Mexico, Si

However Cold Outside, baby, it's bound to be a hot night in when the host makes liberal use of chili peppers. As BrillatSavarin said of a meal sons vin, a Mexican meal without their fiery flavor is like a day without sun. Even so, a chililcss evening would not be entirely chilly, since south-ofthe-border cuisine embraces a vast and varied fiesta of dishes, with an abundance of contrasting or complementing flavors and textures. Hosts in the Southwest have always taken Mexican food for granted. But the farther north you go from the Rio Grande, the more surprised people are to discover that this jubilant fare was around for centuries before the conquistadors were converted to such New World pleasures as tomatoes and corn, chocolate and vanilla.

Next to its versatility, what appeals most to the gringo is the earthy casualness of a Mexican menu. The Mexican party table–like most Mexicans—is a mestizo, a mature blend of native Indian and European influences. Its proudest and most characteristic inhabitant, of course, is the enchilada, with its Continental filling of chicken and cheese in a crepe of corn, covered with green Mexican tomatoes. Though invented by sun dwellers, it and most of its culinary companeros are perfect for a cold-weather buffet, whether it be apres-ski, apres- theater or, apres any other kind of winter fun. Their warmth is reflected in the cheerfully pagan Mexican pottery platters and bowls and the tablecloths that form an ideal backdrop for the meal.

The host who invites his cliff-dwelling friends to join him for a citified fiesta should be prepared to pass on a few tips in tempo: The seasonings and spices in the dishes are lively but not volcanic; for the asbestos-tongued, there should be a separate bowl of relish made from the hot jalapeno peppers. The host may also assure the more timid among his guests that the ceviche, or raw-fish appetizer, is indeed "cooked"—in a marinade of fresh lime juice—and has both the flavor and feel of conventionally cooked seafood, plus lively accents of olive oil, wine vinegar, fresh tomatoes, oregano, cumin and cilantro, a combination of seasonings sure to arouse the most jaded appetite.

Mexican food is best washed down with ice-cold beer or sangria. Mexican beers, several of which—notably, Bohemia and Carta Blanca—are available north of the border, are rich brews, more closely akin to the European malts than to their very light American counterparts. Sangria, made of young red wine and fresh fruit juices (see Paella y Sangria, Playboy, June 1969), is always intended to be gulped and swallowed rather than nosed and studied, and provides the perfect counterpoint to such dishes as crisp tacos stuffed with beef, lettuce and Monterey Jack cheese. Mexico's best-known gift to the cocktail world, the margarita, is not only a standard bar offering today but, like the martini, is also beginning to appear in many forms. One of the best is the derby margarita: 1 jigger tequila, 1/2 oz. each lime juice, and triple sec, 1 oz. orange juice and 1/2 cup crushed ice whirled in a blender and poured over rocks in an old fashioned glass rimmed with salt. Mexicans play the hand game when drinking tequila; they place a dab of salt between the thumb and index finger of the left hand, the right hand is used to pour tequila and squeeze lime juice into the mouth; the trio of movements in quick succession—licking salt, drinking tequila and squeezing lime juice into the mouth—has infinite possibilities for party variations and fun. Among after-dinner drinks, the first diat comes to the mind and the lips is Kahlua, the Mexican coffee liqueur. It makes a superb dessert cocktail—the coffee alexander—which is concocted by shaking, with ice, 3/4 oz. Kahlua, 3/4 oz. brandy and 1/2 oz. heavy cream. Among nonalcoholic drinks, there's the famed Mexican hot chocolate, a drink so wantonly rich and smooth that it should only be offered several hours after mealtime, very late at night or in the cold hours of the dawn. In Mexico, it's whipped to a froth with a long wooden device, the molinillo. The molinillo can be bought at stores selling Spanish-American products, but the blender does a much better whipping job, especially in the following formula from our adobe hacienda:

Pour 8 ozs. hot milk, 1 oz. melted bitter chocolate or an envelope of premelted bitter chocolate, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, l/8 teaspoon vanilla powder, 1 tablespoon orzata or orgeat (almond syrup) and 2 teaspoons sugar into a blender; blend for 10 seconds at high speed and pour into a preheated mug.

