Mexican Culinary Tour Takes Off To Campeche in July 2011

Campechana  Means        “From Campeche”  

Mexican food in Tucson comes in many shapes and sizes, and has many inspirations. At Guadalajara Grill, we see our Mexican restaurant as taking inspiration principally from our home state of Jalisco, but we are incredibly inspired by the diversity of regional cuisines from across Mexico.  That's why we started our Mexican Culinary Tour, to showcase some of this diversity and share some authentic and less common Mexican dishes with our wonderful Tucson guests.  These recipes, like those we've published previously, have their roots in authentic local recipes in their state of origin, and we strive to prepare each dish authentically and with care, always using only the freshest highes quality ingredients. 

This month, we're featuring Campeche, so why not dig in a little bit to the food traditions of Campeche.  In the old days, corn was the base of the food pyramid for the inhabitants of Campeche and the rest of the Mayan civilization it formed part of. They complemented it with beans, vegetables and fish, seafood and small game local to the region.  Today, the cuisine of Campeche is a rich combination of local, regional and imported ingredients first introduced by European settlers. The diverse flavors include typical dishes such as panuchos,empanadas, tamales and tacos as well as exquisite seafood such as poached and braised fish, crab legs and a variety of dishes based on octopus and squid. In the Summer, Moro Crab and shrimp are local delicacies.  Specialities not made from seafood, such as this delicious Pollo a la Pibil, are influenced by Mayan traditions and feature achiote ( made from a seed typical to the region, and are often slow cooked while wrapped in banana leaves to keep in the juices and flavor.

Try these simple, unique and visually appealing dishes at home with friends and family or use it to impress company. Authentic Campeche style!This month, we feature two typical Campechana style dishes as part of our Culinary Tour of Mexico. Even if you haven’t been to Campeche, we hope they will give you a small taste of what you’re missing!

Pescado a la Campechana   

Ingredients:
• 4 White fish fillets ( fish of your choice)
• 4-6 New Potatoes (small and round), cooked and cut into slices
• 3 Tomatoes, diced • 1 oz Cilantro, diced • 4 Chile Ancho, cooked and liquefied in a blender • 2 Green Peppers, grilled or broiled, peeled and sliced • 1 onion and 2 cloves of garlic, diced • Butter, salt and pepper • 2 Avocados, peeled and halved, then thinly sliced
Preparation:
• Pan fry the fish fillets in butter for 4 minutes on each side, then add the diced tomato, onion and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Add the blended Chile Ancho liquid and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
• Add the sliced new potatoes, sliced green peppers to the mix, and cook for another 2-3 minutes
• Serve, accompanied with with black beans and white rice, and one half sliced avocado and lemon wedges.
Serves: 4

Pollo a la Pibil   

Ingredients:
• 4 chicken breast, boneless or bone in as you prefer • 1 cup of orange juice • 2 oz of white or apple cider vinegar • 4 cloves of garlic, finely diced
• 2 Tomatoes, sliced • 1 Onion, sliced • 1 Orance, sliced thinly • 4 banana leaves • Butter, achiote powder, salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
• Whisk the achiote powder in the vinegar and orange juice, adding salt and pepper to taste and place in a shallow dish.
• Marinate the chicken breasts for 30-120 minutes
• Spread out the banana leaves, and place one chicken breast inside of each. Cover with achiote sauce, and several slices of tomato, onion and orange.
•Wrap and fold the banana leaves to seal in the chicken and juices. If the seal is incomplete, wrap again in aluminum foil to avoid dripping.
• Bake at 300, or place on a covered grill, for one hour to slow cook.
• Serve with white rice and black beans, atop a bed of spinach leaves and garnish with sliced tomato and avocado.

