cover image Simply Mexican

Simply Mexican

Lourdes Castro, . . Ten Speed, $24.95 (128pp) ISBN 978-1-58008-952-4

For the home cook unfamiliar with annatto seeds, crema and tamal, this slim yet worthy collection of Mexican dishes by Castro (founder of the Ars Magirica Cooking School in Miami) is the ideal starter. Accessible recipes ranging from soups and salads, chicken and meat dishes, to desserts are presented with straightforward and easy-to-follow instructions. Recipes, including such classics as tortilla soup, enchiladas and mole chicken, are broken down into sections and accompanied by concise cooking notes covering technique, ingredient information and advance preparation tips. Instructions for techniques like wrapping chicken in banana leaves, assembling tamales and making homemade chorizo are accompanied by captioned step-by-step photographs to guide readers. One won’t discover any outrageous or cutting-edge dishes, yet Castro fulfills her mission to educate and explain the basics of Mexican cooking in a simple, satisfying way. (Apr.)