Text 39192, 108 rader
Skriven 2010-06-19 22:54:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av MICHAEL LOO
Ärende: Five ways 303
=====================
-=> Quoting Michael Loo to All <=-

 MM> So how do you tell if you're at a real Mexican place or
 MM> an Americanized facsimile?

 ML> 1. You're in the U.S.

(snork)

 ML> I've been in very few real Mexican places in the U.S.

When I lived in Ottawa in the 70's we had one right in my
neighbourhood (within staggering distance of my house) ever so
briefly. A Mexican and a Portuguese chef partnered up and ran a
place with a dual menu. It was my first taste of either cuisine. I
have no idea what part of Mexico the first guy was from or what
region, if any, he specialized in but the food was wonderful and so
different from the Cal-Mex and Tex-Mex chain places that were just
starting to appear on the scene. It was affordable multi-course fine
dining with nary a taco in sight and very few tortilla dishes (there
was one memorable enchilada dish though). The Portuguese part of the
menu was tasty too and I still remember one dish 35 years later: an
appetizer portion of snails in a thin, spicy tomato broth served in
a shallow soup plate. Sadly the place didn't make it a year as it
never became popular like Mexicali Rosa's and its ilk.

 ML> Yeah. But Tex-Mex is just as good as (I like it better than)
 ML> most real Mex.

I like Tex-Mex too; it's a legitimate cuisine in its own right. (I
think I already said that last time.)

 JW> antojitos (whimsies) which are really just appetizers
 JW> or snacks, like tacos.

 ML> Tacos are part of a meal, not just an appetizer.

Snacks, light lunches, late night street food after the bar but not
part of a formal dinner.
 
 ML> cute giggly young lady with you, one might find that the lurid
 ML> fishbowl thing might be perfect.

A time and a place for everything!

 JW> What is it about Americans and cheese on everything?

 ML> Real Mexican restaurants use cheese as a topping,
 ML> just they use a few grams of it

Melted or grated cheese can enhance a lot of dishes, but isn't
required on everything or in huge amounts. Paula Deen's Mac and
Cheese is a good example of wretched excess.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
 
      Title: Rick Bayless's Taco Filling
 Categories: Mexican, Beef, Pork, Chilies, Tortillas
      Yield: 8 Servings
 
  1 1/4 lb Boneless beef chuck steak,
           Cut into 4 pieces or
  1 1/4 lb Pork butt
      3 sm White onions, diced
      4    Garlic cloves, peeled and
           Finely chopped
      1 tb Vegetable oil, plus oil to a
           Depth of 1/2-inch for
           Frying
     28 oz Can good-quality whole
           Tomatoes, drained and
           Chopped or
      2 c  Chopped ripe tomatoes
      3    Serranos or
      2    Jalapenos, stemmed, seeded
           And very finely chopped
           Salt
 
  In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the meat with 2
  quarts salted water, about 1/3 of the onions, and half of the
  garlic and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/2
  hours. Strain, reserving the broth. When the meat is cool enough
  to handle, shred it into coarse strands with your fingers or 2
  forks. don't worry that there are bits of onion and garlic mixed
  with the meat.
  
  Wash and dry the saucepan, set it over medium heat and add 1
  tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is hot, add onion and beef,
  cook for 8 to ten minutes. Add the tomatoes, chiles and garlic and
  cook until most of the juice has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir
  in 2/3C of the reserved liquid and simmer until the liquid had
  evaporated, about 10-15 minutes. Then taste and season with about
  1/2 teaspoon salt. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  
  Rick Bayless
 
MMMMM

Cheers

YK Jim


... Folk be thinking Jalepenos makes it Mexican.

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