Volume 12, Issue 034 - February 15, 2007

Greetings Chef,

Tom Gilliland
Co-Founder, Fonda San Miguel

"The exciting journey of learning something that, in the restaurant business, is all about pleasing people has been remarkable. I love it as much today as the first day we opened."

When Tom Gilliland was starting out in the restaurant business with partner Miguel Ravago, he had a dream — to introduce the truly authentic and regional cuisines of Mexico to the United States. His love affair with Mexico began while at the University of Texas. While studying there, he had the opportunity to participate in a unique exchange program focused on comparative law at the Universidad National Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. It took only one summer in Mexico City for Tom to fall in love with all things Mexican, from the country's rich art and culture to the sophistication and creativity of Mexico's cuisine; the food was a far cry from what Tom knew as "Tex-Mex" in Austin and Houston.

Back in Austin with a University of Texas law degree, Tom met Miguel, and the two became fast friends. Tom and Miguel pooled their ideas, energy and talents, and in 1972, they opened San Angel Restaurant in Houston. Fortuitously, the distinguished author and expert on Mexican cuisine, Diana Kennedy, walked into their restaurant one day in 1973. As Tom recalls, she told them she'd heard about two guys who were trying something similar to the traditional culinary approach she'd documented in her first book, The Cuisines of Mexico. "She liked us and decided to take us under her wing," recalls Tom. They were off and running on their quest to serve authentic regional dishes from Mexico's interior.

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Calabacitas Rellenas
Stuffed Zucchini Squash

This hearty vegetarian dish is Miguel's adaptation of a recipe from Diana Kennedy's seminal first cookbook, Cuisines of Mexico. It has long been a favorite among the restaurant's very loyal vegetarian clientele. Serve it as an entrée with a salad, Arroz Blanco, and Frijoles Refritos, or as a side dish for poultry or grilled meats.

Ingredients:

6 large zucchini squash
2 cups fresh corn kernels cut from the cob or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups Salsa Ranchera, warmed (recipe follows)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish and set aside. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Use a melon baller to scoop out the center and make small boats, discarding the pulp. (Take care not to puncture the bottom or sides of the squash.) Place in the prepared baking dish and set aside. Combine corn, milk, salt, and eggs in a blender and blend to a coarse puree. Stir in ½ cup of the shredded cheese. Divide the corn mixture into equal portions and spoon into the zucchini shells. Top each with a portion of the remaining ½ cup cheese and a dollop of butter. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the custard is set. Place 2 boats on each plate and spoon warm Salsa Ranchera over the top. Serves 6 as an entrée or 12 as a side dish.

Recipe inspired by Diana Kennedy

Salsa Ranchera

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:

4 large tomatoes, roasted until blistered (see note)
half of a medium white onion, chopped
2 to 4 serrano chiles, roasted until blistered, and chopped (see note)
1 garlic clove, chopped
sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:

Combine all sauce ingredients except the oil in a molcajete or food processor and purée. In a heavy, 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the tomato mixture (be careful - it will splatter), reduce heat to low, and cook for about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Notes:

Tomatoes - Native to the New World, tomatoes are an important ingredient in many Mexican dishes and are prepared in a variety of ways. For recipes that call for peeled tomatoes, bring a pot of water to a boil, cut an X in the bottom of each tomato, and gently slide them into the boiling water. Boil for up to 1 minutes and transfer to a colander. When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, gently peel away the skin and discard it.

Roasting can be done under a broiler or on a comal, but the broiler is faster and creates less mess. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and broil directly under the heat source for 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn tomatoes and broil an additional 3 minutes, or until the tomatoes are blistered all over. Remove from the heat  and peel or not, according to the recipe.

Fresh Chiles - Jalapeños are probably the most recognizable Mexican chile and the easiest to find in the United States. The jalapeño is a fat, bullet-shaped, deep green chile, two to three inches long. In sauces, jalapeños can be substituted for serranos. The poblano is dark green, five to six inches long, and triangular in shape, with a wide stem end. Strips of roasted poblanos are made in rajas and are the basis for many chile relleno dishes. Serranos are thin, bullet-shaped chiles, dark green in color and two to three inches in length. Raw or roasted serranos add heat and flavor to many sauces.

Fresh chiles can be roasted until charred and blistered on a dry comal, under a broiler, or over an open flame, using tongs. For rajas and rellenos, put charred poblano chiles in a plastic bag and allow them to sweat for 10 to 15 minutes. Using rubber gloves, peel off the charred outer skin. (Do not peel chiles under running water or much of the roasted flavor will be lost.) For rellenos, cut a slit down one side from shoulder to the tip and scrape out the seeds and membranes, being careful to keep the chile as intact as possible. For rajas, cut off the stem end and slice the peppers lengthwise into thin, 1/4-inch strips. (Don't rub your eyes, nose, mouth, or other tender body areas while handling chiles. Capsaicin, the volatile substance that gives chiles their pungency, is stored in the seeds and membranes and will burn the skin.)

