Chefs’ Tips and Tricks

¡Que Rica Comida!

BY KEANE STRAUB PHOTOGRAPHY BY DONG KIM

n anticipation of cinco de mayo next month, we tapped into the I amazing Mexican cuisine Alberta has to offer. Full of flavour and tradition, we soon learned that there is so much more to it than tacos, burritos, and guacamole.

There’s an element of time and care with each dish that is created, some of them taking more than 24 hours to prepare. It’s a complex cuisine, with flavours ranging from spicy or sour to fresh or savoury, but one thing is certain: those who cook it are excited to share it.

Perhaps it’s because of how they learned to cook – with close family sharing recipes and techniques passed down over time. There’s a beautiful sense of community built into Mexican cuisine, and all four Alberta chefs we spoke with encourage everyone to experience it. From personal takes on tradition, to dishes created in honour of spring, here’s just a taste of what Mexico in Alberta has to offer.

Calgary’s Tu Tierra was opened in 2006 as a small Latin market. Co-owners and childhood friends Hector Delgado and Diana Palafox saw an opportunity to draw more customers by cooking and serving items such as tacos and burritos. “People were always asking for more and more food,” says Delgado. “We switched the business from a store to a taqueria, and then moved to a bigger place.”

Delgado grew up watching his mother and grandmothers cook. “My mom is from northern Mexico, so my sisters and I grew up on those regional recipes.” He also has fond memories of family gatherings at his grandparents’ home, where dishes like mole and barbacoa were staples. “I’ve always had a love for cooking,” he says. “And I knew I wanted to do it for a living.”

“Mexican food is about the flavours,” says Delgado. “It’s about the aromas and the textures.” It’s also about tradition. “Pozole is an antique dish and is often eaten during festivals and parties.” While there are variations for each region of Mexico, his recipe is like those found in northern Mexico, with his own touches of pork and chipotle.

Pozole de Frijol

Serves 4-6

¼ cup (60 mL) oil 1 half small white onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped 1 kg of pork chops cut into 1 cm cubes 250 g pinto or red kidney beans, cooked, with cooking liquid reserved 250 g hominy* pre-cooked 25 g chipotle pepper in adobo sauce* finely minced ½ tsp dried oregano To taste salt and pepper ½ cup (125 g) queso fresco* 1. In a large pot, heat oil on medium high. Add onion, garlic and pork, and sauté for 5 minutes. 2. Add beans and cooking liquid to pot, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Add the remaining ingredients except the queso fresco, cook for another 10 minutes, adding water if needed. 4. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. 5. Ladle into bowls and top with queso fresco.

Originally from Mexico City, Chef Alli Said came to Calgary over 10 years ago with a degree in culinary arts, and experience cooking in Spanish, Italian, and Mexican restaurants. He quickly became partners with Mike Clark, owner of Mikey’s Juke Joint (now closed) and together they opened Mikey’s on 12th.

“When there are family events, everyone helps with the cooking,” says Said. Catering was the family business, where his mother and aunts cooked in the morning, and Said DJ’d at night. While he studied for his degree, he got more involved with the business. “My grandmother and mom taught me amazing techniques,” he explains. “And every time I go to Mexico, my mom is still teaching me!”

“I really invite people to learn about real Mexican food – the spices, the chilies, and the tomatoes right from Mexico,” says Said. “It’s complex at times, but it is so good.” His recipe for ceviche, created with spring in mind, is something that can be recreated with ease. “Practice your knife skills,” he adds, “And have fun with it.”

Chef Alli Said’s Chipotle Tuna and Mango Ceviche Tostada

Serves 4

2½ cups tomatoes, diced 1 cup red onion, minced ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped ¾ cup mango, diced 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and diced (add additional jalapenos to increase spiciness) ¾ cup cucumber, diced 3 limes, juiced 500g raw ahi tuna, cut into 1 cm cubes To taste salt and pepper Corn tortillas or ready-made tostadas Oil for shallow frying Dressing:

1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise 1 chipotle pepper ½ cup (125 mL) white vinegar ¼ tsp oregano To taste salt and pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix tomatoes, red onion, cilantro, mango, jalapeno and cucumber. 2. Add lime juice to the mixture. 3. Add the cubed tuna and set aside while making the dressing. 4. In a blender, combine mayonnaise, chipotle pepper, vinegar, and oregano until blended. Adjust seasoning accordingly. 5. If using corn tortillas: Fill a deep frying pan with 2-3 cms of canola oil. Heat on high to 350º F. When the oil is hot, add a corn tortilla. Flip at least twice or until crispy, then remove and let drain on a piece of paper towel. Repeat until you have enough tostadas to serve. 6. Place tostada on a plate, add ceviche mixture and dress with the chipotle mayo. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Chef Mariel Montero-Sena is the owner of Edmonton’s Huma Mexican Comfort. “Well, owner-slash-dishwasher-slashserver,” she explains. “Anything that is needed.” From Pueblo, Mexico, she earned a bachelor’s degree in culinary arts and spent time traveling the world and experiencing different cultures before coming to Edmonton.

