Salads

Pickled Grape Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Pickled Grape Salad
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4.34 from 6 votes

Pickled Grape Salad

Pickled Grape Salad Recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 10 Sabores Norteños"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Comino, cumin, divine flavor, Ensalada, grapes, Mexico, orange juice, pati’s mexican table, pickled, salad, serrano chiles, Sonora, Sonoran, uva
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Cotton Candy grapes or green seedless grapes, halved
  • 1 serrano chile halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds toasted and crushed
  • 1/2 red onion sliced
  • 1 rib celery sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves roughly chopped

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, toss the grapes with the serrano, lime and orange juices and zests, cumin, red onion, celery, salt and olive oil and toss until fully coated. Add the cilantro and mint and toss to incorporate.

Notes

Ensalada de Uva con Comino

Avocado and Radish Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich
avocado and radish salad
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3.8 from 5 votes

Avocado and Radish Salad

Avocado and Radish Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 6 "Sonoran Family Favorites for Sami"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, cucumber, Mexico, pati’s mexican table, radish, salad, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 bunch radishes washed, stemmed and cut into thin wedges
  • 1 bunch radish leaves washed and dried, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 English cucumber halved and sliced
  • 2 ripe avocados halved, pitted, meat cut into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, whisk together lime and lemon juice, vegetable and sesame oil, salt and pepper. Add the radishes, radish leaves, cucumber and avocado and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Notes

Ensalada de Aguacate con Rabanitos

Sonora Style Macaroni Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Sonora style macaroni salad
Print Recipe
4.41 from 5 votes

Sonora Style Macaroni Salad

Sonora Style Macaroni Salad Recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 9, Episode 4 Carne Asada con la Familia
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: ham, macaroni, Mexico, noodles, pasta, pati’s mexican table, salad, Sonora, Sonoran, sopa
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 pound uncooked macaroni noodles
  • 1 cup fresh peas
  • 1 8-ounce jar roasted red peppers drained
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema
  • 2 tablespoons sauce from sweet chipotles in adobo
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 ounces thick cut ham
  • 2-3 ears fresh corn husked
  • 1/2 red onion diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 1/2 cup muenster cheese or your favorite cheese, diced
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Bring salted water to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Add macaroni noodles and cook according to package instructions, adding in the peas in the last minute of cooking. Drain the macaroni and peas into a colander and rinse with cold water until cooled.
  • Add the roasted peppers, mayonnaise, crema, chipotle sauce, yellow mustard, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until very smooth. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, set aside.
  • Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Add the ham and corn to the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing and flipping occasionally, until the ham is browned on all sides and the corn starts to char. Remove the ham and corn from the grill. Chop the ham into 1/2-inch cubes and cut the corn from the cob. Transfer the corn and ham into the mayonnaise mixture. Add in the cooked macaroni and peas, along with the onion, celery, cheese and scallions. Toss everything together until coated. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Sopa Fría de Pasta

Mango, Tomato, Tomatillo, Basil and Jalapeño Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Mango, Tomato, Tomatillo, Basil and Jalapeño Salad
Print Recipe
4.34 from 6 votes

Mango, Tomato, Tomatillo, Basil and Jalapeño Salad

Mango, Tomato, Tomatillo, Basil and Jalapeño Salad recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 11 “A Day in Sinaloa's Countryside”
Prep Time15 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: basil, jalapeno, lime, mango, pati’s mexican table, red onion, rice vinegar, tomatillos, Tomatoes, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup slivered red onion
  • 1 to 2 jalapeños halved and thinly sliced

For assembling the salad:

  • 2 large mangoes peeled and sliced (about 4 cups)
  • 1 large tomato cut into segment slices
  • 3 tomatillos husked, rinsed, cut into thin segment slices
  • 15 basil leaves thinly sliced

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the red onion and jalapeños, mix, and let sit and macerate for at least 5 minutes.

To assemble the salad:

  • Assemble the mangoes, tomatoes, tomatillos, and basil on a platter. Dress with the vinaigrette and macerated onions and jalapeños. Serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Mango, Tomate, Tomate Verde, Albahaca y Jalapeño

Texas Caviar

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Texas Caviar
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4.84 from 6 votes

Texas Caviar

Texas Caviar recipe from Pati’s Mexican Table Season 8, Episode 3 “South by South of the Border with Vivian Howard”
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Course: Antojos, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: black eyed peas, brown sugar, field peas, oregano, parsley, scallions, serrano chiles, Tomatoes
Servings: 4 cups
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
  • 2 cups dried field peas or black eyed peas cooked, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup small-diced cocktail tomatoes plus 1/4 cup of their liquid*
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
  • 1 serrano chile stemmed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, gently stir together the ingredients. Serve right away, or let the caviar marinate refrigerated overnight or up to 3 days before serving. Serve at room temperature with chips, endive, celery, or as a side.
  • *Note: If you don’t have cocktail tomatoes and would still like to make this caviar, marinate 1 cup of quartered cherry tomatoes in 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 30 minutes.

Notes

Courtesy Vivian Howard

Arugula Avocado Salad with Date and Walnut Vinaigrette

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Arugula Avocado Salad with Date and Walnut Vinaigrette
Print Recipe
4.8 from 5 votes

Arugula Avocado Salad with Date and Walnut Vinaigrette

Arugula Avocado Salad with Date and Walnut Vinaigrette from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7,  Episode 5 "Mexican Wine Country"
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, date, pati's mexican table, salad, walnut
Servings: 4 to 5 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 6 unpeeled garlic cloves
  • 2 to 3 chiles de arbol stemmed
  • 1 copious spoonful fresh oregano leaves or from 2 to 3 sprigs of oregano
  • 1/3 cup sherry vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
  • 4 to 6 medjool dates pitted and finely chopped
  • 2/3 cup walnuts
  • 5 to 6 ounces baby arugula
  • 1 to 2 ripe avocados halved, pitted, diced
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil and vegetable oil in a small saucepan set over low heat, add the unpeeled garlic cloves and chiles de arbol and let them cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The oils should be gently bubbling. Remove from heat and add in the fresh oregano leaves. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove the garlic cloves from the oil and, when cool enough to handle, peel off their skin. Place them into the jar of a blender along with the oils, chiles de arbol, oregano leaves, vinegar, mustard and salt. Puree until completely smooth. Scrape into a bowl and set the vinaigrette aside.
  • Place a saute pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the walnuts and toast for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as they begin to lightly brown. Remove from the heat, let cool and chop.
  • Incorporate the chopped walnuts and dates into the vinaigrette, toss and let sit. You can make the vinaigrette 12 hours ahead of time. Stir before using.
  • In a salad bowl, toss the arugula with the vinaigrette. Top with avocado chunks and queso fresco. Serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Arugula y Aguacate con Vinagreta de Dátil y Nuez de Castilla

Grilled Calamari, Radicchio and Endive Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Grilled Calamari, Radicchio and Endive Salad
Print Recipe
4.2 from 5 votes

Grilled Calamari, Radicchio and Endive Salad

Grilled Calamari, Radicchio and Endive Salad from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 6 "Loreto: Baja’s Hidden Gem"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: calamari, cannellini beans, chiles de arbol, endive, lettuce, pati's mexican table, pistachios, Radicchio, salad, squid
Servings: 4 to 5 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds calamari cleaned
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil plus more to oil grill and drizzle on lettuces
  • 2 chiles de arbol coarsely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1/4 cup pistachios coarsely chopped
  • 1 lemon halved
  • 1 small head radicchio quartered
  • 2 heads endive halved
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Clean the calamari bodies, season with salt and pepper, and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Pat dry thoroughly.
  • In a small skillet, heat the oil over low heat. Add the chile de arbol, garlic, pistachios and lemon, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until everything is toasted and the oil is infused with flavor. Remove from the heat. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lemon, pistachio, garlic and chiles and reserve. Pour the remaining oil into a large bowl.
  • Heat a grill or grill pan on high heat. Oil grill thoroughly. Add the calamari to the grill in batches. Grill until lightly charred and crispy on the edges. Transfer to a cutting board and repeat with the remaining calamari. Slice the calamari into ½-inch rings.
  • Drizzle the radicchio and endive with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add them to the hot grill and grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until lightly charred and wilted. Remove from the grill and place on a platter.
  • In the large bowl with the seasoned oil, whisk in the red wine vinegar and squeeze in the juice from the fried lemon. Add the reserved pistachio mixture and the cannellini beans to the bowl and toss to coat. Spread over the grilled lettuces already on the platter, top with the calamari, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Notes

Ensalada de Calamar, Achicoria y Endivias Asadas

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Queso Fresco

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Queso Fresco
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Queso Fresco

Tomato and Avocado Salad with Queso Fresco from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 8 "Road Trippin’ with Javier Plascencia"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, cheese, mexican cheese, pati's mexican table, queso fresco, salad, Tomato
Servings: 6 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 4 large beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes cut into wedges
  • 1/4 red onion slivered
  • 1 ripe avocado sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt plus more to season the dressing
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco crumbled

Instructions

  • Arrange the tomatoes, onion and avocado on a platter. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few cracks of pepper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, lime juice, sugar and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  • Drizzle the dressing over the platter and sprinkle the queso fresco evenly over the top. Finish with a little more salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Ensalada de Jitomate y Aguacate con Queso Fresco

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Bibb Lettuce Salad with Grilled Shrimp from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 7, Episode 9 "The Godmother of Cabo Cuisine"
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cashew, Edith Jimenez, jalapeno, lettuce, pati's mexican table, salad, Shrimp
Servings: 6 to 8 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

  • 1 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped shallot
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 jalapeño stemmed and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon salt divided, plus more to season shrimp
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Salad:

  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound large shrimp shelled
  • 3 heads Boston Bibb lettuce
  • 2/3 cup roasted cashews coarsely chopped

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place the red onion, shallot, ginger and jalapeños in a small baking sheet. Cover with the olive and vegetable oils and sprinkle on 1 teaspoon salt. Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and be sure to reserve the oil from the baking sheet.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the red wine vinegar with the Dijon, honey, black pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue whisking well as you drizzle in the oil from the roasted red onion mix. Incorporate all the roasted red onion, shallots, ginger and chile, mix well, taste for salt and add more if need be.

To make the salad:

  • Preheat your grill, or a grill pan, on medium-high heat. Brush with olive oil. Season the shrimp with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill for a 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.
  • Cut the lettuce heads into 4 quarters and place them on a serving platter. Dress with the vinaigrette and top with the grilled shrimp and cashews.

Notes

Ensalada con Camarones Asados

Ensalada de Navidad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

My first formal job, after switching careers from political analysis to cooking, was as chef and cooking instructor of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington DC.

