Mexican

Ensalada de jícama con melón Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Fonda San Miguel: Thirty Years of Food and Art, by Tom Gilliland, Miguel Ravago, and Virginia B. Wood. For more on Cinco de Mayo, click here. Chef Miguel Ravago also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. Although many fresh condiments in Mexican cuisine are called pico de gallo ("rooster's beak"), this refreshing salad from the Mexican state of Jalisco is known as Pico de Gallo. Depending on the seasonal availability of fresh fruit, Miguel has found that the salad is equally good made with Rio Star grapefruit, pineapple, blood oranges, cantaloupe, watermelon, and honeydew melon. The contrast of sweet fruit, crunchy jícama, tangy lime juice, and a little dash of chili powder makes for a delightful palate cleanser.

Using adobo sauce in this lively egg dish adds a subtle smoky flavor without the hassle of roasting and cleaning fresh peppers. Plus, the recipe includes a nifty method for softening tortillas.

Rena Cunningham of Pasadena, California, writes, "One of my favorite Los Angeles restaurants is Cobras & Matadors. My maid of honor even surprised me with an engagement party there. She keeps mentioning the delicious chocolate soufflés we had that night. I'd love to give her the recipe as a thank-you."

Instant Party: Crispy fish tacos, pickled onions and jalapeños, lime cream, salsa verde, and guacamole — it all adds up to one fun party. Set everything out, and let everyone assemble their own.

Tired of chili con carne? This warming pozole-inspired stew is a welcome departure. Its spiciness depends on the heat of the jalapeños you use.

For a vegetarian version, substitute Soyrizo for the chorizo.

Broiling tomatoes and onions concentrates their flavor in this spicy salsa that's good any time of the year.

This is a soft-style version of chilaquiles, tortilla chips sautéed with chiles and meat and topped with melted cheese. Crema mexicana, a cultured Mexican cream, is available in the cheese and deli section of many supermarkets and at Latin markets.

According to lore, the original mole was served with turkey that had been fattened with hazelnuts. In this variation, which doesn't include chocolate, hazelnuts are featured in the sauce.

What to drink: Roberto Santibañez recommends a Petite Sirah (a full-bodied, peppery red wine varietal) from L.A. Cetto in Mexico's Guadelupe Valley. Or try the Guenoc Petite Sirah from California's North Coast.

This type of pan de muertos is made for the celebration of the Days of the Dead, November 1 and 2, when families honor their dead by setting up a colorful altar in the house and preparing special foods to put on it and take to the graveside. While this custom has its roots in pre-Columbian central Mexico, it has become popular even in the north (though a friend from Sonora says that her mother considered it very bizarre). This semisweet yeast bread enriched with egg yolks and other similar breads are circular in form, transversed with "bones," and topped with a "skull." The same dough is used for the rosca de reyes, made for the celebrations for Twelfth Night, January 6. Don't try to hurry the dough along; the flavor will develop better with slow rising. I certainly advise an electric mixer with dough hook for this type of dough, which is rather messy to handle.

In January, we published a classic mole poblano that takes 3 1/2 hours to make — but a respectable version of the revered dish can also be had in much less time.

Flavorful pork shoulder, along with fruit—dried and fresh, the perfect fall combination—stuff these chiles en nogada.

Made in Mexico: This dish, created by food editor Shelley Wiseman's friend Aurelia, will start your day with a cayenne kick. It also doubles as a sweet and spicy dessert.

Enfrijoladas This simple vegetarian meal is traditionally served as breakfast or as a light supper. It is great alone or with eggs.

From chef Robert Del Grande of Cafe Annie in Houston, this recipe for fish baked in corn husks is one of country singer Clay Walker's favorites. Pipián is a classic Mayan sauce made from pumpkin seeds.

Carne de Puerco con Chile Guajillo To bring out pork's flavor, try the classic Mexican technique used in this recipe: First simmer the meat, then fry it in its own rich fat. Don't be alarmed by the amount of chiles in the sauce, as mild guajillos simply lend flavor and body.