Genealogist
Deceased
I am interested in traditional foods of the world, particularly indigenous foods of North and South America. I hope someone else will find this information, and the recipes, interesting.
The Genealogist
-----------------------
The Cuisine of Michoacan: Mexican Soul Food
© 2004 Karen Hursh Graber
If Michoacan is "the soul of Mexico," as it has often
been called, then its food is Mexico's soul food, for
few other places in the country can claim such
a profound and long-lasting indigenous influence on
their regional cuisine. This western state, part of the
Bajio region located north and west of Mexico
City, has retained its culinary roots for over a
millennium.
To understand how this happened is to realize the
strength and unity of the Purépecha (sometimes called
Tarascan) people that inhabit a large portion of
the state. An astounding 38 different indigenous
languages are spoken in Michoacan, including Purépecha,
Mazahua, Náhuatl and Otomí, but the oldest continuous
civilization here is that of the Purépecha, dating back
1,000 years.
Said by some to have come from the southeastern part of
what is now the United States and by others to have
migrated from Peru (because of linguistic similarities)
the group arrived near the modern day town of Zacapan,
where the Festival de La Raza Purépecha still takes
place annually. The sense of tribal identity
is so ingrained in the Purépecha people that they have
their own flag, with four colors representing the four
parts of Michoacan where they predominate:
the Meseta Purépecha (the central plateau), the
Lacustre region around Lake Patzcuaro, the Cienega
(wetlands) of Zacapan in the north and the Cañada de
Once Pueblos - the Gorge of Eleven Towns.
The pre-Hispanic inhabitants flourished in part because
of the natural resources found in Michoacan. Its name,
meaning "Land of Fishermen", derives from
the fact that the state boasts a vast network of rivers
and lakes. These, along with the forests, seacoasts and
abundant vegetation, provided sustenance
for these hunter-gatherers. Fishing, hunting and
gathering wild berries and fruit were complemented by
the cultivation of corn, beans and squash.
Thanks to the strong indigenous influence, perhaps no
other area of Mexico has quite as many versions of
corn-based dishes as does Michoacan. Atole, a corn
gruel drink found all over the country, is made here
with a wide variety of ingredients used to flavor it,
including tamarind, blackberry, toasted corn
silk, cascabel chile and herbs.
Tamales, too, come in many guises. Those filled with
meat and chile, which most resemble tamales found in
other parts of Mexico, are called nacatamales.
Those that use corn boiled with wood ash instead of cal
(the calcium oxide normally used to soften corn) are
the folded polyhedrons called corundas, and
when beans are incorporated, they are called
chakikurindas. The latter are nearly unchanged from
their pre-Hispanic predecessors, which were served to
the Cazonci, the indigenous nobility, at wedding
feasts. Another regional tamal is the uchepo, made with
fresh, rather than dried, corn and served bathed
with cream or as an accompaniment to stews.
Corundas and uchepos are frequently served along with
churipo, a meat-based stew typical of the Bajio in that
it is flavored with xoconostle, the fruit
of the nopal cactus. Another local stew, resembling a
hominy and bean mixture, is the frequently meatless
máshkuta. The hominy dish pozole, widely popular
in Mexico, is said to have originated in Michoacan and
most certainly in the western part of the country.
This corn-based diet was enriched, rather than
supplanted, by the introduction of foods brought by the
Spaniards. Spices, rice and pork, among others, have
all influenced the cuisine of Michoacan. The rice and
chorizo dish called morisqueta is among the state's
most famous, as are carnitas, the deep-fried
pork chunks that are now served all over the country,
usually touted as "auténticos de michoacan." Pollo
Placero, the chicken dish originally served in
the plazas of Michoacan's Spanish colonial cities, is
served with carrots, potatoes and enchiladas bathed in
a rich, yet mild, chile sauce.
Another Spanish innovation was the planting of wheat,
which has taken on special meaning in Michoacan as part
of the ritual offerings made on special days,
such as the Day of the Dead, when pan de muertos is
placed on family altars, and traditional weddings,
where bread symbolizes fertility. Also popular are
aguacates - bread loaves shaped like avocados- and
empanadas, pastries filled with chilacayote, the
Mexican squash resembling a giant, round zucchini and
used as the base for many sweets and aguas frescas.
