It’s late at night. You’re craving something crunchy to munch on while watching some bad TV. You don’t want to eat just any old junk food, you are health conscience and care about what you feed your body. I have been there, my friends, with nothing in the pantry that fits that bill. Usually, I have a stack of good corn tortillas in my fridge, which brings me to this post.

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For this last article in the series, Rockin’ The Mexican Stove, I wanted to write about one of the best restaurants David and I ate at while in the beautiful city of Mérida. We happened upon it through reading a review in a travel book. We loved it so much that we ate there 3 times in the 6 days we were in Mérida. That says a lot right there, doesn’t it?

A bit off the beaten tourist path and sitting inside a blue painted doorway is La Casa de Frida. Eclectically decorated, it’s a tome to the great artist Frida Kahlo, the atmosphere was magical and other worldly. Walls painted in bright azur blue and fuschia purple, paintings by Frida hanging on the walls and Mexican folk art fill the space. The back wall is open to a outdoor courtyard that is covered by a clear, plastic mechanical ceiling, similar to a garage door. If the weather turns rainy you can still enjoy dinner al fresco. Cactus and tropical plants fill the rooms as well. Like I said, it’s a magical place and the food was as well.

Owner and chef, Gabby Praget, was kind enough to sit with me for an interview about her restaurant, history as a chef and even give me a tour of her kitchen.

Chef Shirlé: So, first, how did you learn cooking, and to speak English so perfectly? Did you spend time in the States?

Chef Gabby: As a teenager I spent time in Canada and the States. I just wanted to learn English. I had some very good friends who lived in New York and asked to to come stay with them. They were good cooks and would take me around to many different restaurants so that I could try different things. This is when I realized that cooking is what I wanted to do.

CS: Then did you move back to Mexico City?

CG: Yes. But first I finished high school and then went to University to study communications and after five years of working I realized that I wanted to cook. This is when I opened my Italian restaurant in Mexico City.

CS: Oh wow. Did you work in a restaurant prior to that?

CG: No.Never.

CS: Wow. So you decided that you wanted to open a restaurant and just did it. How did it go?

CG: It went well. It was crazy because I wanted to open up a small place, but my sister, her husband and another couple were very enthusiastic and they said, “oh we’ll help you with the money”. So instead of opening up a small, humble place it was a large restaurant, but I didn’t know anything about running a restaurant. I had to learn fast.

CS: Oh, you had to hire a staff, buy everything on your own, from scratch…Oh my god.

CG: Yes, actually my friends from New York came at that time to teach me how to make the pasta and the basic sauces.

CS: Oh my gosh! But you said it was successful.

CG: Yes, I made a few mistakes because people in the northern part of Mexico eat a lot of meat. So it was meat and pasta.

CS: So you kept it easy. That was very brave of you. So you have answered a part of the question of how you learned to cook. Did you also learn from your family?

CG: Yes, when I was a small kid at home people from all over the country would work for my family cooking so that is where I learned the flavors of Mexico. So now I am trying to repeat the flavors that I tasted before.

Cheese Enchiladas in Mole

CS: So, then can you tell me what goes into your amazing mole? You write in the menu that there are 18 different items in the mole.

CG: Yes, 3 different types of chilies, tomatoes, garlic, onion, peanuts, raisins, sesame seeds, plantain…

CS: Is that a traditional mixture?

CG: Yes, yes. That’s the way you are supposed to make it.

CS: Do you use a food processor to blend everything?

CG: Yes, a very large blender. An industrial one. This is what made the difference. That is why it is easier.

CS: Then do you put it in a pot and cook it for hours?

CG: Oh, well maybe an hour or so. Not very long. And it’s also very good because of a very rich stock I make. I use very dark chocolate.

CS: Mole has always intrigued me because of all the ingredients and the sweet, savory, salty depth of flavor.

CG: Oh really?

CS: Oh, yes. I wanted to ask you, what made you consider to offer vegetarian selections here at La Casa de Frida? Is that because of your experience in Mexico City and all the tourists? Did you feel like they needed this option?