Want to download the recipes?  Just click here:

3 Great Specials for Cinco De Mayo 2011 at Guadalajara Grill

Sopes $9.95 Our enormous Sopes are handmade using fresh corn tortilla masa, and then loaded up with refried beans, cheese, shredded chicken, diced tomatoes and jalapeños and topped with sour cream, guacamole and shredded lettuce.  Tasty, filling, and great with cold Mexican draft beer.
Nachos Bandera $9.95 These nachos are no snack, they're a meal for two!  Fresh made corn tortilla chips layered with generous portions of green chile verde, white cheese, and red carne roja in the colors of the Mexican flag, then topped with guacamole, diced tomato and sour cream. Dig in!
Pollo en Mole Poblano  $14.95 It doesn't get more Mexican than this, a large juicy chicken breast in tangy and rich mole poblano sauce, a traditional favorite from Puebla.  And what could be more appropriate than a dish from Puebla on Cinco de Mayo, the day we celebrate the victory of 4,000 Mexican soldiers of a French army twice its size, in Puebla, on May 5th, 1862.  ¡Viva Mexico!

Mexican Culinary Tour Goes To Sonora in April 2011

Guadalajara Grill's Mexican Culinary Tour continues in April, 2011 to our neighbor State of Sonora.  The cuisine of Sonora has a long and rich tradition and has been influenced by many cultures. Living in the desert southwest of Arizona, you may eat a lot of Mexican food... but until you have eaten the Sonoran style Mexican food... you won't know why we think it's one of the best tasting styles of Mexican food... ever!

Since we share a desert border with Sonora, it's easy to forget that Sonoran cuisine is enriched by the delicious fresh seafood from the Sea of Cortez, and we've captured that influence with two delicious seafood dishes this month. We'll also introduce you to our original version of another Sonoran staple, Frijoles Charros, served alongside a tasty marinated Cowboy Style Sirloin.

This month, Chef Edgar Gomez offers you three traditional & innovative Sonoran favorites that embody the diversity and native ingredients of the region. Available every day after 4:00pm starting April 8th, 2011. Reservations recommended.

Pescado a la Mexicana  $18.95

Fresh fish fillets pan fried in a flavorful sauce of tomato, garlic and Chipotle chiles, surrounded by a cornucopia of Sonoran vegetables including onion, carrot, zucchini squash and green peas plus green olives to add a Spanish touch.   Served with white rice and black beans.


 

 

 

 

 

 

Bistec Ranchero Sonorense   $17.95

Top quality Sirloin of beef, cooked in a light and tangy marinate of freshly blended tomatoes and cilantro, with chunks of potato and onion and Anaheim chile. Served with our original version of the Sonoran favorite "Frijoles Charros" and white rice, this is a traditional Northern Mexican Cowboy style favorite.

 

 

 

 

 

Camarones y Mejillones en Salsa de Cerveza   $17.95

Sonora is famous for its excellent beers, which have been brewed there since 1835.  In this local Sonoran favorite, we start with juicy shrimp and fresh mussels cooked in a uniquely flavorful sauce of dark beer mixed with and freshly blended tomatoes and Guajillo chiles, onion and garlic.  Served with white rice and black beans. Wash it down with a dark Mexican beer, now available on draft.

   

Authentic Yucatecan Food In Tucson at Guadalajara Grill

The cuisine of the Mexican State of Yucatan is both delicious and diverse, consisting of a mouth watering mixture of flavors of Mexican and European origin. 

The presence of the ancient Mayan culture is everywhere visible, and the people of Yucatana today enjoy an unbroken link to the culinary traditions of their ancestors that date back milenia and make use of the abundant local incredients like fish, fruit, corn, bitter orange, tamarind, squash, lime and avocado.

Long isolated from the rest of Mexico by difficult terrain that made travel by road nearly impossible, but blessed with many natural ports, Yucatan's cuisine was influenced by the ingredients and styles that arrived on ships from Europe, New Orleans, and Cuba, who introduced meat and fowl. 

This month we are featuring three authentic dishes that are simple and elegant. Come in during the month of March to try them, and download the recipes to try them at home.

• Pollo Motuleno
• Panuchos con Carne Asada
• Pescado en Hoja de Platano

Guadalajara Grill's Culinary Tour is our deep dive into the authentic local and regional cuisines of Mexico.  Chef Edgar, Seth and Emma, and the entire staff take great pride in sharing their love of Mexican food with the people of Tucson.  While our inspiration comes principally from Guadalajara, our commitment to preparing both traditional and innovative Mexican cuisine challenges us to continue to expand our horizons, and we could think of no better way than immersing ourselves further into the rich culinary traditions from across Mexico. 

