Spice Rub : Home Ground

For years, I’d been buying and throwing out Mexican spice pastes. I’m talking about the kind that are sold in little nondescript boxes at the spice counters in Mexican supermarkets. The packaging is not exactly bright and attractive--they’re plain four-ounce boxes labeled something like Recado de Adobo Blanco , Recado Para Escabeche , Recado Rojo or Recado Para Bistec . The instructions on the boxes, such as they are, go something like: “For use with fish, chicken, turkey, in stews and when roasting or grilling.”

So why did I buy them? I had visions of marathon cooking sessions where I would create this or that wonderful dish with these recados (their flavors are all quite complex and strong), but I must confess that somehow, I never use them. And after a few years, they turn hard and I have to throw them out.

Then I went to Quintana Roo, in the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula, and met and cooked with Yara Moreno Heredia, a chef and restaurateur in the capital city of Chetumal, and everything changed. Well, not exactly everything. I did those marathon cooking sessions with spice pastes, true, but I never used those little boxes, because I learned to make my own recados.

The cooking of Yucatan is characterized by the use of these spice pastes, but recados are only one part of the Mexican spice story. In most Mexican towns there are market stalls that sell only spice mixtures--mounds of red, green, yellow, brown and black, heaped up like paint on an artist’s palette. All will go either into marinades or richly sauced dishes reflecting Mexico’s post-Conquest heritage of native and Spanish approaches.

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The main categories of spice mixtures are moles , pepianes , adobos and recados . Don’t expect to learn precise definitions of these words--their meanings tend to shade into each other, and the fact that there are terms such as recado en adobo doesn’t help matters. But roughly speaking, recados are ground herb and spice mixtures, ranging from the incredibly simple (at the ranch where I grew up in Chihuahua, we used a mixture of garlic and oregano for puerco con pasta de oregano ) to rather elaborate combinations of seasonings, much like the garam masala mixtures used in India.

Adobos , which include dried chiles and (sometimes) vinegar with the spices, are used for marinating meat, fish or poultry before roasting or grilling, or by themselves as a dressing or sauce on vegetables, as in chileajo. Pepianes and moles are rich, multi-flavored sauces that have usually been thickened with ground seeds or nuts; they are a book in themselves.

Most spices and many of the herbs we now associate with Mexican food were introduced by the Spaniards. The only native spices were chiles (of course), vanilla, achiote (annatto) and allspice, which grows wild in Yucatan. In her book “America’s First Cuisines” (University of Texas Press: 1994), Sophie Coe wrote that the importation of flavorings began soon after Columbus’ second voyage: “By pack train over the mountains . . . came ginger, cumin, caraway and sesame seeds, as well as saffron, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. The last four were sold separately, or as a mixture of equal parts by weight.”

Other spice mixtures were popular, and some continue to be. The combination of cumin, canela and cloves is one of the “trinities” of Mexican food and appears in all sorts of recipes. It did not take long before these Spanish spice combinations blended with the Mexican spice, chile, to produce new and versatile spice pastes.

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Many of the ingredients in recados and adobos are the same, but they are used in different proportions in each recipe, so that one flavor predominates. Thus the recado para escabeche will be very peppery, and the recado de adobo colorado will taste of achiote . In chile spice pastes, the flavor of one particular chile variety will stand out above the other spices.

The ingredients for all kinds of adobos , recados and sauces used to be ground by hand in a stone mortar (the Mexican word for which, molcajete , comes from the same Aztec root as the sauce mole ). Today, every home with electricity uses a blender. But people still make the sauces by hand when they want to show special honor to a guest. The food processor is satisfactory for some, but not all, of these mixtures. It does not grind everything as smoothly as a blender, so I suggest that if you’re going to use a food processor, first grind the spices separately. Where you want a very smooth texture, as in a mole , pepian or salsa, I recommend a blender.

