In the United States, and for much of the world, the word, “enchilada” often evokes images of corn tortillas filled with cheese, chicken, or ground beef and smothered with ancho chile gravy and yellow cheese. But in Mexico, there is more than one way to make an enchilada.
The tortillas can be served rolled, folded, or flat. Fillings can feature beef, pork, poultry, seafood, cheese, or vegetables. Toppings can range from a mild purée of beans or tomatoes to sauces shimmering with the piquancy of green poblano chiles, smoldering with the smoky heat of chipotles, or ablaze with the orange-red flame of habaneros.
“Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex” by famed San Antonio restaurateur Cappy Lawton and food writer Chris Waters Dunn, is an in-depth exploration of one of Mexico’s most historic and popular foods. Illustrated with 50 sumptuous photographs, the book features more than 60 traditional and modern recipes for enchiladas, as well as 40 recipes for the salsas, sauces, salads, and sides that accompany them.
The cookbook was recently named Best Latin American Cuisine Book, Published outside Latin America by the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
What really makes “Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex” come alive is the wealth of historical and culinary information packed into this one-of-a-kind cookbook. Cappy Lawton, owner of La Fonda on Main, one of the country’s oldest Mexican restaurants in San Antonio, Texas, shares entertaining anecdotes and expert cooking advice with readers so they can master the art of making perfect, authentic enchiladas, including making corn tortillas from scratch, fire-roasting fresh chiles, making homemade queso fresco and crema Mexicana, and cooking the perfect Mexican rice—six ways.
