Recipes

Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Mint

Chicken Salad with Cucumber and Mint

Ensalada de Pollo con Pepino y Yerbabuena
Mexican home cooks like easy luncheon or light meal salads just as we do. This one is adapted from a Mexican magazine in Mexico City. The chipotle chile adds a spicy punch to the salad dressing.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
  • Season the chicken breasts with salt and cook until lightly browned on both sides and white inside, but still juicy, about 8 minutes.
  • Remove to a cutting board.
  • When cool enough to handle, cut lengthwise into thin strips.
  • Reserve.
  • Put all the remaining ingredients, except the eggs and radishes, in a large bowl.
  • Add the chicken strips.
  • Toss gently to mix well.
  • Adjust salt.
  • Mound the salad equally on 4 serving plates.
  • Garnish with egg wedges and radish rounds.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Chicken / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken, Ham, and Cheese Salad

Chicken, Ham, and Cheese Salad

Ensalada de Pollo, Jamón, y Queso Cazadores
On the menu at Restaurant Cazadores in the colonial city of Zacatecas this Chef's Salad was the house specialty. It was attractively arranged and certainly large enough for a whole meal. At home I arrange the salad on a large platter for self-service
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • Basic Vinaigrette
  • 4 cups shredded or chopped lettuce such as romaine, red or green leaf, or a mix
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 2 jarred pickled jalapeño chiles en escabeche, seeded, veins removed, and finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes seeded and diced
  • 1 cup cooked diced deli-style smoked ham
  • 1 cup cooked diced chicken
  • ½ cup shredded yellow cheese such as cheddar
  • ½ cup shredded white cheese such as Monterey Jack
  • ½ medium white onion very thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Prepare the vinaigrette.
  • In a large bowl toss the lettuce, cabbage, and chopped chiles with just enough dressing to lightly coat the greens.
  • Mound on a serving platter.
  • Arrange the remaining ingredients, except the cheeses and onion, on the platter.
  • Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top and scatter the cheeses and onion over all.
  • Serve cold.
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Course; Cheese / Chicken / Pork / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Chicken and Tortilla Salad

Chicken and Tortilla Salad

Ensalada de Pollo y Tortillas
Grilled chicken and crisp tortilla strips are arranged on a bed of greens tossed with tomato and avocado for a modern salad from Mexico City.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • ½ cup corn oil or canola oil
  • 4 corn tortillas cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick strips
  • 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 8 cups washed and dried torn salad greens such as romaine, red or green leaf, or a mix
  • ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large tomato cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
  • 1 large avocado Hass variety preferred, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
  • 2 jarred pickled jalapeño chiles en escabeche, seeded, veins removed, and cut into very thin strips

Instructions

  • In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and fry the tortilla strips, in batches, until crisp and golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Reserve.
  • Pour out all but about 2 tablespoons of the oil used to fry the tortillas.
  • In the same skillet, fry the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let stand for about 5 minutes.
  • Cut the cooled chicken into thin strips.
  • Put the greens, cilantro, and oregano in a large bowl.
  • Add the vinegar, oil, and salt, or to taste.
  • Toss to coat the greens.
  • Add the tomato, avocado and jalapeño strips.
  • Toss gently to mix.
  • Transfer the salad to a platter and scatter the chicken and tortilla strips over the salad.
  • Divide the salad among 4 large plates.
  • Slice the chicken breasts across the grain and arrange 1 sliced breast on each of the salads.
  • Scatter the tortilla strips on top of each salad.
  • Serve.
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Course; Chicken / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Purslane and Bacon Salad

Purslane and Bacon Salad

Ensalada de Verdolagas y Tocino
Purslane, called verdolagas, is a succulent plant with small fleshy leaves that grows wild almost everywhere. Although it is considered a weed by many gardeners in this country, it's used a lot in Mexico, often cooked, teamed with pork, or eaten raw as in this salad. This little green has been gaining some recognition by cooks here, and is seasonally available in some farmers' markets.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp and brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • When cool, crumble coarsely.
  • Reserve.
  • Put the lettuce, purslane, mushrooms, and onions in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl put the remaining ingredients, and whisk well to mix.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to mix.
  • Serve the salad at once sprinkled with the bacon.
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Course; Bacon / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Corn and Zucchini Salad with Pork Rinds

Corn and Zucchini Salad with Pork Rinds

Ensalada de Elote y Calabacitas con Chicharrónes
Fresh summer corn with zucchini and crunchy bits of chicharrón makes a delightful salad that goes well with chicken enchiladas.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • In a large pot of boiling water, cook the corn until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Using tongs, remove the corn from the water, and reserve the water.
  • Rinse the corn under cold running water and cut the kernels off the cobs, discarding the cobs.
  • Put the corn kernels in a large bowl.
  • In the same boiling water, blanch the diced zucchini for about 20 seconds.
  • Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking.
  • Shake off excess water, then add zucchini to the bowl with the corn.
  • Add the remaining ingredients, except the chicharrón.
  • Toss to coat with the dressing.
  • Add the chicharrón and toss again.
  • Adjust seasoning.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Pork / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Spinach Salad with Pork Rinds

