All recipes

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Quelites guisadosSautéed wild greens

Quelites is the Nahuatl-rooted word for the edible wild greens of central Mexico, such as quintoniles (amaranth), verdolagas (purslane) and huauzontle, and in the markets of Mexico City, Puebla and Tlaxcala they are sold by the bunch in the rainy season and cooked this way for everyday lunches. The greens are blanched, then sautéed with onion, garlic, tomato and serrano chilli until soft and savoury, and piled into hot corn tortillas with salsa and, if you like, crumbled fresh cheese. Without cheese it is vegan, with about 6 g of protein per portion including two tortillas. The common mistake is leaving the greens wet: they steam and turn watery instead of frying. Spinach, chard or amaranth leaves work if you can't find quelites. Chef's tip: cut the serrano in half lengthways and fry it with the onion; it flavours the oil gently and you can lift it out if it's too hot.

25 min

Mexican Vegetarian

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Caldo de piedraFish and tomato stone soup

Caldo de piedra comes from San Felipe Usila in the Chinantla of northern Oaxaca, where Chinantec men cook it by the river: fish, tomato, chilli and epazote go into a gourd bowl of water and red-hot river stones are dropped in to bring it to a fierce boil in seconds. It is eaten as a celebration and every year at a festival in the village. Heating stones at home is dangerous (wet or porous stones can crack or burst), so this version brings a heavy pot to a hard boil first and cooks the fish just as briefly. A portion gives about 38 g of protein, from the fish and prawns, for roughly 260 kcal. The common mistake is letting the fish boil on: it is done in 3–4 minutes, when it turns opaque and flakes, and after that it falls apart. Chef's tip: blend the tomato, onion and chilli raw; the broth tastes fresh and sharp, closer to the riverside original than a cooked sauce.

40 min

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ChileatoleCorn and green chilli soup

Chileatole is a thick, savoury atole made in Puebla and Tlaxcala during the rainy-season corn harvest from July to September, sold steaming from big pots at markets in the evening and made at home when fresh corn is everywhere. Fresh corn kernels and pieces of cob simmer in a broth thickened with masa harina and tinted green with blended chilli and epazote. It is comforting and corny, with a gentle heat, and about 6 g of protein per bowl from the corn and masa. The most common mistake is adding the masa dry, which makes lumps: always dissolve it in cold water first. Chef's tip: simmer the stripped cobs in the water before you start, for a sweeter, deeper corn broth.

45 min

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Raspados (Mexican shaved ice with fruit syrups)

In Guadalajara and the towns of Sinaloa, raspados are sold from carts and little shops from noon until late on hot days: a paper cup of finely shaved ice soaked in bright homemade syrups like tamarind, mango, strawberry and deep-red hibiscus, sometimes with fresh fruit and a squeeze of lime. They are the cheapest way to cool down, and children and adults line up alike. They are naturally egg-free and plant-based: there is nothing to set or bind, just fruit and sugar cooked into syrups thick enough to cling to the ice. The hibiscus is tart and floral, the mango sweet and thick, and the two side by side make a striking cup. Make the syrups and cool them quickly over iced water. Chef's tip: shave the ice as fine as you can and pour the syrup slowly; the common mistake is using coarse crushed ice, which lets the syrup run straight to the bottom.

20 min

Mexican Desserts

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Pescado empapeladoFish baked in paper parcel

Along the Gulf coast of Veracruz, pescado empapelado is a weekday lunch and a Lenten Friday favourite: a fillet of snapper or other white fish is sealed in paper or foil with tomato, onion, peppers, olives, capers and herbs, then baked so it steams in its own juices. Each person opens their own fragrant parcel at the table. A portion gives about 32 g of protein, from the fish, for around 250 kcal. The common mistake is a loose parcel: if the edges aren't crimped tightly the steam escapes and the fish bakes dry, so fold and pinch the edges all the way round. The fish is done when it is opaque and flakes easily at the thickest point (63 °C). Chef's tip: slice the vegetables thinly and lay them under the fish as well as on top; they cook in the same 15 minutes and keep the fillet off the hot paper.