Mexicans will hold a fiesta at the drop of a sombrero. And you shouldn't need any excuses other than those of good fellowship and a gourmet's interest in fine food and drink to stage your own yanqui fiesta. The following recipes will draw olés from your guests.

[recipe_title]Guacamole With Tostada[/recipe_title]

Serves eight

[recipe]2 large cloves garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size ripe avocados[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons fresh lime juice[/recipe]

[recipe]14 cup butter[/recipe]

[recipe]2 to 4 teaspoons very finely minced chili peppers in vinegar, drained[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons juice from chili peppers, in jar or can[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons grated onion[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons heavy cream[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, freshly ground pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]8 tortillas[/recipe]

[recipe]Fat or oil for frying[/recipe]

Cut the garlic in half. Rub a mixing bowl thoroughly with the cut sides of the garlic. Discard garlic. Remove skin and seed of each avocado and mash avocado well with fork. Avocado may also be pureed by forcing it through a fine wire strainer; avocado aficionados prefer the slightly coarser texture of the fork-mashed pulp. Stir lime juice into avocados. Melt butter in small pan and heat until butter turns nutty brown in color. Add to avocados. Cut chili peppers in half, remove seeds and mince until chili peppers are almost a puree. Add to avocado mixture along with juice from can or jar. Add onion and cream. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. (Peppercorns are a complete: ly different spice from chili peppers and their flavor shouldn't be neglected in Mexican dishes.) Mix well. Turn into serving bowl, cover and chill until serving time. Cut eadi tortilla crosswise to make 8 sections. In an electric skillet with I in. fat, preheated at 370°, fry tortilla sections until light-brown. They are now tostadas and are used at the buffet table to scoop up the guacamole.

[recipe_title]Ceviche[/recipe_title]

(Serves eight)

[recipe]1 1/2 Ibs. (net weight) flounder or sole fillets, freshly cut from whole fish[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, celery salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]3 medium-size scallions[/recipe]

[recipe]3 medium-size tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-in. dice[/recipe]

[recipe]2-oz. jar pimiento strips, drained[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons very finely minced cilantro[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 teaspoon oregano[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon ground cumin[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh or canned chili peppers[/recipe]

Cut fish into 1/2-in. dice. Place in a bowl with lime juice. Chill overnight. Drain fish. Wash under cold running water. Drain well and pat fish dry with paper toweling. Sprinkle generously with salt, celery salt and pepper. Cut scallions, white and solid part of green lengthwise in half. Cut crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. In mixing bowl, combine fish, scallions, tomatoes, pimiento strips, oil, vinegar, cilantro, oregano, cumin and chili peppers. Toss well. Marinate 4 to 6 hours.

Mexican Buffet Adornments

Hot dishes on a Mexican buffet table are always blessed with side dishes or garnishes that are strewn over or mixed with the hot food on the plate in any freewheeling style guests prefer. Besides the hot jalapeno relish below, a bowl of rice, a bowl of iceberg lettuce shredded as fine as cole slaw and mixed with minced scallions or onions are intimate stand-bys. Monterey Jack cheese or long-horn dieese cut into dim julienne strips or diced is especially good on stuffed tacos. A stack of whole tortillas fried in hot fat till crisp are frequently offered. Even better with Mexican-sauce dishes are 1/8-in. tortilla strips cut into 1 1/2-in. lengths, fried about a handful at a time in 1 in. hot fat until light-brown and generously salted.

[recipe_title]Jalapeno Relish[/recipe_tile]

(About 1 1/2 cups)

[recipe]1/2 cup minced onions[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4 -in. dice[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup finely minced canned jalapeno chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]14 cup vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt[/recipe]

Saute onions and garlic in oil until onions are tender, not brown. Add tomatoes, chili peppers and vinegar. Simmer slowly 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ingredients reduce during cooking so that total yield is about 1 1/2 cups. Cover and chill overnight.(continued on page 168)Mexico, Si!(continued on page 122)

[recipe_title]Beef Tacos[/recipe_title]

(Serves eight)

[recipe]2 lbs. ground chuck of beef[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons salad oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon oregano[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon ground fennel[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 teaspoon ground cumin[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup minced onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1 to 2 teaspoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons powdered mole or chili powder[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups beef stock[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce[/recipe]

