Gonzalo Guzmán was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and came to the United States as a young child. He began working at Kokkari restaurant in San Francisco as a dishwasher, but was soon promoted and went on to work his way up through the ranks at Boulevard, Chez Nous, and Nopa. In 2009, he partnered with Laurence and Allyson Jossel and Jeff Hanak to open Nopalito on Broderick Street. Guzmán is now the chef of both the original Nopalito as well as a second location on Ninth Avenue, just outside Golden Gate Park.
Stacy Adimando is a food and travel journalist, and the test kitchen director at Saveur magazine. Her work has been published by NPR, Bon Appétit, Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Forbes, and many more. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Background and Basics: From Mexico to Your Kitchen
In the Mexican Kitchen 3
Building the Mexican Pantry 7
A Few House Recipes 31
Queso Fresco 32
Nopalito Spices 35
Crema 35
Teleras 36
Mexican Sandwich Rolls
Cemitas 38
Sesame Sandwich Rolls
Escabeche Rojo 39
Pickled Red Onions
Jalapeños Curtidos 39
Pickled Jalapeños
Curtidos "Para Tacos" 40
Pickled Vegetables
Chipotles Adobados 42
Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
Mayonnaise 43
Maiz para Pozole 43
Hominy
Chorizo Oaxaqueño 44
Spiced Peanuts 45
Recommended Tools (and someextras that are nice to have) 46
Platillos Pequeños (Small Plates)
Ceviche Nayarita de Camarón 54
Shrimp Ceviche from Nayarit
Ceviche de Camarón y Cangrejo à la Mexicana 57
Shrimp and Crab Ceviche with Tomatoes, Onions, and Jalapeños
Ceviche de Pescado con Chile Guajillo 60
Halibut Ceviche with Red Chiles
Ceviche Verde de Pescado y Calamari 61
Green Ceviche with White Fish and Calamari
Garbanzos con Chile 63
Fried Chickpeas with Chili Powder
Totopos con Chile 64
Baked Tortilla Chips Tossed with Spicy Salsa de Árbol
Guacamole 69
Queso Flameado con Chorizo y Nopales 70
Hot Oaxacan and Jack Cheese Dip with Chorizo and Cactus
Ensalada de Frutas 73
Fruit Salad with Chile and Lime
Ensalada de Nopales 74
Cactus Leaf Salad
Ensalada de Pepinos y Verdolagas 77
Cucumber and Purslane Salad
Ensalada de Lechuga con Manzana 78
Little Gem Salad with Apples and Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Esquite Tostado con Crema y Queso 81
Toasted Corn with Crema, Ground Chile, and Queso Fresco
Quesadillas con Repollo de Bruselas 82
Quesadillas with Brussels Sprouts and Cascabel Chile Oil
Quesadillas de Esparagos con Salsa de Cilantro 85
Asparagus Quesadillas with Salsa Cilantro
Quesadillas Rojas con Chicharrónes 86
Crispy Red Quesadillas with Braised Red Pork and Pork Rinds
Tacos de Cochinita 91
Marinated Shredded Pork Tacos
Tacos de Pescado al Pastor 95
Fish Tacos Marinated in Adobo
Tamales de Amarillo con Camote 96
Sweet Potato Tamales with Mole Amarillo
Tamales de Birria con Pollo 103
Tamales with Stewed Chicken
Tamales Empipianados 106
Tamales with Red Spiced Sunflower Seed Mole
Empanadas de Deshebrada de Res 108
Fried Beef Empanadas
Empanadas de Camarón 110
Fried White Shrimp Empanadas
Empanadas de Flor de Calabaza 111
Fried Empanadas with Squash Blossoms
Gorditas de Papas con Chorizo 113
Potato Gorditas with Chorizo
