A Recipe For Cinco De Mayo: Menudo, A Hearty Mexican Soup
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Chef Johnny Gnall’s mother grew up in Mexico City. She discovered her talent for cooking at a young age, and amassed recipes from friends and family while still a young girl. Her greatest teacher, however, was her nanny, Eulalia, a native Mexican. A tremendous source of knowledge on authentic Mexican cooking, many of Eulalia’s recipes dated back several hundred years. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Johnny shares this one. “Menudo is a traditional Mexican soup made from tripe (cow stomach). It is very hearty and lore suggests it as a hangover cure. Foreign to most Americans, tripe is actually a lot better than it sounds. If cooked right, its flavor and texture become like that of great pot roast. “Buttery and velvety on your palate, the meat almost melts in your mouth and gives an unmistakable richness to the whole dish. If you’re still not convinced and the thought of stomach is a bit much (or your butcher doesn’t have any on hand), you can substitute chuck roast for a more American-friendly menudo. “Traditionally, you would use a casuela, a large earthenware pot; but any pot will do if you’re short on Mexican earthenware.” There is also an unrelated Philippine menudo, a stew made with sliced pork and calf’s liver in tomato sauce. January is National Menudo Month. The recipe follows. Also below: > All the Mexican food holidays. Ingredients 1. PLACE the bay leaf, garlic and onion in a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen twine, or other device for easy removal. 2. DICE the beef into half-inch pieces and place in a large pot. Add the onion, garlic, herbs and salt and fill the pot the remainder of the way with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 4 hours, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Then turn off the heat and remove the bay leaf, garlic and onion. 3. BOIL the corn in a separate pot until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. 4. COOK the corn. Cover to keep warm and set aside. 5. MAKE the chile sauce. Soak the chiles in hot water for 20 minutes. Then combine them in a blender with the other ingredients plus enough of the beef broth to keep things spinning with ease. Once blended, strain and add to the pot of beef. Simmer for 20 more minutes, then add the corn. 6. SERVE with the garnishes on the side so people can add what they like. Add some warm tortillas into the mix and you are good to go! Menudo, the hearty Mexican soup or stew known for its distinctive flavors and reputed hangover-curing properties, has a rich history spanning several centuries. Menudo originated in northern Mexico, in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua, in the Spanish colonial period, the late 16th or early 17th century. It began as an economy measure, to utilize all parts of a slaughtered animal. Tripe, the lining of the cow’s stomach lining, was the key ingredient. It provided pural and working-class families with an affordable way to feed large gatherings. The long cooking time required to tenderize the tripe (7-8 hours) made it ideal for communal weekend meals when families had time for extended preparation. In the original recipe, tripe was joined by hominy (nixtamalized corn kernels known in Spanish as pozole, red chile peppers, onions, and various herbs and spices (cilantro, lime, oregano). Invariably, regional variations emergedme. In northern Mexico, the original “red” version with red chile peppers predominates, while in central Mexico, a white version without chiles (menudo blanco) is common. Some areas add pigs’ feet or calves’ feet for additional texture and flavor. Mexican-American communities brought menudo to the U.S., but unlike other standards of Mexican cuisine, it hasn’t taken off in the mainstream. Menudo remains an important cultural dish in both Mexico and Mexican-American communities, where it’s often available in restaurants on widely available in Mexican restaurants, particularly on weekends. It can also be found at festivals, and is made for special occasions. |
WHAT IS PERUVIAN CORN
Most historians believe that maize was domesticated in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico. Numerous varieties were cultivated by the Olmecs and Mayas. Corn had spread throughout Mesoamerica by 2500 B.C.E.
In a region with so many varieties of corn, names evolved. The type of corn grown in the U.S. is called elote (ee-LO-tay). Peruvian-style corn, with giant white kernels, is called maiz (ma-EES), spelled maize and pronounced MAYS in English.
It is also called choclo in Peru (more than 30 varieties of corn are grown in every color and size imaginable). These jumbo kernels have a different texture than American corn varieties and are less sweet. They were first cultivated in Cusco, the city high in the Andes that was once the capital of the Inca empire.
Choclo has been a staple of the Peruvian diet for thousands of years. It is used to make everything from tamales to soups and pastries.
It can typically be found frozen or dried at Latin markets and online.
MEXICAN FOOD HOLIDAYS & OTHER REASONS TO CELEBRATE
TEQUILA HOLIDAYS
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*Dia de la Raza and is celebrated across Mexico to mark the official recognition of the indigenous people of the country.
†Cinco de Marcho is celebrated every year, 12 days before St. Patrick’s Day. A play on the Mexican holiday name, Cinco de Mayo, this made-up holiday was created by revelers to prepares their livers for all the drinking that happens on St. Patrick’s Day. All participants are advised to drink safely and in moderation.