Chiles en Nogada

CG: Yes, because either the tourists are vegetarians or they just want a rest from the meat.

CS: Are you vegetarian yourself?

CG: Not vegetarian, but everything I make here I would eat. I don’t use lard. In most Mexican food you will find lard but that is so unhealthy that I wouldn’t use it. I wouldn’t eat that so I wouldn’t serve it to you.

CS: Where do you get your produce from? Do you go daily to a market yourself or do you have a produce truck or food supply truck come to the restaurant?

CG: I don’t have a delivery truck. I go to 4 different markets, a bakery.

CS: So, no one comes to you. You do it all yourself.

CG: Yes, that is why I open at 5 pm and close at 10pm because I am at the markets and then preparing.

CS: You are closed Sundays, right? That is your day of rest.

CG: Yes.

CS: Is your menu seasonal? Do you change the menu often?

CG: I change it every high season, so once a year. I add or take out something. But I don’t change it too much beacuse people that come here expect certain things; the chile, the mole and the crepes.

Cuitlachoche Crepes

CS: Are there organic options here in Merida?

CG: No, not very many, but that may change over time.

CS: Do you think you are bringing in more international customers that locals?

CG: Oh yes, it’s probably about 90% tourists.

CS: Why do you think that is?

CG: Because local people don’t come much into downtown. It’s not comfortable. There are no parking lots, it’s far from where they live. They don’t really live downtown. So, they don’t come very often.

CS: So they come to work downtown?

CG: Yes, but what I cook for the hours that I am open is too heavy for them. It is what they would eat for lunch, not dinner. If I opened for lunch time I am sure I would have more local customers.

CS: I guess for us tourist it’s good.

CG: Yes because the tourist come to eat then leave. If it were locals they would never leave. They would be here until 2am! Having drinks and everything…I don’t want that. I want to go out, too. (laughter)

CG: How long has La Casa de Frida been open?

CG: About 4 years now.

CS: Why did you pick Frida Khalo as your inspiration and restaurant name?

CG: Well, first I knew it was going to be Mexican food and then thinking of something that would be interesting for people like you. Something that would attract the travelers.

CS: Right. And you are from Mexico City.

CG: Yes, I used to go very often to her house. My university was very close to her house.

CS: In my mind Frida Khalo is one of the treasures of Mexico.

CG: Oh yes!

Gabby in her beautiful kitchen

CS: Now, tell me about Cuitlacoche. Is that something you grew up eating?

CG: Oh yes. It must be something special because in Mexico City it was very easy to get it, but here it is more difficult. I don’t know why.

CS: Maybe something to do with the humidity, the bugs, who knows…

CG: In Mexico city you go to markets and they have quesadillas and one of the quesadillas is Quesadillas de Cuitlachoche. It’s very popular. Like cheese, just as popular.

CS: Really!?

CG: Yes, very much. But not here.

CS: Do the locals like it?

CG: Not here. Not very much. (laughter)

CS: Do you incorporate the Yucatecan cuisine into our menu?

CG: I don’t like places that offer everything. So I make Mexican food. The Yucatecans consider themselves separate from Mexico, and I cook Mexican food.

CS: Do you have a website so that travelers can find you?

CG: Yes, it’s www.lacasadefrida.com.mx

I would like to say thank you to Gabby for sharing her story with me. I will definitely be back and will dream of her mole and almond torte until then.

Almonde Torte

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I just returned from a two week trip to Mexico with David, where we visited Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Mérida and Progreso, and I have to say, it was amazing! The people were so kind and gracious, offering their hospitality as if we were family. And the food…well, the food is why I went and okay, add to that the beautiful beaches. So, let’s talk about the food of the Yucatán peninsula.I would like to start by saying one thing about United States grocery stores verses Mexican. We in the States are getting SCREWED! I’m serious. David and I went grocery shopping because we had a kitchen in our condo in Playa del Carmen and decided that we would rock our little Mexican stove. We went to a store called MEGA and bought the following for only $27 USD.

