Mexican Recipes from www.EagleKnights.com

Cooking in Mexico
Dictionary is down a bit!! (click here)

This page is meant to be a guide to purchasing Gringo foods in Mexico.  Its mostly for those who have recently moved to Mexico.  Hopefully it will help you in the transition.  It should also be helpful to anyone who wants to translate a recipe from Spanish. I like to cook and have had a hard time finding some of these words and terms.  Most Spanish/English dictionaries do not have spices in them.  

Meat... 
I suggest you start by purchasing your meat at Sams Club or Costco.  Both have American Beef.  You will still have a very hard time finding roasts, other cuts of meat are readily available.  The closest I have found to a roast is a cut of meat called the Cuete.  Or you can go to Costco or Sams and buy a Bola.  This is quite large but I cut it into 2 or 3 pieces and freeze part.  I put this in a cooking bag with some Onion Soup mix (thats hard to find to but make your own, its easy), sliced Onions, carrots, and potatoes and cook it for an hour or two.  Tastes great and makes excellent beef sandwiches.  Mexican beef is much leaner then US.  One of the best ways to cook is with a slow cooker,  Tough cuts of meat come out flavorful and tender.   

Real smoked ham (vs boiled ham) is hard to find, it seems to be a Christmas only item.  Sometimes you will find it in a larger store, I have asked for it and they have pulled one out of the freezer for me.  Its a real hit and miss proposition.  Costco seems to have it in stock more then any other store! If you can't find some real smoked ham you can  purchase a thick slice of the San Rafael Pierna and cook that like a center cut slice.  The Spanish word for a real ham is Pierna ahumada.  When you find a real ham.  Save the label and when you go back show them the label and say you want another one.  

Pecho is what they call a brisket
Cooked slow then sliced when its cold is another excellent source for sandwich meat.  You will almost always have to ask for this, but they usually have one stashed away in the cooler.  I think its used primarily for hamburger (molida) here. 

Cold cuts.. 
San Rafael, Fud, and Kir are the brand names closest to what American cold cuts taste like.  The San Rafael is the best, and the most expensive.  Feel free to ask for samples,  the word is probar,  they will be happy to give you a slice to try before you buy.  Salchicha means hot dogs or sausage.  If you see this on a pizza menu it usually means hot dogs not sausage.  Pepperoni is Pepperoni and Chorizo is Chorizo.  Mortedella is close to bologna. Note.. If you are buying the cheaper brands of hot dogs and notice what looks like a clear plastic wrapper on it.  Thats exactly what it is clear plastic.  You should take it off before cooking.  

Misc
Baking powder is called Polvo para Hornear ( Royal seems to be the only brand) 
Baking Soda is called Bicarbonato de sodio puro (its not usually found in the baking section.  look around or ask for it) 
Corn Starch is called Fecula de Maiz (brand name is Maizena) 

Beans
You will find it very hard to purchase Kidney beans or Pork and beans.  I have found that a bean called the Rosita makes an excellent Pork and Beans or baked bean.  This bean is hard to find its not real popular, Sometimes its on the shelves sometimes you just have to wait a month or so for it.  I always stock up when I see them.  To make gringo type beans cook the beans.  When they are cooked add some brown Sugar, ketchup, and cooked bacon and simmer for a bit or if you have some molasses (almost impossible to buy in Mexico) you can bake them in the oven.  A white bean called the Puruano makes a good bean soup and an acceptable substitute for the Rosita.   Or a quickie for pork and beans is to purchase a canned bean called Frijoles Bayos enteros. This means a canned bayo bean. I like the La Costena brand best.   Drain the can and then add some ketchup, onions, brown sugar and bit of molasses to taste and it tastes just like pork and beans.  Add some hot dogs bake for an hour and a nice dinner. 

Misc..
Best brand of tomato paste is La Fuerte
Diced tomato.. La Costena has a finely diced tomato in a package  Waldos has Heinz brand.
Best brand of Tuna is Dolores
For butter I like Fern (from New Zealand) or the Wal-Mart house brand Great Value

Cheese
Some people like Mexican Cheese some don't. I have mixed feelings I have found some I like, some I don't like.  
Feta cheese is found only at Sams Club or Costco.   Panala is the same texture but no where near as salty or flavorful. Sams Club and other stores also carries some goat cheese (Cabra) from Sainte Maure in a little brown and red box that is very good on Salads and crackers.  Closest thing to Feta that I have found.
Cheddar,  the closest Mexican cheese is Chihuahua. American Cheddar can be found in most Supermarkets. 
Mozarella  is very close to the Manchego
Danbo is a type of cheese that I have found at Sams Club.  Very inexpensive and tastes great to munch on with wine, etc.  

