The fresh, new approach to this beloved cuisine puts a twist on traditional dishes, with an emphasis on vegetables prepared in wildly creative ways. The result is bright, beautiful, and intensely flavourful. Here, two top chefs share the meals they love – and you will too.
The fresh, new approach to this beloved cuisine puts a twist on traditional dishes, with an emphasis on vegetables prepared in wildly creative ways. The result is bright, beautiful, and intensely flavourful. Here, two top chefs share the meals they love – and you will too.
SHRIMP TIRADITO
From Alexis Palacios, executive chef of Mezcal at Montage in Los Cabos, Mexico.
SERVES 4
START TO FINISH: 30 MINUTES
> 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
> 1 large shallot, sliced
> ¼ cup sliced ginger
> ⅔ cup coconut milk
> ⅔ cup fresh lime juice
> Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
> 1 avocado, halved and pitted
> 450g extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
> ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
> 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
> Microgreens or edible flowers, for serving (optional)
1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and ginger, and spread in an even layer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred but not tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a blender. Add the coconut milk and lime juice, and puree until smooth. Season to taste with salt, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Refrigerate until cold or set in a larger bowl of ice and water to quickly chill.
2. Heat the remaining teaspoon oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the avocado, cut sides down, and sear until evenly blackened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool, cut sides up.
3. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Salt it generously, then add the shrimp. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and water to cool quickly. Cut each shrimp in half through its vein line, then transfer to the sauce. Fold to coat evenly.
4. Divide the shrimp among serving bowls. Slice the avocado halves in their peel, scoop out the slices with a large spoon, and add to the bowls, along with the red onion, cilantro, microgreens, and edible flowers if using. Drizzle with the sauce and then olive oil. Season with salt and serve.
MAITAKE MUSHROOMS IN SALSA VERDE
Adapted from Daniela Soto-Innes, chef, co-owner, and partner at Cosme and Atla in New York City.
SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH
START TO FINISH: 45 MINUTES
> 1 serrano chilli, stemmed
> 1 white onion, diced
> 280g tomatillos, husked, scrubbed, and quartered
> 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
> 1 cup packed fresh cilantro Kosher salt
> 450g maitake mushrooms
> 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
> 2 banana leaves, for steaming (optional)
> 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
1. Preheat the oven to 220 deg C. Thinly slice half the chilli and reserve. Coarsely chop the remaining chile. Reserve 2 tablespoons diced onion. Combine the remaining onion with the chopped chilli, tomatillos, garlic, and 2/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender; add the cilantro and puree until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Reserve the salsa verde.
2. Put half the mushrooms on a baking sheet and drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil to coat evenly. Roast until browned and crisp at the edges, about 20 minutes.
3. Cut the remaining mushrooms into 3cm pieces, then steam in a steamer, between banana leaves if using, until tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved sliced chilli and 1 tablespoon diced onion, along with the steamed mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the salsa verde and cook until reduced, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt, then transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon diced white onion, then top with the roasted maitakes. Season the maitakes with salt, then squeeze lime juice on top.
PERFECT SAUCE
Make this salsa verde your go-to for veggie, chicken, and fish dishes. Cooking tomatillos with aromatics deepens their flavour; adding cilantro perks them up.
BEET AND LIME RICE WITH SERRANO PESTO CHICKEN
From Alexis Palacios, executive chef of Mezcal at Montage in Los Cabos, Mexico.
SERVES 4
START TO FINISH: 45 MINUTES
> 1 small serrano chilli
> ½ cup sliced or slivered blanched almonds, lightly toasted
> 1 cup packed fresh cilantro
> ¼ cup plus 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
> Kosher salt
> 450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts
> 1½ cups roasted beets, cut into wedges
> ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
> 4 cups cooked rice
> 4 cups mixed baby greens
> 60g cotija, feta or goat cheese, crumbled
1. Heat grill or grill pan over medium-high. Grill the chilli, turning, until charred, about 3 minutes. Put in a small bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, rub off the charred skin. Discard the stem and transfer the chilli to a food processor, along with the almonds and cilantro. Pulse until very finely chopped, scraping the bowl occasionally. With the machine running, add ¼ cup oil. Season with salt to taste.
2. Rub the remaining 3 tablespoons oil all over the chicken and season with salt. Grill, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest.
3. Puree 1/2 cup beets with the lime juice until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a large saucepan and heat over medium heat until steaming, then add the rice. Fold until well mixed and heated through. Divide the rice among serving dishes.
