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AUTHENTIC MEXICAN Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico Twentieth-Anniversary Edition RICK BAYLESS with Deann Groen Bayless Illustrations by John Sandford Photographs by Christopher Hirsheimer Cook’s mask with hinged mouth To the memory of Gladys Augusta Potter, my grandmother, who taught me that you can bring a lot more than food to the dinner table Contents Preface to the Twentieth-Anniversary Edition 7 Acknowledgments 11 Introduction 13 Sauces and Condiments 37 Basic Meat Preparations, Flavorings and Broths 67 Tortillas 95 Appetizers and Salads 113 Light and Hearty Soups 132 Eggs 161 Snacks Made of Corn Masa 173 Tacos 175 Turnovers 215 Turnover Fillings 222 Enchiladas and Their Relatives 232 Other Snacks 249 Tamales 271 Moles 302 Fish and Shellfish 324 Poultry 351 Meat 375 Rice, Beans and Vegetables 411 Desserts 444 Drinks 482 Glossary of Mexican Ingredients and Equipment 513 Finding Mexican Ingredients 556 Selected Bibliography 558 Index 563 About the Authors Cover Copyright About the Publisher PREFACE TO THE TWENTIETH-ANNIVERSARY EDITION In the mid-eighties, when my wife, Deann, and I were living in Mexico—traveling through every one of that country’s thirty-one states, exploring age-old markets, working with local cooks to learn the dishes that had stood the test of time—I knew just what kind of cookbook was in the making. I was crafting firsthand reports of who was cooking what in Mexico, and exactly where they were doing it. I was amassing historical, geographical and social context for Mexico’s regional cooking. And I was capturing vivid verbal snapshots of authentic ingredients and traditional techniques that seemed to be getting nudged out as more shoppers (yes, even in Mexico) opted for the less diverse packaged stuff at mega-stores like Aurrerá and Wal-Mart. Clearly, I was writing a cookbook for Americans who would describe themselves as adventurous and dedicated cooks—definite fans of Mexican food. And I assumed (or at least hoped) that they had traveled (or hoped to travel) through Mexico, and had a hankering for the non-Americanized real thing. That didn’t mean, however, that this motivated group wouldn’t end up bewildered as they sorted through the great variety of Mexico’s regional dishes and ingredients. What those adventurous, dedicated souls needed, I resolved, was a cookbook that clearly explained the steps to traditional flavor within the context of both their American kitchens and the native kitchens of those who had created the traditions. Having lived for several years in Mexico after finishing an undergraduate degree in Spanish language and literature, followed by graduate studies in linguistics and anthropology, I was offering to become their guide and translator. Little did I know how food and culture would evolve in the United States over the next twenty years. Hispanics, the majority of them Mexican, have become the fastest-growing immigrant group in North America. Which means two things: most non-Hispanic Americans 8 / Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless don’t have to travel south of the border to encounter a taste of real Mexico (there are “authentic” grocery stores and ma-and-pa restaurants catering to Mexicans popping up as fast as Starbucks), and oncerare ingredients like chipotle chiles, tomatillos and key limes are now available in American grocery stores.