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    GLOSSARY OF INGREDIENTS OF MEXICAN AND SOUTHWESTERN COOKING


ACHIOTE SEED:  The dried reddish seeds of the annatto tree give food a
bright orange-yellow tint when they are cooked first in hot fat; then,
the seeds themselves are discarded.  Sometimes they are ground to a
powder and stirred into such foods as butter for color.  They impart a
flavor that is gentle and hard to describe; like that of saffron, it
has an earthy quality.

ADOBO:  A piquant sauce of tomato, vinegar and spices.

ANISE SEED:  This small, elongated seed tastes sharply of licorice.

ATOLE BLUE CORNMEAL:  This is blue corn that has been dried, roasted,
and ground specifically to be used in make ATOLE, a cornmeal gruel.
Blue corn, unlike ordinary field corn, is always dried and ground
before use.  Cornmeal, blue, yellow, or white, can be used as a
thickener.

AVOCADO:  This fruit is ripe when the flesh under the leathery skin
yields to light pressure.  A hard avocado will ripen if left at room
temperature for two or three days.  The Haas or California type is
smaller and darker green than the emerald type grown in Florida, and
some say it is more flavorful as well.  Keep avocado flesh from
discoloring by brushing it with lemon juice as it is peeled.


BEANS:  It takes time to prepare dried beans, but the result is a
tender bean that is still firm.  Canned beans are sometimes mushy, but
they are convenient to keep on hand and are packed in liquid that adds
flavor to many recipes.  Dried beans keep almost indefinitely.  Before
cooking dried beans, rinse them well and pick them over for stones or
inferior beans.

TYPES OF BEANS:

        BLACK BEANS:  (frijoles negros, turtle beans) though small,
have a hearty flavor.  South American cooking makes great use of them.

        BLACK-EYED PEAS:  (cowpeas) are the seeds of the cowpea, an
annual vine.  They are tan with a blackish stain, hence "black-eyed".

        GARBANZO BEANS: (chickpeas) are Spanish in origin.  These
rounded beige beans have a nutty flavor.

        NORTHERN BEANS: are white, relatively large and mild.

        PINTO BEANS: (frijoles) are charmingly speckled with brown on
a pale or pinkish background.

        RED BEANS: are favorites in the southern states.  Pinto beans
may be substituted.

BUFFALO:  This commercially raised red meat is lower in cholesterol
and fat than beef.  Unlike beef, it isn't marbled with fat.
Accustomed as we are today to tender cuts of meat, buffalo is best
enjoyed ground rather than steaks.


CAPERS:  These are the pickled, green buds from the prickly caper
bush.  They are somewhat smaller than raisins and are bottled in
brine.

CAYENNE:  See Chile.

CHAYOTE: (christophine, mirliton, vegetable pear):  Related to gourds,
chayote squash have none of their brilliant decoration.  Light green
skin encases firm flesh of an even paler green.  Chayote may be baked,
steamed, stuffed and sauteed.  A 1 lb Chayote makes a nice serving for
two or three people.

CHEESE:  Traditional Mexican cheeses were mad with goat's or sheep's
milk.  The following cheeses are used in this style of cooking:


        CHEDDAR: is a mild firm cheese of English origin that becomes
more sharp with age.  It melts beautifully.

        CHIHUAHUA: (Asadero Or Oaxaca) is white, creamy and tangy.
Sometimes it is sold braided.  Mozzarella or Monterey Jack may be
substituted.

        CO-JACK: is an American invention.  Block cheese marbled with
Colby and Monterey Jack.

        COLBY: is a slightly sharp cheese with a flavor similar to
that of Cheddar.  This American cheese has a rather soft open texture.

        MONTERY JACK:  is a mild cheese usually sold in blocks.  It
softens at room temperature.

        QUESO ANEJO: is an aged, hard grating cheese.  It ranges from
pale cream to white in color and is quite salty.  Romano or Parmesan
may be substituted.

        QUESO FRESCO: (Ranchero seco) can be compared to a very salty
farmer's cheese.  A reasonable substitute for this crumbly cheese is
Feta Cheese.

