Chiles en Vinagre is more than just pickled jalapenos. It’s a mix of jalapenos, carrots, garlic, and onions, and in my mind, belongs on the table as much as chips and salsa do. Maybe, more so. I first became enamored with chiles en vinagre while eating at Molinas Cantina in Houston, Texas. Molinas has been a […]
Sides, Salads, and Condiments
Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans)
Frijoles charros (or Cowboy Beans) is a traditional Mexican dish that is more of a bean soup than a plain old side of beans. It is, hands-down, my favorite way of eating beans as a main course. For bonus points, serve them up simply with some hot flour tortillas, or even better, a pan of […]
Tex-Mex Masa Cornbread
Tex-Mex style masa cornbread is an excellent alternative to typical southern style cornbread when you’re pairing it with Tex-Mex or Mexican food. It pairs perfectly with a nice hot bowl of charro beans. Instead of the regular old cornbread flavor, masa cornbread tastes like a giant, fluffy corn tortilla. More of the corn flavor comes […]
Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde
Salsa verde (or “green sauce”) is a super tangy salsa that goes very well with fatty meats, such as carnitas. The high acidity helps balance out the fattiness of the meat. If you want to make this into a table salsa, just blend in half an avocado. The creaminess and fattiness of the avocado will […]
Esquites – Mexican Corn Salad
If you aren’t familiar with esquites, you should get acquainted. It’s the absolute best way to eat fresh corn. The combination of the smokiness, the cheese, the creaminess from the mayo, the fresh herbs, and the lime juice is perfection. They’re the perfect side for your next barbecue. You may be familiar with elotes, the […]
Salsa de Chile Cascabel
Cascabel chiles are a dried chile that you don’t run across as often in Mexican cooking as others. That’s unfortunate since they make for an excellent salsa, imparting a slightly fruity and nutty flavor. This salsa makes an excellent condiment for pork and a superb table salsa. I can’t take the credit for this recipe, […]
Salsa de Chile Arbol
Salsa de chile arbol is a roasted, tomato-forward salsa with the zippy and acidic tang of tomatillos, highlighted with the subtle nuttiness of the arbol chiles. It’s a great salsa for drizzling over fatty meats or simply serving up with tortilla chips. With chile de arbol being the basis of the heat in this recipe, […]
Creamy Roasted Avocado-Tomatillo Dip
Our creamy, roasted avocado-tomatillo dip is very much like a tangy, dip-able, guacamole. This salsa is also very versatile. The creaminess goes excellent with smoky meats, like arrachera or fajitas. It can also be thinned with a little crema and used like an aioli.
Pico De Gallo
Pico de gallo is a simple, fresh salsa (sometimes called salsa fresca or salsa crudo) that goes well on anything. It’s one of the most common salsas you’ll find north of the border due to its versatility and excellent taste. This salsa is excellent if you want to balance out any fatty or starchy ingredients […]
Braised Collard Greens – Southern Style
To me, braised collard greens are as Tex-Mex as anything else. A pile of braised greens was standard fare in my house growing up. They were cheap and healthy. It was a common occurrence to have a big pile of braised greens next to some stacked enchiladas. This was probably more of a West Tex-Mex […]