30 min

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Duraznos en almíbar (Mexican peaches in piloncillo syrup)

Across Mexico, from the orchards of Zacatecas and Puebla to every abuela's pantry, duraznos en almíbar are how the summer peach crop is kept, and a bowl of them chilled from the fridge is a classic Sunday dessert. Peeled peach halves are poached in a syrup of piloncillo, the cone-shaped raw cane sugar, with cinnamon and cloves, so they turn tender and glossy and soak up a warm, molasses-like sweetness. Serve them cold in their syrup, on their own, or with a spoon of crema or thick yoghurt. Nothing needs setting and no egg is involved: the fruit simply poaches in the sugar syrup, which thickens lightly as it cools. Chef's tip: choose ripe but firm peaches and poach them gently; the common mistake is boiling the syrup hard, which turns the halves ragged and stringy.

160 min

Mexican Desserts

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Caldo xóchitlChicken, rice and chickpea broth

Caldo xóchitl, named after the Nahuatl word for flower, is the restorative chicken soup of Mexico City's fondas and markets, eaten at lunch on cool days, after a late night or when someone is unwell. A clear broth with chicken, rice, chickpeas, courgette and carrot is served with a spread of chopped onion, coriander, serrano chilli, avocado and lime so everyone builds their own bowl. A portion gives about 24 g of protein, from the chicken and chickpeas, for around 360 kcal. The common mistake is boiling it hard, which clouds the broth and toughens the chicken; keep it at a lazy simmer and skim the foam. The chicken must reach 74 °C in the thickest part and the meat should pull easily from the bone. Chef's tip: cook the rice in the broth only for the last 18 minutes and serve straight away; left to sit, it drinks up the broth and turns soft.

80 min

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HojarascasCinnamon sugar crumble cookies

At weddings, quinceañeras and Christmas gatherings in Nuevo León and Coahuila, someone always brings a platter of hojarascas, the name meaning 'fallen leaves' because they crumble as lightly as dry leaves underfoot. The cookies are short and sandy, spiced with cinnamon, and rolled while warm in more cinnamon sugar so they look frosted. Monterrey families serve them with café de olla or hot champurrado. They are traditionally made with lard; this version uses vegetable shortening, which gives the same tender crumb and makes them vegan, or you can use butter for a richer taste. Overworking the dough once the flour is in is the classic mistake, because it develops gluten and makes them tough. Chef's tip: steep a cinnamon stick in the water first and use that tea to bind the dough, which doubles the spice flavour without bitterness.

40 min

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Pay de quesoCreamy cheesecake

Mexican cafés, school bake sales and Sunday family lunches all have a pay de queso, the country's own take on cheesecake. Cream cheese, condensed milk and evaporated milk are whizzed in a blender with eggs and vanilla, poured onto a crust of crushed plain tea biscuits and baked into a dense, creamy slice with a caramel note from the condensed milk. Serve it chilled with coffee, or with strawberries or a spoon of cajeta on top for a party. The usual mistake is blending at full speed for too long, which whips in air and makes the top rise and crack. Chef's tip: blend on low just until smooth, then tap the filled tin on the worktop a few times to bring big bubbles to the surface.

90 min

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CoricosCornmeal cinnamon ring cookies

Coricos come from Sonora in Mexico's northwest, where maize has always been ground for more than tortillas. They are rings of sweet corn dough flavoured with cinnamon, baked until golden: firm and a little crunchy on the outside, with the slightly gritty, toasty taste of corn inside. Families make them by the dozen for coffee in the afternoon and for visitors, and Sonoran panaderías sell them in plastic bags by the counter. They are traditionally made with lard; this recipe uses butter (vegetable shortening works too), so they are vegetarian. A little wheat flour keeps the rings from cracking. Chef's tip: if the ropes split when you join them into rings, the dough is too dry; work in milk a teaspoon at a time until it bends without breaking.