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The rest of Tom's bio:

In search of space that could accommodate more diners, Tom and Miguel moved their restaurant to Austin in 1975, where they found a large, hacienda-like stucco building located on the edge of a quiet residential neighborhood. Tom oversaw the restaurant's first big expansion in the late 1970's, and subsequently began collecting pieces by some of Mexico's most renowned artists to hang on the restaurant's walls. Tom extended his love for fine art to the menus, commissioning some of Mexico's finest painters and graphic artists to decorate them.

Tom continues to oversee the restaurant's interior design and art collection. "Today, Fonda San Miguel displays the works of some of Mexico's best and most intriguing artists, past and present - and probably future," he says. "Distinctive Mexican art and decor is the best complement to authentic Mexican food!" Tom Gilliland is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and the Law School of the University of Texas at Austin. He is also a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Cochinita Pibil
Pork Cooked in a Pit

Cochinita Pibil is the traditional pork barbecue of the Yucatan Peninsula, where for centuries it has been cooked in pits lined with hot stones and banana leaves. The achiote-based rub, which imparts a rich, terra-cotta color and an earthy flavor, is equally good on seafood and chicken.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork shoulder or butt, trimmed of tendons and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons safflower oil
4 large tomatoes, sliced
2 medium white onions, sliced
2 tablespoons reserved Achiote Rub (recipe follows)
1 large banana leaf (see note)
Cebollas Rojas en Escabeche (recipe follows)
Arroz Blanco (recipe follows)

Preparation:

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add tomatoes, onions, and the reserved 2 tablespoons of Achiote Rub. Fry for about 3 minutes and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have a large, heavy Dutch oven ready. Using tongs, carefully sear the banana leaf over an open flame until flexible. Line the Dutch oven with the banana leaf and arrange the pork cubes on top of it. Cover the pork with the tomato mixture, folding the banana leaf over the top. Cover and cook in preheated oven for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with juices from the bottom of the pot. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with Cebollas Rojas en Escabeche and serve with Arroz Blanco.

Note:

Banana Leaves - Banana leaves are used as wrappers for everything from tamales to barbecued meats, depending on which state of Mexico you visit. In the United States, banana leaves are found in the produce department of Hispanic grocery stores. Cut the leaves to the size required for your dish; use metal tongs to hold them over an open flame until they are pliable enough to be folded easily without breaking.

Achiote Rub

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons achiote seeds or 3 tablespoons achiote paste
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
12 whole black peppercorns
4 whole allspice
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon sea salt

Preparation:

Mix the achiote seeds with the orange juice and vinegar and soak 1 hour to soften them. Using a molcajete or mortar and pestle, crush the achiote seeds with a little of the soaking liquid. Transfer the seeds and soaking liquid to a blender and add the remaining rub ingredients; blend to a paste. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the paste for cooking with the tomatoes. Rub the pork cubes with the Achiote Rub and set aside.

Note:

If using prepared achiote paste instead of achiote seeds, skip the soaking and crushing step. Simply mash the paste with the orange juice and vinegar and then transfer the mixture to a blender.

Variation:

Substitute 4 pounds chicken pieces for the pork. Brown in a skillet with a little oil. Proceed as directed.

Recipe inspired by Diana Kennedy

Cebollas Rojas en Escabeche
Pickled Red Onions

These bright red onion slices are a traditional garnish for Cochinita Pibil and Pescado Tikin Xik. They are nice to have on had whenever you are serving grilled or barbecued meats. Miguel adds a fresh beet to the marinade mixture to increase the brilliance of the onions' color. Undrained, they will keep for several days in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Makes 8 servings as a condiment

Ingredients:

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
12 whole black peppercorns
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 fresh beet, peeled and sliced
1 cup red wine vinegar

Preparation:

Combine ingredients in a nonreactive mixing bowl and set aside at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Remove beet slices and discard; drain onions and discard pickling liquid. Transfer onions to a serving dish and serve at room temperature.

Arroz Blanco
Basic White Rice

Although most people think all Mexican dishes are served with Arroz Mexicano—red or Spanish rice, many coastal seafood dishes are served with white rice. Miguel likes to garnish white rice with green peas for a splash of color.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons safflower oil
2 cups long-grain white rice
4 cups Basic Chicken Broth (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Preparation:

Heat oil in a heavy, 3-quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add rice. Stirring often with a wooden spoon, cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until rice is golden. Add chicken broth, reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook an additional 20 minutes, or until all liquid has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork and add salt, if necessary. Sprinkle with green peas and serve hot.

Basic Chicken Broth

This is Miguel's all-purpose chicken stock recipe. It is a rich, flavorful foundation on which many other recipes are built. Although it is time-consuming to make, it will add depth of flavor to any recipe that calls for chicken broth or stock. The smart thing to do is make it in very large batches and freeze it in quart portions for future use.

Makes 2 quarts

Ingredients:

1 whole frying chicken, cut up
1 medium white onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
3 garlic cloves, mashed
8 whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon sea salt

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in an 8-quart stock pot, add cold water to cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook 35 to 45 minutes, or until chicken is tender. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and refrigerate meat for another use. Return the bones to the broth and cook an additional 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the stock until fat solidifies on the surface, about 6 to 8 hours. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, skim off fat from the surface of the stock. Strain before using.