        SIERRA:  is another rather dry sharp cheese that grates
easily.  Romano or Parmesan may be substituted.


CHILI:  Chilies are native to the Americas.  They have been known in
North America for some time but are said to have traveled north by a
circuitous route; apparently they found their way from Mexico to the
Western world with Christopher Columbus, then to the East and finally
back to North America.  New strains of chilies are developed
frequently, bred for hardiness, sweetness, hotness and so forth.  But
chilies are full of surprises; two chilies picked from the same plant
may vary widely in hotness.  To quench the fire of a too-spicy
mouthful, do not reach for a water glass.  Water will only spread the
capsaicin (the compound that our tongues register as "hot") around.
Instead, take a large mouthful of something starchy; corn chips,
beans, bread or rice.  Sometimes finding fresh chilies is difficult.
This probably isn't a question of distribution, but of perishability.
Canned and dried chilies are usually available.

The Following is a short list of peppers and what they are.


        ANAHEIM CHILIES: (California Green Chilies) are slim between
five and eight inches long and of various light shades of green.
these mildly hot chilies are sometimes twisted in appearance.  They
are
occasionally stuffed, but their flesh is thin and more fragile than
that of the poblano chilies.  The Anaheims cultivated in New Mexico--
where the name is Chili Verde--are reputedly hotter.  A ripe red
Anaheim is sometimes known as a chili Colorado.  Anaheim chilies are
dried and tied in wreathes (ristras) and ground and blended in
commercial chili powder mixtures.  They may be purchased in cans as
"mild green chilies".  These chilies were named after the town that at
the turn of the century, was the site of a chili cannery.

        ANCHO refers to a ripened, dried poblano chili.

        CASCABEL CHILIES:  True ones are scarcer than hens' teeth in
most parts of the United States.  Sometimes dried Anaheim Chilies are
labeled "cascabel," but they are very different from the authentic
item.  Fresh cascabel chilies are hot and have a distinctive flavor.
They are round and 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  Dried, the cascabel
chili has a nutlike flavor.

      CAYENNE CHILIES: are thin and tapered, three to seven inches
long.  Dark green (unripe) or bright red (ripe), the cayenne is
incendiary and well known to Asian kitchens.  The red ones are dried
and ground to make cayenne pepper ("ground red pepper").  This product
adds heat and just a little chili flavor.

        Chipotle Chilies are smoked, dried Jalapenos with a very
wrinkled appearance.  Fresh jalapenos are vibrant green but they turn
brown when smoked. Chipotles can be purchased loose (dry) or canned in
Adobo sauce.  The canned variety is especially convenient as it saves
having to soak and soften them.

        GUAJILLO CHILIES: (Mirasol Chilies) have a vegetal flavor that
shines even though the drying process.  Guajillos are orange-red,
skinny and about two to three inches long.

        JALAPENO CHILIES: range from hot to very hot.  They are dark
green, fat and about two to three inches long with a
characteristically rounded tip.  Watch out for the little ones, which
are the hottest.  Jalapenos ripen to red.  Use them fresh or pickled.

        PASILLA CHILIES: are hot and brown (almost black when dried,
which is how they are commonly found.)  They have a dusky flavor.

        POBLANO: is the chili most frequently used for CHILIES
RELLANOS.  It is a suave dark green and ranges from mild to hot.
Shaped like a long bell pepper, the poblano has a nice shape for
stuffing.

        RED PEPPER FLAKES: are just that; flaked, dried ripe chilies.
Most red pepper flake mixtures are quite hot.

        SERRANO CHILIES: are a sort of middling green, developing to
brilliant red when ripe.  Extremely hot (as hot as any chili), this
chili is usually shorter and thinner than the jalapeno.