Any mention of sweets calls to mind the proliferation
of sugar-based specialties in Michoacan, especially in
the Colonial cities. The arrival of sugar cane
gave rise to an enormous variety of desserts in this
region. The fruit jellies called ates are a specialty
of Morelia, and many milk-based sweets, most
notably chongos zamoranos, originated in Zamora.
Helados Michoacanos, the ice-cream stores found
throughout the country, began in Tocumbo, where
enterprising
ice-cream makers developed a community business that
eventually involved natives of that village venturing
out to establish branches in nearly every city
and town in Mexico.
Just as Tocumbo is associated with ice-cream, the town
of Cotija is associated with cheese and gives its name
to the hard, crumbly cheese called queso cotija
that garnishes everything from taquitos to enchiladas.
Frequently accompanying these tortilla-based dishes
with their salty cheese toppings is the beverage
charanda, sometimes called "Michoacan's mescal", or
sende, made with fermented corn.
In fact, nearly every town and its surrounding region
is known for a culinary specialty or agricultural
product. Uruapan's avocados and macadamias, Pátzcuaro's
whitefish, Apatzingan's pork, rice and melons, and the
seafood of the area around Lazaro Cardenas are only a
few of the gastronomic wonders of Michoacan.
Although a trip to this state is rewarding for its
natural beauty and artistic handcrafts, as well as its
cuisine, a taste of Michoacan can be sampled,
without leaving home, through the following recipes.
Sopa Tarasca: Michoacán-Style Tortilla Soup
This version of tortilla soup is similar to central Mexico's Sopa Azteca. We
enjoyed its warm and robust
flavor after a drive over the cool mountain pass called Mil Cumbres (A
Thousand Summits) from Morelia to Zitácuaro. The wooden buildings that
characterize the region are called trojes, which is also the local name for
small food stalls.
3 tablespoons corn oil plus oil necessary for frying
chiles and tortillas
? onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 <pi> cups tomato puree, fresh or canned
1 quart chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 sprig each thyme and marjoram
? teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 ancho chiles, seeded and cut into short strips and
lightly fried in corn oil
6 corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried until
crispy in corn oil
6 ounces queso fresco or farmer cheese, cut into strips
chopped fresh epazote (optional)
1 pint Mexican crema or crème fraiche
In a large saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons oil, add
the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft.
Add the tomato puree and cook until it is bubbling.
Add the broth, herbs and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Place <pi> cup
of the fried chile strips and <= cup of the
fried tortilla strips in a blender with 1 cup of the
broth, liquefy and add to the pot. Cook another 5
minutes.
Ladle broth into individual soup bowls, and distribute
the remaining chile and tortilla strips and the cheese
evenly into the bowls. Sprinkle some chopped
epazote onto each serving and accompany with crema, to
be added to taste. Makes 6 first course servings.
Pollo Placero: Plaza-Style Chicken
From early evening until late at night, stands are set up in the plazas of
Morelia, Pátzcuaro and other cities in Michoacan selling this popular
supper. We watched women bring the different elements of this
dish - chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce - which had been pre-cooked
at home, then heat them
in hot oil just before serving individual customers. The same thing is easy
to do for guests, preparing the chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce
separately, ahead of time, and frying and assembling just before serving.
Use individual oval platters if possible.
For the chicken:
1 chicken, quartered
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 sprig each thyme and oregano
salt to taste
1 ? pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup of the chicken cooking broth
corn oil for frying
Place the chicken, the onion, the garlic, herbs
and salt to taste in a large pot. Cover with water,
bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, covered,
until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to
a plate, cover. Strain and reserve the broth
Put the remaining onion in a blender with the
tomatoes, sugar and 1 cup of the reserved chicken
broth; blend briefly. Sauce should have a somewhat
chunky texture. Pour into a saucepan with a little hot corn
oil. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, covered, for
10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add salt
to taste.
Remove the skin from the chicken. Heat the oil
in a large frying pan and sauté it until golden brown.
Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the
chicken pieces, top with shredded lettuce and place a
chicken quarter in the middle of each individual
platter. Place the vegetables (see below) on one
side and the enchiladas (see below) on the other. Serve
immediately.
