The Ingredients You Need For Top-Tier Mexican Food, According To Chefs
NEWS
By FELICIA LEE
Carlos Gaytán, a restaurateur and the first Mexican-born chef to earn a Michelin star, and six of his colleagues swear by the following ingredients when it comes to Mexican food.
Chamoy & Tajín
Chamoy (a sauce of fruit, chiles, salt, and lime juice) and Tajín (the brand name for a spicy dry condiment of salt, chiles, and lime) can add spice and tang to food.
Raul Luis, chef at Birrieria Chalio in Fort Worth, Texas, says these condiments can be used to garnish salads and elevate fruits and veggies. They also work well in seafood dishes.
Avocados
Pati Jinich, a James Beard and Emmy-winning chef and TV host, says that avocados are "emblematic of Mexican cuisine." She often enjoys them as a dinner starter.
Jinich suggests topping avocados with a crab, shrimp, or artichoke heart salad. She also recommends upping your guacamole game with a novel choice of chiles and other flavorings.
Fresh Herbs
Gaytán suggests using dill to enhance seafood, basil to boost freshness of dishes, mint to add a cool note to drinks and desserts, and parsley to add finishing touches.
He recommends using thyme to add an earthy scent to roasted meats and veggies, epazote to season black beans, and hoja santa to flavor "tamales, quesadillas, soups, and stews."
Bay Leaves
Dried bay leaves are often simmered whole in dishes and removed before serving. Their cool, menthol-like flavor and aroma balance out strong flavors in Mexican recipes.
"Used in soup stocks [and] stews, bay leaf helps reduce gaminess odors that are created by ingredients. For example, it will help reduce the fishy smell from seafood," says Luis.
Oregano
Luis says "[Oregano’s] great for salsas and compliments laurel [bay leaves] to help reduce odors from the cooking process." Gaytán says it boosts "meat, beans, and sauces."
The oregano used in Mexican cooking comes from a Mexican plant unrelated to Mediterranean oregano. It's less bitter than Mediterranean oregano and has notes of citrus and licorice.