pack of 5 heads of garlic- .85
4 poblano chilis- .23
2 mandarin oranges- .70
8 limes- .14
6 roma tomatoes- 1.20
box of salad greens- .39
3 avocados- 1.08
1 28 oz. can black beans- .70
1 28 oz. pinto beans- .60
1 15oz. can salsa Mexicana- .28
1 big carton of V-8 juice- 1.60
2 small cartons of guanabana juice- .37 each
1 lb. piece of cod- 1.80
3 different fresh Mexican cheeses- 1.80/1.60/2.10
1 bunch of cilantro- .48
1 bunch of epazote- .48
1 dozen eggs- 1.60
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper- .85
2 six packs of pacifico beer (bottles)- 4.20 each
1 lb of bananas- .27
olive oil tin (small)- 2.50
small bottle of vinegar- .29
and a few other items that I can’t decifer from the grocery bill.

Oh yeah, and a pack of fresh, and I mean still hot and wrapped in paper, corn tortillas- .32

It was incredible. MEGA was similar to a Super Target (as I over heard one gringo saying to their amigo). They sold housewares, clothes, appliances, music, etc… except organic produce, although, someone told us that they are going to start carrying organics. Everyone brought their own shopping bags as well, so I bought a beautiful orange oil cloth bag for myself. I used it for our groceries as well as our trips to the beach.

We made breakfast almost every morning, but we bought our coffee at a wonderful Italian café on the corner called Il Baretto, where they made the best Caffe Americano con leche. A typical breakfast for us was Huevos Rancheros which consisted of eggs, beans, tortillas, queso, avocado and salsa or Huevos Mexicana that was made with scrambled eggs, salsa and queso.

One afternoon, I whipped up Paella Tortillas for our lunch, using leftovers from the previous night’s dinner. I mixed the Paella with some egg whites and cooked it in a pan over low heat until all the egg was thoroughly set. Then I served them with fresh corn tortillas, avocado and salsa. It was a simple solution of what to do with our previous night’s dinner.

We made dinner only once because there were so many great places to eat, but what we did make was really awesome. I called it “Pescado con Cilantro.” I made a quick sauce of cilantro, epazote (a Mexican herb with an earthy flavor), garlic, olive oil, salt and a touch of vinegar that I pureed in a blender.

I placed a cod fillet in a skillet and poured the cilantro mixture over top of it, simmering for about 20 minutes until it easily flaked.

As a side, I made Chili Rellenos, where I blackened the poblano chilis over a flame on the stove.

I steamed them in a bag to loosen the charred skins. I removed the skin, seeds and membrane from inside and stuffed them with some local queso from Oaxaca.

Rolled them in whipped egg whites.

Rolled them in bread crumbs.

And lightly browned them in a skillet.

I also made a quick side of refried beans.

I topped the fish with some sauteed yellow bell peppers and made a smear of hot sauce as garnish.

We always ate outside on the balcony where we could listen to the black birds cawing to each other in the palm trees. It was really perfect.

One of our neighbors in the condo had a five year old daughter named Sophie. I asked her when we were swimming in the pool what her favorite food was and she exclaimed, “Mac and Cheese!” Her father said, that she really wanted to eat some Mac and Cheese in Playa del Carmen, but he explained that they don’t make that here in Mexico. I could tell she really missed it. On our last day in Playa, I went to the bodega (quickie mart) and bought some pasta shells. I took the 3 cheeses we had left over and made her some amazing homemade Mac and Cheese. David and I took it to them and her eyes lit up. Who knew I would be personal cheffing in Mexico!

I would like to suggest to anyone who visits a new country to try to get a place with a stove. It’s a great way to experience the flavors of the country, visit their markets/grocers and submerge yourself in the culture. And at the very least get your culinary toes wet. Some people might think that I was out of my mind, wanting to pick up a pan and cook on vacation, but for me cooking is a passion. Being able to play in another country’s kitchen and explore their markets was a blast.

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I am going to start this off by saying that I have been seduced by this dish. No. ‘Seduced’ is not strong enough a word. More like ‘captured’ by the combination of flavors. The zest of the vinegar, the sweetness of those browned onions, the fragrant allspice. It’s all there. In one tantalizing bite after tantalizing bite.

