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This morning I roasted pecans.
Break them into pieces, add a little salt and into the oven they go.  The aroma fills the home with delicious recollections.

Food is memory and the pecan is a good example of this.  Pecan is an iconic ingredient in many Texas Mexican dishes.

Near Del Río, Texas, archaeological evidence dates the pecan back 5,000 years.  (Dial & Black, 2006)  Native cooks, our ancestors, would grind them up, mix them with seeds and grains for a nutritous protein-rich meal.  Cabeza de Vaca attested to this in the 1500′s when he traveled along the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers whose banks were loaded with pecan groves. Over the centuries our cuisine has incorporated pecans in creative and delicious ways.

My amá used roasted pecan pieces in her cornbread dressing, as I do now, and every time I do so, I sense her presence. A wonderful thing.

Dulce De Leche Quemada is a candy with pecans.  When I cooked the little candies and presented them as sculptures at an art show, “The Candy Shop,” one of my artist friends took a bite and recalled a flood of memories “I was a boy, and barefoot.”  He is from New Braunfels, TX, and pecans, abundant there, form part of his being.

Although raw pecans are tasty, I almost always roast them.  First I heat the oven to 350F.  I spread the pecan pieces onto a baking sheet and sprinkle them with salt. Place them in the oven and roast for 8 minutes.  It doesn’t take long.  The difference in flavor is dramatic.

Happy memories!

References:

Dial, S., & Black, S. (2006, September 18). Pecan . Retrieved from http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/st-plains/nature/images/pecan.html

Large white corn kernels pop open to form small little flowers.
Brilliant the cook that invented this attractive dish.

Cooked with special combinations of red chiles it is a traditional dish that is also cooked by native communities northwest of us, Pueblos in New Mexico and Navajos in Arizona (Keegan, 2010). It is traditional from our Texas Mexican region all the day down to Jalisco, Mexico. It is spelled with an S in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico and with a Z in Mexico.  Pork is used to make the broth.  In this version I omit the pork and it is a vegan feast recalling the pre-pork days of our cuisine.

The process is molecular. Boil white, dry corn with calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) a process called nixtamalization which was invented by indigenous cooks thousands of years ago. Nixtamalization is from the Nahuatl root words, “nextli,” ashes and “tamallii,” tamal. The process changes the chemical structure of the kernel, making niacin available in digestion and boosting the availability of protein.

Nixtamalization heightens the availability of protein and removes the hull. The pedicle is removed for visual effect.

It also removes the skin from the kernel and improves the taste.  This is natural molecular cooking and the result is wonderfully nutty hominy.

If you don’t have the time for nixtamalization, you can certainly use canned hominy, maiz pozolero.

Recipe:  (Serves 8-12)

Ingredients
For the corn
1 ½ lbs Cacahuazintle, dried white corn for pozole. In Houston I buy this large white dried corn from any of our corn mills that perform nixtamalization to make tortillas and masa for tamales.
1 Tbs Calcium Hydroxide (slaked lime)
5 Garlic cloves
1 Tbs Salt
1 White onion, peeled and  cut into quarters

For the chile paste:
3 Guajillo Chiles, deseeded and deveined
2 Chiles Ancho
3 Garlic cloves
1 Tbs dry Mexican Oregano
1 tsp Cumin seeds

Accompaniments:
½ Cabbage, sliced into thin strips (I sometimes use shredded Iceberg lettuce)
1 bunch Radishes, thinly sliced
1 cup White Onion, small dice
3 Mexican limes, cut into wedges
1 bunch fresh Cilantro, coarsely chopped

Method:
The corn:
1. The night before, place the dry corn in a large pot and fill with water 4 inches above the corn.  Soak overnight.

2.  The following day, discard the water, then add  clean water and the calcium hydroxide, “cal.” Bring the water to a boil and boil the corn for 15 minutes. Check doneness by taking out one kernel and rubbing between your thumb and forefinger. If the outer, slippery skin rubs off easily, the corn is done. Let the corn soak in the water for 10 minutes, then drain.

