Re: [CH] Huasteco 2

Mark McHugh (mt_mchugh@internet-stat.net)
Tue, 14 Nov 2000 16:28:38 -0600

Jim Weller wrote:
> 
>  -=> Quoting "Jesse ]CH[ Guadiana" to All <=-
> 
>  >> a hot dish called Pollo Hausteco.  Any recipes for that out there?
> 
>  "]G> In case you are searching the web or recipe archives, spell it "Pollo
>  "]G> Huasteco."
> 
> Thank you for that tip.
> 
> With the proper spelling in hand, I came up with this tamale recipe.
> 
> I wonder if Mark's restaurant dish was a tamale or some other chicken
> and serrano dish.
> 
> MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10
> 
>      Title: Tamal Chilpan
> Categories: chilies, mexican, chicken
>   Servings: 4
> 
>            Prepared masa
>       1 lb shredded chicken
>      20    pieces of banana leave, cut
>            into 8-inch squares, washed,
>            dried and
>            softened as you would a
>            tortilla by heating on a
>            griddle
>       4 c  chile huasteco
>            Prepared masa
>       2 lb masa
>       1 c  vegetable shortening, melted
>            and slightly cooled
>       1 ts baking soda
>       1 TB salt
>       1 c  chile huasteco
>            Chile Huasteco
>       3    ancho chiles
>       2    chino chiles*
>       2    garlic cloves
>       1 ts cumin
>     1/2    onion
> 
> Edgardo Contreras freely admits he owes his cooking secrets to his
> mother. One of four guest chefs demonstrating a recipe Saturday or
> Sunday at the Indio International Tamale Festival, he owns and cooks at
> Edgardo's Cafe Veracruz in Palm Springs.
> 
> As the kitchen is the heart of the home, tamales are the heart of
> cooking in the Mayan region of Mexico where he was born. "My mother told
> me there are three very important ingredients in tamales," Contreras
> says, "your heart, your hands and ingredients from the earth."
> 
> Ingredients for Edgardo's tamales come from near and far. Masa is
> specially ground in Cathedral City, banana leaves come from a produce
> market in Los Angeles and the chiles grow in Mexico.
> 
> Edgardo's typically serves five types of tamales, but during the
> holidays will add several types of desert tamales with pineapple, mangos
> or citrus.
> 
> Instructions: Combine all ingredients together with hands until smooth
> and mixed. Cook over medium heat until soft, just about the boiling
> point.
> 
> Chile Huasteco
> 
> Instructions: Cook chiles in saucepan in enough water to cover until
> soft. In food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.
> 
> * These very hot chiles are not easily found in the United States. You
> can substitute any chile.


Thanks for the information, Jim!

This recipe/receta sounds quite similar to what I had.  A dish of
onions, chiles, and shredded chicken breast in a light brown sauce. 
It was served with rice and soft wheat tortillas on the side.  I found
chilpán mentioned on a North Central(Zacatecas y San Luis Potosí
states) regional page on a Mexican cuisine site:

http://www.comida.com.mx/recetas/main2.htm

http://www.comida.com.mx/recetas/comida/regional/centronorte.htm

This site doesn't seem to be working very well at the moment.

-- 
´´
Mark McHugh