Recados and adobos keep well and are simple ways to add lots of flavor and very few calories to whatever you may be cooking. Let your imagination be your guide, and you’ll never have to throw any of them out!

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This is the first spice paste dish I ever learned to make. The cowboys at our ranch in Chihuahua used to slather it on whole cows or steers, which they then wrapped in gunny sacks wetted with sotol, a rustic cousin of tequila. Previously they’d have dug a hole in the ground big enough to accommodate the whole animal and set a gigantic fire in it, using the scrub oak that surrounded the ranch house. Once the embers were blazing hot, they would arrange big rocks on them, place the cow or steer on the rocks and cover the hole. It would take 24 hours to cook, but the result was definitely worth the wait--succulent, garlicky, peppery, herb-infused hunks of meat.

My mother would make her salsa de chile verde, a roasted green chile sauce, and we’d flavor the meat with the salsa and roll a flaky flour tortilla around it. Here I suggest a recipe for chipotle salsa. In Guadalajara, they put this roast pork on French-type rolls called bolillos to make sandwiches called tortas ahogadas. Plenty of sauce goes on top so that the sandwiches are “drowned” in it--which is what the word ahogada means.

ROAST PORK WITH MEXICAN OREGANO PASTE

(Puerco con Pasta

de Oregano)

1 (4 1/2-pound) pork butt

Oregano Paste

Chipotle Salsa

Using small, sharp knife, make gashes 1 inch deep all over roast and rub Oregano Paste into gashes. Place meat in shallow roasting pan and roast at 475 degrees 20 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue to roast until tender and thoroughly cooked, about 2 hours 15 minutes.

Remove roast from oven. Let stand 20 minutes. Carve into thin slices. Serve with Chipotle Salsa. Makes 12 to 14 servings.

Each of 12 servings contains about:

388 calories; 583 mg sodium; 94 mg cholesterol; 31 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 22 grams protein; 0.64 gram fiber.

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You can use this paste on chicken or beef for roasting, or spread it on fish before grilling or baking. I add a teaspoon or two to plain vinaigrette to add some zing to a salad. I also put some in olive oil or herb butter. When I want something hot, I add minced jalapeno and use it to saute shrimp or boneless chicken pieces. With fresh mint, I use it to flavor a seafood stew.

Oregano Paste

(Pasta de Oregano)

8 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, crushed between palms

2 teaspoons salt, preferably kosher

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

Put garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in mortar, blender or food processor. Process into paste.

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This chipotle salsa is very versatile. My mother cooks wonderful meatballs in it, and in Veracruz they poach fish and shrimp in this sauce. It also makes a delicious sauce for pasta. For a milder version, leave out the sauce that comes with the canned chipotles, or remove some (or all) of the chipotles before pureeing.

Chipotle Salsa (Salsa de Chipotle)

2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

Pan drippings from roast pork, optional

5 to 6 large tomatoes, or 1 (28-ounce) can plain-style tomatoes without puree

1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

Sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 to 3 canned chipotles en adobo, with sauce to taste

Heat lard in medium saucepan until almost smoking. Add onion and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pan drippings, tomatoes, oregano, sugar, salt and chipotles. Stir thoroughly and simmer uncovered over low heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Puree sauce in blender. With wooden spoon, force through sieve.

May be frozen or stored, tightly covered, up to 3 days in refrigerator. Makes 3 to 4 cups.

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The recado used in this dish is the basis of many Yucatan Peninsula dishes. The most famous is cochinita pibil: a suckling pig, marinated with this spice paste and wrapped in banana leaves, baked in a Mayan earth oven called a pib. Large fish and venison or other wild game are also baked in pibs. I slather this paste on guinea hens and broil them on the rotisserie, or wrap marinated chicken breasts or fish fillets in banana leaves with slices of orange, and steam the packets. One of my favorite appetizers is chicken drummettes baked with this recado.