                            CHILI SAFETY

The flesh, rips and seeds of chilies are rich in irritating burning
oils.  When preparing chilies, always wash your hands and the utensils
in soapy water.  Be especially careful not to rub your face--eyes in
particular--until the oils have been thoroughly washed away.  When
processing chilies in a blender or food processor, avert your face as
even the fumes are burning.  Some cooks who work with chilies for any
extended length of time, wear plastic gloves.  There is a higher
concentration of capsaicin in the ribs of chilies; remove them for a
milder chili.

        ROASTING CHILIES:  Recipes often call for chilies to be
roasted.  This enhances the flavor and makes them a snap to peel.
Roasted chilies may be frozen before peeling, a convenience if you
roast
a big batch at once; wrap them airtight in plastic wrap.

        BROILER METHOD:  Set oven control to broil.  Arrange whole
chilies with their top surfaces about 5 inches from the heat. (Some
people cut a small slit in the shoulder of each chili, to prevent it
from bursting.)  Broil, turning occasionally, until the skin is
blistered and evenly browned (NOT burned).  Remove chilies to a
plastic bag and close tightly; let chilies sit for 20 minutes, then
peel.  Anaheim and poblano chilies will roast in 12 to 17 minutes;
jalapeno and serrano chilies in about 5 minutes.

        GAS STOVE TOP METHOD:  Spear a whole chili on a long handled
metal fork and hold it about 5 inches from the flame.  Turn the chili
so that it roasts evenly.  Place roasted chilies in a plastic bag and
close tightly; let chilies sit for 20 minutes, then peel.  The
disadvantage of this method is of course that you can't roast a number
of chilies at once.

        ELECTRIC STOVE TOP METHOD:  This involves a little ingenuity
on the part of the cook.  Arrange a sturdy heatproof metal rack (such
as a cake rack) so that the grill sits about 4 to 5 inches above the
electric burner.  Place whole chilies on the rack over high heat.
Turn the chilies on the rack so that they roast evenly.  Remove
chilies to a plastic bag and close tightly; let chilies sit for 20
minutes and then peel.


CHILI POWDER:  This is a mixture of ground dried red chilies blended
with other spices and herbs.  It is said to have been invented by
Willie Gebhardt, a Texan in 1892.  Most brands include cumin and
oregano.  Often chili powder formulas contain paprika, coriander and
salt.  Chili powder is not to be confused with ground red chilies.

CHOCOLATE:  The Aztecs are credited with the discovery of chocolate.
It was probably first used to flavor a bitter drink favored by their
mystics.  Another Mexican invention, the molinillo, is a wooden whisk
used to whip hot chocolate.  The handle is rolled between the palms of
the hands, whipping the mixture until it is frothy.  Today, block
Mexican chocolate frequently contains cinnamon, vanilla, clove and
ground almonds.


CHORIZO:  This spicy smoked pork (or pork and beef) sausage is
available both in links and in bulk.

CILANTRO (Mexican Parsley, Chinese Parsley, fresh Coriander):  This
herb bears a resemblance to flat leaf parsley, but the flavor is
entirely different: strong, fresh, acid.  Cilantro is perishable;
store it in the refrigerator with the stems in water and plastic
loosely covering the leafy tops.

CINNAMON:  This is truly a spice of Mexican cuisine, used in dishes
sweet and savory.  It is available ground as a powder or in tightly
rolled dry quills.  Sometimes the bark of the cassia tree is sold as
cinnamon; the flavor is similar but neither as true nor as intense.
Look for authentic cinnamon.

CORIANDER:  This spice is the seed of the plant that gives us
cilantro.  It has a dusky flavor that is often associated with Eastern
cooking.  It may be purchased ground or as whole dried seeds.

CORN HUSKS:  Dried corn husks, softened by soaking, are used to wrap
food before it is cooked.  They make a sort of natural jacket that
holds a mixture together as it steams.  Remove any silk clinging to
the dried husk before using.  Several small corn husks may be
overlapped for a larger wrapping as for a tamale.

CORNMEAL:  Dried corn is of course the staple of southwestern larders.


When cornmeal is called for, use yellow or white, coarsely or finely
ground.

CUMIN:  This is the powerful, sometimes dominating spice so often used
in traditional southwest cooking.  Recipes may call for whole cumin
seed or ground cumin.

