. Yes, they do use the same principles for making Quesadillas in Mexico, but they never, EVER, amount to the atrocities that are created here in the States.

Cheese and Pumpkin Flower Quesadilla. This fantastic creation is not grilled, but fried. Instead of using a regular tortilla, this version of the quesadilla is made with a light corn dough. The dough is flattened and packed with a cheese that is stringy, creamy and very flavorful from the Oaxaca region, named appropriately enough, Oaxaca cheese. After, the cheese is finished with fresh Pumpkin Flowers. The masa is folded and shaped into a half moon, or if you are familiar with them, an Empanada.

The quesadilla is fried until the masa(dough) is golden and crispy. By this point the cheese has melted and it has fused with the pumpkin flowers. You top off the quesadilla with crema and salsa. Since the masa is fried and cooked so fast their is no real greasyness to it, so you do really enjoy all the wonderful fresh and simple flavors of the quesadilla. As you bite into the crispy and corny masa the pumpkin flower infused cheese juices drip down to your chin. The salsa and crema helped to cool down the hot masa as they moved around in my mouth. The Pumpkin Flowers are now slighty salty from the cheese, and have a wonderful light and crisp flavor.

If Pumpkin Flowers aren't your thing, you can fill these quesadillas with many more things.... you can use cactus, onions, corn, pork grinds, chorizo, beef tongue, etc..... the ingredients are endless, but you must remember one thing. If you keep it simple you'll keep it good.

Gordita de Chicharron

If i could make a pool filled with food so I can eat my way out of it, this would be that glorious filling. Gordita, or little round one, or little fat one, or Mexico's greatest culinary achievement(in my book).

Corn flour is used to make a masa, or dough. It is later molded into a disk shape that has been filled with juicy and crispy pork grinds. The disk is later deep fried until golden brown(yes, admire the pic). The disk is later slip like a pita so the other ingredients can be inserted. Cilantro, onions and cotija cheese complete the basic filling of the Gordita. To make it even better, add some crema(like sour cream, but not as sour), and salsa.

Once you bite into it, the crunch and flavor of the corn masa explodes in your mouth. The masa is light, airy but with enough consistency to hold together all the ingredients. The warm chicharron is steamy and moist from its natural juices(pork grease, yum). The corn taste is balanced out with the greasy(in a good way) pork and later washed away by the freshness that the cream, onion and cilantro add to the dish.

Gorditas aren't always fried, or filled solely with pork grinds. They can be done on a flat top and filled with cheese and veggies. I guess its a heart healthy way of having them, but come on, deep fried and filled with pork grinds is the way to go. IF you even run into a stand that sells Gorditas go for em. But a word of advice. Don't eat the ones that have been sitting around for a while. Ask them to give you a fresh one, you'll thank me later.........

Chapulines, Escamoles and Gusanos de Maguey

Chapulines(far left), better known as Grasshoppers. They come in varied sizes from the tiny(shown), to the large(1.5 inches aprox.). They are considered a Mexican delicacy and are only harvested a few times a year. These small critters(shown), from the Oaxaca region of Mexico are tangy and crisp. They have a unique and distinct taste all their own.
Holding true to Mexican customs, though not the only way to eat them, I grabbed a Corn tortilla (made with blue corn in this case), added a spoon full or two of the Chapulines, squeezed a little lime, spooned on a little salsa as I constructed my own little taco.

My first bite almost reminded me of an extra tangy and sharp tamarind, but it soon vanished once the salty and somewhat bitter aftertaste took over. Not that it was an unpleasant taste, but a peculiar one, which I enjoyed very much.

Escamoles(center), or Ant Larvae. Also referred to as Mexican Caviar. They are harvested from the roots of the Agave plant(tequila). They were prepared rather simply. Sauteed in some butter, with salt, pepper and epazote, a Mexican herb that is similar to anise and fennel, only stronger in flavor.

I made myself a taco from these bad boys and chowed down. Wow, I could now tell why they were called Mexican Caviar. They had this unmistakable juiciness and flavor to them that I was not expecting. They had a tasty sweetness to them, that was balanced by the green salsa that i put in the taco. The sweetness of the Escamoles reminded me of corn, but on steroids, with an earthy flavor to them. It made my mouth water for more.

Gusanos de Maguey(far right), or Maguey Worms. Like Escamoles, they are harvested from the Agave plant(tequila). They are the caterpillars of a butterfly called "Tequila Giant Skipper". Depending on when they are harvested they are going to vary in sizes. I'd say that mine were mid-size. Easy to make, they are fried until golden brown, then sprinkled with some salt(or whatever you want).

As they arrived to the table, I couldn't control myself and plunged into the plate and grabbed one with my hands. I looked at its crispy body and tossed it in my mouth. To my delight it reminded me of a light and airy pork grind, with the greasy goodness of it. Due to their size you really won't get a big mushy feeling once you bite into them. It's more of a moist crunch. Once you get past the idea that you are eating worms, you become addicted to them. If I could, I'd fry a batch and toss 'em back everytime I watched TV.

The ideal way of eating them (as i did) is making a taco. Grab a corn tortilla(mine was redish) put in some guacamole(the glue, if you will), some worms, a bit of salsa(so it doesn't take away the taste of the worms) and bit of lime. Ahh, now you get a whole new flavor profile. The mush of the guac, the crunch of the worms, the tartness of the lime, and some heat from the salsa.