This was 2007. A year before, I had created a curriculum that aimed to open, one class at a time, a window into Mexican cuisine, history and culture for anybody living north of the border. What I didn’t know, when I began preparing it, was that classes were to be for a crowd of 100 people, on a stage, wearing a microphone, and having a big screen at my side. I thought it would be small cozy classes for 8 to 10 people in the kitchen. As much as I had culinary training and had done extensive research on Mexican culture and cuisine, I did not have any speaker or media training.

I was a bit frozen when I got up on that stage the first couple times. So much so that, for months, before putting the boys to bed each night, instead of telling them bedtime stories, I practiced teaching the classes with them. You bet they know how the recipe for chicken tinga goes!

One of the first demo/dinners we did was themed December Holidays in Mexico City. One of the dishes was this absolutely gorgeous Christmas Salad. Oh how I have loved, since then, sharing all the things about my native country with my new home country. But if you see this clip, taken from the “How I Got to Now” episode of my new season of Pati’s Mexican Table (now available on Amazon, as well as your PBS stations), you can hear my voice tremble a bit…

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vf0xO1XgKg[/embedyt]
This salad is emblematic of Mexican cuisine. It has unexpected ingredients, unexpected tastes, unexpected textures. It is nutritious and healthy. It is not overly laborious. It is rich. It is fresh. It is generous. It is colorful! It is deeeeeelicious! As I said that day and still say today… in Mexico we have no taco salads. But, oh boy, do we have some amazing ones! Take a peek at the incredible ingredients and combinations that have come from Mexico’s kitchens and are now at your fingertips to enrich your daily life.

This year was the 10th anniversary of my live cooking demos and dinners at the Mexican Cultural Institute. It is my 10th year there as its resident chef. It is my 10th year working with the same amazing cooking team and the fabulous staff and the Institute’s leadership. And we have attendees who have not missed a single event in these 10 years! I couldn’t be more honored and proud. I hope to be able to continue this journey along with all of you as the years pass.

I end this post, the last one of 2017, with lots of love and gratitude for letting me into your home, via this blog, my recipes or because you tune in to my show.

Siempre,

Pati

Pati Jinich ensalada de navidad
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Jicama, Beet, Orange, and Caramelized Peanut Christmas Salad

This salad is emblematic of Mexican cuisine. It has unexpected ingredients, unexpected tastes, unexpected textures. It is nutritious and healthy. It is not overly laborious. It is rich. It is fresh. It is generous. It is colorful! It is deeeeeelicious!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beets, Christmas, Ensalada, Jicama, Mexican, Mexico, Navidad, oranges, Peanuts, salad
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium jicama (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick sticks
  • 3 pounds beets cooked, peeled, and quartered (*see note)
  • 3 oranges peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
  • 1 cup caramelized peanuts coarsely chopped

Instructions

  • Combine the vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly add the oils in a thin, steady stream, mixing with a whisk or a fork until emulsified.
  • Place the jicama, beets, and oranges in separate bowls and toss each with about one third of the vinaigrette. Arrange the ingredients in a pattern on a large platter. I like to do parallel stripes, and I often start with beets in the center, placing jicama on one side and oranges on the other. Sprinkle on the caramelized peanuts and drizzle any remaining vinaigrette on top.
  • * Note: To cook beets, cut off the greens and most of the stems, leaving about 1 inch. Don’t scrub them or cut off the thin root, or they will bleed their juices, sweetness, and color as they cook. Place them in a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook until tender. Medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter) cook in 30 to 35 minutes. For this salad, you want them crunchy, so don’t overcook. Drain, let cool completely, then peel and cut.

Notes

Ensalada de Navidad

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Print Recipe
3.58 from 7 votes

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad

Mexican Grilled Steak Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 4 "The Mezcal Trail"
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: carne, carrots, flank steak, pati's mexican table, Pickled Jalapeños, potatoes, Salpicon, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 to 3 pounds flank steak
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 (about 1/2 pound) medium carrots peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced
  • 3 (about 1 pound) medium red potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1/2 pound green beans ends trimmed, cut diagonally into thirds
  • 1 cup peas fresh or thawed from frozen
  • 6 radishes halved and cut into matchsticks
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves and upper part of stems chopped
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted, meat scooped out and sliced
  • To taste pickled jalapeños
  • To taste chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

For the vinaigrette: (If you like salad juicy double the vinaigrette!)

  • 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup olive oil plus more to grill the meat
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 clove garlic finely minced or pressed
  • 2/3 cup red onion slivered
  • 1 head romaine lettuce leaves rinsed and drained, for serving
  • Warm corn tortillas for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill over medium-high heat. Brush the flank steak with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the meat for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium (about 145 degrees Fahrenheit on a meat thermometer). Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then thinly slice against the grain and set aside.
  • Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cook the carrots for about 3 to 4 minutes until tender, remove with a spider or slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Repeat with the potatoes and green beans, adding them to the same bowl with the carrots. Lastly, cook the peas for just one minute, then drain and place in the bowl with the other cooked vegetables.
  • In a bowl, whisk the vinegar with the oils, salt, pepper, sugar and garlic, until emulsified. Add the onion and let macerate for at least 15 minutes. You may cover and place in the fridge for up to a couple weeks. Shake before using. If you like your salad very juicy and dressed, double the vinaigrette!
  • Dress the lettuce with some of the vinaigrette and place on an extended platter. Pour some of the vinaigrette on to the cooked vegetables, incorporate the radishes and cilantro, mix well and place on lettuce. Place the sliced meat on top, add the avocado, dress with more of the vinaigrette. Add some of the pickled jalapeños and chipotles in adobo on the sides of the plate or to your liking. Serve with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Notes

Salpicón de Carne

Avocado, Watercress and Pecan Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Print Recipe
4.2 from 5 votes

Avocado, Watercress and Pecan Salad

Avocado, Watercress and Pecan Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 2 "History of Oaxaca Cuisine"
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, chiles de arbol, pati's mexican table, Pecan, watercress
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1 clove garlic unpeeled
  • 1 chile guajillo stemmed and seeded
  • 2 to 3 Chiles de Arbol stemmed but not seeded
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 ounces watercress leaves and upper part of stems coarsely chopped
  • 3 ripe avocados halved, pitted, cut into large chunks
  • 2 scallions white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Heat a comal or saute pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the pecans and toast for a couple minutes, flipping a few times. Remove from the heat. When cool enough to handle, coarsely chop and set aside.
  • On the same heated comal or pan, toast the garlic clove in its husk for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping every once in a while until charred and softened. Then, toast the gaujillo and arbol chiles for about one minute per side, until completely toasted but not burnt. Finally, toast the sesame seeds for a minute or two, stirring, until lightly browned.
  • Break the toasted chiles into pieces, place them into a food processor and pulse until ground. Add the sesame seeds and pulse until finely ground. Add garlic clove, salt, honey, vinegar, lime juice, and olive oil and vegetable oil, and process until smooth. Set aside.
  • In a salad bowl, place the watercress. Pour in some of the vinaigrette and toss to moisten the leaves. Incorporate the avocados and pecans, drizzle in the rest of the vinaigrette and gently toss. Garnish with the scallions and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Aguacate con Berros y Nuez

Grilled Corn Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Pati Jinich grilled corn salad
Print Recipe
4.84 from 6 votes

Grilled Corn Salad

Grilled Corn Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 3 "A Queen in the Land of Gods"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Corn, green onions, scallions, Tomatoes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of corn
  • 10 scallions
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing grill
  • 1 1/2 pounds cherry tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste
  • To taste freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh chives chopped
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

  • Pre-heat the grill to medium, or set a grill pan over medium heat. Once hot, brush with oil.
  • Cook the corn for about 20 minutes, flipping with tongs every once in a while. Also, cook the scallions for about 10 minutes, flipping occasionally as well. Remove both from the heat when charred, cooked and softened. Set aside.
  • Heat 5 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 7 minutes until charred and softened. Remove from the heat, making sure to reserve the oil and tomato juices as well.
  • Shave the corn kernels off the cobs and place in salad bowl. Cut white and light green parts of the scallions into 1-inch pieces and add to the bowl. Add the mint, chives, vinegar, and the reserved oil and juices from the tomatoes. Mix well. Incorporate the tomatoes. Gently toss and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Elote Asado

Nopalitos Salad with Pickled Chipotle

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Pati Jinich nopalitos salad with pickled chipotle
Print Recipe
4 from 3 votes

Nopalitos Salad with Pickled Chipotle

Nopalitos Salad with Pickled Chipotle recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 6, Episode 1 "One Day in Oaxaca"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cactus, carrots, Chipotle, Nopalitos, pati's mexican table, Zucchini
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 cup white onion slivered
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 dried chipotle peppers
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 pound carrots peeled and cut into sticks
  • 1/2 pound zucchini cut into half moons
  • 1/2 pound cactus paddles cleaned and cut into sticks (1 1/2” to 2” long by 1/2” wide)

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large extended casserole over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, garlic and dried chipotles, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften. Add the oregano and salt, and stir. Raise heat to high, add the vinegar, and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring a few times. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. (You can make this chipotle pickle ahead of time and store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.)
  • Bring salted water to a boil in a large saucepan and take turns cooking the vegetables. First cook the carrots for 2 minutes, remove with a large spider or slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Then cook the zucchini for 30 to 40 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and add to the bowl with the carrots. Lastly, add the nopales and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water, for at least one minute, until all viscous liquid is removed.
  • Incorporate the carrots, zucchini and nopales into the prepared chipotle pickle, toss well and scrape into a bowl or container. Let it sit and marinate for at least an hour before serving. You can also cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Mix well before eating.

Notes

Ensalada de Nopalitos con Chipotle en Escabeche

Grilled Potato and Radicchio Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

grilled potato and radicchio salad
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Grilled Potato and Radicchio Salad with Dijon Tarragon Vinaigrette

Grilled Potato and Radicchio Salad with Dijon Tarragon Vinaigrette recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 10 “Cancún: We Meet Again”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: grill recipes, grilled salads, grilling, pati's mexican table, potatoes, Radicchio, tarragon, vinaigrette
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 shallot minced
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • Pinch kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon minced
  • 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup olive oil

For the salad:

  • 2 Yukon Gold potatoes washed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper divided
  • 1/2 head radicchio cut into 2 wedges

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to medium high.

For the vinaigrette:

  • In a medium size bowl, add the minced shallot, vinegar, salt, tarragon and mustard. Add olive oil in thin steady stream whisking as you pour to emulsify. Set it aside.