When made with vinegar, it will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator, but the flavor will be more subtle and true if it’s made with a mixture of orange and lime juices, though that will reduce its shelf life to about three weeks. Quintana Roo oregano comes from a tree, not a shrub, and the long leaves turn black when they dry. Mexican oregano can be substituted for it.

RED SNAPPER WITH ACHIOTE PASTE (Huachinango con Recado de Adobo Colorado)

1 cup Annatto Paste

2 (1-pound) fillets red snapper or other firm-fleshed fish, skin on

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 habanero chile, veins and seeds removed, slivered

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Salt

3 tablespoons oil, optional

Spread Annatto Paste on both sides of fish, covering well. Place fish in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours.

In mixing bowl combine orange juice, lime juice, water, onion, habanero, cilantro and salt to taste to paste.

Barbecue fish over hot coals, skin side down, until seared, 2 minutes. Or heat 3 tablespoons oil in skillet large enough to accommodate fish until very hot, then place fish in pan, skin side down, and fry until seared, 2 minutes. Place seared fish in 1-inch-deep baking tray and pour citrus-habanero sauce over. Bake until fish is firm to touch and thoroughly cooked, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

274 calories; 203 mg sodium; 67 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 40 grams protein; 1.86 grams fiber.

Annatto Paste (Recado de Adobo Colorado)

1 cup annatto (achiote) seeds

10 large cloves garlic

1/3 cup Quintana Roo oregano, or Mexican oregano

5 tablespoons peppercorns

4 teaspoons ground cumin

4 teaspoons coriander seeds

10 whole allspice berries

1 1/4 cups white vinegar, or equal amount of combination fresh orange juice and fresh lime juice

Combine annatto, garlic, oregano, peppercorns, cumin, coriander and sour orange juice or vinegar in blender or food processor. Process with on/off motion until thoroughly pureed. Add more orange juice or vinegar if needed to give smooth paste consistency.

Keeps indefinitely, if made with vinegar, or up to 3 weeks if made with citrus juices. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

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Recados are the soul of the Yucatecan cuisines. This dish, with its vinegary recado, was taught to me by an earthy, sensual woman named Yara, who owns Lol-Be (“flower of the road,” in Mayan), the best restaurant in Chetumal, capital of Quintana Roo state on the eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula. This recipe, like many in Mexican cuisine, calls for a cinnamon-like spice called canela, available in Latin markets and Mexican ingredient sections of many supermarkets; cinnamon can be used instead, but it’s worth the trouble to get your hands on canela.

One characteristic feature of Yucatecan cuisine is using two cooking methods. In this case, the chicken is first poached and then grilled--there are also recipes that call first for grilling and then poaching!

You can use a thick pork chop or a piece of fish in place of the chicken to produce low-calorie, flavor-packed dishes. The plain broth can be served as a first course. I sometimes spread some of the spice paste on a steak or a butterflied leg of lamb before grilling, or add a tablespoon to a stew--even to biscuit dough -- for a peppery aftertaste.

YARA’S EASTERN- STYLE CHICKEN ESCABECHE (Escabeche de Pollo Oriental Estilo Yara)

2 (3-pound) chickens, quartered

1 carrot

3 bay leaves

4 heads plus 4 cloves garlic

1 small onion, halved

1/2 gallon water

Salt, pepper

1 cup Escabeche Spice Paste

3 tablespoons vinegar, or more to taste

4 fresh habanero chiles

1 large red onion, quartered

Place chicken, carrot, bay leaves, 4 garlic cloves and onion in large saucepan. Add water and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes. Remove chicken, reserving broth. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. Spread 2 tablespoons Escabeche Spice Paste on chicken pieces. Place chicken on platter and set aside 1/2 hour.

Light charcoal grill or turn on gas grill.

Bring reserved chicken broth to boil and add 1/2 cup Escabeche Spice Paste and vinegar. Broth should be peppery and vinegary.

