Authentic Mexican Street Food Featured in New Cookbook
by Larry Cox on Jan. 16, 2012, under UncategorizedDos Caminos Mexican Street Food: 120 Authentic Recipes to Make at Home by Ivy Stark with Joanna Pruess (Skyhorse Publishing, $24.95)
Nothing captures the taste and flavor of a foreign country quite like street food.
After traveling extensively throughout Mexico, Ivy Stark became determined to compile a cookbook that featured many of the authentic Mexican dishes she had discovered in little cafes and at street stands. Stark, corporate executive chef of Dos Caminos, a group of award-winning U.S. restaurants, began gathering recipes that were versatile, fairly simple to prepare, and truly representative of Mexican street food. The result is a fun cookbook that allows American cooks to recreate this tasty cuisine in their family kitchens.
The Dos Caminos restaurants, located in New York, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Fort Lauderdale, have built a solid reputation for serving the exceptional guacamole, ceviche, Asada tacos, and Mexico City-style quesadillas. Stark’s new cookbook features 120 recipes in addition to time-saving techniques, tips on Mexican seasonings and produce such as plantains and chiles, and step-by-step directions. Delightful anecdotes and the splashy photography by Battman Studios add just the right touch.
The cookbook is divided into ten basic chapters: Equipment and Techniques; Salsas and Condiments; Mole; Eggs, Pancakes, Biscuits, Etc.; Vegetables and Fruits; Fish and Shellfish; Poultry; Beef, Pork, and Game; Desserts; and Beverages. Especially helpful for American cooks is a list of resources to locate such items as Mexican flour, avocado leaves, and Mexican oregano, chocolate, and cinnamon. Most of these ingredients needed for many of these recipes are readily available at the Food City and Rancho Markets in both Tucson and Phoenix Arizona.
During my visits to Mexico, I often sample the delicious pan-fried street corn sold by street vendors. It is basically pan-fried kernels of corn with crème fraiche, Cotija cheese and epazote. More often than not, it is sold in a plastic cup. I also love authentic salsa. I tested two recipes, the Pan-Fried Corn and House Tomatillo Salsa. Both recipes captured the best of basic Mexican street food.
This is a fun collection and one that I highly recommend. The recipes feature quick snacks as well as the making for an elegant meal. The bottom line is that this book is nothing less than a gastronomic fiesta.
HOUSE TOMATILLO SALSA
Yields one quart
¼ lbs tomatillos, husked, washed, and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 serrano chile
1 jalapeno chile
1 small white onion, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Kosher or seal salt
In the container of a food processor, combine the tomatillos, garlic, serrano, and jalapeno chiles, onion, and cilantro and pulse until chunky-smooth. Pour the salsa through a fine strainer, straining our most of the excess liquid. Transfer to a container. Season to taste with salt, and refrigerate for up to one day.
PAN-FRIED STREET CORN
Yields 8 servings
16 large ears of corn, shucked
½ cup crème fraiche (you can substitute sour cream ore crema)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 poblano chiles, seeded and diced
2 cups water
½ cup crumbled Cotija cheese, plus 2 tablespoons to garnish
3 tablespoons thinly sliced epazote, plus 1 tablespoon to garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Using a charp paring knife, cut the kernels from the cobs and set aside. Scrape the dull side of the blade several times against the cobs to extract the remaining corn pulp, scraping it into a large glass measuring cup. You should have at least 1 ½ cups of corn pulp. If not, add enough crème fraiche to measure 1 ½ cups. Transfer the pulp ro the jar of an electric blender and puree until smooth.
Heat the butter in a shallow medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and peppers and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn kernels, corn puree, water, Cotija cheese, epazote, and salt and pepper to taste: simmer uncovered until the kernels are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve garnished with the remaining epazote and Cotija cheese.