Spinach Salad with Pork Rinds

Ensalada de Espinaca con Chicharrónes
I discovered this dish at the home of Roldolfo Morales, a well-known Mexican painter. He opened his restored historic mansion in Ocotlan, for a culinary trip I led to nearby Oaxaca City. We had a wonderful lunch, prepared by the resident cook. Everything was presented on beautiful Mexican pottery, including this salad, which everyone really liked. Chicharrón, a very popular snack and topping in Mexico, can be purchased in many supermarkets or Mexican markets in this country.
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Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

  • 8 cups spinach leaves rinsed and spun dry
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper or to taste
  • 4 large ripe tomatoes sliced crosswise
  • 2 large avocados Hass variety preferred, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 cup crumbled chicharrón fried pork rinds

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss the spinach with the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
  • Make a bed of spinach on a large platter.
  • Arrange the tomatoes in overlapping rows on the spinach.
  • Scatter the avocado cubes on top.
  • Drizzle with lime juice, and sprinkle with cilantro.
  • Scatter the chicharrón bits over all.
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Course; Pork / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Green Salad with Bacon and Potatoes

Green Salad with Bacon and Potatoes

Ensalada Verde con Tocino y Papas Here’s a terrific modern salad from Mexico City made with popular everyday ingredients. A food processor slicing blade can be used to slice the potatoes really thin.
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Equipment

  • medium dry skillet

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • 6 bacon slices cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 small white potatoes sliced very thin (about 1/16 inch)
  • 6 cups chopped lettuce such as romaine or iceberg
  • ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 medium tomato finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon crumbled cotija or mild feta cheese
  • ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium dry skillet, toast the pine nuts, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
  • Reserve on a plate.
  • In the same skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and brown on both sides.
  • Drain on paper towels, break into small pieces, and reserve.
  • Remove all but about 2 teaspoons of the fat from the skillet.
  • Place the potato slices in a single layer in the same hot skillet and cook, turning 3 to 4 times, until tender and lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  • Reserve on a plate.
  • Put the lettuce, cilantro, and tomato in a large bowl.
  • Add the olive oil, vinegar, cheese, and salt.
  • Toss well to coat the lettuce.
  • Divide the salad equally among 4 salad plates.
  • Arrange the potato slices in a single overlapping line across the center of each salad.
  • Scatter the bacon pieces on each side of the potatoes.
  • Sprinkle the pine nuts on top.
  • Serve at once.
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Course; Bacon / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Watercress and Bacon Salad

Watercress and Bacon Salad

Ensalada de Berros y Tocino
All kinds of wild greens are gathered by cooks in Mexico, including watercress. As a child, I gathered watercress with my grandmother from the banks of a small spring-fed stream on my grandparents' farm in southern Idaho, so I was taken by this salad that appeared in a Mexican cooking magazine. I usually arrange the salad on a platter for self-service.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

Instructions

  • Trim the large stems off the watercress.
  • Tear the romaine leaves into bite-size pieces.
  • Dry the greens in a lettuce spinner, and put them into a bowl.
  • Cover and refrigerate.
  • In a medium skillet, over medium heat, cook the bacon until brown and crisp.
  • Drain on paper towels, break into small pieces, and reserve.
  • Add the tomato to the bowl of greens.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, salt and oil.
  • Add the dressing to the salad and toss to coat.
  • Mound the salad on a serving platter.
  • Sprinkle the top with the cheese and the bacon.
  • Serve.
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Course; Bacon / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Roast Beef Salad

Roast Beef Salad

Ensalada de Carne de Res
Mexicans buy cold thinly sliced roast beef at full-service delicatessens just as we do in the United States. Roast beef salad is found on some upscale restaurant menus or fancy buffets in Mexico's major cities. The salad makes an excellent light meal served with good crusty bread.
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Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

  • 1 pound thinly sliced cold roast beef
  • Basic Vinaigrette
  • 5 cups shredded lettuce
  • 1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 large ripe avocado Hass variety preferred, peeled and diced
  • ½ medium red onion very thinly sliced
  • 2 medium tomatoes cut into thin wedges
  • Cilantro sprigs

Instructions

  • Cut the roast beef slices crosswise into pieces about 2 inches wide.
  • Roll into cylinders and reserve.
  • Prepare the vinaigrette.
  • Then, in a large bowl mix the lettuce, cucumber, avocado, and onion.
  • Add enough vinaigrette to moisten the salad.
  • Toss to mix.
  • Mound the salad evenly among 4 serving plates.
  • Arrange the rolled beef equally on top of each salad.
  • Place tomato wedges around the outside edge of each plate.
  • Garnish with cilantro.
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve cold
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Course; Beef / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican

Yucatán Fruit Salad

Yucatán Fruit Salad

Xek
Marilyn Tausend's Culinary Adventures to Mexico have been great fun and a valuable part of my continued travels and study. Marilyn seeks out wonderful culinary spots to visit and she arranges for excellent instructors to teach in every location. This cooling salad was presented to our group by Perla Ehrenberg, one of the instructors, who was living in a village near Merida in Yucatán where the year-round tropical climate produces an abundance of fruits. The amount of each fruit can be flexible. Also try adding some mango, if you like.
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Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

  • 2 tangerines peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 oranges peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 grapefruit peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
  • ½ medium jicama peeled and cut into bite-size squares
  • ¼ cup packed chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon Bitter Orange Juice Substitute or 2 teaspoons orange juice and 2 teaspoons grapefruit juice
  • 1 chile piquin crumbled, or ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Instructions

  • Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
  • Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve cold.
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Course; Fruit / Salad
Cuisine; Mexican