Place griddle or heavy cast-iron pan on high heat. Roast 4 garlic heads on griddle until tender and blackened on all sides, about 15 minutes. Set garlic aside. Roast habaneros on griddle until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes. Set chiles aside.

On hot charcoals or gas grill, grill red onion until slightly blackened on all sides. Set onion aside. Grill spiced chicken pieces about 3 minutes on each side.

To serve, divide broth into 4 deep bowls. To each add 1/4 of grilled chicken, 1/4 of grilled onion, 1 roasted habanero and 1 blackened garlic head. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

559 calories; 224 mg sodium; 174 mg cholesterol; 35 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 45 grams protein; 1.11 grams fiber.

Escabeche Spice Paste (Recado Para Escabeche)

1 large head garlic

1 cup peppercorns

1/2 cup Quintana Roo oregano, or Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/4 teaspoons whole cloves

1 (2-inch) stick canela, or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 small onion, quartered

1 3/4 cups white vinegar

Place garlic, peppercorns, oregano, cumin, cloves, canela and onion in blender or mortar. Add 1 cup vinegar. Process, scraping down sides with rubber spatula and adding remaining 3/4 cup vinegar little at time, until smooth pureed. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

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Oaxacan market stands sell these vegetables by the kilo or as a snack, served on tostadas. You can use other vegetables, such as cactus pads (nopalitos).

CHILEAJO

1 pound potatoes

1/4 pound carrots, cut in 1/4-inch dice

1/2 medium head cauliflower, separated into florets

1/4 pound green beans, cut in 1/4-inch dice

Chileajo Paste

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 medium onion, cut in half lengthwise and cut in thin slices

1/4 pound quesa cotija or queso fresco, crumbled

Tortilla chips or freshly made corn tortillas

Cook potatoes in boiling, salted water until just done. When cool, peel and dice. Cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender. Cook cauliflower florets in boiling, salted water until done but still crisp. Cook green beans in boiling, salted water, about 1 minute. Remove beans and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking.

Place cooked potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and green beans in glass or pottery container. Toss well with Chileajo Paste. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with crumbled oregano. Let stand in refrigerator 3 hours to overnight.

Rinse onion slices under hot tap water and pat dry. To serve, place vegetables on serving platter and sprinkle with sliced onion and crumbled cheese. Serve with tortilla chips. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

144 calories; 425 mg sodium; 13 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 1.60 grams fiber.

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The longer the spice mixture stands, the better it tastes--it can become addictive. You can adjust the amount of vinegar to taste or add other spices such as canela, true (Ceylon) cinnamon and cloves to vary the flavor. I use it to marinate beef, veal or pork cutlets, which I saute quickly; I also put it on whole, full-flavored fish for baking. Sometimes I thin this adobo with chicken or pork stock, or even water, and use the resulting sauce to make chile con carne. I don’t recommend this paste for grilling, because the chiles burn and turn bitter.

This recipe calls for Oaxacan pasilla chiles, which are quite different from the chiles usually known as pasilla in California. Oaxacan pasillas are also known as pasilla de Mexico or chile negro.

Chileajo Paste (Pasta de Chileajo)

4 to 5 cups water

1/2 pound dried New Mexico red chiles

2 dried Oaxacan pasilla chiles or dried chipotle chiles

12 cloves garlic

6 tablespoons vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt

In pot bring water to boil, then remove from heat.

Rinse New Mexico and pasilla chiles. Toast on hot griddle over high heat until dry, about 1 minute, turning constantly to avoid scorching. (Burnt chiles will make paste bitter.) As chiles are done, place in hot water. Let soak 15 minutes.

Remove and discard stem end of chiles. Slice chiles lengthwise and remove seeds and veins. Place chiles in blender or food processor with garlic, vinegar and sugar. Process until smooth. Pass mixture through medium-fine sieve. Season to taste with salt. Makes about 1 cup.

*Food styling by Donna Deane and Mayi Brady