Speaking of Wine... 
Many popular brands of Chilean and US wines are available in Mexico.  Mexican wine is getting better and there are some very good red wines  LA Citto comes to mind.  White wines are a bit harder to find but I have found two exceptional wines (also reasonably priced) that I really like one is the Castillo Del Rhin.  This is a inexpensive Riesling type that is very very good.  I tend to pickup 6 or 7 bottles every time its on sale.  Yes, they have wine sales in Mexico!   The second is the Domecq's Blanc de Blanc X-A a crisp dry white, that I really like.   A good inexpensive US wine is the Carlos Rossi brand most of the larger stores carry it.  It is usually found in 1.5 or 4 litter bottles.  Concha y Toro has some excellent red wines from Chili,  I am not to fond of its white wines.  But wine is a matter of taste what I might like you might not.  But the suggestions are there to help you along.  One last thought.  Mexicans tend to serve wine at room temperature.  This is not right.  Wine is meant to be served at a cellar temperature in France.  So the red wine is supposed to be cool not HOT.  If they serve you a hot bottle of wine in a restaurant complain !!!!!  

Spices... You can purchase many spices fresh in the markets, but you have to know what they look like, or you can ask and hope they give you the right thing.  Its not uncommon to ask for something and if they don't have it they might substitute something else.  So be careful.  Best bet is to print out this list and take it with you when you are buying spices.  They are much cheaper (and usually fresher) when buying them at the market then in the little bottles. 

English to Spanish  

Mace   Macis
Majoram    Mejorana
Milk      Leche
Mint      Yerbabuena
Mushroom      Champiniones
Mustard      Mustaza
Nutmeg      Nuez Moscada (Molida = ground)
Nuts      NuezNuts pecans   Nuez Castilla
nuts walnuts  =  Nuez Pecana
Nuts Pine nuts = pinones

Onion    Cebolla
Orange    Naranja 
Oregano    Oregano
Paprika   is Paprika or Pimienton Molido
Parsley      Hojas de Perejil
Peas     Chicharo
Pepper       Pimienta
Poppy Seeds  Semilla de amapola  ( adormidera)
Prune      Ciruela Pasa 
Raisin     Uva Pasa 
Rice     Arroz
Rosemary    Romero
Sage        Salvia
Saffron       Azafran
Salt        Sal
Savory    Ajedrea
Sea Food       Mariscos
Sesame Seed      Ajonjoli 
Sour Cream       Creama Acido  (very mild just don't use this in Kalaha and cream)
Sugar        Azucar
Tarragon        Estragon
Tender       Suave 
Thyme          Tomillo
Turmeric      Cucumo 
Turkey        Pavo
Water       Agua
White Pepper      Pimienta Blanca Molida

Spanish to English cooking terms 

Adobado - This sheets of pork or beef, marinated in vinegar, seasoned and dried 

Adobar  -To marinate, season, and rub dry meat, especially pork

Adobo - Seasoning; the sort that are rubbed on meat before further preparation

Al Horno baked or roasted in the oven.  This always done without a cover

Asado - Meat roasted on top of the heat in a covered container 

Asar - To roast something quickly, generally over an open flame; used commonly with chili's, tomatoes and onions

Chamuscar - to sear, singe or scorch

Cocer - to cook used to describe something cooked in water

Colar - to strain, sieve or filter

Confeccionar - preparation (not as common as guisar)

Cuajar - to coagulate or curdle

Deshebrar - to shred or ravel into threads

Desleir - Dissolve or thin in liquid

Empanizar - to bread something

Enharinar - roll in flour

Enjuagar - to rinse

En Nogada - with nuts (like chilies en nogada)

En parilla - grilled

Escabeche - a pickling marinade

Espersar - to thicken or coagulate

Estilar - to drain

Estofado - a meat or veggie stew

Freir  - to fry

Frito - Something fried, e.g. "huevos fritos" fried eggs

Gratinar - Cover with cheese, etc., and brown

Guisado - The main dish of any comida; meat; or meat and veggies I have also seen this refered to stew on a menu 

Guisar - To prepare any meal, used like our cook 

Lamprear - to dressor season with wine, etc

Machacar - Pound, shred or crush

Macerar - Marinate and mash

Mechar - to wrap meat in bacon or ham, a-la-fillet

Menear - to stir or shake

Moler - to grind

Picar - to shop, mince or hash

Raller - to grate 

Rebanar - to slice

Rebozar - bathe in beaten eggs and fry

Recalentar - reheat;  Certain Mexican dishes are cooked; allowed to cool, then reheated

Reducir - Cook until volume is is reduced

Refreir - to re-fry, as in "frijoles refritos" refried beans 

Rellenar - To stuff, as in "Chilies rellanos" stuffed Chilies

Removar - to stir by shaking or rocking

Requemar - to parch or overcook purposely

Retazar - To tear in pieces and roughly shred

Saltear - Fry rapidly without liquid

Sancochar - boil in salted water

Sofreir - fry lightly

Tatemar - to cook food under ground - little used

Trabajar - To beat sauce, etc until smooth

Untar - To oil or butter an item

Vertir - beat or whip in an item