For the salad:

  • Place the potatoes in a large piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Then fold and seal the potatoes, as if creating a large aluminum foil package or envelope. Put it directly on the grill and cook for 30 minutes, flipping it once.
  • In a large bowl, season the radicchio with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill the radicchio for about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the grill and cut it into 1/2-inch slices.
  • Remove the potatoes from the grill, opening the package carefully as the steam will be piping hot. Transfer to a salad bowl, combine with the cut radicchio and toss with the prepared vinaigrette.

Notes

Ensalada de papa y radicchio con vinagreta de estragón

White Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on by Pati Jinich

white beans with roasted cherry tomatoes
Print Recipe
4.67 from 6 votes

White Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

White Beans with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 4 “Sunday Family Food”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: beans, bitter orange juice, canellini beans, Chorizo, cilantro, pati's mexican table, red onion, Tomatoes, xcatic chiles
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • Kosher or coarse sea salt to taste
  • 2 cups cooked canellini beans
  • 1/2 red onion peeled and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 fresh xcatic chiles (or blond or banana chiles) charred or roasted, seeded and cut into thin strips
  • 1/4 pound Longaniza chorizo (or Mexican chorizo) casings removed
  • 1/2 cup bitter orange juice or its substitute
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to broil. In a small roasting dish, toss to combine tomatoes, 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt. Broil until tomatoes are charred and softened but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a large bowl and fold in beans, onions and chiles.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat and cook the chorizo until crisp and browned, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add to bowl with bean mixture and gently fold to combine. Finish with bitter orange juice, cilantro and salt to taste.

Notes

Alubias con Jitomatitos Asados, Courtesy Chef Roberto Solis

Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad with Avocado and Pepita Dressing

Posted on by Pati Jinich

chayote apple jicama salad
Print Recipe
4.72 from 7 votes

Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad

Chayote, Apple and Jícama Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 5, Episode 3 “Celestún: Coastal Cooking”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: apple, Avocado, chayote, cilantro, Jicama, lime, pati's mexican table, pepitas, pumpkin seeds
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup pepitas or raw and hulled pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 7 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove peeled
  • 1/4 cup (packed) coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and upper stems plus more for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons (packed) coarsely chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
  • 1 ripe avocado halved, pitted and meat scooped out
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
  • 1 pound (about 2) chayote squash peeled and julienned
  • 1 pound (about 2) tart green apples peeled and julienned
  • 1 jicama peeled and julienned

Instructions

  • In a small pan set over low-medium heat, toast the pepitas, stirring occasionally, until they start making popping sounds and are very lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • For the avocado dressing, in the jar of a blender, add 1/2 cup of water and the oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, dill, avocado, pepper, salt, mustard, and the toasted pepitas, and puree until completely smooth.
  • In a bowl, toss the julienned chayote squash, apple, and jícama with the avocado dressing. Garnish with some cilantro and dill and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Chayote, Manzana y Jicama con Aderezo de Aguacate y Pepitas

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Salad with Vanilla and Chile de Arbol Vinaigrette

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Salad with Vanilla and Chile de Arbol Vinaigrette

Grilled Shrimp and Pineapple Salad with Vanilla and Chile de Arbol Vinaigrette recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 12 “Vanilla”
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: allspice, chiles de arbol, mexican vanilla, pati's mexican table, pineapple, red onion, red wine vinegar, Shrimp
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove peeled
  • 1/2 vanilla bean chopped, or about a 2″ piece
  • 1 to 2 chiles de arbol stemmed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup safflower or corn oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/8 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt or more to taste
  • ground black pepper optional
  • 1/4 tsp sugar or more to taste

For the salad:

  • 4 fresh pineapple slices peeled, about 1/2″ thick
  • Safflower or corn oil to brush the pan or grill
  • 1 lb large or extra large shrimp, fresh or thawed from frozen, rinsed, peeled, deveined
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp safflower or corn oil
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 12 oz mixed spring salad or your choice of mixed baby lettuces
  • 1/2 cup red onion slivered

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Heat the olive oil in a saucepan set over medium heat, until hot but not smoking. Add garlic clove, vanilla bean and chiles, and cook about 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful not to let them burn, remove the pan from the heat and pour its contents into a mixing bowl to cool.
  • Combine the safflower oil, red wine vinegar, salt pepper, allspice and sugar into the same bowl. Pour all the mix in the blender, puree until smooth, and reserve. The vinaigrette will be textured as the vanilla bean will not let itself be entirely pureed. But that makes it even more delicious! If you will not use the vinaigrette in the next couple of hours, cover it and refrigerate. It will keep for a week, but re-emulsify or thoroughly mix, before using.

To grill the pineapple:

  • Heat a grill pan, a grill or nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot and lightly coat with safflower or corn oil. Place the pineapple slices and cook for about 4 minutes per side until they are slightly charred. Remove from heat. Once they are cool enough to handle, cut in half, remove the core and cut into strips along the grain. Reserve.

To make the shrimp:

  • Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat the butter and oil in a saute pan over high heat. Once the butter sizzles, add the shrimp, you may need to do it in batches so they they don’t overlap, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. They should have plumped up and changed color on both sides, but be careful not to overcook them. Remove and reserve.

To assemble the salad:

  • Place the greens in a salad bowl. Drizzle some of the vinaigrette and toss, so that they are lightly coated but not soaked. Assemble on individual salad plates. Divide the shrimp, pineapple and red onion on top of each plate. You may drizzle a bit more of the vinaigrette on top and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Camarón y Piña a la Parrilla con Vinagreta de Chile de Arbol y Vainilla 
 

Warm Sweet Potato Salad with Chorizo

Posted on by Pati Jinich

sweet potato salad
Print Recipe
4.8 from 5 votes

Warm Sweet Potato Salad with Chorizo

Warm Sweet Potato Salad with Chorizo recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 9 "Chorizo"
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Main Course, Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Chorizo, cilantro, jalapeno, orange juice, pati's mexican table, sweet potato
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and cut into bite-size chunks, about 3 large sweet potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 cup orange juice preferably freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 tsp brown sugar
  • 3/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 oz fresh uncooked Mexican chorizo, casings removed and coarsely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed and seeded if less heat is desired
  • 1/3 cup red onion chopped
  • 1/3 cup cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the sweet potato pieces, once it comes back to a boil, reduce the heat to medium; simmer for about 10 minutes, until almost tender and a knife can go through without breaking a piece. Drain, and transfer to a baking dish large enough to hold the pieces almost in a single layer.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Whisk together orange juice, oil, sugar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss to coat evenly. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning them after about 10 minutes, until the potato pieces have started to brown and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the oven.
  • Meanwhile, cook the chorizo in a medium skillet over medium-high heat; use a wooden spoon of spatula to break it into smaller pieces as it cooks. After 5 to 6 minutes, when it has nicely browned and crisped, use a slotted spoon to top the hot sweet potatoes.
  • Sprinkle the jalapeño, red onion and cilantro on top, and toss gently to combine. Serve warm.

Notes

Ensalada Calientita de Camote y Chorizo

Pickled Onion Potato Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

pickled onion potato salad
Print Recipe
4.5 from 6 votes

Pickled Onion Potato Salad

Pickled Onion Potato Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 7 “Mexican Picnic”
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time27 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: garlic, habanero, jalapeno, onion, pickled, pickled red onions, potatoes, serrano chiles, vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 2 jalapeño chiles sliced in half lengthwise and seeded (may substitute for habanero or serrano if more heat is desired)
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp all spice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar or any mild fruit vinegar
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 2 red onions thinly sliced
  • 3 lbs red potatos peeled and cut into bite size chunks

Instructions

  • In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add the jalapeños and the garlic and cook for a couple minutes, until they have softened a bit.
  • Add the black peppercorns, oregano, allspice, bay leaves and salt and stir for a couple seconds. Incorporate the red onions, stir, let them soften for a minute. Carefully pour in the vinegars. Mix the vinegars with the rest of the ingredients in the pan, stir for a couple seconds and turn off the heat.
  • Cook the potatoes in a pot with salted boiling water, for about 12 minutes, until a fork or the tip of a knife goes into the potato. Strain the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Stir in the pickled onion mix. If you do so while the potatoes are still hot, they will absorb the pickle juices much better.
  • You may eat the salad warm or cold. You can let it cool and place in a container with a cover. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Ensalada de Papa y Cebollitas en Escabeche

Spinach Salad with Jamaica Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pecans

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Print Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes

Spinach Salad with Jamaica Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pecans

Spinach Salad with Jamaica Vinaigrette and Caramelized Pecans from Pati's Mexican Table, Season 1, Episode 6 "Hibiscus Flowers"
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time2 hrs
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: flowers, hibiscus, jamaica, pati's mexican table, pecans, salad, Spinach
Servings: 8 to 10 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 18 oz fresh spinach leaves rinsed, drained and thickly sliced
  • 1 bunch watercress rinsed and stems removed
  • 6-8 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • Jamaica Vinaigrette (see below)
  • 1 cup caramelized pecans roughly chopped or whole pieces, to your liking

For the Jamaica Vinaigrette:

  • 3/4 cup dried jamaica flowers
  • 1 cup safflower oil
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tsp sugar or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Place the jamiaca flowers in a bowl along with the garlic, oils, vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper. Let them sit for a few minutes, for the flowers to soften up a bit. Then pour everything into a blender and puree. The flowers will not be pureed until smooth. The mix will have a textured consistency with chewy flower chunks: that’s what you want!
  • Let the mix stand for at least two hours. If it will not be used then, it can be kept in the refrigerator, covered, for up to a week.
  • Place the spinach and watercress in a large bowl. Pour some of the vinaigrette on top and toss. Top with the chopped caramelized pecans and sprinkle the scallions over the top. Drizzle some more vinaigrette on top. If you have leftover vinaigrette, you can eat it with a spoon!

Notes

Ensalada de Espinaca con Vinagreta de Jamaica y Nueces Garapiñadas

Avocado & Hearts of Palm Chop Chop Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

avocado hearts of palm chop chop salad
Print Recipe
4.5 from 6 votes

Avocado & Hearts of Palm Chop Chop Salad

Avocado & Hearts of Palm Chop Chop Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 1, Episode 3 “Avocado”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: apple cider vinegar, Avocado, Corn, hearts of palm, pati's mexican table, pepitas, pumpkin seeds, red onion, Tomatoes, vinaigrette
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 3 ripe Mexican avocados or about 2 pounds, pulp cut into large chunks
  • 14 oz, or about 1 1/3 cups, hearts of palm drained, rinsed and thickly sliced
  • 1 cup corn kernels from 2 large freshly cooked ears of corn or thawed and cooked from frozen
  • 1 tbsp red onion chopped
  • 6 oz cherry tomatoes or about 1 cup, whole or halved according to your preference
  • Vinaigrette dressing see below
  • 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds toasted

For the vinaigrette dressing:

  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp safflower oil

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Pour the vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Add the oregano, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Pour the oil in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead of time and refrigerated, just emulsify before using.

