Mexican

An Italian take on the classic Mexican starter.

For a nutty flavor, toast the masa in a small skillet until golden.

Editor's note: Serve this sauce with Lourdes Castro's Chicken Tamales
This is an incredibly versatile sauce that you will refer to as your "special sauce." It is creamy, smoky, and a bit spicy, and goes just as well with chicken and seafood as it does with meat and pork. But don't limit yourself to its conventional uses. Spread it on sandwiches or use it as a dip for vegetables.

Editor's note: Serve this sauce with Lourdes Castro's Chicken Tamales
A staple on Mexican tables, do not confuse Mexican crema for sour cream. The flavor is more sour, and it's a bit saltier as well. In addition to providing flavor and texture to a dish, the cream also serves as a neutralizer for the heat of chiles. It is a good option to have around for those who don't like hot foods.

While tamales are one of Mexico's most famous street foods, they are also one of its most popular party foods, which is fitting since a tamal is packaged like a small gift waiting to be unwrapped. The many steps involved in tamal making have discouraged countless cooks. But they should not, because the process is very easy. And if you gather a few friends to help with the assembling, you can have a tamal-making party before the real party begins.

I often wonder if tostadas—crisp tortillas mounded with your choice of topping—were the first version of modern-day nachos. If so, these would definitely be called "supreme." Crunchy tortillas are layered with slices of creamy avocado and topped with a zesty crab salad to make the perfect appetizer.

Posole is a hearty soup from the Jalisco region of Mexico that is traditionally made with pork and hominy. Hominy is dried corn kernels from which the hulls and germs have been removed. (In its ground form hominy is called grits.) Dried hominy takes several hours to cook, so I have opted for the canned version in the interest of time. I have also developed a lighter version with shredded chicken and tomatillo salsa (hence green posole). This dish is ridiculously easy to make and quite satisfying with all the additional garnishes. Serve with Southwestern Sweet Potato Saute.

Poblanos, often called pasillas, are mild, green-colored chile peppers sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, farmers' markets, and Latin markets.

Sold at Mexican street stands in large, clear barrels—the better to show off their festive colors—agua frescas, or "fresh waters," can be made with all kinds of fruits and herbs, the riper the better. Here, Feniger tops a traditional cantaloupe cooler with a decorative swirl of vivid beet purée. Roasting the beet heightens its sweetness and intensifies its color.

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican peasant dish of fried tortillas bathed in green or red salsa (depending on the region) until tender. Slightly tart green tomatillo sauce is preferred in Mexico City, Jimmy Shaw's hometown, and is very simple to make. Chilaquiles are most commonly eaten at breakfast time (not uncommonly as a hangover cure). Unlike nachos, chilaquiles are a meal to be eaten with a fork. Nothing is wasted in the Mexican home, so this dish was born as a clever way to revive yesterday's tortillas and leftover salsa. At ¡Lotería! you can ask for chilaquiles to be topped with a fried egg, frijoles negros, or shredded chicken or beef. If frying your own tortilla chips seems too involved (I recommend you try it, though—it's really very easy!), as a shortcut, this dish can be made with store-bought tortilla chips, but choose an unsalted variety.

Smoky grilled vegetables—not a cloying amount of meat or cheese—rule here. Instead of embellishing the enchiladas with a complex (and time-consuming) Mexican pipián (pumpkin-seed sauce), cook a few customary pipián ingredients and then purée them with cilantro for an easy enchilada that's herbaceous and fresh.

Mexican aguas frescas, or "fresh waters," made from all kinds of fresh fruit, flowers, or herbs, are a great way to beat the heat. This cantaloupe version gets additional vim from a splash of club soda.

Marinating the fish in lemon and lime juices "cooks" it while it sits in the fridge. Don't leave the fish in the marinade longer than six hours or it may become tough. Serve the tacos with corn and black bean salsa and offer chocolate mousse spiked with a little chile powder for dessert.

Make a batch of this versatile sauce, then serve it all week. You can spoon it over grilled fish, chicken, or pork—or use it to fill quesadillas.

Chef Jimmy Shaw cooks up tacos that stars can enjoy without guilt. Authentic Mexican dishes like this one are flavorful and naturally lowfat, he says.

This recipe originally accompanied Baja Fish Tacos .

This recipe originally accompanied Baja Fish Tacos .

It's not a real party without chocolate! Savor this sweet treat and you'll get 20 percent of your daily calcium.