“My grandmother is my inspiration, and her kitchen was my happy place when I was growing up.” Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain was another guiding force. “I realized that food is a way of connecting with people. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. We can all share a meal and have a good time.”

“Mexican cuisine is not just tacos and guacamole,” she adds. Many dishes require hours of preparation and attention to detail. “If you don’t know how to deal with dried chilies, take your time and do some research.” Her take on Sopa de Tortilla has a chili-based broth as opposed to tomato-based. “It’s different compared to what grandma does, but I wanted to be adventurous.” In the end, it earned her grandmother’s approval. Sopa de Tortilla

Serves 4

2 tsp (10 mL) cooking oil 2 corn tortillas 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled 4 large plum tomatoes 1 medium yellow or white onion, peeled and quartered 2 medium dried ancho chilies, stems removed 2 medium dried pasilla chilies, stems removed Water to cover 2 sprigs epazote or cilantro (or use 1 Tbs dried epazote) 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth, divided To taste salt and pepper Cooking oil for shallow frying 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips about 1 cm wide

1. Heat a heavy sauté pan over mediumhigh heat. Add oil. Fry tortillas for about 1 minute until softened. Remove tortillas and cool. Tear tortillas into pieces. 2. Wipe out pan. Place back onto medium-high heat and add the garlic, whole tomatoes, and onion. Using tongs, turn the vegetables occasionally for about 10 minutes to ensure charring on all sides. Remove the vegetables from pan and peel the garlic. Add the charred vegetables to the blender with the tortilla pieces. 3. Cover the chilies with water in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil for 5 minutes until softened. Drain and add to blender with epazote and 1 cup (250 mL) chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Strain mixture through a mesh sieve if a smoother texture is desired. 4. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan or Dutch oven and add the remaining 5 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 5. For the tortilla strips: Pour enough oil to reach a depth of 1 cm in a medium-sized, heavy skillet. Heat over medium-high until very hot but not smoking. Add the tortilla strips in batches and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. 7. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls. Serve with crema, avocados, queso fresco or panela cheese, and tortilla strips on the side to add to soup as desired.

Giovanni Vasquez, of Calgary’s El Chefe, always knew he wanted to open a restaurant. Starting as a dishwasher at Salsa Restaurant, he wasn’t afraid to speak up when he thought something was missing from a recipe. “I’d tell them, ‘Hey, I think your salsa verde is missing something. Maybe add a little cumin.’”

Those instincts quickly landed him in kitchens of several Calgary restaurants, where he gained more experience with different cuisines. “When I’m in the kitchen cooking, the day just goes by so quickly,” says Vasquez. “I wasn’t really into sports like soccer, or anything else,” admits Vasquez. “So I’d watch my grandparents or my mom cook. For me, it was exciting to sit down and eat something that I cooked with my mom.”

Vasquez prefers acidic sauces like the one here made with tomatillo. The recipe, first made by his mother, quickly became one of Vasquez’s favourites. “When I’d visit her, it was either cooking, or already on the table. And every time she would make it, I’d have to have the first bite.” Entomatado De Res

Serves 4-6

1.5–2 kg beef shoulder, cut into 2 cm cubes 1 medium onion cut into ½ cm chunks ½ tsp salt 4 - 5 dried morita peppers 1 kg tomatillo (fresh if you can find them, but canned is fine) 3 cloves garlic 1 to 2 small cans chipotle peppers in adobo 1 cup (250 mL) water 1 to 2 tsp beef bouillon powder To taste salt

1. Add beef to a large pot, and add enough water to cover the meat. Add in salt and one quarter of the chopped onion. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook until the water is fully reduced. 2. Cook the beef with the fat accumulated in the pot until it’s browned. Remove from heat and set aside. 3. Bring morita chilies to boil in a small pot with enough water to cover. Boil for 3-5 minutes to soften. Drain and set aside. 4. If using fresh tomatillos, add them to a pan on medium-high heat and turn occasionally until charred on all sides. Allow to cool slightly and add to a blender. If using canned, add them to the blender straight from the can. 5. Add morita chilies, garlic, the rest of the onion, and one tin of chipotle peppers in adobo (two tins if you like it spicy!). Pulse 2 or 3 times to ensure a chunky sauce. 6. Add tomatillo sauce to pan with cooked beef, and add in one cup of water, and 1 to 2 tsp bouillon powder. Stir to incorporate and add salt to taste. Simmer on medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 7. Serve with warm tortillas, rice, and beans.

Keane Straub has travelled from Tofino to Charlottetown, sampling the different flavours Canada offers. The passion people have for their craft and culture inspires Keane to tell their stories.