To make the salad:

  • To toast the pumpkin seeds, place them in an already hot, small saute pan set over medium heat. Stir often, being careful that they don’t burn; until you start to hear popping sounds (similar to popcorn) and they being to acquire a nice tan, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a bowl.
  • In a bowl, gently mix the avocado chunks, hearts of palm, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes and red onion with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
  • The dish can be served as a main salad with a side of toast or pita bread. Or serve it as a side salad to grilled chicken, fish or meat.

Notes

Ensalada de Aguacate y Palmitos

Everyday Green Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Everyday Green Salad
Print Recipe
4.6 from 5 votes

Everyday Green Salad

Everyday Green Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 10 “Lip-Smacking Mexican Meal”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time1 min
Total Time11 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, carrots, cucumber, mustard, pati's mexican table, red onion, salad, Tomatoes, vinaigrette, vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/3 cup red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar or to taste

For the salad:

  • 1 head butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce
  • 4 carrots or 3/4 lb, peeled, thinly sliced
  • 1 large cucumber or 3/4 lb, peeled, seeded, sliced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes or 3/4 lb, quartered, seeded, sliced
  • 1 large ripe Mexican avocado halved, pitted, sliced

Instructions

  • In a plastic container that has a lid, add the vinegar, vegetable and olive oils, Dijon mustard, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper and sugar. Cover the container with a lid and shake for 10 seconds until the vinaigrette is well emulsified. Alternatively, you can also whisk with a fork in a bowl.
  • Place the lettuce, carrots, cucumber and tomato in a large salad bowl. Pour a generous amount of the vinaigrette on top and toss. The salad should be coated with the vinaigrette but not swimming in it.
  • Top with avocado slices, drizzle a bit more vinaigrette on top of and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de todos los dí­as

Fresh Jí­cama and Orange Pico de Gallo

Posted on by Pati Jinich

jicama and orange pico
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Fresh Jí­cama and Orange Pico de Gallo

Fresh Jí­cama and Orange Pico de Gallo recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 8 “Tequila!”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Jicama, lime, orange, Peanuts, Pico de Gallo, piquí­n chiles, tajin
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 large or 2 small jí­camas 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and cut into sticks
  • 3 oranges peeled and separated into segments or sliced
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 tablspoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or more taste
  • 1 tablespoon dried ground chile Piquí­n or Tají­n or to taste
  • 1/2 cup shelled roasted peanuts chopped and toasted, not salted

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to create a vinaigrette.
  • Place the jí­camas and oranges in a salad bowl. Toss with the vinaigrette. Let it all marinate for about 10 minutes, either inside or outside of the refrigerator. Sprinkle with the peanuts and serve.

Notes

Pico de jí­cama y naranja

Chayote Squash and Pickled Onion Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

chayote squash salad
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Chayote Squash and Pickled Onion Salad

Chayote Squash and Pickled Onion Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 2, Episode 4 “Easy Comfort Food”
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time35 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chayote, oregano, pati's mexican table, pickled red onions, red wine vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chayote squash
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 fresh oregano
  • 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Place unpeeled chayotes in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and cover the pan, then reduce heat to low; simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chayotes are cooked through. A knife will cleanly go through them, but they won’t be completely soft or mushy.
  • Drain, and once cool, peel the chayotes. Cut them in half, then slice into sticks.
  • Combine the remaining ingredients, except for the onions, and whisk into a vinaigrette. Add the onions, mix well and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. It can also be made ahead a day before and left in the refrigerator.
  • Toss the chayote sticks with the vinaigrette and onions. Serve or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.

Notes

Ensalada de chayote y cebolla morada

Rosura Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

rosura salad
Print Recipe
4 from 2 votes

Rosura Salad

This award winning recipe, adapted from caterer Marí­a Dolores Torres Izabal is festive and colorful. You can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time and assemble right before serving.
Prep Time45 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, beets, Jicama, red cabbage, Rosura, salad, Spinach, vinaigrette
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove pressed or finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Avocado dressing:

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 cup Mexican crema
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

To serve:

  • 5 cups (or about 1 pound) thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 3 cups peeled and shredded raw beets from about 2 beets
  • 5 cups (or about 8 ounces) spinach rinsed and thinly sliced
  • 5 cups jícama peeled and cut into small sticks (from about 1 jícama)
  • 1/4 of a white onion thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces candied pineapple or other candied fruit
  • 1 cup croutons
  • 1/2 cup lightly toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

For the vinaigrette:

  • Add the vinegar, garlic, chopped onion, salt, and sugar to a small bowl, then whisk in the oils to emulsify.

For the avocado dressing:

  • Place milk and garlic in a blender and puree. Add the lime juice, crema, avocados and salt to taste and blend until smooth. Pour avocado dressing in a bowl and stir in the chives. 

To serve:

  • Combine the cabbage, beets, spinach, jícama, onion and dried pineapple or dried fruit in a salad bowl. 
  • Lightly dress the salad with some of the vinaigrette. Place the salad on the table and leave the avocado dressing, croutons and toasted sesame seeds on the side for people to add as they please.  

Notes

Adapted from Marí­a Dolores Torres Izabal

Potato and Poblano Rajas Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

potato poblano rajas salad
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Potato and Poblano Rajas Salad

Potato and Poblano Rajas Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 4, Episode 13 “Backyard Picnic”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Total Time45 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: allspice, pati's mexican table, poblanos, potatoes, rajas, red onion, sesame oil, tarragon, vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 3 poblano chiles charred, sweated, peeled and cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 cups halved and thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Drop in the red potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked through and the tip of a knife goes in without much resistance, but the potatoes are not falling apart. When ready, drain into a colander. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into halves.
  • In a large deep skillet or casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the sesame oil. Stir in the red onion and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring once in a while, until they have completely softened and edges have begun to slightly brown. Incorporate the poblano chile rajas (strips), stir, cook for a minute or two.
  • Add the tarragon, allspice and sesame seeds and cook for a couple minutes. Pour in the white wine vinegar and rice vinegar, stir, cook for another minute and turn off the heat.
  • Place the potatoes in a large bowl, pour the onion, rajas, oil and vinegar mixture on top, and gently toss. Serve warm, at room temperature (how I like them the best) or cold.

Notes

Ensalada de Papitas con Rajas

Boston Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing

Posted on by Pati Jinich
Print Recipe
3.67 from 6 votes

Boston Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing

Boston Lettuce Salad with Avocado Dressing recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 4, Episode 10 “Modern Mexico"
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, boston lettuce, garlic, lime, mexican crema, pati’s mexican table, pineapple, pumpkin seeds
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe Mexican avocados halved, pitted and meat scooped out
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup Mexican crema Latin-style cream, crème fraîche, or sour cream
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or more to taste
  • 2 heads boston lettuce leaves separated, washed, dried, and torn into pieces
  • 1/2 cup chopped candied pineapple or other candied fruits like papaya or mango
  • 1/2 cup spicy pumpkin seeds recipe below

Instructions

  • Combine the avocado, milk, cream, garlic, lime juice and salt in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
  • Place the lettuce in a generous-sized serving bowl, and toss with the dressing until the leaves are lightly coated. Sprinkle with the pineapple and pumpkin seeds and serve.

Notes

Ensalada con Aderezo de Aguacate
pepitas main
Print Recipe
2.67 from 3 votes

Spiced Up Pumpkin Seeds

One of my favorite ways to eat Pepitas is hulled, toasted or lightly fried and tossed with ground dried chile piquín, salt and sugar. It takes five minutes to make this tasty crunchy nibble.
Prep Time0 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time5 mins
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chile piquín, pepitas, pumpkin seeds, snack, spiced
Servings: 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin seeds
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cup hulled raw pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon corn, safflower or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground chile piquín or ground Mexican chile, more or less to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt more or less to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar more or less to taste

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Once it is hot but not smoking add the pumpkin seeds. Saute, stirring often, for about 4 to 5 minutes, they will have begun making popping sounds and some of them will begin gaining a nice tanned brown color.
  • Transfer to a mixing bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving the remains of the oil behind in the pan. Sprinkle with the ground chile, salt and sugar and toss to coat. As they cool down, they will dry up and become crunchier. Eat or store covered with a lid. They will keep for about a week, if you don’t finish them before then.

Notes

Pepitas

Bell Peppers, Cucumber and Chickpea Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

Print Recipe
4.17 from 6 votes

Bell Peppers, Cucumber and Chickpea Salad

Bell Peppers, Cucumber and Chickpea Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 4, Episode 4 “Summer Evening Party”
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bell peppers, chickpeas, cucumber, garbanzo beans, jalapeno, mint, peppers, red onion, red wine vinegar, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno chile stemmed, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained (or about 2 cups home-cooked chickpeas)
  • 1 red bell pepper stemmed, seeded, cut into “matchstick” slices (2-inches by 1/4 to 1/2-inch)
  • 1 yellow bell pepper stemmed, seeded, cut into “matchstick” slices (2-inches by 1/4 to 1/2-inch)
  • 1 orange bell pepper stemmed, seeded, cut into “matchstick” slices (2-inches by 1/4 to 1/2-inch)
  • 1 green bell pepper stemmed, seeded, cut into “matchstick” slices (2-inches by 1/4 to 1/2-inch)
  • 1 cucumber peeled, seeded, halved and sliced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, beat the lime juice, red wine vinegar and oils with a fork or whisk until emulsified. Toss in the oregano, mint, red onion, jalapeño, and salt and pepper and whisk again until fully incorporated. Add the chickpeas, and let it all marinate while you prepare the rest of the vegetables. You can also cover and refrigerate the marinating chickpeas for up to one day.
  • When ready to serve, add the bell peppers and cucumbers, mix well, and set on the table.

Notes

Ensalada de Pepino, Pimiento y Garbanzo

Potato and Poblano Rajas Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

If you are going to try a new potato salad, it has to be this one.

It’s rich. It’s filling. Yet at the same time, it’s light and bright. How can this happen? You may wonder…

Soft tender potatoes are combined with an exuberant poblano chile rajas, or strips, and lightly caramelized red onion mix. It’s not a creamy salad, but one that has an unexpected vinegary kick, laced with olive and sesame oils.