3. Place the corn in a bowl or pot of clean water and vigorously rub the kernels together to scrape away the slippery skin from all the kernels. Change the water as needed until you get no debris and the corn is clean and white. This is labor intensive. Some of the little brown seed germs on the kernel tips will fall off. That’s very good, because they have to be removed.

4. Use your fingernails or a knife or scissors to take off the little brown seed germ, pedicel, at the tip of each kernel. Although it’s not traditional, you can leave the pedicel on if you like.  Set aside.

The Chile paste:

5. Remove the seeds from the chiles by cutting a slit lengthwise in each chile to open it and remove the stem with the attached seeds. Remove all the other seeds in the chile pod.

6. Place the chiles in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil, turn off the heat and let the chiles steep for 15 minutes so they will re-hydrate. Drain and allow to cool. Discard the water.

7. Place the chiles, garlic, oregano and cumin in a blender. Add one cup of clean water and blend on high until the paste is completely smooth, with no large particles. It is ok to add a little more water if needed. If there are large particles in the paste after you are done blending, strain the paste through a fine mesh sieve.

8. Add the chile paste to the cleaned corn, adding enough water to cover three inches above the corn, and boil it for one hour or longer until the kernels burst open like little flower buds.  If you have kids, they’ll love this transformation.

Serve the pozole in bowls accompanied by finely shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes, lime wedges, Cilantro and diced white onion. Of course, steaming corn tortillas.

Posole: A vegan feast recalling our pre-pork cuisine.

REFERENCES:

Keegan, M. (2010). Southwest indian cookbook. Santa Fe: Clear Light Publishing.

Hello, fellow Vegans, welcome to traditional vegan cuisine, an oft-overlooked dimension of
Texas Mexican cuisine.  These bean tamales are in every Mexican American home in Texas.  Well I can’t make such an absolute statement, but I can say that  they were definitely in my home and in every home of my large extended family and neighbors.  Even when we went to Nava, Coahuila, 45 miles south of the Rio Grande, our relatives who lived there served Tamales De Frijol.

Bean tamales are also in southern regions, like in Puebla, Mexico.  But they are slightly different and, of course, in Puebla they are sometimes served with Mole Poblano which is a truly wonderful combination.  We serve ours as is, or with Salsa Ranchera if you really need some additional tang. Either way, your taste buds will will have a holiday celebration.

Recipe: (makes one dozen tamales, or up to 16 if you stretch the masa)

Ingredients:

For Masa and Husks:
16 dried tamale husks, Ojas de Maíz, soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
1 lb masa for tamales. This is a coarser grind than masa for tortillas. It is called “masa quebrada.”
1/2 cup Canola oil.  I actually use organic palm oil shortening.  It works really great and has no transfats, since it is not hydrogenated. Also, as a solid fat it harkens back to pre-1500, before pigs, when we cooked with absolutely no lard anywhere to be seen.
1/4 to 1/2 cup water if needed

For the Chile Paste:
1 garlic clove
3 Chiles Ancho, cleaned, seeded and deveined
3 Guajillo Chiles, cleaned, seeded and deveined
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 cups water
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt or to taste

For the Beans:
1/2 lb beans.  If you are able, soak the beans overnight so that they will cook more quickly, 1 1/2 hours. If you don’t soak them (I never do) cooking time will be 4 hours.
1 tsp salt
4 cups water

