Curtido

Curtido is a delicious tangy condiment found across El Salvador made with a base of green cabbage, carrots, onions, and sometimes garlic, chiles, or even cauliflower. It’s simply seasoned with Mexican oregano or dried bay leaves and it is so delicious. Every family and local restaurant makes their curtido a little differently depending on personal preference, or, what is on hand at the moment, and it is usually served with warm pupusas. Mmmmmm.

Typically, curtido is made with various vinegars such as apple cider vinegar or pineapple vinegar, however, the following recipe is made with sea salt and water to produce Lactobacillus bacteria, a healthy bacteria wonderful for gut health and immune support. Vegetables prepared this way are traditionally fermented in brine by covering them with water and adding salt, and leaving at room temperature for a few days, or longer, until they begin bubbling with healthy bacteria. When vegetables are simply “pickled” with vinegar, although the vinegar is fermented, the vegetables will not have been fermented.

This is a super easy recipe on how to create your own probiotic food to increase the variety of good bacteria in your gut biome using no special fermenting equipment. And because I love spicy, tangy foods, I add my curtido to salads, scrambled eggs, quesadillas, and more.

INGREDIENTS AND SUPPLIES

1 large head green cabbage

1 1/2 tbsp sea salt

1 medium onion (I used purple onions, but you can use white or yellow)

1 large carrot

1-2 serano chiles depending how spicy you like things

1 tbsp dried Mexican oregano

Filtered water

Wide mouth jars with plastic lids

1. First, prepare the vegetables: Remove any bruised cabbage leaves, keeping a few large leaves for step 3. Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove core and base, slice them thinly into 1/8-inch-wide ribbons. Next, peel the carrot using a vegetable peeler and grate on a vegetable grater, or, continue peeling them into ribbons as shown in photos in which I cut them into smaller pieces. Peel the onion and slice it into thin half moons. Slice serrano chile(s) into circles.

2. Place all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Add oregano and sea salt, mix thoroughly with hands and leave to rest for 30 minutes.

3. Pack the shredded vegetables along with any of the released liquid into your jars, pressing down to tightly pack and release more of their water. I like to use my old school rolling pin to push everything down, but the back of a wooden spoon will do. If the vegetables aren't covered with their own liquid at this point, add a little bit of filtered water so they are covered by at least one inch. Place one of your large cabbage leaves over the curtido, tucking the ends into the shredded mixture to keep the mixture submerged under water.

4. Put the lids on the jars, but do not screw them on too tightly as gas will build up in the jars and it needs a little space to release.

5. Leave the jars out at room temperature (ideally 65 - 75 degrees) for a minimum of 24 hours. I like to place mine in a kitchen cabinet in a cool spot in my kitchen.

6. Although curtido will be ready to eat after the first 24 hours, taste and decide if you would like to ferment it longer to reach your desired level of tanginess. Personally, I like to ferment mine about three days, but you can go as long as one week. Each kitchen atmosphere will vary so there’s no hard set rules. When you reach your desired taste and texture, remove the top cabbage leaves, place lid back on jar, and store in the refrigerator.

FOODS TO SUPPORT YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

This article was originally written for a men’s platform, however, anyone can benefit from eating more immune supporting foods…which is why I am sharing it here.

“A truly healthy immune system is dependent on a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals, good sleep habits, and daily movement. I call this the Lifestyle Trifecta. ”

— Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz

SALSA DE GUAJES

As the end of May approaches here in Phoenix, guajes (from the Nahuatl word huaxin), are showing up in the Mexican markets. These tasty pods grow on trees indigenous to Mexico and can also be found growing in California and Texas. 

The seeds can be eaten raw, toasted, and even dried then ground into a meal. They are a “green” flavor, with nuances of pumpkin seeds and garlic. Today I am preparing them very simply for a salsa, perfect for warm corn tortillas, eggs if you eat them, or scooped into a bowl of homemade frijoles de la olla (beans from the pot).  

It is somewhat time consuming to shell the seeds from the pods. Shelling beans is a meditative task, and for me, I like to put on a podcast while enjoying this task– perfect for a day when I can take my time.

INGREDIENTS

1 large handful of guaje pods, shelled, yielding about 1/2 cup seeds

4 medium size tomatillos, husked and rinsed

2 - 4 serrano chiles, depending on your heat preference (I used 4)

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

sea salt to taste

METHOD

Using a comal or a cast iron skillet placed on medium-high heat, roast the tomatillos and chiles until slightly charred. This only takes about five minutes. Using tongs, be sure to turn the tomatillos and chiles so they roast evenly.  Put aside on a plate to cool.