In my kitchen, it’s a well documented fact that poblano chiles love the company of allspice. And it is no secret that potatoes love to be showered with tarragon. Mix it all up, and I want to eat the entire serves-six-people bowl.

Of course, potato salad is as familiar and old-fashioned as apple pie, but you have never tried one like this. It brings the character of Central Mexico, where the combination of papas con (poblano) rajas has a long history at the table. But this may be the first time you see that combination in a salad form.

I dreamed it up while sitting at my desk wondering how I could bring the legendary combination of potatoes and poblano rajas to your table. Maybe it was the seesawing March forecast teasing spring, after the coldest winter in years here in Washington, DC, that put the idea of potato salad in my head…

Perfect, I thought, if it comes out as I am hoping, to bring this substantial salad to your table for Easter, or Passover, or a cookout, or any occasion you may have in mind this spring, where a big bowl of the best-ever potato salad will come in handy. And: I loved it!

Don’t think about this as a potato salad with chile peppers.

No.

poblano chiles

We are not using a spicy chile for the heat. We are adding the grand poblano chile, which is more like a stunning vegetable with mild heat than what many people consider all chiles to be.

Not only is the poblano a large, shiny, curvy, dark green beauty – it also has the most extraordinary rich, fruity, spirited flavor.

However, the poblano chile is a bit timid in it’s raw form and calls for a little coaxing, or prep work, before it can bring out its finest flavor, color and texture. Though, not to worry, it’s very easy to master the process of charring, sweating, and peeling the chiles.

prepping poblano chiles

Once you prep the poblanos a couple of times, you’ll see it’s no harder than roasting a red bell pepper. And the reward is in the deepened flowery, smoky, mildly spicy flavor of your transformed poblanos.

This salad is versatile, too. I like it warm, but you can eat it any way you prefer or best suits the occasion: warm, room temperature, or cold.

And it’s filling enough to eat as a main course for a quick lunch or as a side dish for a celebration table, for sandwich night, or for a backyard BBQ.

Seriously, give it a try.

potato and poblano rajas salad

Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Potato and Poblano Rajas Salad

If you are going to try a new potato salad, it has to be this one. It’s rich. It’s filling. Yet at the same time, it’s light and bright. How can this happen? You may wonder…Soft tender potatoes are combined with an exuberant poblano chile rajas, or strips, and lightly caramelized red onion mix. It’s not a creamy salad, but one that has an unexpected vinegary kick, laced with olive and sesame oils.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time35 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: onion, pati's mexican table, poblanos, potatoes, vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 3 poblano chiles charred, sweated, peeled and cut into strips
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 1/2 cups halved and thinly sliced red onion
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Drop in the red potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes, until they are cooked through and the tip of a knife goes in without much resistance, but the potatoes are not falling apart. When ready, drain into a colander. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut into halves.
  • In a large deep skillet or casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the sesame oil. Stir in the red onion and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring once in a while, until they have completely softened and edges have begun to slightly brown. Incorporate the poblano chile rajas (strips), stir, cook for a minute or two.
  • Add the tarragon, allspice and sesame seeds and cook for a couple minutes. Pour in the white wine vinegar and rice vinegar, stir, cook for another minute and turn off the heat.
  • Place the potatoes in a large bowl, pour the onion, rajas, oil and vinegar mixture on top, and gently toss. Serve warm, at room temperature (how I like them the best) or cold.

Notes

Ensalada de Papitas con Rajas

Grilled Romaine and Red Bell Peppers with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette and Cheese

Posted on by Pati Jinich

grilled romain salad
Print Recipe
4.75 from 4 votes

Grilled Romaine and Red Bell Peppers with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette and Cheese

Grilled Romaine and Red Bell Peppers with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette and Cheese recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 3, Episode 12 "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun"
Prep Time8 hrs 10 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time8 hrs 22 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: ancho chiles, bell peppers, feta, grill recipes, grilled salads, lettuce, pati's mexican table, piloncillo, queso fresco, vinaigrette, vinegar
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 6 to 8 (about 3 ounces) ancho chiles rinsed, stemmed and seeded
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar or grated piloncillo or to taste

For the salad:

  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 3 heads romaine lettuce
  • olive oil to drizzle
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco mild feta or farmers’ cheese, crumbled

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut the stemmed and seeded chiles lengthwise into thin strips and place them in a mixing bowl. Add the onion, garlic, vinegars, oil, salt and sugar to the bowl and toss to mix well. Transfer everything to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for at least 8 hours before using.

To make the salad:

  • Place the red bell peppers either on a tray under the broiler, on a heated grill, or on a heated comal on the stovetop, and char on all sides, flipping as each side chars, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Once cool enough to handle, remove the stems and cut into slices (without removing the skin or discarding the juices).
  • Slice the romaine lettuces in half lengthwise. Drizzle each half with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle on a pinch of salt and pepper. Place them on a heated grill or comal and quickly char, about 1 minute per side.
  • Serve lettuces on a platter along with the red bell pepper strips, ladle the ancho chile vinaigrette on top and sprinkle with the cheese.

Notes

Ensalada de Lechuga y Pimientos Asados con Vinagreta de Chile Ancho y Queso

Crab, Cucumber and Jícama Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

crab, cucumber and jicama salad
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Crab, Cucumber and Jícama Salad

Crab, Cucumber and Jícama Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 3, Episode 9 “Pot Luck Party”
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Total Time15 mins
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cayenne pepper, cilantro, crab, cucumber, honey, Jicama, lime, Peanuts, tostadas, vinegar
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Zest of 2 limes
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher or coarse sea salt to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 small jícama peeled and julienned
  • 1 large English cucumber peeled, seeded and julienned
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts crushed , or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • 1 pint jumbo lump crab meat picked through thoroughly for cartilage and shells
  • Romain lettuce to accompany (optional)
  • Tostadas homemade or store-bought, or crackers, to accompany (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the lime juice and zest, cayenne pepper, rice wine vinegar and honey. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add the jícama, cucumber, scallions, peanuts and cilantro and toss well to combine. Then, add the crab and gently toss, taking care not to break up the crab meat. Serve over lettuce or in individual cups accompanied by tostadas or crackers.

Notes

Ensalada de Cangrejo, Pepino y Jícama

Morelia-Style Fruit Salad

Posted on by Pati Jinich

morelia style fruit salad or gazpacho pati jinich
Print Recipe
4.8 from 5 votes

Morelia-Style Fruit Salad

Morelia-Style Fruit Salad recipe from Pati's Mexican Table Season 3, Episode 5 “Family Fiesta”
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Antojos
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cotija, fruit, Jicama, lime, mango, onion, orange juice, pati's mexican table, pineapple, piquí­n chiles
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 cups peeled and diced ripe mango
  • 2 cups peeled and diced pineapple
  • 2 cups peeled and diced jícama
  • 3 cups freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 6 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
  • 3/4 cup finely crumbled queso Cotija or substitute queso fresco, mild feta, dried ricotta or Romano cheese
  • To taste kosher or coarse sea salt
  • To taste dried ground piquín chile or Mexican dried ground chile

Instructions

To make individual gazpachos:

  • In a cup, add a layer of mango, pineapple, jícama, a tablespoon of onion, a tablespoon of queso; then another layer of mango, pineapple, jícama, and another tablespoon of queso. Pour in 1/2 cup orange juice, a tablespoon of lime juice, and sprinkle salt and ground chile to taste. Repeat to make 6 individual cups.

To make for all:

  • Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl to your taste!

Notes

Gazpacho Moreliano

Hearty Bean & Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Posted on by Pati Jinich

One of the things that I’m most enthusiastic about in what I do is breaking down myths about Mexican food and also about Mexicans. One of the biggest misconceptions is that Mexican food is greasy, fatty, cheesy and overloaded in heavy amounts of condiments. Some of the dishes that crossed the Mexican border and have become popular in the US, have been re-interpreted and promoted by the US fast food industry. Yet, mega burrito bombs, nachos smothered in cheese, and sizzling fajitas with scoops of sour cream on top are things you will have a really hard time finding in Mexico.

One thing that surprises people who delve a bit more into the Mexican culinary world is how crazy we are about salads. Not taco salads, no, no, no… Wholesome salads that use vegetables and beans and grains and flowers and all kinds of dried chiles and herbs…

It may be that the Mexican use of the word salad “ensalada” doesn’t help much to spread this good information because we usually call “ensalada” when there is lettuce or leafy greens in it. This leaves out chayote en vinagre, calabacitas en escacheche (pickled zucchini salad), nopalitos, and a gazillion other salads named simply by their main ingredient.

Mexican salads are so fascinating that I dedicated an entire chapter to them in my cookbook. They tend to be easy to make, and there always tends to be something exotic or interesting going on. A hibiscus flower vinaigrette, crunchy and watery jícama, or quickly pickled ancho chiles, super crispy and sweet garnishes like caramelized pecans or peanuts, spiced pepitas, or toasted sunflower seeds, just to name some.

Salads are usually dressed up in an oil and vinegar treatment, and Mexican cooks get very creative with them. We whip up vinaigrettes quickly, either in the blender or simply shaking them up in a jar. After they are made they can be refrigerated and re-used, with just a re-shake to emulsify. Every Mexican home that I know, has their home staple vinaigrettes of choice.

Pick a flavor of your choice: say, cilantro! Fresh, grassy, strong.

cilantro

Don’t like cilantro? Pick another one, such as chives, tarragon, mint, parsley… a combination of many.

But stick with me on cilantro for this one. This is one of my regular vinaigrettes. All you do is add the ingredients in a blender, puree, done. Don’t be deterred. In less time than it takes to run to the store for a bottle, you have a tastier one made at home.

cilantro vinaigrette

You can use it in a regular green salad, over tomato and mozzarella, soaking up other cooked vegetables like green beans or asparagus and sprinkled with fresh cheese. I tried it with this combination of corn, hearts of palm and black and garbanzo beans, and we all went wild over it. So many textures, so many flavors, so many colors, so very playful.

