Island Pantry
Regional Mexican recipes easier than ever

By Kaui Philpotts

Corn tortillas, onions, tomatoes and chilis are the basis of traditional Mexican cuisine, an artful combination of Spanish and Aztec influences. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Kahlo's flamboyant life has captured the imagination of everyone from young art students to superstars like Madonna, who collects her work. Attractive (in spite of having just a single eyebrow and possessing a noticeable mustache!) and always dressed in the Oaxaca style, with embroidery, ribbons and silk and lace skirts to the floor, Kahlo's celebrations were legendary.

The food she prepared has been documented in a book, "Frida's Fiestas," by Rivera's daughter Guadalupe (Clarkson Potter Publishers). I bought this book many years ago more for the photographs, in the most saturated color imaginable, than for the recipes.

However, now that we have more access here to a variety of chiles and other ingredients, I thought it would be fun to resurrect it.

The recipes read something like this: Chiles in Walnut Sauce, Stuffed Chayotes, Smothered Pork Sandwiches, Tamales with Chicken Picadillo and Pico de Gallo Salad.

I have chosen to share Chicken in Pipian Sauce (sesame seeds, almonds, chiles and olives), shrimp tacos (different than you're used to) and Squash Blossom Soup (a switch from tortilla soup, or even menudo) because they are very do-able and you can get your hands on the ingredients without much difficulty.

For the chicken in pipian sauce, use a whole cut-up chicken instead of the separated or boned parts. There is much more flavor. If you can, use fresh, local chicken. The original recipe calls for guero chiles. If you cannot find them, most mildly flavored fresh chiles will do. The shrimp tacos call for serrano chiles and the soup for poblanos, roasted, seeded and cut into strips. You might want to wear rubber gloves when dealing with fresh chiles. You'll find Mexican ingredients, including fresh, dried and powdered chilies, at El Mercado de la Raza on Beretania and in other specialty stores. Also, regardless of what the recipe says, judge for yourself the amount of chiles you want to use. The squash blossoms for the soup are available in the larger Chinatown groceries.

Chicken in Pipian Sauce

• 2 chickens, cut into parts
• 6 cups water
• 2 carrots, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 sprigs parsley
• Salt to taste
• 4 black peppercorns

Sauce:

• 1 cup sesame seeds
• 1 cup blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes, or 2 teaspoons powdered bouillon
• 6 chiles, whole
• 3/4 cup olives, pitted
• 2 teaspoons capers

In a large saucepan, place the chicken in the water with the carrots, onion, garlic, bay leaf, celery and parsley. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken, strain the broth and reserve. Debone the chicken and remove the skin.

Make the sauce by toasting the sesame seeds lightly in a skillet, stirring constantly. Puree the sesame seeds with the almonds and 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth in a food processor or blender (Mexican home cooks originally did this in a large mortar, mashing with the pestle). Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and cook the sesame-almond mixture for 5 to 8 minutes until it has thickened. Add 2 or 3 more cups of the broth and the chicken bouillon and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the chiles, olives, capers and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes more and serve piping hot. Serves about 6.

Shrimp Tacos

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 or less serrano chiles, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound cooked shrimp
• Corn tortillas (freshest available)

In a skillet, saute the onion and chiles in butter until onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, until tomato is cooked. If sauce is too thick, thin it with some chicken broth or water. Add the shrimp and cook 2 minutes, just until they are heated through. Fill the tortillas with the shrimp mixture and serve very hot, or you can serve the shrimp mixture with tortillas on the side. Serves 8.

Squash Blossom Soup

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 ears corn, kernels scraped off
• 3 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and cut into strips
• 1 cup zucchini, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 4 cups squash blossoms, stems and pistils removed and discarded, blossoms coarsely chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• Salt to taste
• 3 corn tortillas, cut in small squares and fried
• Heavy cream

In a deep pot, saute the onion in butter until translucent. Add the corn, chiles, and zucchini. Cook for about 2 minutes, then stir in the mushrooms and squash blossoms. Cook for 4 minutes, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Taste for salt. Serve soup garnished with baked or fresh tortilla squares and a little puddle of heavy cream. Serves 8.