Try brunch, Mexican-style

Press, 14 April 1984, Page 14

Try brunch, Mexican-style

In Mexico City there is a great custom of enjoying a hearty late morning breakfast, the equivalent I suppose of the American brunch. Known as almuerzo, it has its origins in the countryside of Mexico, where it is eaten earlier in the morn-

ing, at about nine o’clock. The workers on the farms and plantations would already have been up and working for several hours by then, having had a simple breakfast, or desayuno, or milk-coffee and sweet rolls at daybreak. At one hotel I stayed at in Mexico City, a comfortably bourgeois little establishment almost within spitting distance of the Monument de la Revolution, the dining table in the shrub-lined courtyard would remain idle for most of the morning. Then from 11 o’clock onwards they would suddenly be beseiged by workers from nearby offices. Crowding noisily around the tables, they would begin by ordering fruit juices and slices of papaya, before tucking into heavier egg and bean dishes, tortillas, and chilli sauce, and washing this down with hot chocolate or milk-coffee. One of the specialities of the house was a very decorative looking dish known as Huevos Motulenos (eggs Motul-styfe), which consisted of successive layers of tomato sauce, mashed beans, a fried tortilla, fried eggs, another fried tortilla, chopped ham, peas, and grated parmesan cheese. Originating from the otherwise undistinguished little town of Motul in the state of Yucatan, it might be described as an up-mar-ket version of Mexico’s most famous egg dish, Huevos Rancheros (ranchstyle eggs). Huevos Motulenos (eggs Motul style) For each person: ■/« cup tomato sauce (see below)

*/4 cup Frijoles Refritos (see below) 2 tortillas oil 2 eggs Vz slice ham, diced 2 tb green peas Vz tb grated parmesan cheese Have the tomato sauce and the refried beans heating on the stove. Boil the peas for a minute or two, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat two frypans with a little oil in each. In one, fry the tortillas until crisp and golden brown on both sides, and place them on absorbant paper in a preheated oven to keep warm. In the other frypan, fry the eggs sunny side up. (Covering the pan helps to cook the top of the egg-) Now you can begin assembling the dish. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce right to the rim of the plate. On top of this spread a layer of beans, but don’t take it right to the rim. Top the beans with a fried tortilla, and on top of the tortilla place the two fried eggs. Now place the second tortilla over the eggs and on top of this spread another

Food & Fable

by

David Burton

layer of tomato sauce. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top, and finally sprinkle over the chopped ham and peas. Variation: Instead of sprinkling parmesan over the top, arrange slices of fried banana (in Yucatan it would be more likely to be plaintain) cut crossways but at a sharp angle. Tomato sauce 1 small onion, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, crushed oil Ikg tomatoes, peeled 1 stick cinnamon 2 whole fresh green chillies salt and pepper Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil for 6 to 8 minutes but do not allow to brown. Either puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor and add, or roughly chop them and then mash them with a wooden spoon as they cook in the pan. Add the whole cinnamon stick, the chillies and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the sauce for 10 to 20 minutes until it has reduced and thickened. Stir occasionally. The idea of leaving the chillies whole is just to let them “walk through the sauce,” as the Mexicans say.

If you want a hotter effect it is a good idea to prick them all over. Discard the chillies and cinnamon stick before serving. Sufficient for four protions of Huevos Motulenos. Frijoles Refritos (Refried beans) To be strictly authentic, the Huevos Motulenos should be prepared with black beans, but if you cannot buy them (and they are hard to get in this country) substitute kidney or pinto beans. 1 cup black, kidney or pinto beans Vz small onion (optional) 1 large clove garlic (optional) 1 tb lard salt * IM: tb lard or oil If you are using black beans, soak them overnight in water. You can get away without soaking kidney beans, but in order to prevent any risk of gastroenteritis, you must bring them to the boil and keep them at a rapid boil for at least 10 minutes. Simmer the beans, onion, garlic and first measure of lard for two to three hours, until very soft. Keep adding water as necessary to cover the beans. A pressure cooker is invaluable here, as the beans will only need about 45 minutes. When the beans are cooked, heat the second measure of lard (or oil) in a large frypan and spoon in the beans. Mash with a potato masher, but leave some beans partially intact. Add enough of the liquid the beans were cooked in to obtain a fairly runny texture. Sufficient for four portions of Huevos Motulenos.

A two-bedroom weatherboard bungalow at 147 King Street in Rangiora was passed in at auction on April 6 for $40,500. A private sale is now being negotiated. The property, with laundry, garden shed, and single garage on a 487 sq m section, has a G.V. (1982) of $35,000. Mr AndrewWilliams of The Seed Company, was the auctioneer. He said that 13 people attended the sale. A three-bedroom, brick, family home at 33 Westburn Terrace was passed in at auction on April 5 for $75,000. It has since been sold privately for a higher but undisclosed price. The property, with 956 sq m section, has a G.V. (1980) of $41,500. The auctioneer was Mr Denys Chapman of Ford and Hadfield, Ltd. Valley Towers, an archi-tect-designed, multi-level townhouse of 210 sq m, in Cashmere was passed in at auction on April 9 for $135,000. The three bedroom property with two bathrooms, separate dining room, lounge, sundeck, games room, and conservatory area, has a G.V. (1980) of $61,000. The master bedroom is en suite and has a private dressing room. The section, with double garage, has views over the city to the Southern Alps, and is planted with mature