Celebrate with authentic Mexican
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I’m going to state the obvious: Even though Mexican food is still technically a foreign cuisine, it has become such a central part of the American diet that it no longer counts as an import.
We could argue about how closely a particular plate of American Mexican food approximates something that would be served in Mexico, and we would get a variety of different answers. Certainly, the food one receives at the Taco Bell drive-up window would elicit a different response than food prepared by someone who learned to cook in a Mexican kitchen.
What we ultimately would conclude, I suspect, is that most of the cuisine that Americans recognize as Mexican is a hybrid that probably ought to be called something different altogether.
One of the misfortunes to befall Mexican food during its translation onto the American palate is that the flavors have been flattened so the spicing tastes American and the ingredient list has been shortened. Ground beef, Monterey Jack cheese and something like Pace Picante Sauce are the main ingredients in much of what passes for Mexican food in the United States.
Cooks who want to explore variations on Mexican cuisine that will take them closer to the Mexican diet should be prepared to abandon all their notions of what Mexican food should taste like and get a wide-ranging cookbook. “Rick Bayless’ Mexican Kitchen” is a good place to start.
Cooks who garden should plant plenty of cilantro and a bit of epazote, thyme and marjoram, and keep bay leaves on hand. In the vegetable department, plant tomatillos, zucchini, jicama and a variety of chiles, including anchos, serranos and pasillas. Most urban supermarkets can provide these ingredients as well.
To get us started, here’s a simple recipe from Bayless’ book for a dish that is a natural side for a summer barbecue.
Frijoles Borrachos
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8 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) dry pinto beans
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) cubed pork shoulder
4 thick slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
hot, fresh green chile to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed, seeded and sliced
salt, about 3/4 teaspoon
1 1/2 tablespoons teqila (more, if you like)
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
Rinse the beans thoroughly and scoop into a medium-size pot. Add 5 cups water, remove any beans that float, then add the pork shoulder and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer, partially covered, until the beans are thoroughly tender, about 2 hours. Gently stir the beans regularly and add water as necessary to keep the liquid 1/2 inch above the level of the beans.
In a medium skillet, fry the bacon, until crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings, and return the pan to medium heat. Add the onion and chiles and fry until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape the mixture into the beans, then taste and season with salt. Continue simmering the beans, stirring occasionally, from 20 to 30 minutes to blend the flavors.
If the beans seem soupy, boil over medium-high heat until they achieve the consistency of a brothy bean soup.
Just before serving, stir in the tequila and cilantro, top with crumbled bacon, then serve in bowls.
Makes 4 cups.