Method
First, place the corn husks in a large container and cover them with hot water. Let them soak and soften for at least 30 minutes and overnight if you like.
For the Beans:
1. Pick over the beans to remove any small stones or debris.  Rinse them in a colander.
2.In a large pot, add the beans and salt. Cover the beans with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer, covered. If the beans have been soaked overnight you will cook them for 1 1/2 hours. If they have not been soaked, it will take 4 hours. They are done when completely soft when you press one between your fingers. Note: As they cook,keep checking to make sure you maintain the water level at least 2 inches above the beans.  Add additional water as needed.
3. When the beans are completely cooked and soft, heat a deep skillet on medium heat and add the beans and 2 cups of the liquid.
4. Using a masher, smash the beans until they are smooth and soupy, adding more liquid as needed.
5. By this time you will have made the chile paste, so add 3 Tbs chile paste to the beans and blend. If you don’t have the paste made, just set the beans aside until you are ready to add the chile paste.
6. After adding the chile paste, cook on low heat, uncovered, until they thicken and make a workable spread for the tamale filling.
For the Chile:
1. To devein the chiles, first lay the chile flat on a cutting board and, using a paring knife, cut a slit lengthwise. Then grab the chile with one hand and with the other break off the stem.  Open the chile along the slit and take out the seeds and veins.
2. In a large saucepan, cover the cleaned chiles with water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the chiles steep for 15 minutes so that they re-hydrate and become tender.
2. Drain the chiles, discarding the water.  Let the chiles cool a bit so as not to damage your blender, then place the chiles in a blender along with the garlic and cumin.
3. Blend to a very fine paste, adding water as needed. You will need to add 1/2 to 1 cup water.
4. In a Dutch oven, heat the Tbsp Canola oil and fry the chile paste until it begins to change color and most of the liquid has evaporated. There will be splatter, so be prepared for it.
5. Add the water and simmer for about 15 minutes and then adjust the  salt. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon, have a complex, non-green, non-pungent flavor. I think it tastes delicious.

For the Tamale Masa:
1.  In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, add 1/4 cup of the chile sauce to the masa and mix thoroughly.
2.  In a saucepan heat the oil to the point just before it shimmers.
3. Adjust the mixer to low and SLOWLY pour the hot oil (not warm but hot) into the masa to incorporate. It will sizzle as it makes contact. (watch out for splatter).
4.  When the oil is incorporated, turn up the mixer to medium and mix well.  Add water as needed to make a thick batter, a bit thicker than pancake batter.

To assemble the Tamales:  
1.  Beginning 3 inches in from the pointed end of the husk, use a small spatula or spoon to spread 2 Tbs masa on each corn husk.
2.  Spoon about 1 1/2 Tablespoon of the bean filling lengthwise on the masa, then curl the husk, enveloping the filling.
3.  Fold the pointed tip up laying it on the side opposite the seam.  This will keep the seam closed.
4.  Stand each tamal, open-end up, in the steamer basket, forming a circle of standing tamales leaning inward. Place some corn husks on top, then a kitchen towel and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
5.  Steam on high heat,for 45 to 50 minutes.

¡Buen Provecho!

The masa can then be spread on the corn husks to be filled and steamed.
More on the variety of fillings and steaming later.

Chalupas are made even more delicious when you can compose them yourself, satisfying your taste urges and personal preferences. You deserve to get what you want, so interact with the ingredients, live it up!  Caveat: refried beans always form the bottom layer of the chalupa.

From then on, you can pile anything you like, exploring whatever ingredients the host laid out for the party.  For me the traditional way is the best:  a layer of beans, then lettuce, then onions and tomato. Takes me back to my first grade when volunteer ladies from the neighborhood would come to the school kitchen and make these as snacks for us in the middle of the afternoon.   Was a culinary playground!

 Recipe: (serves 6)

Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe tomatoes, small dice
2 cups finely sliced iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup white onion, small dice
3 cups refried beans Recipe from blog posted here

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F
2. On cookie sheets, lightly brush both sides of the tortillas with the vegetable oil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the color of the tortillas          turns a deep tan.  If the tortillas are too light, they haven’t cooked long enough and will be chewy rather than crisp.
3. When they are done, store the tortillas on a large platter, ready for the guests.
4. Place the tomato, onion and lettuce on separate bowls so that guests can layer them on the chalupas.
5. Keep the beans warm on the stove, a crockpot or a chafing dish.

You can add the following ingredients to the table (search my blog to find the recipes):  guacamole, various salsas, chorizo, and carnitas. Don’t just watch the glowing faces on the interactive guests, jump in and enjoy!