Huaraches de Huitlacoche y Hongos 114
Blue Corn Huaraches with "Corn Truffle" and Mushrooms
Tostadas de Picadillo 117
Ground Beef Tostadas
Tostadas de Tinga Poblana 118
Chicken Tinga Tostadas
Panuchos de Pollo 121
Black Bean-Stuffed Tortillas with Shredded Chicken
Arroz Mexicano 122
Mexican Rice
Frijoles Pinquitos de la Olla 125
Braised Pinquito Beans
Frijoles Pinquitos Refritos 126
Refried Pinquito Beans
Frijoles Negros de la Olla 126
Braised Black Beans
Frijoles Negros Refritos 127
Refried Black Beans
Vegetales con Aceite de Chile Cascabel 128
Roasted Vegetables in Cascabel Chile Oil
Platillos Fuertes (Big Plates)
Chilaquiles Rojos con Huevos 135
Red Chilaquiles with Scrambled Eggs
Huevos de Caja 136
Frijoles Puercos con Huevos 139
Pork-Braised Butter Beans with Scrambled Eggs
Machaca de Camarón con Huevos 140
Smashed Shrimp with Eggs and Salsa
Guisado de Res de Pasilla 141
Stewed Beef with Pasilla Chiles
Caldo Tlalpeño con Pollo 143
Clear Chicken and Vegetable Soup from Tlalpeño
Pozole Rojo 144
Red Pork Soup with Hominy
Sopa de Pollo con Fideos 147
Chicken Soup with Fried Noodles
Tesmole de Mariscos 148
Spicy Seafood Soup
Birria al Res 151
Short Rib Stew
Bisteces à la Mexicana 153
Mexican-Style Stewed Steak
Carne Asada con Chorizo 155
Grilled Steak with Chorizo
Carnitas 156
Trucha Adobada en Hoja de Plátano 159
Adobo-Rubbed Trout in Banana Leaves
Tortas Pambazos 160
Salsa-Dipped, Griddled Chorizo and Potato Sandwiches
Tortas de Chilorio 163
Adobo-Braised Pork Sandwiches
Cemita Poblana de Milanesa 164
Breaded Chicken Sandwiches with Sesame Rolls
Enchiladas Rojas de Camarón 167
Red Shrimp Enchiladas
Enchiladas de Mole Poblano 170
Chicken Enchiladas with Mole Poblano
Enchiladas Vegetarianas 174
Vegetable Enchiladas with Cilantro Salsa
Enmoladas de Coloradito 177
Tortillas in Mole Coloradito with Sesame and Onion
Costillas de Puerco en Salsa Verde con Nopales 178
Stewed Pork Ribs and Cactus with Salsa Verde
Ensalada de Repollo 179
Sliced Cabbage Salad
Bebidas y Postres (Drinks & Desserts)
Horchata 184
Agua de Jamaica 186
Hibiscus and Valencia Orange Agua Fresca
Limonada de Limón y Gengibre 186
Ginger Limeade
Limonada de Limón y Fresa 187
Strawberry Limeade
Iced Café de la Olla 189
Mexican Spiced Iced Coffee
Chocolate con Chiles 190
Hot Chocolate with Chiles
Killer Bee 193
El Diablo 193
Margarita 194
Mezcal Paloma 197
Blanco Rojo 198
Mexican Coffee 198
Bloody Maria 201
Flan Napolitano 202
Churros Mexicanos 205
Polvorones 206
Mexican Wedding Cookies
Camote Enmielado 209
Candied Sweet Potatoes
Paletas de Café con Leche 210
Coffee and Milk Popsicles
Paletas de Chocolate 210
Chocolate-Cinnamon Popsicles
Paletas de Limón con Crema 213
Lime Sherbet Popsicles
Paletas de Fresas 213
Strawberry Popsicles
Paletas de Mango con Chile 213
Spicy Mango Popsicles
Nopalito Salsas
Salsa Macha 218
Salsa Cilantro 218
Habanero Salsa 221
Salsa de Morita con Tomatillo 221
Salsa de Morita 222
Salsa Frita de Árbol 222
Salsa Cruda 223
Salsa Frita de Guajillo 227
Salsa de Tomatillo y Jalapeño 227
Salsa Escabeche 228
Salsa Borracha 228
Salsa Chiltomate 230
Salsa de Serrano y Tomatillo 231
Salsa "Bufalo" 231
Salsa de Árbol 233
Salsa Guajillo 233
Pequin Hot Sauce 234
GRACIAS 237