“OAXACAN CUISINE”

AWTY CULTURAL CONNECTIONS PRESENTS ALMUERZO MEXICANO and COOKING LESSON “OAXACAN CUISINE” by CHEF ADRIANA AVENDANO HOSTED BY: GINA PAVON ZENIA QUINTANA INTRODUCTION Oaxaca (pronounced wa-­‐hah-­‐kah), a city located about 300 miles south of Mexico City, is the capital of the state of the same name. Oaxaca city was founded in 1529, but the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times; some of the earliest known evidence of domesticated plants in the Americas was found within the valley of Oaxaca.. Oaxaca is renowned for its cuisine with culinary specialties including mole, a rich sauce made of ground chilies and a multitude of other ingredients; a local type of string cheese called quesillo; large tortillas called tlayudas; and spicy fried grasshoppers known as chapulines. Many of the villages surrounding Oaxaca city specialize in different types of crafts, including ceramics, textiles, wood carvings, and tin work. Extraordinary cuisine, unique handicrafts, fascinating archeological sites, colonial architecture, vibrant villages and the welcoming locals with their deep-­‐rooted traditions all combine to make Oaxaca one of the most enchanting places to visit in Mexico. Not to be missed! OAXACAN CUISINE Oaxacan food is based on staples such as corn, beans and chile peppers, but the great variety of other ingredients and food preparations are due to the influence of the state’s varied geography and indigenous cultures. Two well-­‐known aspects of the cuisine are the use of chocolate for drinking and various edible insects, especially grasshoppers called “chapulines”. Oaxaca has over 200 known preparations for mole, a complicated sauce based on one or more chili peppers. However, seven are most notable, giving the state the nickname of “land of the seven moles”. Oaxacan moles require multiple ingredients and long cooking time, and for this reason are traditionally served only for special occasions. Ingredients for moles were traditionally prepared ground on a “metate”; however today, they are usually made with the help of blenders and food mills, which grind and mix many of the ingredients. Depending on the ingredients, they are toasted or fried then mixed with others to make a sauce that is then simmered. Recipes vary from cook to cook. While chocolate is used in two of the seven moles, it is not the most important ingredient. Oaxacan moles are served with chicken, pork and beef; however, the sauce is more important in a mole dish than the meat. The name, color and ingredients distinguish the seven main moles of Oaxaca, called “negro” (black), “amarillo” (yellow), “coloradito” (colored), “mancha manteles” (tablecloth stainer), “chichilo” (named after the main pepper), “rojo” (red) and “verde” (green). All of the moles except “verde”, can be kept as a paste and cooked later diluted with chicken broth. Mole “negro” is the best known and most complicated of the preparation, containing anywhere from twenty to thirty-­‐plus ingredients, depending on the recipe. “MOLE NEGRO” Ingredients: • 1 pound ancho chiles • 1/2 pound guajillo or dried mirasol chile • 1/2 pound dried cascabel chile, or rattle chile • 2 pounds tomatoes, chopped • 1 pound Mexican green tomato or tomatillo, chopped • Corn oil • 1 telera roll or 4 slices white bread • 1 cinnamon stick • 4 to 5 cloves • 4 to 5 whole peppercorns • 1 sprig fresh thyme • 1 pinch cumin • 1/2 cup sesame seeds • 1/2 cup shelled peanuts • 1/2 cup blanched almonds • 1/2 cup small raisins • 1 1/2 plantains, chopped • 1/2 cup walnuts • 1 small onion, roasted, then chopped • 1 small garlic clove, roasted, then minced • 1 corn tortilla • 1 piece unsweetened chocolate square, Mexican chocolate is preferred • 1/2 cup chicken stock, plus 2 1/2 cups • 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening “MOLE NEGRO” Directions: Toast ancho, guajillo, and cascabel chiles in a heavy skillet until skins blister. Remove from skillet and stem, seed, and devein chiles. Set aside. Place tomatoes and green tomatoes in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain and blend in blender or food processor and set aside. In a large saucepan, heat corn oil over low flame. Cut the telera bread or 4 slices of white bread, into pieces and fry in the corn oil until golden brown. Add cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, thyme, cumin, sesame seeds, peanuts, almonds, raisins, plantains, and walnuts. Stir ingredients together. Add more corn oil, to coat ingredients lightly. Add chopped roasted onion and minced roasted garlic. Continue to fry over low flame for about 20 minutes. Add blended tomato mixture. Remove from heat and set aside. Place corn tortilla over open flame and cook until burnt and crispy. Cut up and set aside. In a medium frying pan, fry roasted chiles in corn oil along with burnt tortilla pieces for a few minutes. Combine tomato/spice/nut mixture with chile mixture in large saucepan. Add chocolate piece and cook until melted over a low flame. Add about 1/2 cup chicken stock to mixture and stir. Place mixture into blender or food processor and puree until all ingredients have combined completely. More chicken stock may be added to smooth out sauce. In a large saucepan, heat vegetable shortening. Cook the puree in the shortening, stirring constantly. Add more of the chicken stock until you achieve the right level of consistency that you'd like. Warm sauce for another 30 minutes over a low flame. Recipe courtesy Soledad Lopez, GUELAGUETZA RESTAURANTE, Los Angeles, CA CORN TORTILLA RECIPE Ingredients: • 1 cup corn flour • ¾ cup lukewarm water • ¼ teaspoon salt Directions: Mix together corn flour and water until you have a soft and humid consistency. For the tortillas to be flexible and malleable, the dough should not be too dry. Add salt and mix in the dough. Heat the “comal” (pancake grill) or sauté pan. Form small dough balls and place it in the tortilla press one at a time, using a piece of plastic bag (Ziploc) to avoid that the dough gets stuck on the tortilla press. Press the dough ball slightly with your hand and place another piece of plastic bag on top of it, closing and pressing the tortilla press very gentle. Remove the plastic on top and lift up the tortilla dough with the help of the other plastic bag and place it on the hot sauté pan or grill. Repeat the same steps with each dough ball and the tortilla press. Turn over the tortilla and press gently so that it will inflate. Remove from grill and set it aside covering with a kitchen towel.