For the vegetables:
3 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled, diced and boiled
corn oil for frying
Place the cooked potatoes and carrots in a frying pan
with hot corn oil or lard and cook, turning with a
spatula, until they are heated through, approximately
1 minute. (This will take longer if vegetables are
cooked ahead of time.) Place vegetables alongside the
chicken on individual serving platters.
For the enchiladas:
4 ancho chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in hot
water until soft
4 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in hot
water until soft
2 tomatoes, roasted and peeled
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
pinch oregano
3 cups reserved chicken broth
salt to taste
8 corn tortillas
corn oil for frying
4 ounces queso cotija, añejo or mild feta, crumbled
Place the chiles, tomatoes, garlic and oregano in a
blender with the chicken broth and puree until smooth.
Heat a little corn oil or lard in a saucepan
and pour the puree through a strainer, pressing to
obtain as much as possible, into the hot oil. Cover and
cook over medium heat 15 minutes.
Dip each tortilla into the hot sauce, then into a
frying pan with hot oil, being careful because
the sauce will splatter. Use a spatula to fold
each one in half. Place two enchiladas on one side of
the chicken, opposite the vegetables, on individual
platters. Top the folded tortillas with additional
sauce and crumbled cheese. Serves 4.
Puerco Estilo Apatzingan: Spicy Braised Pork
The area around Apatzingan is famous for its pork. The flavor of this dish
is somewhat reminiscent of the
carnitas for which Michoacán is famous. Unlike carnitas, the pork is baked
in the oven instead of fried in lard, and the seasoning ingredients make
serving a salsa unnecessary.
2 pound piece pork shoulder (do not substitute with loin)
2 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in warm
water until soft
2 roma tomatoes, roasted but left unpeeled
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 peppercorns, crushed
salt to taste
1 medium white onion, peeled and thinly sliced into
rounds
1 orange, thinly sliced into rounds
1 sprig fresh marjoram or oregano
1 ? cups white wine
Cut shallow slits into the pork and place it in a
cazuela or Dutch oven. It should be fairly crowded in
the pan to prevent it drying out as it cooks.
Grind the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice,
peppercorns and salt into a paste in a blender,
processor or molcajete and spread the paste over the
meat.
Top with the sliced onion and orange. Add the herb
sprig and pour 1 cup wine over all.
Cover tightly and bake in a 350º oven for 1 ? hours or
until the meat is tender. Uncover, raise the oven
temperature to 425º and bake until the top of the
pork is golden.
Remove meat and keep warm. Add the remaining ? cup wine
to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce is
reduced to the consistency of a glaze. Spread
over the meat, slice and serve on a platter. Serves 6.
Chongos Zamoranos: Sweet Milk Curd Dessert
This dessert is so popular in Mexico that it comes in cans, but nothing
beats home made. Chongo is the
Spanish word for a chignon, which the curds resemble when they separate from
the whey. This dessert should be prepared in an earthenware pot such as a
Mexican clay cazuela.
2 quarts raw milk (goat or cow's milk, but not homogenized)
4 egg yolks
2 rennet tablets or 5-6 drops liquid rennet
4 cinnamon sticks
1 pound sugar
Beat the egg yolks and milk together in the pot.
Dissolve the rennet tablet in a little water and add to
the egg yolk-milk mixture. Place this over a stove
burner pilot, stirring from time to time, until the
milk curdles.
When the milk has curdled, make a cross-shaped cut in
the contents of the pot and insert pieces of cinnamon
stick into the cut. Pour the sugar over all
and let stand until the sugar has been absorbed.
Cook over low flame for 2-3 hours, or until the curds
and syrup have separated and the syrup is golden brown.
Curds should be removed from syrup as they
form and set aside in a bowl. When all curds have been
removed, continue cooking syrup until thick. Allow
syrup to cool.
Spoon curds into dessert bowls and pour syrup over
curds. Serves 6-8.
All recipies from: The Cuisine of Michoacan: Mexican Soul Food
© 2004 Karen Hursh Graber
--
The information above is copyrighted, all rights reserved. The excerpts listed are copied in accordance with U.S. Title 17, Section 107, and the Berne Convention, Article 10, and this post is presented in this forum without profit or monetary gain for those people who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and for educational purposes. Any other use, (excluding copying or printing for personal use), is strictly prohibited.