Using the same comal/skillet, toast the guaje seeds, stirring constantly so they do not burn. This only takes a minute or so.  (Once they begin to pop, I take them off the heat).  Place on a small plate to cool.

Once the tomatillos are cool to touch, cut into quarters.  Once the chiles are cool to touch, remove the stems. 

Place the tomatillos, chiles, guajes, and garlic powder in a food processor or blender.  Pulse until you have a thick salsa.  If you have a molcajete as I do,  work in batches to grind your ingredients down to desired consistency.  Salt to taste. 

Add-ons: lime juice, cumin, pepitas, onion, jalapeños.

ENSALADA DE NOPALITOS

I love nopales (prickly pear cactus pads). This symbol of Mexican identity reminds me every day of who I am because they grow abundantly in my back yard. There are so many ways to prepare them, however, simply sautéed is one of my favorite, simply blessed with a little squeeze of lime.

Nopales (from the Nahuatl word nopalli) are very high in fiber, which means they are great in keeping you - ahem, regular. Along with helping your digestion, they also aid in controlling your blood sugar and lowering your cholesterol levels due to their high concentration of that same fiber, amino acids, and niacin. If you don’t have them growing in your back yard like I do, then head on over to your local Mexican or Latino market. They are usually sold in bulk with spines or already cleaned and despined in 1 lb. bags.

Recipe by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz - as featured in Phoenix Home & Garden Magazine

Photography by David B. Moore

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon sunflower oil
4 nopal cactus paddles (about 1 pound), cleaned,
cut into ½-inch-wide strips
1 cup sun-dried tomato halves
½ purple onion, minced
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into strips
2 large limes, juiced
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of ground chili piquin (optional)
1 lime, quartered, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Soak sun-dried tomatoes in warm water for 20 minutes to rehydrate. Drain and set aside. Heat sunflower oil in a large skillet or sauce pan on medium heat. Add cactus strips and purple onion, and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring often. Cover and cook over low heat for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and sea salt. Stir well. Season to taste. To serve, arrange cooked cactus and rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes in the center of a large plate or small platter. Place avocado strips around the edge of the platter. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, and sprinkle with chili piquin. Serve with fresh lime wedges.

Serves 4-6

VERDOLAGAS EN CHILE VERDE

Maria Parra Cano, a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef and the owner of Sana Sana Foods is on a mission to heal her community with ancestral foods. She was so kind to take time to share a Guest Chef Contribution, created with staples you can find at most Mexican markets.

In addition to her work at Sana Sana Foods, Maria also owns another small business called Indigena, where she says, “Indigena’s goal is to honor my mother and our ancestors by reaffirming our indigenous ways through the art of sewing.” Be sure to check out that link as well after the notes.

“I’ve changed up the recipe a bit to be 100% plant based and still having the flavor de mi mami. I find myself thinking of my mami constantly and always think of her dishes as my “comfort foods”. I attribute my love for ancestral foods to her and my family in Texcoco, Mexico.”

— Chef Maria Parra Cano

INGREDIENTS

Makes 12 servings

2 medium Mexican squash, diced

4 medium red potatoes, diced 

2 large *nopal leaves, diced 

2 pieces corn on cob, kernels removed

2 cups **verdolagas, washed and trimmed 

1 cup white onion, diced 

4 cups homemade ***green salsa 

2 tablespoons grapeseed or sunflower oil 

salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

1. Once all items have been washed and chopped, use a medium pot or cazuela to cook the dish.

2. Begin by adding 2 tablespoons of grapeseed or sunflower oil to the pot. Let it warm.

3. Add the potatoes and let cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

4. Add the onion and let cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Add all other vegetables to the pot and cover with the prepared green salsa.

6. Bring all ingredients to a boil, season with salt and pepper and then lower to a simmer. Cover the pot.

7. Once potatoes have completely cooked, turn off heat.

Pairs up nicely with frijoles de la olla and warm corn tortillas.

FELICIA’S NOTES:
*Nopal leaves are the pads from the prickly pear cactus. You can find them cleaned and de-spined (usually sold in 1 lb. bags) at many Mexican grocery stores. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can purchase them or harvest them with the spines still on which means you have to clean them. It’s very easy and you can see how to do that HERE on one of my YouTube videos

**Verdolagas, also known as common purslane, can be found at most Mexican grocery stores and possibly your local farmer’s market

***Homemade green salsa is easy to make, however, if you don’t have a recipe (I don’t have one for you at the moment), most grocers now sell their own version ready for you to take home

You can read more on Maria and her work at Sana Sana Foods, where she offers catering, classes, and meal planning in the Phoenix metro area HERE.

To see more on her work at Indigena, click on the link HERE.