What also makes this recipe even more amazing are the soy protein patties in the dish. They are from Whole Foods and I have to say that their addictive! They have the best texture, almost fibrous, yet really juicy. For real. I like them so much that I am currently trying some secret scientist experiments in my kitchen to try to create them from scratch. Wish me luck.

Three great spices: 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp allspice and 2 tsps dried oregano.

Mix the spices in a bowl then coat the soy patties.

In 2 tbs of oil (I use olive) sauté the patties until lightly browned, remove from pan and set them aside.

Next cut an onion in half and make 1/4 inch slices. Add to the pan that the soy patties were in and sauté over med-low heat until caramelized. Diagonally slice 2 carrots and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.

I then added some asparagus spears to the pan because, well, it’s Spring and I had them in my fridge. I snapped off the tough ends and also peeled them a bit before I added them to the pan. Sauté for about 4 minutes.

Take 3 peeled garlic cloves and cut them in half. Slice some peppers, whatever kind you like. I used a mix of pepperoncinis and sweet pickled red cherry peppers, but you could use Jalepenos or a Serrano. Whatever you chose, after you slice them add the garlic and peppers to the mix. Cook for a minute.

Next add the liquids. First add a 1/4 cup of cider vinegar.

Then add 1 cup of veggie broth. Mix well and let everything braise for 2 minutes.

You now can add the soy protein patties back into the pan, gently tucking them in between all those veggies and into the sauce. Cover with a lid and continue to cook for another minute.

To serve, I simply set the asparagus off to the side, added a small mound of perfectly cooked rice and then layed out a few of the patties topped off with the veggie mixture. Pour on some of the sauce and dinner is ready.

One more thing about this dish. It’s quick. Really quick. It came together in the time it took to make some rice. It just gets better and better, doesn’t it? What are you waiting for then? Get your Ecsabeche on tonight!

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The Southwest’s Best Breakfast Menu:
Tofu Rancheros w/Black beans & Soy Sausage

So, pretty much every Sunday morning David and I make some version of either a Southwest or Mexican inspired breakfast. This usually always includes beans, salsa, avocado and corn tortillas. What goes in between those things are always different and depends on what’s in the fridge that morning. We seriously love those flavors for our first meal of the day, and with our trip to Mexico growing closer each weekend we keep trying out variations on the theme of Latin Vegetarian.

Mexican food , when you really think about it, doesn’t NEED meat. This cuisine relies on tons of fresh veggies, lean protein packed beans, heart healthy grains and wonderful aromatic herbs and spices. I am not talking about the typical “Am-exico” food you get in most Mexican restaurants here in the states. That stuff is loaded with cheese and rice and that is not what people eat south of the border. They keep it simple, and that is why I love this style of cooking. Someone once told me that Mexican food is one of the fattiest cuisines out there (because of the cheese, most likely) but it doesn’t have to be.

You should try this one morning. You would think that the beans would make it heavy, but believe me, it’s not. It was the perfect meal to give us the energy to run our errands and go on a long mid-day walk. Also, this recipe incorporates a riff on Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s recipe, Scrambled Tofu, from her cook book Vegan With A Vengeance.

First, mix this spice blend. Make extra so that you don’t have to make it every time. I always triple it.
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt

Drain a block of extra firm tofu. Extra firm works the best in keeping it’s shape and doesn’t get mushy.

In a saute pan with 1/2 Tbs olive oil saute’ 1/2 of a diced red onion until soft and caramelized.

Crush 2 cloves of garlic then add to pan with onions.

Dice 8 medium size mushrooms then add the mushrooms to the onions and saute until golden.

Add a heaping Tbs of the spice mixture then crumble the tofu in the pan, making sure to leave big chunks. Stir well.

Squeeze the juice of one lemon and add this to the tofu. Also, add a 1/4 cup of nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast makes it creamy and thickens it up a bit giving it the texture and feel of scrambled eggs.