[recipe]16 heat-and-serve taco shells[/recipe]

Heat oil in large saucepan. Add beef. Saute until meat loses raw color, stirring frequently with kitchen fork to break meat apart as much as possible as for meat sauce. Stir in oregano, fennel, cumin, onion, garlic, chili peppers, powdered mole, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Saute about 5 minutes longer. Add stock and tomato puree. Simmer very slowly 3/4 hour or until sauce is thick and flavors are well blended. Mixture should not be soupy; cook longer if necessary. Add more salt if desired. Heat taco shells following directions on package. Guests spoon beef into taco shells and top it with shredded lettuce and cheese from buffet table. To fry your own taco shells, dip tortillas into hot fat for a few seconds to make tortillas pliable; bend in half and fry in hot fat, holding tortilla edges apart with tongs or forks until brown and crisp.

[recipe_title]Peppered Shrimp[/recipe_title]

(Serves eight)

[recipe]3 lbs. medium-size shrimp[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 lemon[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large Spanish onion[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large sweet green pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]1 large sweet red pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds (not roasted)[/recipe]

[recipe]l/4 cup peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]4 large, fresh, firm, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-in. lengthwise strips[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon leaf thyme[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 teaspoon ground coriander[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 teaspoon ground mace[/recipe]

[recipe]1 to 2 teaspoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons fresh lime juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very finely minced cilantro[/recipe]

[recipe]3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs[/recipe]

[recipe]Place shrimp in cold water to cover. Add 2 teaspoons salt and juice of lemon. Slowly bring to a boil. When water boils, turn off flame. Let shrimp remain in liquid 10 minutes. Remove shrimp from liquid, but save 3 cups liquid for later use. Peel shrimp, remove back vein and cut in half lengthwise. Cut onion in half through stem end; cut crosswise into thinnest possible slices. Cut sweet peppers lengthwise in half. Remove stems, seeds and inner membranes. Cut lengthwise into thinnest possible strips. Place pumpkin seeds in dry frying pan over low flame. Heat, stirring constantly—they will sputter and bounce somewhat during heating—until pumpkin seeds begin to turn partially brown. Place pumpkin seeds in blender and blend until pulverized. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add tomatoes, onion, sweet peppers, thyme, coriander, mace, chili peppers, pumpkin seeds, lime juice and cilantro. Saute until vegetables are tender but not brown. Add 3 cups shrimp stock and bread crumbs. Bring up to a boil, but do not boil. Add shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are merely heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dish is best if made a day before serving and slowly reheated for the bullet table.

[recipe_title]Pork With Tomatoes And Cilantro[/recipe_title]

(Serves six to eight)

[recipe]4 lbs. pork-loin roast[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]6 large, firm, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-in. dice[/recipe]

[recipe]l 1/2 cups onions, 1/2-in. dice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons very finely minced cilantro[/recipe]

[recipe]1 to 2 tablespoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2, teaspoons ground sage[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons ground coriander[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons flour[/recipe]

[recipe]1 quart chicken or beef stock[/recipe]

Remove bone and fat from pork. Cut into 1/2-in. cubes. (Meat should not be cut large as for a stew.) Heat oil in a deep saucepan or stewpot. Add pork and saute until meat loses raw color. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, chili peppers, sage and coriander. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Mix well. Simmer covered over low llame about 15 minutes. Sprinkle Hour over meat and stir well. Add stock. Simmer slowly about 1 l/2 hours or until pork is very tender. Add salt and pepper if desired. Serve with rice.

