Recetas Mexicanas Y Tex-Mex

Red Snapper Veracruz

2 pounds red snapper fillets

Salt

Pepper

4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced in half slices

1 1/2 pounds red ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped

1 cup water

8 or 9 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves, finely mashed

Heat a little oil in a large skillet and saut. The fillets after salting and peppering them lightly. Turn only once and do not overcook. Lay fillets in a large oblong ovenproof dish and set aside.

In a large saucepan heat the 4 tablespoons oil until hot, but not smoking, and saut. The sliced onion 1 minute, until limp but not brown, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and water, season with salt, and add the peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Pour sauce over fish fillets. At this point you can scatter a few stuffed green olives or drained and rinsed capers over the fish. Seal dish in foil. Heat a few minutes in the oven at 325 degrees F before serving.

Avocado, Tomato and Mango Salsa

1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced

1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced

4 medium tomatoes, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the mango, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeno, cilantro, and garlic. Stir in the salt, lime juice, red onion, and olive oil. To blend the flavors, refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving.

La Tex-Mex Cuisine

If we look at the history of the term "Tex-Mex", we can see that it has been a dynamic one. This term was first used in the 1870's as a nickname for the Texas-Mexican Railway. As the years progressed, it was first printed in 1945 to refer to an adaptation of Mexican dishes by Texas cooks, but it is much more to it. Tex-Mex came into existence when the Spanish and Indigenous- Mexican foods combined Anglo fare in Texas several hundred years ago. It originated in southern Texas and Northern Mexico. The “Tex-Mex” was developed in Texas, so it is wrong to say is a version of Americanized Mexican food!

What makes Tex-Mex food so unique is the blend of different culture’s own ingredients and creating that crunchy, spicy, cheesy, etc. taste. The taste comes from both sides of the Rio Grande which includes the carne seca, barbacoa, cabrito, and other cattle products that were available in that time period. As you go north the food gets “cheesier, chillier and meatier,” according to Drape. The cheese was added to the food because in was very cheap in America, so there was an extra ingredient added! The tortilla was of course not forgotten. We can view Tex-Mex as the ultimate blend of ingredients that makes our lives joyful and great with the taste they provide.

Today, Tex-Mex is imitated by many fast food restaurants that have no idea of its meaning. This has created a potential confusion to where it comes from. There are a lot of people that believe that Taco Bell is pure Tex-Mex food or even Mexican food. In reality, Mexican food is not all spicy or cheesy. The native Mexican diet included tomatoes, chocolate, guava, maiz, frijoles, and avocados. The rice and the “meats” were introduced by the Spaniards. I think both cuisines have their own unique taste because of the ingredients used and the way they are cooked. They can be both different from region to region because there may people who uses other ingredients or cook it different. To and extension, these cuisines are just unique for their combination and of course, the flavor!