"DAILY TORTILLA: Authentic Mexican Recipes," by Ricardo James, Front Table Books, $18.99, 182 pages
Having first developed a love of Mexican food while serving as a missionary, Utah-based author Ricardo James lays out the secrets to real Mexican cooking in “Daily Tortilla: Authentic Mexican Recipes.”
“My goal with this book,” he writes in the introduction, “is to present simple, common recipes found in Mexican homes with exact technique so the reader can enjoy the pleasures of great Mexican food.”
Starting with the basics — different types of salsas, beans and the hugely important “platforms” — the book moves on to the two main parts of a Mexican meal, the “primer plato” (first course) and “plato fuerte” (entrée) before ending with sections devoted to drinks and desserts.
A lot of the foods will sound familiar. Quesadillas, enchiladas and tacos all make appearances, but the ingredients are just a little different than what most Americans are used to.
There are also plenty of dishes that most Americans may not know — like pozole and chilaquiles — plus a few that one wouldn't expect to see in a Mexican cookbook at all, like multiple variations on spaghetti.
And yes, not only is there a recipe for flan, but there is also one for chocolate flan.
In terms of presentation, “Daily Tortilla” is beautifully put together. The page layouts are clean and easy to follow, and every recipe is accompanied by at least one — sometimes two or three — full-color images.
It is also well-written. Notes throughout give helpful tips like how to keep guacamole from turning brown.
What’s more, the brief explanations included with each entry are worth reading in their own right. They do more than just describe the dishes; they provide a small window into the history and culture of Mexico, showing James’ genuine, heartfelt passion for his subject.
All in all, “Daily Tortilla” is a great introduction to real Mexican food for anyone looking to try something more authentic next family taco night.
*****
Ceviche de Camaron: Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Ceviche is the process by which seafood and shellfish are cooked by acid. This recipe uses shrimp in lime juice. You’ll get a lot more flavor if you use raw shrimp and actually “cook” it in the lime juice before proceeding. However, in a pinch, you can take a shortcut and use pre- cooked shrimp.
Time: 30 minutes and 2-hour marianate time
Serves: 10
2 pounds raw shrimp; peeled, deveined, and tails removed
juice of 10–12 limes
1 large English cucumber, peeled and diced
1 large white onion, diced and rinsed in cold water
1 small jícama, peeled and chopped
1 cup diced celery
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup ketchup
½ cup hot sauce (I prefer Valentina brand)
juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon salt
2 avocados, pitted and diced
corn chips or saltine crackers
1. Cut shrimp into bite-size pieces.
Note: I prefer a small chop when serving at a party with chips, and larger pieces when serving in glass cups.
2. In a nonmetallic bowl, mix shrimp and lime juice. Refrigerate for 2 hours to “cook.” Stir occasionally. The shrimp will have completed the cooking process when the pieces are entirely white and no longer translucent.
3. Drain shrimp and add cucumber, onion, jícama, celery, and cilantro. Toss.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the ketchup, hot sauce, additional lime juice, and salt. Pour the sauce over the ceviche and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to eat.
Note: To make less hot, use more ketchup and less hot sauce.
5. Add the avocados just before serving. Toss gently.
6. Serve with corn tortilla chips or saltine crackers. Mexicans eat ceviche in a cocktail glass.
— "Daily Tortilla," by Ricardo James
Jeff Peterson is a native of Utah Valley and studied humanities and history at Brigham Young University. Along with the Deseret News, he also contributes to the film discussion website FilmInquiry.com.