DUCK:  This bird is considered "game" less and less, perhaps because
it is widely available, frozen, in supermarkets.  Wild duck, indeed,
tastes gamy, and in fact the flesh of water fowl may take on a
distinctly fishy taint.  Commercially bred ducks, though, are well fed
and succulent.

FRIJOLE:  Spanish for BEAN.  See Beans.

GAME:  Americans tend to consider the following animals game:
Buffalo, Duck, Goose, Pheasant, Quail, Rabbit, and Venison.  Generally
speaking, farm-raised game animals haven't had to scratch for a living
and so is meatier and has a flavor somewhat less "gamy".  It is
traditional to serve any game with foods upon which it feeds.  For
example, serve game birds with berry sauces and wild rice.


GROUND RED CHILIES:  This is pure chili powder from finely ground
dried red chilies.  It is not blended chili powder.

GROUND RED PEPPER:  From ground dried cayenne chilies, this is often
called "cayenne pepper".  See Chili, Cayenne.

GUAVA:  These yellow-green fruits with pale faintly pink flesh are
about the size of a plum.  They are intensely fragrant when ripe.
Guava paste is only one of the fruit pastes beloved of Hispanics,
often served with cream cheese as dessert.  The fruit is cooked with
sugar until thick, then canned or shaped into blocks.

HOMINY:  These corn kernels have been soaked and lightly cooked so
that the outer coating can be removed.

INSTANT CORN FLOUR TORTILLA MIX (MASA)  This commercial product is the
shortcut in making fresh corn tortillas.  It is fresh corn MASA that
has been dried and ground.

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (Sunchoke)  This knobbed root keeps well in the
refrigerator or other cold place.  Jerusalem artichokes discolor after
peeling.  Dip them in acidulated water as the flesh is exposed.  Enjoy
Jerusalem artichokes ray in salads, or broiled, sauteed, mashed or in
a gratin.

JICAMA:  The flesh of the jicama root is often compared to that of the
water chestnut, both for flavor and crunch.  Jicama is related to the
sharp-tasting turnip but is so mild in flavor that, when eaten raw, it
is usually sprinkled with lemon or lime juice and chili powder.  After
the brown fibrous skin has been pared away, jicama flesh does not
discolor.  Look for smallish jicama, which will be sweet and moist.

JUNIPER BERRIES:  The fruit of an ever green, juniper berries give gin
its distinctive flavor.  They are sometimes used to flavor game
dishes.  These blue-green berries are purchased dried.  Add them
(sparingly) whole to saucy foods for subtle flavor or slightly crushed
for more impact.

LARD: This has been perhaps the most frequently used cooking fat south
of the boarder since it was introduced by the Spaniards.  For tender,
flaky pastries, lard can't be beat.  It is little known that lard, for
all its reputation, has approximately half the cholesterol of butter.

MANGO:  The skin of this oval fruit is washed in gold, pink, red, and
parrot green.  The flesh is deep yellow, juicy and richly perfumed.
Mangoes have flat, oval pits.  To slice the fruit, free it from the
pit in large pieces.

MASA:  Literally "dough" in Spanish.  MASA is cornmeal dough made from
dried corn kernels that have been softened in a lime (calcium
hydroxide) solution, then ground.  Fresh MASA is commercially
available in Mexico, but it is tricky to work with and dries out
quickly.  MASA comes finely ground, for tortillas, and coarsely ground
for tamales.  It is easier to use instant corn flour tortilla mix when
making tortillas.

NOPALES:  These leaves of the prickly pear (nopal) cactus are firm
crunch pads.  Let size be your guide in buying them; the smaller the
pad, the more likely it is to be tender.  Use tweezers to remove
spines, a sharp paring knife or vegetable peeler to remove their
bases.  With a flavor similar to green beans, NOPALES are eaten both
raw and cooked.

NUTS:  In southwest cooking, nuts are sometimes ground and stirred
into sauces as a thickening agent.  In addition to giving the sauce
more body, raw nuts add, of course, their own particular flavor.
Toasted nuts are more often used as a garnish or in baking.

