Volume 12, Issue 031 - February 12, 2007

Good Day Friend,

Fonda San Miguel
A corner of old Mexico in Austin, Texas

The story of Fonda San Miguel begins more than three decades ago, when Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago met and combined their mutual passion for authentic Mexican cuisine. Today, the Austin, Texas landmark is widely recognized as one of the best Mexican restaurants in the country, and continues to earn national recognition for its pioneering spirit, unique décor and remarkable food.

Tom and Miguel opened their new venture in Houston, Texas, in 1972. They called it the San Angel Inn. With help from Miguel's grandmother, who traveled to Houston from her home in Phoenix, Arizona, they set up their kitchen, and were soon delighting the "who's who" of Houston society with their authentic Mexican fare. Fortuitously, renowned cookbook author and expert in Mexican cuisine Diana Kennedy was a restaurant regular, taking Tom and Miguel under her wing.

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Ceviche Veracruzano
Ceviche, Veracruz Style

Tom and Miguel discovered this recipe for ceviche at a restaurant in Boca del Rio in the coastal state of Veracruz. A simple recipe that appears on both the appetizer and dinner menu as well as the Hacienda Sunday Brunch Buffet, it is a guaranteed hit at parties. It keeps well, up to two days, and should be served with tostada chips and ice-cold beer. If black drum or redfish isn't available, you can use red snapper, tilapia, or trout.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound skinned black drum or redfish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
juice of 8 large limes (about 1/2 cup)
4 to 5 pickled jalapeños, drained (or fewer for a milder dish)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
leaf lettuce for lining dish
avocado slices
lime wedges

Preparation:

Place fish cubes in a nonreactive bowl and pour lime juice over them; toss to coat well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon. Chop jalapeños and add them to the fish, along with tomatoes, oil, and seasonings. Toss well and drain. Serve chilled in a bowl or footed glass lined with lettuce leaves and garnished with avocado slices and lime wedges.

Recipe inspired by Diana Kennedy

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More on Fonda San Miguel:

On a quest for a larger space, Tom and Miguel moved their restaurant to Austin in 1975, where they found a large, hacienda-style building. Renamed Fonda San Miguel, the restaurant opened on November 25, 1975, bucking the widely popular trend at the time of serving Tex-Mex food. Instead, Tom and Miguel were determined to continue their tradition of serving authentic regional dishes from the Mexican interior.

The process of educating their hungry customers was not always easy, nor was finding some of the more exotic ingredients for their recipes. Yet as Fonda's business grew, so too did the strong demand for their authentic Mexican ingredients, prompting several local stores to begin stocking them regularly.

Ensalada de Jícama con Melón
Jicama-Melon Salad

Although many fresh condiments in Mexican cuisine are called pico de gallo ("rooster's beak"), this refreshing salad from the Mexican state of Jalisco is known as Pico de Gallo. Depending on the seasonal availability of fresh fruit, Miguel has found that the salad is equally good made with Rio Star grapefruit, pineapple, blood oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon. The contrast of sweet fruit, crunchy jicama, tangy lime juice, and a little dash of chili powder makes for a delightful palate cleanser. A popular item on the Hacienda Buffet, it can be tossed with Pomegranate Dressing, as pictured.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 large jicama, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
3 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned with pulp and membrane removed
1 large cantaloupe or honeydew melon, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-size chunks
1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup fresh lime juice
2 sprigs cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

Preparation:

In a nonreactive bowl, combine jicama and fruit. Toss with lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Refrigerate about 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Toss with chili powder before serving.

Pomegranate Dressing

Makes 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

seeds of 1 whole pomegranate, with some seeds reserved for garnish
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup apple juice

Preparation:

Combine all salad ingredients except the lettuce in a large nonreactive bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours.

While the salad is chilling, make the Pomegranate Dressing. Combine the pomegranate seeds, sour cream, sugar, and apple juice in a blender and purée.