It can be your main dish, anytime of the year, with some crusty bread on the side. It can also be a great side salad for your barbecues and picnics in the summertime.

bean and corn salad

bean and corn salad
Print Recipe
4 from 3 votes

Hearty Bean & Corn Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Salads are usually dressed up in an oil and vinegar treatment, and Mexican cooks get very creative with them. We whip up vinaigrettes quickly, either in the blender or simply shaking them up in a jar. After they are made they can be refrigerated and re-used, with just a re-shake to emulsify. Every Mexican home that I know, has their home staple vinaigrettes of choice. Pick a flavor of your choice: say, cilantro! Fresh, grassy, strong.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: bell peppers, black beans, chickpeas, cilantro, Corn, garbanzo beans, hearts of palm, Recipe, red onion, red wine vinegar, salad, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 1 15.5oz can black beans drained and rinsed, or 1 ¾ cups black beans from the pot , drained
  • 1 15.5oz can garbanzo beans or chickpeas drained and rinsed, or 1 ¾ cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained
  • 1 15.2oz can corn drain and rinsed, or 1 ¾ cup fresh or frozen corn kernels cooked
  • 1 14oz can hearts of palm rinsed and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and upper stems, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove peeled
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or more to taste

Instructions

  • Place all the ingredients for the vinaigrette in a blender and puree until smooth. You may make the vinaigrette up to a week ahead and store covered in the refrigerator. If made ahead, whisk with a fork or whisk to re-emulsify prior to using. You may also shake it in the covered container.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine black beans, garbanzo beans, corn, red bell pepper and red onion. Pour vinaigrette and combine well. Add hearts of palm, gently toss and serve.

Notes

Ensalada de Frijol, Garbanzo y Elote con Vinagreta de Cilantro

Apple, Radish, Watercress Salad with Pistachio and Chile de Arbol

Posted on by patiadmin

A couple weeks ago, right as I was setting up for one of my classes, “A Culinary Compass of Mexico,” at the Mexican Cultural Institute, Alberto Roblest came over and asked me a great question.

“Pati, do you cook traditional Mexican recipes OR do you create your own?”

Alberto is doing a project with the support of The Office on Latino Affairs. It is called Hola Cultura and explores the contributions of Latinos to DC life and culture, from art to language to sports to cooking.

I think he meant for me to respond with an either or. He really did. Come on Pati, “traditional” OR “new,” he insisted. But I kept answering “BOTH!” As I kept trying to explain why, I realized so wholeheartedly that both traditional and new not only describe my cooking style but also one of the many wonders of Mexican cuisine.

See… I thrive on exploring, traveling, tasting, testing, recreating and passing on traditional Mexican cuisine and recipes. If I get to live to be 120 years old, I won’t have enough time to taste and share all the rich and vibrant regional cuisines and dishes that exist across Mexico.

Mexican cooking has such sturdy pillars and is so strong, partly because generation after generation, tried and true recipes are passed on, sometimes written and sometimes not. When a dish and its traditions somehow get lost in a family, neighborhood, or community… once it is found and recreated again, a lifeline that holds us together suddenly appears! Even if its on the other side of the globe.

When I receive a request for that “much needed but can’t be found” recipe, I jump for joy! I am sent on a serious mission, and I don’t stop until it is completed.

Apple Radish Watercress Salad 1

At the same time, Mexican cuisine is so strong because it has a treasure trove of fabulous ingredients that are so accommodating in their use. As long as one understands the ingredient and its genuine nature, there are so many ways to experiment with it. That is also how a cuisine expands, by creating new combinations and testing the limits, sometimes failing and sometimes succeeding. Surely, many of the traditional takes were once new too.

While I dedicate so much of my time researching and passing on what has existed for generations and centuries, I can’t resist creating new dishes. Funny, that it happens many times with salads, like the Watermelon and Tomatillo Salad.

For the one on this post, which I have been obsessively repeating, I use watercress, called “berros” in Mexico (I happen to love that word). They are used tremendously in Mexican kitchens for salads. They are delightful: a bit bitter, made up on thin leaves but packed with flavor and such a nice delicate bite.

On top goes a combination of thinly sliced tart green apples and pungent radishes. One ingredient snapped from a tree and another pulled from the ground! Both ingredients have a bright colorful outer skin, yet, inside are crisp white. I use them both raw, and get the most of their watery crunch and contrasting taste.

Then it is all covered in a light vinaigrette with a bit of mustard and a bit of honey. Then a stellar topping tries to steal away the show.

Apple Radish Watercress Salad 2

Toasted chile de árbol and pistachios, chopped together. A smoky, lightly spicy, crunchy, nutty and ironically sweet combination.

You won’t believe how sweet the pistachios taste on each bite.

Apple Radish Watercress Salad 3

Give it a try!!

Its fresh, its crunchy, lightly tart, with a nice kick and a combination of unexpected flavors that I hope will have you making it time and again as the seasons move on…

p.s. All that said: send along more requests for any more Mexican recipes you are craving at any time.

apple, watercress, radish and chile de arbol salad
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Apple, Radish, Watercress Salad with Pistachio and Chile de Arbol

For the one on this post, which I have been obsessively repeating, I use watercress, called “berros” in Mexico (I happen to love that word). They are used tremendously in Mexican kitchens for salads. They are delightful: a bit bitter, made up on thin leaves but packed with flavor and such a nice delicate bite. On top goes a combination of thinly sliced tart green apples and pungent radishes. One ingredient snapped from a tree and another pulled from the ground! 
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chiles de arbol, green apple, honey, lime, mustard, pistachios, radish, Recipe, salad, vinegar, watercress
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 2 bunches watercress rinsed, dried and the tougher ends of stems removed
  • 1 green apple rinsed, and cut into thin wedges
  • 1 bunch radishes (or about 4 ounces or 1 cup already sliced), rinsed, stems and roots removed, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup pistachios lightly toasted and chopped
  • 2 chiles de arbol toasted, chopped (seeding optional)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (natural unseasoned)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Place the apple and the radishes in a bowl. Place the watercress in another bowl.
  • Heat a a small 6 inch skillet set over medium low heat, add the pistachios and toast anywhere form 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until they are nicely toasted, but don't let them burn. Remove form heat. In the same skillet, toast the chiles de arbol anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes, flipping sides, 1 or 2 times along the way, remove from the heat.
  • Remove the stems from the chiles de arbol. In a chopping board, chop the chiles de arbol. You may remove the seeds once they are chopped or keep them. Add the pistachios and chop them along with the chile de arbol creating a pistachio chile de arbol mixture.
  • In a small bowl, combine the mustard, honey, salt, pepper, rice vinegar and lime juice with a whisk or fork. Slowly, pour in the oils and whisk or mix very well until thoroughly combined. Pour half onto the apple-radish mix and half onto the watercress.
  • To serve, on small appetizer plates, add watercress, top with the apple-radish mixture and sprinkle some of the pistachio-chile de arbol mix on top.

Notes

Ensalada de Berros con Manzana y Rábanos

Summertime Watermelon & Tomatillo Salad: Beat the Heat!

Posted on by patiadmin

This year I promised my boys we would plant goodies in the backyard to harvest ourselves. At the nursery, jumping up and down as in a candy shop, they dragged so many plants to the counter, I had to give an absolute NO to half of them.

We ended up with thyme, oregano, bay leaves, rosemary, mint, parsley, and cilantro.  Ok, and tomatoes, cherry and roma. Fine… corn too, don’t know what I was thinking. And wait! We couldn’t leave without jalapeños, which led me to run for some tomatillos. And scallions. I stopped there. I did.

Then Sami came back with a little watermelon plant.  That was the wildest idea, oh, that monster of mine. We’ve no room to grow watermelon. I told him about the big wide fields in Northern Mexico, in states like Sonora, Chihuahua, Jalisco and Sinaloa where watermelon is grown extensively. Our backyard is… not so big.

Beats me.

We brought home Sami’s watermelon plant.

chopped up watermelon
As the weeks went by, we saw many of the plants thrive, except the watermelon which seemed to take an awful long time to  grow. Then one day the editors from Babble asked me for a custom recipe. By then, I was eagerly thinking about what would make the sweet, watery crunch from that soon to grow watermelon shine the most.

This is what I came up with…

tomatillos
Thinly sliced, raw, punchy and tart tomatillos. Much firmer than the watermelon, and just look at the color contrast. Not to say about the flavor combination.

To coat this unconventional pairing, I wanted a vinaigrette with some some gentle heat. I got it from the jalapeños, which you will never have trouble finding in our backyard as Juju made markers for each plant… I am proud to say, the boy knows his Ñ’s.

jalapenos in the garden
I coarsely chopped the chiles, as I like to feel their friendly bite. But you can give them a finer chop and even remove the seeds.

jalapeno

With the already unusual watermelon and tomatillo pairing, I went unusual again, and added some chopped fresh mint.

Mint  has been growing wild here, as all mint tends to… Although we planted ours in the ground while still in their protective pots, to keep them in check. It doesn’t seem to give a hoot. Its wild.

mint
Soaked the jalapeño and the mint with fresh squeezed lime juice, a bit of straight forward white distilled vinegar which makes everything it coats more crisp, the oils and salt… Gave it a bit of time, 5 to 10 minutes, to sit and get acquainted.

limes
Poured the vinaigrette over the red and green. Yet not only was the salad screaming for some white (partly to round the colors of the Mexican flag, for one thing…) but also for some salty taste with some heartiness to it. Hence the Feta Cheese. Now you can go for anything tangy, salty and crumbly: queso fresco or farmers’ cheese works well too.

feta cheese
While we had the chance to harvest and eat the jalapeño, mint and tomatillos from our backyard, that watermelon never came to be… some bunnies got to it before we did.

But just day dreaming about it made me come up with one of my favorite recipes. It is so bright, so alive, so peppy and so summery!

Luckily there are plenty of amazing watermelons at the stores… we will have to give it another go next summer to harvest our own.

watermelon and tomatillo salad
Meanwhile I can’t help but repeat this salad that hits all the taste buds!  Sweet from the watermelon, salty from the cheese, spicy from the chile, tart from the lime and tomatillos and refreshing from the mint. Oh, you just have to give it a try…

watermelon and tomatillo salad with feta cheese
Print Recipe
3.5 from 2 votes

Summertime Watermelon & Tomatillo Salad

I can’t help but repeat this salad that hits all the taste buds!  Sweet from the watermelon, salty from the cheese, spicy from the chile, tart from the lime and tomatillos and refreshing from the mint. Oh, you just have to give it a try…
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: feta, jalapeno, lime, mint, pati's mexican table, queso fresco, tomatillos, vinaigrette, vinegar, watermelon
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 4 cups watermelon cut into bite size chunks or cubes
  • 2 cups, about 1/2 pound tomatillos husks removed, thoroughly rinsed, quartered and thinly sliced
  • 2/3 cup, about 3 ounces mild feta or queso fresco crumbled or cut into small dice

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves about 5 to 6, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon jalapeño or serrano chile or to taste (seeding optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Place the watermelon cubes and tomatillo slices in a large bowl.
  • In a small bowl, add the chopped mint and jalapeno. Squeeze the fresh lime juice on top, stir in the vinegar, sprinkle the salt and mix. Pour the olive oil and vegetable oil, and mix with a whisk or fork until well emulsified.
  • Pour the vinaigrette on top of the watermelon and tomatillos, toss well and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Notes

Ensalada de Sandía y Tomate Verde

A National Public Television Series and an Avocado Chop Chop Salad: Take a Peek!