        TOASTING NUTS:  Toasting enhances the flavor of the nut.  To
toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in an ungreased pan; bake at
350 degrees F, stirring and checking for doneness frequently.  Nuts
are toasted when they are lightly browned.  Let almonds, pecans and
walnuts bake for 7 to 12 minutes.  Pine nuts toast more rapidly, in 5
to 7 minutes.

        TO GRIND NUTS:  To grind nuts, place 1/3 to 1/2 cup at a time
in the workbowl of a food processor or blender.  Process them in short
pulses just until ground (longer and you will have nut butter).

PAPAYA:  A nearly oval fruit with creamy golden yellow skin, orange
yellow flesh and scores of shiny black seeds conveniently packed in
its center.  When slightly underripe, the flesh is firm (perfect for
making into relishes); When ripe, it is so juicy as to be almost
melting.

PECAN:  This oil-rich nut is an American native.  See Nuts for
toasting and grinding.

PEPITA:  See Pumpkin Seed

PEPPER:  There is PIPER NIGRUM, Peppercorn, and the CAPSICUM FRUTECENS
and CASPSICUM ANNUUM, the family of vegetables know variously as
peppers and chilies.  Peppercorns came to the Western world originally
from Madagascar.  The success of medieval spice traders made black
pepper more widely available and only a little less precious than it
had previously been.

Representing the FRUTESCENS contingent, bell peppers are related to
chilies but lack the capsaicin (the compound that makes them hot),
Bell peppers are therefore known as "sweet".  Until recently, bell
peppers of any color than green were an oddity at many markets; today,
there is a profusion of yellow, red and purple ones.  Red and yellow
are acknowledged to be the sweetest.  Roast bell peppers as for
chilies.

PHEASANT:  This game bird fares equally well when cooked with a
bravely seasoned sauce or a mild creamy one.  Serve it with a grain
side dish; see Game.

PILONCILLO:  This unrefined sugar is purchased in hard cones.  Like
other "raw" sugars, piloncillo is beige to brown; the deeper the
color, the more pronounced the molasses flavor.

PINE NUTS (PINIONS, PIGNOLIS):  Pine nuts are the seeds of the Pinion
pine.  They are delicious raw or toasted.  Store them tightly covered
and either refrigerated or frozen, depending on how quickly they are
to be used.  See NUTS for toasting and grinding.

PLANTAIN:  This relative of the banana boasts a thick skin and large
size.  The fruit itself tends to be a deeper yellow than that of the
banana.  Cooked unripe plantain is eaten as one would a potato.
Plantains are sweetest when ripe, which isn't until their skins are an
alarming through black.  Like bananas, plantains will ripen after they
have been harvested.

POSOLE:  Sometimes hominy is called "posole," but the word
authentically refers to a dish made with hominy as an ingredient.  See
Hominy

PRICKLY PEAR:  This is the diminutive (egg size) fruit of the cactus
of the same name.  It is nearly impossible to avoid the prickles when
peeling to reveal the garnet-colored flesh.  Prickly pears are
sometimes sold with the prickles removed.

PUMPKIN SEED:  With the shells or husks removed, pumpkin seeds are
known as PEPITAS.  Store them in a cool, dry place.  To toast pumpkin
seeds, spread them in a single layer in an ungreased pan.  Bake at 350
degrees F. for 13 to 15 minutes, stirring and checking for doneness
frequently.

QUAIL:  These little birds weigh in at about 1/4 pound.  They have
richly flavored meat, what there is of it.  Quail are most commonly
available frozen.  See GAME.

QUESO:  Spanish for "cheese."

QUESO ANEJO:  The name means "aged cheese," in Spanish.  See CHEESE.

QUESO FRESCO:  The name means "fresh cheese,) in Spanish.  See CHEESE.

RABBIT:  Rabbits are raised commercially.  As with many uncommon
meats, it is said of rabbit, that it "tastes like chicken."  It
doesn't; it tastes like rabbit.  Large rabbits aren't as tender as the
little ones; it is well to marinate or stew older ones, or make rabbit
sausage.  See GAME.