It might seem weird to eat a plate of insects, but it was worth it! Open your horizons and try out new things. You'll be surprised what you'll like.

Tacos al Pastor

It seems that everybody in Mexico has a different recipe for Tacos al Pastor, but the outcome is always the same. Mouth watering, phenomenal tacos that you just can't get enough of. Pork meat is marinated and flavored with a blend of chiles and spices and then placed on a rotisserie with a pineapple on top(like Gyros, sans pineapple).

Honestly, I ate Tacos al Pastor wherever I had the chance to. I wanted to be able to distinguish the good from the bad. By the end of the trip I could tell what was good, and what was ok.

The taco is prepared very simply, like most tacos. Juicy and warm meat is sliced from the rotisserie into a warm corn tortilla, followed some diced onions and cilantro, and topped off by a slice of the pineapple that hovered above the meat. You then finish the taco with salsa and lime to taste.

The flavor of the meat is tang-ish and earthy. The tang feels a little bit like vinegar and the earth, obviously from the chiles. You then have the pineapple, which gives it this sweet and sour vibe. In a good taco(i believe), the pineapple is sweet and complements the tang, mellowing it smoothly. The onion and cilantro give the taco a fresh bite, and make the flavors dance in your mouth. A solid taco that mustn't be overlooked. Try it, it's a great experience.

Bistec con Queso (Costra)

Beef and cheese taco is its name, but the main characteristic is the way its made. Costra, or crust, in this case refers to the cheese preparation. A local Mexican chain of taquerias came up with a way of taking a protein(chicken, beef, pork,etc...) grilling it and wrapping it with cheese which had been grilled directly on a flat top until it was browned and crispy.

This gloriously crunchy and juicy delight has lots of words to describe it. I'll try not to get long winded and keep to the basics. The beef is usually skirt steak, which is cut into thin strips and seasoned with salt and pepper, sauteed for a bit, then tossed in the middle of a piece of Mexican Manchego cheese. The cook waits for the cheese to get really browned and crispy, and while its still pliable he bends the edges and glues the Costra shut.

I took a flour tortilla, put in some guacamole, placed the bubbling Costra inside, followed by some lime and a little bit of salsa. As I bit into it I could feel the cool crispness of the salsa and the guac, followed by the hot crunchy cheese and its gooey center. The steak stayed moist and juicy, in the lava like center of cheese. The crust itself maintained its crispy form, for all of the 10 or 20 seconds it took me to eat it. Afterwards, a cheesy beef aftertaste lingered in my mouth, one that could only be curbed by another Bistec con Queso, and another, and another...... you get the picture.

Chicharron de Queso

I believe the best part of eating a grilled cheese sandwich is that little bit of cheese that seeps out from the sides and burns to a crisp. I usually save that piece for the very end, so I can finish off with a big cheesy crunch.

Mexicans, can now give me that crunch whenever i want. They call it Chicharron de Queso, which is like a fricco(small amounts of grated Parmesan melted to a crisp, for salads or garnishes), only that its made from the Mexican Manchego cheese. This cheese is similar in style and taste to that of Gouda, much different that the Spanish Manchego Cheese.

As its melted and converted into this crispy concoction the flavors of the cheese intensify. It's crunchy,salty and a bit tart, a hell of a good snack before some tacos, or after you've had a few....

Caldo de Camarones

Another staple of the ocean side joint Beto Godoy is its Shrimp Stew. While it's actually not a stew, due to it's local recipe, it's more like a soup. The broth is made from the fiery chipotle chiles and a few other local spices.

Regulars tell me that the heat level can vary from day to day, but that it was regularly really hot and spicy. Lucky for me, that days batch was hot but not the usual brain melting, mouth numbing hot.

As I put the spoon into my mouth I could immediately feel the heat slap my tongue. It was a good soul warming, sinus clearing type of heat. The kind you wouldn't mind having every winter night. The chipotles characteristic smoky taste was predominant, followed by the ocean taste of the shrimp. But, I would have to say that the main character was the heart warming cloudy broth, and that the shrimp were just a side. The broth carried the biggest taste and really just added to the shrimp, not the other way around.

All in all, it is what it is, a good appetizer soup that will clear up your senses and prepare you for the following dish. If it were hot as hell, well, that's another story............

Pescado a la Talla

Beto Godoy, a restaurant on the outskirts of Acapulco, is a widely known and very popular attraction in Acapulco. The main building is strewn with pictures of many Mexican and international artists. Its small hut-like structure, its communal dinning area, and its sandy floors make for a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. The main attraction, of course, is Pescado a la Talla, or Fish a la Talla.

"A la talla", referring to the style that the fish is flavored and made with. Its not about the fish itself, which varies from the days catch, but about the paste that it's rubbed with. Its a thick paste made from Guajillo and Ancho Chiles(both dried chiles). Once the fish is smeared copiously with the paste it's put on a hot, coal burning grill.

The paste itself, due to the ancho chiles, has a natural smoky flavor. The paste, alongside the natural wood coals give it that extra umph to heighten its smokiness. The fish is cooked until it is browned and somewhat charred around the edges to give a bit of crispiness. It is served in the center of the table, and people are given spoons so they can dig in and eat whatever they like.

The paste is smoky, and a tad bitter. The flavors stay in your mouth long after you have eaten the dish. There is some heat, but it's somewhat of a vague aftertaste (depending on the mix of the paste), which means you get to actually enjoy the fish.