The Genealogist
-----------------------
The Cuisine of Michoacan: Mexican Soul Food
© 2004 Karen Hursh Graber
If Michoacan is "the soul of Mexico," as it has often
been called, then its food is Mexico's soul food, for
few other places in the country can claim such
a profound and long-lasting indigenous influence on
their regional cuisine. This western state, part of the
Bajio region located north and west of Mexico
City, has retained its culinary roots for over a
millennium.
To understand how this happened is to realize the
strength and unity of the Purépecha (sometimes called
Tarascan) people that inhabit a large portion of
the state. An astounding 38 different indigenous
languages are spoken in Michoacan, including Purépecha,
Mazahua, Náhuatl and Otomí, but the oldest continuous
civilization here is that of the Purépecha, dating back
1,000 years.
Said by some to have come from the southeastern part of
what is now the United States and by others to have
migrated from Peru (because of linguistic similarities)
the group arrived near the modern day town of Zacapan,
where the Festival de La Raza Purépecha still takes
place annually. The sense of tribal identity
is so ingrained in the Purépecha people that they have
their own flag, with four colors representing the four
parts of Michoacan where they predominate:
the Meseta Purépecha (the central plateau), the
Lacustre region around Lake Patzcuaro, the Cienega
(wetlands) of Zacapan in the north and the Cañada de
Once Pueblos - the Gorge of Eleven Towns.
The pre-Hispanic inhabitants flourished in part because
of the natural resources found in Michoacan. Its name,
meaning "Land of Fishermen", derives from
the fact that the state boasts a vast network of rivers
and lakes. These, along with the forests, seacoasts and
abundant vegetation, provided sustenance
for these hunter-gatherers. Fishing, hunting and
gathering wild berries and fruit were complemented by
the cultivation of corn, beans and squash.
Thanks to the strong indigenous influence, perhaps no
other area of Mexico has quite as many versions of
corn-based dishes as does Michoacan. Atole, a corn
gruel drink found all over the country, is made here
with a wide variety of ingredients used to flavor it,
including tamarind, blackberry, toasted corn
silk, cascabel chile and herbs.
Tamales, too, come in many guises. Those filled with
meat and chile, which most resemble tamales found in
other parts of Mexico, are called nacatamales.
Those that use corn boiled with wood ash instead of cal
(the calcium oxide normally used to soften corn) are
the folded polyhedrons called corundas, and
when beans are incorporated, they are called
chakikurindas. The latter are nearly unchanged from
their pre-Hispanic predecessors, which were served to
the Cazonci, the indigenous nobility, at wedding
feasts. Another regional tamal is the uchepo, made with
fresh, rather than dried, corn and served bathed
with cream or as an accompaniment to stews.
Corundas and uchepos are frequently served along with
churipo, a meat-based stew typical of the Bajio in that
it is flavored with xoconostle, the fruit
of the nopal cactus. Another local stew, resembling a
hominy and bean mixture, is the frequently meatless
máshkuta. The hominy dish pozole, widely popular
in Mexico, is said to have originated in Michoacan and
most certainly in the western part of the country.
This corn-based diet was enriched, rather than
supplanted, by the introduction of foods brought by the
Spaniards. Spices, rice and pork, among others, have
all influenced the cuisine of Michoacan. The rice and
chorizo dish called morisqueta is among the state's
most famous, as are carnitas, the deep-fried
pork chunks that are now served all over the country,
usually touted as "auténticos de michoacan." Pollo
Placero, the chicken dish originally served in
the plazas of Michoacan's Spanish colonial cities, is
served with carrots, potatoes and enchiladas bathed in
a rich, yet mild, chile sauce.
Another Spanish innovation was the planting of wheat,
which has taken on special meaning in Michoacan as part
of the ritual offerings made on special days,
such as the Day of the Dead, when pan de muertos is
placed on family altars, and traditional weddings,
where bread symbolizes fertility. Also popular are
aguacates - bread loaves shaped like avocados- and
empanadas, pastries filled with chilacayote, the
Mexican squash resembling a giant, round zucchini and
used as the base for many sweets and aguas frescas.
Any mention of sweets calls to mind the proliferation
of sugar-based specialties in Michoacan, especially in
the Colonial cities. The arrival of sugar cane
gave rise to an enormous variety of desserts in this
region. The fruit jellies called ates are a specialty
of Morelia, and many milk-based sweets, most
notably chongos zamoranos, originated in Zamora.