Add one shredded carrot to the mix and gently stir in. Turn heat to low to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan brown the sausage, add one can of drained and rinsed black beans (or your fave frijole) and cook until the moisture has evaporated.
On a plate lay out 2 corn tortillas and top with a bit of the bean-sausage mixture, the scrambled tofu, some salsa and whatever else you want to finish it off with, like sour cream, guacamole and some seriously hot sauce.

Armed with fuzzy hats and a great breakfast Shirle’ & David get ready to meet the day.

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I love pumpkin seeds, especially ones that are already shelled, bagged and ready to eat! What could only make them better would be to take those earthy, buttery flavored seeds, toast them, grind them into a paste, then add spices and tomatoes to make a dip…a nutty salsa, if you will.

What you get is something the Yucatan people call Si Kil Pac. In the markets of the Yucatan you can find large bowls displaying varied degrees of toasted pumpkin seed that have already been ground to a paste. Much coarser and drier than peanut butter, the pumpkin seed paste is used in many different ways from sauces to thickeners in stews.

I also bought a tortilla press a few weeks ago and was determined to make fresh corn tortillas. I have to say it wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be and once I got the hang of the press I moved right along like a machine. Plus, it took me back to having a Playdoh Fun Factory as a kid. Seriously, the taste was well worth the effort and since I had made this fabulous dip I took the tortillas one step further and turned them into chips - Baked, not fried.

Try this at your next party, on a piece of pita or eat it with a celery stick…anyway you do it you will love it.

Pumpkin seeds.

Already toasted pumpkin seeds.

Ground to a course paste.

Roasting some plum tomatoes under the broiler.

Roasted tomatoes, ready to be diced.

Dicing an onion. I also diced one habanero chili and some cilantro, mixed them into a bowl with the tomatoes and pumpkin seed paste, squeezed in the juice of a lime and added salt to taste.

In another bowl I mixed a cup of masa flour with a bit of water until a dough formed then I rolled into a snake and cut equal pieces.

I wrapped both sides of the press with plastic wrap and placed one ball of dough on the bottom plate.

Pressing the dough.

One Tortilla ready to be lightly fried, then cut into wedges and baked…and enjoyed with some Si Kil Pac!

Get the recipe here.

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MENU:
Smoked Paprika Tempeh Tacos w/ Roasted Corn Salsa
Kale Black Beans

I love smoked paprika! If there is any spice that I would take on a dessert island it definatly would be smoked paprika. The aroma, the slight hint of heat and the beautiful color can not be beat by any other spice, at least in my book. So, when a recipe calls for chipotle chilis or say, ancho chilis and I am at a loss for those in my pantry, I will easily substitute smoked paprika…the depth it adds is incredible, which brings me to Wednesday nights Date Nite Dinner.

We made Smoked Paprika Tempeh Tacos. I had a nice brick of Tempeh that I sliced and marinated in a simple sauce of smoked paprika, achiote paste, garlic and lime juice then grilled in a skillet. As another filling for the tacos we made another very simple dish of roasted corn salsa that added another layer of flavor to the tempeh. I had some kale in the crisper drawer of the fridge so I decided that the greens would be great mixed with some soy sausage and black beans…kind of like a Latin inspired Hoppin John. We topped the tacos off with a bit of Queso Fresco and a few cilantro sprigs and ate ourselves into smoky, savory oblivion.

Combine the smoked paprika, achiote paste, garlic and lime juice in a food processor or blender and puree.

Cover the tempeh slices with the marinade and set aside for a 1/2 hour.

In a large pot or dutch oven cook crumbled veggie sausage until browned.

Add the drained and rinsed black beans, adding just a bit of water so they don’t stick.

Add the washed and chopped kale to the beans. Cook until most of the water is gone, turn off the stove and put a lid on.

Dice 1/2 an onion and 1/2 a red bell pepper.

Saute the onion and pepper until golden and translucent.

Add the corn (we used frozen) and the juice of 1/2 a lime and saute until the corn gets a bit browned.

Heat the tortillas for a few minutes in the oven and then plate up the tacos and beans…this meal could only be made better by having it with a good Mexican beer with a wedge of lime or a glass of bold red wine.

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