RED PEPPER:  See Ground Red Pepper.

RED PEPPER SAUCE:  This commercially bottled condiment is made from
vinegar, spices and hot chilies.  It adds heat but little in the way
of flavor.

RICE:  Mexican cooking calls for long grain or medium-grain white
rice.  The occasional southwestern dish uses wild rice, which really
isn't rice.  It is the fruit of an aquatic grass once harvested only
by Native Americans who lived by the Great Lakes.

SQUASH BLOSSOMS:  Contrary to poplar belief, the blossoms used in
southwest cooking are those of winter squashes such as pumpkin, not
zucchini.  They are a perishable item and are best used the day they
are bought.

TAMARIND:  This is an intensely pungent, tart pod about four inches
long.  Tamarind is usually bought packaged in a tightly compressed,
sticky plastic-wrapped lump.  The flesh is riddled with fibers and
seeds--not what you want in your food--and must be soaked before
using.  Separate the tamarind pods, pulling away and discarding as
much of the pod as you reasonably can.  Cover with water and let the
pulp soak for at least an hour (overnight, if time permits).  Then
squeeze the pulp well to extract the juice or rub as much pulp as you
can through a fine mesh sieve.

TEQUILA:  A pale, sharp-tasting liquor distilled from the agave plant,
which thrives in an arid, hot climate.  The stem of the agave, known
also as the "century plant," is used in making both PULQUE and
tequila.

TOMATILLO:  These fat little vegetables are the size of robust cherry
tomatoes.  They grow in papery husks reminiscent of Japanese lanterns
and taste best when they are a brilliant green in color.  By the time
they begin to turn yellow, they have lost some of their acid
freshness.  This happens when they are lightly cooked too, but then,
although they relinquish their vibrant color, the develop a gentler
flavor and become more luscious.  Uncooked, chopped tomatillos are the
basis for chunky green salsas.  Select tomatillos with their husks
still drawn tightly around them.  Husk and rinse off the sticky
residue before using them.

TOMATO:  Roasting tomatoes gives them a faintly mysterious flavor.  It
works best with truly ripe red tomatoes.

    TO ROAST TOMATOES:  To roast and peel tomatoes, set the oven
control to broil.  Arrange cored tomatoes with their top surfaces
about 5 inches from the heat.  Broil, turning occasionally, until the
skin is blistered and evenly browned, about 5 to 8 minutes.  The skins
will be easy to remove.  If the tomatoes are roasted on aluminum foil,
the cleanup will be easy and you'll be able to save any juice they
give off as they roast.

TORTILLA:  Tortillas are round, flat unleavened breads made from
ground wheat or corn.  They are the basis of Mexican cookery.
Tortillas are rolled, folded, used as dippers, fried crisp and munched
fresh.  Corn tortillas are cut into wedges and fried for chips.  For
the best chips, fry tortillas that are at least one day old.  Flour
tortillas, softer than those made from corn, are more popular in
northern Mexico where corn does not flourish; wheat was brought there
by the Spanish.  Commercially made tortillas of both kinds are best
stored in the freezer until needed.

    To soften tortillas, warm them on a hot ungreased skillet or
griddle for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  They can be warmed in a 250
degree oven for 15 minutes.  Or, wrap several in  dampened
microwaveable paper toweling or microwave plastic wrap and microwave
on high (100% Power) for 15 to 20 seconds.

TRIPE:  Usually what is meant by tripe is the line of pig and sheep
stomachs.  Tripe is the identifying ingredient of traditional MEMUDO,
a hearty soup.  Tripe needs to be thoroughly rinsed often, in three or
four changes of cold water, before it can be used.

VENISON:  Venison is deer meat.  Because it is lean, venison needs
moist heat to keep it tender.  See GAME.

WALNUTS:  The flavor of this nut is delicious with corn.  See NUTS for
toasting and grinding.

WILD RICE:  See RICE.