Helados Michoacanos, the ice-cream stores found
throughout the country, began in Tocumbo, where
enterprising
ice-cream makers developed a community business that
eventually involved natives of that village venturing
out to establish branches in nearly every city
and town in Mexico.
Just as Tocumbo is associated with ice-cream, the town
of Cotija is associated with cheese and gives its name
to the hard, crumbly cheese called queso cotija
that garnishes everything from taquitos to enchiladas.
Frequently accompanying these tortilla-based dishes
with their salty cheese toppings is the beverage
charanda, sometimes called "Michoacan's mescal", or
sende, made with fermented corn.
In fact, nearly every town and its surrounding region
is known for a culinary specialty or agricultural
product. Uruapan's avocados and macadamias, Pátzcuaro's
whitefish, Apatzingan's pork, rice and melons, and the
seafood of the area around Lazaro Cardenas are only a
few of the gastronomic wonders of Michoacan.
Although a trip to this state is rewarding for its
natural beauty and artistic handcrafts, as well as its
cuisine, a taste of Michoacan can be sampled,
without leaving home, through the following recipes.
Sopa Tarasca: Michoacán-Style Tortilla Soup
This version of tortilla soup is similar to central Mexico's Sopa Azteca. We
enjoyed its warm and robust
flavor after a drive over the cool mountain pass called Mil Cumbres (A
Thousand Summits) from Morelia to Zitácuaro. The wooden buildings that
characterize the region are called trojes, which is also the local name for
small food stalls.
3 tablespoons corn oil plus oil necessary for frying
chiles and tortillas
? onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 <pi> cups tomato puree, fresh or canned
1 quart chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 sprig each thyme and marjoram
? teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste
2 ancho chiles, seeded and cut into short strips and
lightly fried in corn oil
6 corn tortillas, cut into strips and fried until
crispy in corn oil
6 ounces queso fresco or farmer cheese, cut into strips
chopped fresh epazote (optional)
1 pint Mexican crema or crème fraiche
In a large saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons oil, add
the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft.
Add the tomato puree and cook until it is bubbling.
Add the broth, herbs and pepper and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Place <pi> cup
of the fried chile strips and <= cup of the
fried tortilla strips in a blender with 1 cup of the
broth, liquefy and add to the pot. Cook another 5
minutes.
Ladle broth into individual soup bowls, and distribute
the remaining chile and tortilla strips and the cheese
evenly into the bowls. Sprinkle some chopped
epazote onto each serving and accompany with crema, to
be added to taste. Makes 6 first course servings.
Pollo Placero: Plaza-Style Chicken
From early evening until late at night, stands are set up in the plazas of
Morelia, Pátzcuaro and other cities in Michoacan selling this popular
supper. We watched women bring the different elements of this
dish - chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce - which had been pre-cooked
at home, then heat them
in hot oil just before serving individual customers. The same thing is easy
to do for guests, preparing the chicken, vegetables and enchilada sauce
separately, ahead of time, and frying and assembling just before serving.
Use individual oval platters if possible.
For the chicken:
1 chicken, quartered
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 sprig each thyme and oregano
salt to taste
1 ? pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup of the chicken cooking broth
corn oil for frying
Place the chicken, the onion, the garlic, herbs
and salt to taste in a large pot. Cover with water,
bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, covered,
until the chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to
a plate, cover. Strain and reserve the broth
Put the remaining onion in a blender with the
tomatoes, sugar and 1 cup of the reserved chicken
broth; blend briefly. Sauce should have a somewhat
chunky texture. Pour into a saucepan with a little hot corn
oil. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook, covered, for
10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add salt
to taste.
Remove the skin from the chicken. Heat the oil
in a large frying pan and sauté it until golden brown.
Spoon the tomato sauce generously over the
chicken pieces, top with shredded lettuce and place a
chicken quarter in the middle of each individual
platter. Place the vegetables (see below) on one
side and the enchiladas (see below) on the other. Serve
immediately.
For the vegetables:
3 large potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed
3 carrots, peeled, diced and boiled
corn oil for frying
Place the cooked potatoes and carrots in a frying pan
with hot corn oil or lard and cook, turning with a
spatula, until they are heated through, approximately
1 minute. (This will take longer if vegetables are
cooked ahead of time.) Place vegetables alongside the
chicken on individual serving platters.