Posted on by patiadmin

I’ve been wanting to write this post for days. Every time I try, it feels like hundreds of flowers bloom in my head, clouding my thoughts. My tongue gets tied too. Which is not common. I usually don’t hesitate to express my thoughts.

So, pushing aside the flowers and the thing with the tongue…

Dearest friends, here’s the news: if you like Mexican food, if you like Public Television, if you like my approach to cooking, then… I hope you’ll like to hear that Pati’s Mexican Table is premiering on National Public Television, this spring.

I can tell you so many things about how the series came together and why I am so passionate about it. It’s been a fascinating journey: radically switching careers, launching the Culinary Program at the Institute, starting the blog, and now, embarking on the TV series.

What a wild zigzag. But with each turn I’ve confirmed that I want to keep on sharing and exploring Mexican food and all that surrounds it for as long as I can.

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 1

It pleases me to no end to watch my students devour the food at the Institute’s events, and more so when they write to say they’ve made the recipes at home. I love the stories you’ve shared in the blog’s comments and your requests for different cravings. I try to give you the most reliable recipe for that special cookie, dish, soup, or drink that brings you good memories or that you’ve been dying to try. Your filled and happy tummies, stories and requests, fuel my appetite to cook and share more.

See… there is a side of Mexican cuisine that is yet to be fully savored and appreciated: home-style Mexican food.  And for that, thankfully, many preconceptions become broken.

Take this Avocado, Tomato, Corn and Hearts of Palm Chop Chop Salad. One of the first recipes I thought of including in the series.

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 2

The buttery and luxurious Mexican avocados, the plump and fresh tomatoes, the sweet and crunchy corn, are all native Mexican ingredients. The hearts of palm are not, but its an ingredient that has been popular in Mexican kitchens for ages. Called palmitos, or little palm trees, when I was growing up in Mexico city, my grandmother and mother used to pair Palmitos and avocado for special occasions, just like many restaurants do.

See the mix! It is colorful, it is fresh, it is wholesome. Not many adjectives given to Mexican food outside of Mexico.

This salad is not laborious, as many consider good Mexican food to be. Ingredients here have to be simply, roughly chopped. Just like that!

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 3

The vinaigrette has crisp and clear ingredients: olive and safflower oils, the always straight forward apple cider vinegar, the lively fresh squeezed lime juice, salt, pepper, oregano (commonly used to season Mexican food, though not that well known) and brown sugar to help all of those flavors shine.

Simple, but layered flavors that feel so smooth when you take a bite.

And no. This salad isn’t spicy. Though I am wild about fresh and dried chiles, like most Mexicans (we need them! we do! there is sooo much one can do with each different kind!), and they are a staple in Mexican cooking (you will see some of my favorite ones in the series…) not all Mexican food is spicy nor has chiles.

What gives this salad a bit of pungency is a bit of chopped red onion.

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 4

There is nothing here battered or fried. Nor is this salad stuffed inside a giant tortilla with a gazillion other ingredients (OK, my boys do like U.S.-style burritos and I have come to appreciate them, but we also love Mexican-style ones… which I share in one of the show’s episodes).

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 5

What tops the salad, and gives it a healthy, crunchy and lightly nutty flavored bite are the toasted pumpkin seeds. An ingredient that since long before the time of the Aztecs, has been the base of moles, stews, sauces and pastes. They are used for all that, and for this too.

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 6

So of course I will share traditional dishes that have been passed down in families for generations, the pepitos, the soups, the tacos, the stews, the salsas, the practical moles, the flans and the panes dulces. But I will also share some of the modern spins made within the genuine boundaries of Mexican cooking: so you can explore along with me, a cuisine that keeps on evolving, inside and outside of Mexico.

Avocado Chop Chop Salad 7

So tune in!! And please, keep on sharing what you like and what you don’t, and mostly: send me your requests, I will try to keep on honoring them all.

p.s. The series premieres on WETA TV 26 Saturday April 2nd at 11:30 am in DC/MD/VA. Check your local public television station for their schedule this Spring!

Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Avocado and Hearts of Palm Chop Chop Salad

The buttery and luxurious Mexican avocados, the plump and fresh tomatoes, the sweet and crunchy corn, are all native Mexican ingredients. The hearts of palm are not, but its an ingredient that has been popular in Mexican kitchens for ages. Called palmitos, or little palm trees, when I was growing up in Mexico city, my grandmother and mother used to pair Palmitos and avocado for special occasions, just like many restaurants do.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: apple cider vinegar, Avocado, Corn, hearts of palm, lime, pumpkin seeds, Recipe, red onion, salad, Tomatoes, Vegetarian, vinaigrette
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 3 ripe Mexican avocados about 2 pounds, pulp cut into large chunks
  • 14 ounces hearts of palm drained, rinsed and thickly sliced, about 1 1/3 cups
  • 1 cup corn kernels from freshly cooked ears of corn or thawed and cooked from frozen
  • 1 tablespoon red onion chopped
  • 6 ounces cherry tomatoes or about 1 cup, whole or halved according to your preference
  • 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds toasted

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons safflower oil

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Pour the vinegar and lime juice in a small bowl. Add oregano, salt sugar and black pepper. Pour the oils in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. The vinaigrette can be made a day ahead of time, just emulsify before using.

To toast the pumpkin seeds:

  • Place the pumpkin seeds in an already hot small saute pan, set over medium heat. Stir often, being careful not to burn them, until you start to hear popping sounds (similar to pop corn), and they begin to acquire a nice tanned color, about 4 to 5 minutes later. Remove from heat and place in a bowl.

To make the salad:

  • In a separate bowl, gently mix the avocado chunks, hearts of palm slices, corn kernels, cherry tomatoes and red onion with the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.
  • This salad can be served as a main salad with a side of toast or pita bread, or it can be served as a side salad to grilled chicken, fish or meat.

Notes

Ensalada de Aguacate y Palmitos

Queso Fresco: Tri-Color Salad with a Lime-Honey Vinaigrette

Posted on by patiadmin

Yesterday, right after my blog turned 1 year old, I added a new category under Ingredients: Cheese.

This site is a continuous work in progress. As my husband notes, it is very time consuming, but as I always respond, it is immensely rewarding. Truth is, I can’t wait to keep on adding more. One of the things I have loved the most has been getting your requests, so please, keep them coming! Which brings me back to Mexican cheese, a topic I have gotten many requests for.

The first kind I added is the widely available Queso Fresco.  A deeply white, mild, fresh, light, barely salty, gently tangy and versatile cheese that crumbles right in your mouth the moment you take a bite. Yet, it also holds its shape beautifully if you dice it or cut it into sticks. So it lets you play with it in many ways.

Tri-Color Salad 1

Aside from crumbling Queso Fresco directly on plenty of antojos like tacos, tostadas and enchiladas, one of my favorite ways to use it is on top of salads. I know, Mexican salads are not that well known. That said, I have never, in my life, seen a taco salad on Mexican grounds. There is a universe of wholesome and delicious Mexican salads to be found in Restaurants, but mostly, in people’s homes.

Every Mexican household has a secret vinaigrette that is both regularly used and waiting to be screamed out. But you can rarely get the exact recipe, because they are typically made “al tanteo“, an expression that I love, which means by feel, as you go.

Rather than placing the ingredients in a mixing bowl and emulsifying with a whisk as the French might do, in Mexico ingredients are commonly added in a Tupperware and shaken up until well blended.

Here is the secret vinaigrette from our home, which I measured, so you can make it if you please. You can substitute the honey with brown sugar, the main point being, that you need a bit of sweet to make the rest of the ingredients shine through. I added Boston lettuce, tomato and Mexican avocado here, but you can play with more ingredients that you may have at home: asparagus, scallions, jí­cama, to name some…

Tri-Color Salad 2

Aside from making the salad more hearty and filling, the Queso Fresco adds a nice contrast to the vinaigrette with its subtle salty and tangy notes. I will give you more ideas for using Queso Fresco in upcoming posts, so when you see it in the store, bring some home!

Tri-Color Salad main
Print Recipe
3.5 from 2 votes

Tri-Color Salad with Fresh Cheese and Lime-Honey Vinaigrette

Here is the secret vinaigrette from our home, which I measured, so you can make it if you please. You can substitute the honey with brown sugar, the main point being, that you need a bit of sweet to make the rest of the ingredients shine through. I added Boston lettuce, tomato and Mexican avocado here, but you can play with more ingredients that you may have at home: asparagus, scallions, jí­cama, to name some…
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time5 mins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, boston lettuce, brown sugar, honey, lime, mustard, queso fresco, Recipe, salad, Tomatoes, vinaigrette
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • 2 heads boston lettuce rinsed and drained
  • 1 pound tomatoes about 2, quartered, seeded and sliced
  • 1 large Mexican avocado halved, pitted, meat scooped out and sliced
  • 8 ounces queso fresco fresh cheese, may substitute with farmers cheese or feta cheese

For the vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons white distilled vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons black pepper freshly ground
  • 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

To make the vinaigrette:

  • Place lime juice, vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and thoroughly mix with a fork. Slowly pour safflower or vegetable oil and olive oil as you mix with a fork or whisk, emulsifying the ingredients so that they are well combined. You can also place all the ingredients in a tupperware or jar and shake until well mixed.
  • You may make the vinaigrette ahead of time, but be sure to cover and refrigerate. Whisk it again or shake it in a closed container so that it is emulsified before you add it to the salad.

To make the salad:

  • Place the lettuce leaves and tomatoes in a salad bowl. Add some of the vinaigrette and gently toss, so that the salad is moist but not soaked. Place the avocados and crumbled cheese on top. Drizzle some more vinaigrette on top and serve.

Notes

Ensalada Tri Color con Queso Fresco y Vinagreta de Limón y Miel

Romancing The Avocado

Posted on by patiadmin

Avocados are, to me, amongst the most sensuous, luscious and luxurious of ingredients. Add how delicious, soft and subtly flavored they are, and you get a clear winner for Valentine’s Day. Despite the many pounds of avocados we go through at home each week, regardless of the infinite number of cases I use for events at Washington, DC’s Mexican Cultural Institute, and  notwithstanding that my sisters and I used them for hair and face treatments as we were growing up (all those nurturing natural oils and vitamins), I still find avocados to be wow-inducing.

If there’s an avocado dish on a restaurant menu, it lands on my table.