43 min

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CampechanasFlaky sweet pastries with sugar top

Campechanas take their name from the port of Campeche, but now they shatter all over the coffee tables of Mexico City and Veracruz: oval, paper-thin layers of dough with a glossy, caramelised sugar crust that cracks as you bite. Mexicans buy them in the evening from the panadería, along with conchas, to dunk in café de olla or hot chocolate. They are traditionally made with lard; this version uses vegetable shortening, which gives the same light flakiness and keeps them vegan. Butter also works but browns faster. The trap is a timid oven: below full heat the sugar stays grainy and white instead of turning to glass. Chef's tip: press the sugar firmly into the top before baking so it melts into an even shiny layer.

180 min

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TopfengolatschenSweet quark puff pastry squares

A Topfengolatsche is what Viennese office workers grab from the bakery on the way in, and what grandparents order with a Melange in a coffee house on a Sunday afternoon. The corners of a puff pastry square are folded over a lemony, vanilla-scented filling of Topfen (Austrian quark) with plump raisins, and the top gets a thin white glaze. It is flaky, light and not too sweet. Raisins are sometimes soaked in rum; warm water or orange juice works just as well, and the recipe below is alcohol-free. Wet quark is the classic problem, because it turns the filling runny and it leaks out in the oven. Chef's tip: hang the quark in a sieve lined with a clean cloth for an hour, or squeeze it, until it is as thick as soft cream cheese.

57 min

Austrian Baking

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Camarones a la diablaPrawns in fiery chile sauce

Camarones a la diabla, 'devil's prawns', come from the seafood shacks of Mexico's Pacific coast, from Mazatlán down to Acapulco, where they are eaten at lunch with cold drinks, white rice and lime. The sauce is a quick blend of toasted guajillo and chile de árbol with tomato and garlic, fried until it darkens and clings, and the prawns go in only for the last few minutes. It is properly hot; use fewer árbol chiles for a milder pan. The common mistake is burning the dried chiles when toasting them: a few seconds a side is enough, and blackened chiles make the whole sauce bitter. Chef's tip: fry the blended sauce in the oil until it turns a shade darker and thick enough to leave a trail; that is where the deep, rounded flavour comes from.

30 min

Mexican Breakfast & Brunch

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Papas a la mexicanaPotatoes with tomato and chile

Papas a la mexicana carry the colours of the flag, red tomato, white onion and green chile, and they are cooked in kitchens all over Mexico as a taco filling, a breakfast side or a cheap supper with beans and tortillas. The potatoes are fried until golden at the edges, then folded with a quick sofrito so they soak up the fresh, spicy juices. The usual mistake is adding the tomato before the potatoes are cooked through, which leaves them hard in the middle and stewing rather than frying. Chef's tip: parboil the diced potatoes for 4 minutes first; they fry to a crisp edge in half the time.

28 min

Mexican Vegetarian

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Huevos al albañil (bricklayer's eggs)

Huevos al albañil, 'bricklayer's eggs', come from the fondas and food stalls of central Mexico that feed builders a filling breakfast before the sun gets hot: scrambled eggs cooked gently and then bathed in a spicy salsa of charred tomato and serrano chile. They are eaten with warm corn tortillas and refried beans, and they make an equally good quick dinner. The mistake is cooking the eggs fully before they meet the salsa; they keep cooking in it and end up dry and rubbery. Chef's tip: char the tomatoes and chiles until properly blackened in spots, which gives the salsa its smoky depth.

20 min

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Pescado al mojo de ajoGarlic butter fried fish

Along the Gulf coast, from the port of Veracruz to the beach restaurants of Boca del Río, pescado al mojo de ajo is the everyday fish order: firm white fillets fried and spooned over with a butter-and-oil sauce full of slowly golden garlic, a squeeze of lime and a little chile. It is served at lunchtime with white rice, a green salad and warm tortillas to mop the plate. The mistake that ruins it is rushing the garlic over a high heat: it should turn pale gold slowly, because burnt garlic is bitter and cannot be saved. Chef's tip: cook the garlic first and keep it aside, then fry the fish in the same flavoured fat, so the slices stay sweet and crisp instead of scorching while the fish cooks.