4. Tear the chicken into bite-size pieces and toss with half the serrano pesto until evenly coated. Arrange on top of the beet rice, along with the remaining 1 cup roasted beets, the greens, and cheese. Spoon the remaining pesto on top.
SHISHITO, AYOCOTE AND SALSA VERDE TLAYUDA
Adapted from Daniela Soto-Innes, chef, co-ownerr, and partner at Cosme and Atla in New York City.
SERVES 4
START TO FINISH: 3 HOURS, PLUS SOAKING OVERNIGHT
> 1 cup dried ayocote beans or pinto or large red kidney beans, picked over for stones
> ½ cup garlic oil or olive oil, plus more for frying and serving
> 1 small white onion, cut into 3cm chunks
> 3 garlic cloves, peeled
> 1 dried ancho chilli, toasted, stemmed, and seeded
> 6 avocado leaves (optional)
> 1 fresh red chilli, stemmed and sliced
> 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
> 1 tsp agave syrup
> Kosher salt
> 16 shishito peppers
> 4 corn tortillas
> Lime wedges, for serving
> Fresh cilantro, dill, and edible flowers, for serving
1. Put the beans in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover by 10cm. Cover with a lid and refrigerate overnight.
2. Heat ¼ cup oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and dried chilli and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the avocado leaves if using and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Drain the beans and add to the pot, along with enough water to cover them by 5cm. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, put the fresh chilli in a small bowl. Bring the vinegar, agave, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Immediately pour over the chilli and stir occasionally to pickle evenly.
5. When the beans are tender, transfer all the solids to a food processor with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking liquid. Add 2 cups cooking liquid and puree until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. With the machine running, add the remaining ¼ cup oil. Add more cooking liquid if needed to achieve a smooth puree. Season with salt to taste.
6. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Warm the tortillas, one at a time, until browned in spots, about 2 minutes per side. Put one on each serving plate. Add enough oil to the skillet to coat the bottom evenly. Add the shishitos and cook, turning occasionally, until blistered, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt.
7. Divide the bean puree among the tortillas and spread evenly. Top with the shishitos and pickled chile. Squeeze lime juice on top, then drizzle with oil. Garnish with the cilantro and edible flowers.
TIMESAVER
You can swop 3 cups of drained canned beans for the dried.
Clockwise from top left: ROASTED CARROTS, MUSHROOMS, CAULIFLOWER, TOMATO SALSA, FETA CHEESE, LIMES AND AVOCADO, FLOUR TORTILLAS, BUTTER LETTUCE LEAVES, GIANT RADISHES, KOHLRABI, EDIBLE FLOWERS AND HERBS, SWEET POTATOES, PEANUTS, FRESH RED CHILLIES
AN ALL-NEW TACO BAR
The holy trinity: wrapper, filling, salsa. In Mexico, what’s used for each of these varies by region, season, and chef. But what they all have in common is showcasing the best local produce. These days, anything goes – play around with ingredients to invent your own flavours.
FILLINGS
For the freshest approach, go strictly vegetable. Alexis Palacios, the executive chef of Mezcal at Montage in Los Cabos, Mexico, ferments mushrooms to give them a meaty depth and chew. You can sear them for a similar effect. Additional hearty choices include roasted carrots, brussels sprouts, and other root vegetables. To add creaminess, smash beans or crumble cheese.
WRAPPERS
When choosing tortillas, look for the best store-bought options with wholesome ingredients and no artificial flavours. Heat them in a skillet, on a grill, or over the open flame of a gas burner until blistered in spots. Or swop the classics. Paper-thin slices of raw peeled jicama, giant radishes, or kohlrabi work, as do sweet potato rounds steamed until tender or raw butter lettuce leaves.
SALSA
There are endless possibilities for this topper. Consider uncooked tomato or tomatillo salsa, mole, pureed nut or seed sauce, tropical fruit relish, or guacamole. Or create your own. Palacios makes a salsa with peanuts and chipotles; chef Daniela Soto-Innes pairs mole negro with plantains.
AND FOR THE FINAL TOUCH
For richness, sprinkle with cheese, drizzle with crema, sour cream, or yogurt, or top with sliced avocado.
To add some acidic flavour, try lime or another citrus juice.
For heat, use slices of fresh chillies or some hot sauce.
Get crunch from radishes, nuts, or sesame seeds.
To brighten, try fresh herbs, edible flowers, or greens.
PHOTOS SANG AN
FOOD STYLING JAMIE KIMM
PROP STYLING SARAH SMART