So if I am planning a menu, especially with a hint of romance, avocados will be there…

I am not unique thinking that avocados are something special. To the Aztecs, who ate avocados in Mexico for centuries before the Spaniards arrived, they were revered fruit considered to have strong fertility and aphrodisiac powers. Indeed, the Spanish word aguacate comes from the Nahuatl ahuacatl, or “testicles,” presumbly in reference to their shape. The avocado was warmly welcomed in the countries where it was introduced. And thanks in part to its accomodating nature – its meat can be smashed, diced, pureed, stuffed or sliced, or it can be part of a filling or a centerpiece – it has been creatively adopted in many cuisines.

It is true that many people think of guacamole when they hear “avocado.” And there must be more than a thousand reasons to love guacamole. Fast and easy to make, and so fun to eat, it screams out fiesta with each bite. My favorite way to make guacamole is to mix diced avocado with chopped onion and cilantro, squeeze fresh lime juice on top, sprinkle with sea salt and top it off with chopped chipotle chilis in adobo.

Guacamole, though, is just the tip of the avocado iceberg, both inside and outside Mexican cuisine.

Think about eel-and-avocado sushi, a French salad with layers of avocado sprinkled with Roquefort cheese, or an Italian salad with layers of ripe avocado and ash-coated goat cheese, olive oil, coarse salt and basil leaves. It’s hard to imagine a vegetarian sandwich without avocados.

I have tried eight varieties of avocados, and though I like most of them, the one I prefer is the Hass variety. It is available year-round, and is creamy and rich rather than fibrous like other kinds, such as El Fuerte.

Avocados are a fruit that ripen off the tree, so they are often sold unripe. If you are in a hurry to use an avocado, you can hasten the ripening process by wrapping it in newspapers or keeping it in a paper bag in a warm area of the kitchen. If you can wait, it will ripen at a nice pace uncovered in the kitchen.

When ripe, the Hass, with the pebbly skin completely blackened, will give a bit with a gentle squeeze of your hand. If it doesn’t, then it needs a bit more time to mature. You can keep a ripe avocado in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is apparently a myth that keeping the seed in a cut avocado keeps it from darkening. What does seem to help is to squeeze fresh lime juice on top.Here are four of my favorite takes on avocado: an elegant-looking appetizer, a retro mousse, an exotic-sounding soup and a hearty sandwich. Regardless of which way you use it, including avocado in your romantic dinner – as long as it’s not in a hair or skin treatment –  will show your Valentine that you really care.

Article written for and published by National Public Radio’s Kitchen Window.
stuffed avocados
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Stuffed Avocados with Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Salad

When I was growing up, my mother often served stuffed avocados for an elegant dinner. They were such a statement of a well-planned menu. There were many variations: stuffed with sauteed shrimp with chilies, crab salad or red snapper ceviche (a seafood cocktail "cooked" in citrus juice and other spices). The version I make most often, though, mixes artichoke hearts and hearts of palm. I think these ingredients just love to be together and make a smashing combination with the smooth avocado.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Total Time20 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: agucate, Alcachofa, artichoke, Avocado, hearts of palm, Palmitos, rellenos, stuffed
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces (1 1/3 cups) hearts of palm drained, rinsed and sliced
  • 14 ounces (1 1/2 cups) artichoke hearts drained, rinsed and sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped red onion
  • 4 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons safflower or vegetable oil
  • 3 ripe Mexican avocados halved and seeded just before stuffing

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix the hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, red onion, red bell pepper and parsley.
  • To prepare the vinaigrette, pour the tarragon vinegar in a small bowl and mix it with the salt, sugar and black pepper. Pour the oils in a slow stream, whisking with a whisk or fork to emulsify. Pour it over the vegetables. Toss well to cover.
  • You may prepare the hearts of palm and artichoke salad ahead of time, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
  • When ready to eat, halve and seed the avocados. Scoop the hearts of palm and artichoke salad on top and serve.

Notes

Aguacates Rellenos de Palmitos y Corazón de Alcachofa
stuffed avocados
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Avocado, Pistachio and Watercress Mousse

As I was describing this dish to a dear friend, she explained that the word I was looking for to describe it was "retro." Though I have tasted many avocado mousses, this one seems to be whimsical and addicting. Make this mousse ahead of time for a party or brunch and serve it with pieces of toast, crackers, smoked salmon or shrimp, and you will have an ongoing conversation piece as it disappears.
Prep Time30 mins
Chilling Time3 hrs
Total Time3 hrs 30 mins
Course: Appetizer, Dip, Spread
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: aguacate, Avocado, Berros, gelatin, Pistache, pistachios, watercress
Servings: 14 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 (about 2 1/4 pounds) ripe Mexican avocados halved and seeded
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 bunch (about 1 cup) watercress leaves and top parts of stems chopped
  • 2 tablespoons (about 6) sliced scallions white and light green parts only
  • 1 8-ounce can (2/3 cup) water chestnuts drained and roughly chopped
  • 2/3 cup pistachios shelled and roughly chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt or more to taste
  • 2/3 cup cold water
  • 3 1/4 ounces (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
  • 1/3 cup boiling water
  • Olive oil to grease the mold
  • Toasted bread or crackers optional
  • Smoked salmon optional

Instructions

  • Scoop out meat from avocados and mash it in a bowl with a fork. Pour in lime juice and combine well with a spatula. Incorporate the cream cheese, mixing it thoroughly with the avocados. Add the watercress, scallions, water chestnuts, pistachios, cayenne, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Mix well.
  • Measure 2/3 cup cold water in a cup. Stir in the gelatin, mix and let it rehydrate for a minute or two. Add 1/3 cup boiling water and stir until it dissolves. Pour gelatin into the avocado mix, incorporating it with a spatula.
  • Lightly grease a ring mold with olive oil. Pour the avocado mix into the mold. Shake the mold softly a couple of times to level the mix. Cover it well and place it in the refrigerator until it is set, for at least 3 hours. You can leave it overnight or until you are ready to unmold. The avocado mousse will last beautifully in the refrigerator for 2 days. When ready to unmold, remove from the refrigerator, run the tip of a knife along the edges and flip onto a plate. You may need to shake the mold a couple of times, holding onto the plate as you do so.
  • You may serve it on a platter, retro style, with some watercress leaves in the center of the ring or on top. Or serve it already sliced with a side of smoked salmon and pieces of toast.

Notes

Mousse de Aguacate, Pistache y Berros
Print Recipe
3.67 from 3 votes

Avocado Soup

Though there are many kinds of avocado soups, this is my favorite. I tried it at the Mexican Ambassador’s residence a couple months ago. As Doña Rosita, the cook,  heard me mmm, and mmm, and mmmmmmm all over again, she came out of the kitchen with a pen and a piece of paper ready to dictate her recipe. What a surprise for such a tasty soup: just a handful of ingredients! Seems that what matters, again, is how you use them.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Avocado, chicken broth, cilantro, feta, jalapeno, lime, onion, queso fresco, tortilla chips
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon corn or safflower oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cup white onion roughly chopped
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves rinsed and loosely packed
  • 1 jalapeno chile sliced in half, seeding optional if less heat is desired
  • 3 large ripe Mexican avocados cut in half, seed removed, flesh spooned out, about 3 cups ripe avocado flesh
  • 6 cups chicken broth can substitute vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt more or less to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups tortilla crisps
  • 1 cup queso fresco crumbled, may substitute farmers cheese or a mild feta

Instructions

  • In a medium skillet, set over medium-low heat and add the butter and oil. Once the butter dissolves, stir in the onion and jalapeno. Let them cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened. Its color will become translucent and the edges will begin to turn light brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Incorporate the cilantro leaves and mix them in with the onions and jalapeno. Once the cilantro has wilted, 30 seconds to a minute later, turn off the heat.
  • Place the peeled and seeded avocados in the blender or food processor along with the cooked onion, jalapeno, cilantro, chicken broth, lime or lima juice and salt. Puree until smooth, taste for salt and add more if need be.
  • You may serve bowls garnished with tortilla crisps and cheese, or let your guests garnish to their liking.

Notes

Sopa de Aguacate
stuffed avocados
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Tortilla Crisps

How to make homemade tortilla crisps, either by frying or baking.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Garnish
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Baked, corn tortillas, crisps, crunchy, fried, tortilla chips, traditional
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 5 corn tortillas (5- to 6-inches wide)
  • Safflower or corn oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt more or less to taste

Instructions

  • On a chopping board, slice tortillas in half and then vertically in half again. Then slice across in strips of 1/4 to 1/2 inch, depending on how thick you like them.

Traditional (fried):

  • In a medium skillet, add 1/4 inch oil and place over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes, add tortilla pieces. When you add a tortilla to the oil, it should immediately start to bubble. Fry, stirring and flipping occasionally, until they achieve a golden tan and slightly brown color and are hard and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with paper towel. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Baked:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray or gently brush a baking sheet with corn or safflower oil. Place tortilla pieces on top and spray or gently brush a light layer of oil. Judiciously sprinkle with salt to taste. Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring and flipping once or twice until they achieve a golden tan and slightly brown color and appear hard and crisp.Remove from oven, let them cool and place in a bowl or container.

Notes

Tiritas de Tortilla
stuffed avocados
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chopped Egg and Avocado Sandwich

My grandmother, who came from Poland but was raised in Mexico, used to make chopped egg salad and chopped seasoned avocados as table starters for special occasions. Then one day she decided to mix up the two, altered the spices a bit, and created a family hit. I have adapted her recipe by adding the Dijon and dill, and scooping a ton of it into a sandwich. The cheese is a caprice that I couldn't help adding, and I love how it tastes, but feel free to try it without it.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Antojos, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: aguacate, Avocado, egg salad, Eggs, huevo, Recipe, salad, Sandwich
Servings: 3 to 4 servings
Author: Pati Jinich

Ingredients

  • 3 large hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chopped white onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dry dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoons mayonnaise
  • 1 (about 3/4 pound) large ripe Mexican avocado halved, seeded, meat scooped out and diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt or to taste
  • Ground black pepper to taste
  • 6 to 8 slices brioche or challah or any bread of your choice, lightly toasted
  • 4 slices Muenster Mexican manchego, or chihuahua, or Monetery Jack cheese (optional)

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mix the eggs, onion, parsley, dill, Dijon and mayonnaise together. Toss in the avocado, sprinkle with salt and pepper and gently mix well.
  • Lightly toast the bread slices. Scoop a generous amount of the chopped egg and avocado on a slice of bread, add a slice of cheese and top with another slice of bread.

Notes

Sandwich de Huevo y Aguacate