In México we say “Lo prometido es deuda” which means “Something promised is something owed” and when I wrote about Antojitos Yucatecos, I promised another blogpost about Yucatecan Dishes, and I am a woman of my word so here we go, but before diving headfirst into the dishes, let’s talk about the ingredients first.
THE FLAVORS OF THE PENINSULA
One of the reasons Yucatecan food it’s so unique is because it uses ingredients that can’t be found easily found in other regions of the country, such as:
Achiote (Bixa orellana)
The seed from this flower is probably the most iconic spice in Yucatecan cuisine. It’s been used since Mayan times for its flavor and it’s believed to have medicinal properties. Nowadays it is used as an edible pigment in many processed foods such as Cheddar cheese.
source: www.qachuualoom.org/
Sour Orange
The limestone ground in Yucatan is too hard for many fruits to be able to grow, specially citrics, however, there’s one species that evolved and became super resistant to the hard limestone and it’s the Sour Orange tree.
It’s fruit, as the name says so, it’s an orange with a very acidic flavor, widely used in Yucatecan cuisine and also as an appetite suppressant in many weight-loss diets.
Source: https://www.gastrolabweb.com
Chile Xkatik
The Mayan “blond” chile, less known than its cousin Chile Habanero, is still one of the most emblematic ingredients of these lands. Maybe not as powerful as Habanero but it will still give you a strong kick.
Source: wikipedia.org
RECADOS: THE SECRET OF THE YUCATECAN RECIPES
In Yucatan a “Recado” is a ground mix of different spices, with the intention of creating very unique flavors that have become icons in Mexican Cuisine. They are mostly artisanal preparations and the exact formula may vary from one to another, however, the three most popular types are:
Recado Rojo (Red Recado): Its main ingredient is Achiote but it usually also has salt, black pepper, and sometimes garlic and onion.
Recado Negro (Black Recado): The main ingredients are chiles and tortillas burnt black, ground, and mixed with other spices such as pepper, garlic, cumin, oregano, and achiote.
Recado Blanco (White Recado): Probably the least strong of the recados, is typically a mix of castile pepper, garlic, cumin, clove and coriander. Spoiler alert: It’s actually green…
source: www.larevista.com.mx
So, now that you have a better notion of what people use to cook these dishes, here’s my list of the five Yucatecan dishes you simply can’t afford to miss on your next trip to these lands:
1 – Cochinita Pibil.
Cochinita pibil dates back to pre-Hispanic times, in the state of Yucatan, when it was prepared for the Hanal Pixan festival (Mexican day of the dead) or as an offering of important celebrations to the Mayan gods.
Cochinita pibil is one of many dishes that is cooked with the technique called Pib, which consists in wrapping the stew with banana leaves and burying it underground with hot coal. It can reach temperatures of over 300°F there, which allows the meat to be easily handled and shredded after a long period of cooking.
Cooking this wonderful dish is quite easy, basically, all you have to do is marinate the pork in Recado Rojo diluted with Sour Orange juice and cook it slowly for several hours, you can think about it as just Pulled pork with a very Yucatecan marinade. Here’s a recipe you can easily follow at home.
Originally, it was cooked with pheasant, wild boar, or deer meat, but after the introduction of pork (Cochino) by the Spanish, the dish acquired its now traditional name.
FOODIE FACT:
The Mayans, specifically the people of Yucatan, were the first to taste pork on the American continent.
Source: cardamomonews.com
2 – Relleno Negro.
A dish typically made with turkey meat cooked in a Recado Negro Sauce, with pork-meatballs stuffed with egg called “but” (pronounced boot).
It’s really a one-of-a-kind taste you can’t miss, whether in a Salbute or just in a taco, you’ll wanna keep eating and asking for more tortillas to clean up your plate.
source: gustomexico.com
3 – Huevos Motuleños (Eggs from Motul)
This delicious breakfast is based on a fried Yucatecan tortilla, spread with refried beans, tomato sauce, with a fried egg, diced ham, and peas on the top. Accompanied by fried plantains, cheese, and a spicy habanero-based sauce.
Legend has it that Governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto visited the town of Motul, where he was originally from, to take a delegation to visit a nearby cenote.
Chef Jorge Siqueff, who was traveling with the governor, not having enough plates, decided to put fried eggs, beans, peas, and tomato sauce on a single plate.
Carrillo Puerto was accompanied by José Vasconcelos, Diego Rivera, and other personalities who were delighted with the dish.
source: https://www.cocinafacil.com.mx/
4 – Pescado Tikin Xic
Its name comes from the Mayan language, where it means “dried fish”.
Through its seasoning and the aromas it gives off, we can taste a mixture of achiote seeds, black pepper, cumin, garlic, bay leaf, salt, oregano, chile xkatik, and sour orange juice.
Traditionally, it is made with grouper fish, red snapper and it is opened in a butterfly cut, fish bones are removed, then it’s covered with banana leaves and grilled on both sides. Is your mouth watering? Make sure to order it once you are at Isla Mujeres.
source: https://saboryestilo.com.mx/
5 – Queso Relleno Yucateco
Its origin dates back to the seventeenth century. It is traditionally made with the shell of Edam cheese or ‘queso de bola’ as it is known in the Yucatecan region. Filled with minced pork, capers, raisins, olives, almonds, boiled egg, sweet chili, and saffron, and spiced with “recado blanco”
Here comes the different touch to the dish, this is finished cooking in a flour and corn sauce of Mayan origin called “k’ool”, then tomato sauce is added.
The authentic stuffed cheese is served in a circular way placing the ingredients inside, but in several places, for practical purposes, a slice is split and the sauces are put on top.
source: https://www.directoalpaladar.com.mx/
There you have my top 5! Of course, there are a lot of dished left out, like Poc Chuc, Deer Tsi’ik or Lemon Soup that you totally have to try, but my editor always says “keep posts short and simple” and I don’t want to make him suffer so, for now, these 5 will be more than enough to leave you with a full belly and a blown mind.
Until next time my dear foodies.
Buen Provecho!
- Abbey. Foodie extraordinaire