For the enchiladas:
4 ancho chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in hot
water until soft
4 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in hot
water until soft
2 tomatoes, roasted and peeled
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
pinch oregano
3 cups reserved chicken broth
salt to taste
8 corn tortillas
corn oil for frying
4 ounces queso cotija, añejo or mild feta, crumbled
Place the chiles, tomatoes, garlic and oregano in a
blender with the chicken broth and puree until smooth.
Heat a little corn oil or lard in a saucepan
and pour the puree through a strainer, pressing to
obtain as much as possible, into the hot oil. Cover and
cook over medium heat 15 minutes.
Dip each tortilla into the hot sauce, then into a
frying pan with hot oil, being careful because
the sauce will splatter. Use a spatula to fold
each one in half. Place two enchiladas on one side of
the chicken, opposite the vegetables, on individual
platters. Top the folded tortillas with additional
sauce and crumbled cheese. Serves 4.
Puerco Estilo Apatzingan: Spicy Braised Pork
The area around Apatzingan is famous for its pork. The flavor of this dish
is somewhat reminiscent of the
carnitas for which Michoacán is famous. Unlike carnitas, the pork is baked
in the oven instead of fried in lard, and the seasoning ingredients make
serving a salsa unnecessary.
2 pound piece pork shoulder (do not substitute with loin)
2 guajillo chiles, seeded, deveined and soaked in warm
water until soft
2 roma tomatoes, roasted but left unpeeled
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 peppercorns, crushed
salt to taste
1 medium white onion, peeled and thinly sliced into
rounds
1 orange, thinly sliced into rounds
1 sprig fresh marjoram or oregano
1 ? cups white wine
Cut shallow slits into the pork and place it in a
cazuela or Dutch oven. It should be fairly crowded in
the pan to prevent it drying out as it cooks.
Grind the chiles, tomatoes, garlic, orange juice,
peppercorns and salt into a paste in a blender,
processor or molcajete and spread the paste over the
meat.
Top with the sliced onion and orange. Add the herb
sprig and pour 1 cup wine over all.
Cover tightly and bake in a 350º oven for 1 ? hours or
until the meat is tender. Uncover, raise the oven
temperature to 425º and bake until the top of the
pork is golden.
Remove meat and keep warm. Add the remaining ? cup wine
to the pot and cook, stirring, until the sauce is
reduced to the consistency of a glaze. Spread
over the meat, slice and serve on a platter. Serves 6.
Chongos Zamoranos: Sweet Milk Curd Dessert
This dessert is so popular in Mexico that it comes in cans, but nothing
beats home made. Chongo is the
Spanish word for a chignon, which the curds resemble when they separate from
the whey. This dessert should be prepared in an earthenware pot such as a
Mexican clay cazuela.
2 quarts raw milk (goat or cow's milk, but not homogenized)
4 egg yolks
2 rennet tablets or 5-6 drops liquid rennet
4 cinnamon sticks
1 pound sugar
Beat the egg yolks and milk together in the pot.
Dissolve the rennet tablet in a little water and add to
the egg yolk-milk mixture. Place this over a stove
burner pilot, stirring from time to time, until the
milk curdles.
When the milk has curdled, make a cross-shaped cut in
the contents of the pot and insert pieces of cinnamon
stick into the cut. Pour the sugar over all
and let stand until the sugar has been absorbed.
Cook over low flame for 2-3 hours, or until the curds
and syrup have separated and the syrup is golden brown.
Curds should be removed from syrup as they
form and set aside in a bowl. When all curds have been
removed, continue cooking syrup until thick. Allow
syrup to cool.
Spoon curds into dessert bowls and pour syrup over
curds. Serves 6-8.
All recipies from: The Cuisine of Michoacan: Mexican Soul Food
© 2004 Karen Hursh Graber
--
The information above is copyrighted, all rights reserved. The excerpts listed are copied in accordance with U.S. Title 17, Section 107, and the Berne Convention, Article 10, and this post is presented in this forum without profit or monetary gain for those people who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and for educational purposes. Any other use, (excluding copying or printing for personal use), is strictly prohibited.
