Flavor Teller's favorite food pairing

​Published in the Pacific Pearl Sep-Oct 2019 issue

Nowadays every serious food enthusiast talks about food pairing: white wine needs to be served with fish, red wine with beef and of course a dark beer with German sausage. But how does this work in Mexico, where lagers and tequila rule? And having a beer with your meal is common, but usually it’s not paired with a typical kind of food. It’s a whole different story for another indispensable component of a Mexican meal: the salsas. Here are some recipes how to spice it up like a local!

Marisquerias
Getting your Vitamin Sea in Mazatlan isn’t hard at all. Seafood restaurants or ‘marisquerias’ are abundant, because of the fresh fish and shrimp arriving to port. They’re a great way to explore the delicious diversity of lunch options. Yes that’s right: seafood restaurants are traditionally only open for lunch from noon until 5 pm. A must-try is ‘Aguachile’; a spicy ceviche which combines fresh shrimp and local chilis. You can add less chili if you want.

Aguachile Sinaloense
 

• 1 kg shrimp (preferably fresh)
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3 cups of lime juice
• 3 Serrano chiles and 3 Chiltepin chiles

 

• Cucumber, peeled and sliced
• ½ red onion, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tbsp soy sauce

 
First peel the shrimps and open them lengthwise so they look like butterflies. Then place the shrimp in a deep flat dish, together with the onion and cucumber.
Blend the garlic, lime juice, two types of chili, pepper and salt and pour the mix over the shrimp. The mix should cover the shrimp completely. Cover and marinate for a least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
You have to move the shrimp every 15 minutes so the flavor penetrates well. Before serving add some iced water and soy sauce, to make the taste less acid.
 
Taquerias
The smell of grilled beef is recognizable from several blocks away and stirs up your evening appetite. Mazatlan is bursting with street-side taquerias, but be aware that they only open after 6 pm. Wait for your ‘tacos de carne asada’ (grilled beef tacos) while munching on a cucumber or radish slice smothered with liquid guacamole. This isn’t the guacamole you might know: chunky with onion, tomato and cilantro. Taquerias in Sinaloa blend the avocado with water and some salt, making an easy topping. Another favorite salsa is ‘Salsa tatemada’ or fiery red salsa: charred tomato, chili, garlic and onion blended with chunks of avocado

Salsa tatemada                                                                                                                            

• 1-3 cloves roasted garlic                                                                                                           
• ¼ white onion roasted                                                               
• ½-2 roasted jalapeño or serrano chilies (remove seeds for milder salsa)            
• 2 roasted Roma tomatoes                                                                                                       
• Pinch of cilantro, avocado, lime juice, salt to taste                                                                        

Grind the garlic in a lava-stone molcajete, add roasted tomatoes, chili, onions and mash into a salsa. If you’re in a hurry, you can also use a blender. Pour into a serving bowl and add a pinch of cilantro, avocado cubes, salt to taste and a few drops of lime.
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Buen Provecho! (Enjoy your meal!)