[recipe_title]Chicken Mole[/recipe_title]

(Serves six to eight)

[recipe]2 3-lb. frying chickens, cut up as for stew[/recipe]

[recipe]Peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup sesame seeds[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup sliced almonds[/recipe]

[recipe]1/3 cup shelled pumpkin seeds[/recipe]

[recipe]2 heat-and-serve taco shells, browned in oven, or 2 tortillas, fried brown[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup onions, small dice[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]16-oz.can tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]2 cups chicken broth[/recipe]

[recipe]2 tablespoons lime juice[/recipe]

[recipe]1 teaspoon ground cinnamon[/recipe]

[recipe]1 oz. grated bitter chocolate (optional)[/recipe]

[recipe]2 to 4 teaspoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large skillet. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken until light-brown. Add more oil to pan when necessary. Place chicken in a single layer in a large shallow casserole or 2 casseroles if necessary. Place sesame seeds, almonds and pumpkin seeds in a large dry skillet. Heat over a low-to-moderate flame, stirring almost constantly, until contents are medium-brown. Place contents of pan in blender. Blend until smooth. Leave almond mixture in blender. Break taco shells into small pieces and add to blender with almond mixture. Blend until pulverized. Keep mixture in blender. In a saucepan, saute onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until onions are tender, not brown. Add to blender. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, lime juice, cinnamon, chocolate and chili peppers. Blend until smooth.

If blender is small, blending may have to be done in two batches. Traditionally, the rich flavor of chocolate appears in this dish. It may be omitted; without chocolate, the sauce is more delicate. Taste sauce. Add salt if desired. Pour over chicken. Preheat oven at 375". Cover casserole. Bake 1 hour. Place chicken on platter. Stir sauce in casserole. Thin with chicken broth if desired. Spoon sauce over chicken.

[recipe_title]Zucchini, Tomato And Egc Salad[/recipe_title]

(Serves six to eight)

[recipe]2 lbs. medium-size zucchini[/recipe]

[recipe]4 hard-boiled eggs[/recipe]

[recipe]4 large, fresh, firm, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-in. dice[/recipe]

[recipe]l/2 cup olive oil[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]1/4 cup minced scallions, white and firm part of green[/recipe]

[recipe]1 tablespoon very Finely minced cilantro[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons wine vinegar[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, freshly ground pepper[/recipe]

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise. Do not peel. Cut crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Boil zucchini in salted water until just barely tender, 5 minutes or less. Drain well. Cut eggs into 1/4 dice. Place tomatoes, zucchini and eggs in salad bowl. Add oil. Toss thoroughly. Add chili peppers, scallions, cilantro, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. Chill until serving time.

[recipe_title]Enchiladas With Chicken And Cheese[/recipe_title]

(Serves eight)

[recipe]3 whole breasts of chicken, boiled[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1b. Monterey Jack cheese[/recipe]

[recipe]2 medium-size onions[/recipe]

[recipe]1 to 2 tablespoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 cups sour cream[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

[recipe]Peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]24 tortillas, 4 1/2-in. diameter[/recipe]

Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into large dice. Put chicken, cheese and onions through meat grinder using fine blade. Add chili peppers and sour cream. Season generously with salt and pepper. Blend well. Heat 1/4 in. oil in skillet preheated at 350'. Place tortillas one by one in hot oil and heat 3 to 5 seconds, only long enough for tortilla to become pliable. Dip each tortilla in green-tomato sauce (recipe follows). Place about 2 1/2 tablespoons chicken mixture on each tortilla and roll tortilla around chicken mixture. Place enchiladas open side down in a single layer in a large shallow casserole or 2 casseroles. Spoon green-tomato sauce on top. Preheat oven at 350 . Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

[recipe_title]Green-Tomato Sauce[/recipe_title]

[recipe]3 12-oz. cans Mexican green tomatoes[/recipe]

[recipe]1/2 cup onions, finely minced[/recipe]

[recipe]1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced garlic[/recipe]

[recipe]1 cup diced sweet green peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons peanut oil[/recipe]

[recipe]3 tablespoons flour[/recipe]

[recipe]2 teaspoons sugar[/recipe]

[recipe]1 to 2 tablespoons very finely minced chili peppers[/recipe]

[recipe]Salt, pepper[/recipe]

Drain tomatoes, reserving juice. Cut tomatoes into 1/4-in. dice. Saut6 onions, garlic and green peppers in oil until onions are tender, not brown. Stir in flour, blending well. Slowly add tomato juice and tomatoes, blending well. Add sugar and chili peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer slowly 20 minutes.

The preceding recipes should put you and your guests in the proper south-of-the-border spirit and label you an hombre of distinction.