25 min

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Caldo de queso sonorense (Sonoran cheese soup)

In Hermosillo and across Sonora, caldo de queso is the soup cooked on cool desert evenings: a light tomato broth with potato and strips of roasted green Anaheim chile, poured over cubes of fresh cheese that soften into chewy, milky pieces in the bowl. It is eaten with flour tortillas, Sonora's own, and a squeeze of lime. The common mistake is boiling the cheese in the pot, where it melts into strings and sticks to the bottom; add it at the end, off the boil. Queso fresco and Oaxaca cheese are often made with animal rennet, so look for a vegetarian queso fresco, or use paneer, which keeps its shape the same way. Chef's tip: blister the chiles in a dry pan until black, then sweat them in a bowl under a plate for 5 minutes and the skins slip off.

30 min

Mexican Breakfast & Brunch

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Tortitas de calabacita (courgette and cheese fritters)

Tortitas de calabacita are a Lenten and everyday favourite in Mexican homes from Puebla to Jalisco: grated courgette, crumbled cheese and egg fried into soft little cakes, then served with a warm, thin tomato salsa spooned over, plus rice and beans. They make a meatless Friday dinner that children happily eat. The mistake is crowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature and leaves the fritters greasy and pale; fry in batches. The fresh cheeses often used are made with animal rennet, so choose a vegetarian queso fresco or a vegetarian mild Cheddar. Chef's tip: let the batter rest 2 minutes after adding the flour so it thickens and holds together in the pan.

27 min

Mexican Vegetarian

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Huevos con salchichaScrambled eggs with sausage

All over Mexico, from Monterrey kitchens to Mexico City fondas, huevos con salchicha is what a parent makes when breakfast or a late supper has to be on the table in a quarter of an hour. Coins of frankfurter are browned until their edges curl, then soft eggs are folded through with a little tomato, onion and green chile, and the whole pan is scooped up with warm corn tortillas and a spoon of refried beans. Most supermarket frankfurters are pork or a pork and beef mix, so check the packet if you need a pork-free version; chicken or turkey frankfurters work just as well. The usual mistake is adding the eggs to a wet pan: cook the tomato down first, or the eggs turn watery and grey. Chef's tip: take the pan off the heat while the eggs still look a little glossy; they finish setting on the way to the plate.

15 min

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Pan de yemaEgg yolk bread with sesame

Sesame-flecked and burnished almost to mahogany, Oaxaca's pan de yema is made for dunking. Bakeries in the city and in the bread town of San Antonio de la Cal turn it out daily, but it is most loved around Día de Muertos, when it sits on the family altar with marigolds and a painted dough face, and is broken into bowls of frothy Oaxacan hot chocolate made with water or milk. The crumb is dense, yellow and close, with a gentle orange note. Some bakers use lard; butter and vegetable shortening are used here so it stays vegetarian. A pale loaf is the giveaway of skipping the second yolk wash: brush twice for that deep, shiny crust. Chef's tip: the dough is heavy and sticky with yolks, so knead it by machine and resist adding flour; it firms up as it develops.

240 min

Mexican Breads & Parathas

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Gorditas de nataSweet cream griddle cakes

In central Mexico, from Mexico City markets to kitchens in Hidalgo and Puebla, gorditas de nata were traditionally made with the thick skin of cream (nata) skimmed from boiled milk, and grandmothers still cook them on the comal for an afternoon merienda with hot chocolate or milky coffee. They are soft and cakey inside with a lightly crisp, golden face, somewhere between a scone and a pancake. Double cream stands in for nata here. They contain gluten, milk and egg. Chef's tip: keep the comal on a low-medium heat; these brown quickly because of the cream and sugar.

35 min

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Bean broth for babies (caldito de frijol)

Mexican families nearly always have a pot of frijoles de la olla on the stove, and before the salt goes in a cup of caldito is set aside for the baby. Black or pinto beans are cooked slowly with a piece of onion until they collapse; the broth is offered first on its own and, a week or two later, thickened with the sieved bean flesh into a smooth, earthy purée. Families from Oaxaca to Monterrey give it at midday, the time of the main meal. It has none of the common allergens (milk, egg, gluten, peanut, tree nuts, soya, sesame, fish). Chef's tip: soak the beans overnight and change the water; they cook more evenly and are easier on small tummies.

130 min