If you're looking for a fun and family-friendly dining experience in Tucson, then are sure that our Tucson restaurants will provide you a fun, delicious and entertaining night out.  And now, with our Mexican Culinary Tour, you can come along for the ride and experience an incredible variety of authentic Mexican food right here in Tucson.

Make a reservation to visit us at our West location at 1220 Prince Road, or our new East location at 750 N Kolb Rd. 

Meet Guadalajara Grill Chef Edgar Gomez

Say hello to Edgar Gomez, the man behind the Mexican Culinary Tour at Guadaljara Grill, as well as all the other top quality dishes featured on our regular menu of delicious traditional and innovative Mexican food.

In developing the Mexican Culinary Tour, Chef Edgar searched far and wide for sources of authentic Mexican recipes. In so doing, he  built up an enormous collection of cookbooks and articles that bring together one place the tremendously rich diversity of Mexican cooking, to add to his already extensive collection and years of experience as a chef in Mexico and the United States.  There is so much diversity of cuisine in Mexico that even Chef Edgar was astonished by its depth and breadth.  As legendary Mexican Chef and cookbook author Diana Kennedy knows and would likely attest, it would literally take a lifetime to become familiar with all the variants of Mexican cuisine.

Notably, Chef Edgar came across a rare collection of out of print books that were published by the Mexican Department of Cultural Preservation in order to preserve for posterity many of the authentic recipes of the indigenous peoples of Mexico.  These recipes are as authentic as they get. 

In developing the recipes Guadalajara Grill is featuring in our Mexican Culinary tour, he and his assistants have spent countless hours testing these original recipes and adapting them where needed to ensure a great final outcome with ingredients typically available locally in Tucson or other locations in the US.  Since recipes are living things, just like language, they represent a tradition, and a lineage of people who have shared and transmitted them. As such, they can be adjusted and personalized to taste by whomever is following them. 

Chef Edgar and the entire Guadalajara Grill team hope that you will try our authentic Mexican specials, using Mexican recipes that are as real and time-tested as they come.  Try them out yourself at home, by downloading the recipes on the Culinary Tour page of this site, and share them with friends. If you do try the recipes, please let us know what you think by leaving us a comment here on this blog or by reviewing our restaurant and your meal on one of the leading review sites such as Yelp, Urban Spoon or Trip Advisor.

To enjoy special offers and exclusive invitations, join our eClub.

 

Announcing Guadalajara Grill East, at 750 N Kolb Road!

We are proud to announce the opening of our second and newest Guadalajara Grill location at 750 N Kolb Rd between Broadway and Speedway.

We have been incredibly fortunate and blessed and are grateful to our loyal customers for allowing us the opportunity to grow and expand and share our hospitality with more Tucsonans and guests at this new location. 

When you come see us at Guadalajara Grill East, you can expect the same great service that you've come to expect, from some of the very same staff of salseras, waiters and waitresses and bartenders you've gotten to know at our West location at 1220 E Prince Road.

Our Chef Edgar and his many assistants including Magdaleno have made sure that the top quality ingredients we use are transformed into the same delicious, traditional and innovative Mexican dishes that you've come to expect from us.  We have brought our same customer focus, and love of sharing Mexican culture and food with us to this new location, and are looking forward to sharing it with you.

Of course, the Mariachis will be playing live music 7 nights a week, serenading our guests and adding to the warm ambience and family-friendly feeling that makes every night at Guadalajara Grill more than just a meal, a true Mexican entertainment experience.

Stop in, relax, dive into the fresh salsa made tableside just the way you ask for it, enjoy the fresh made tortillas, delicious food and atmosphere.  And if you haven't done so already, join our Amigos eClub to stay abreast of all the happenings at both locations.  You'll enjoy a free appetizer on your next visit in, as well as other specials and exclusive offers throughout the year.

See you soon, and thanks again for the opportunity to serve you on the EAST side of Tucson.

Try This Mexican Recipe From Tlaxcala: "Calabacitas Olmecas"

 

Calabacitas Olmecas are Olmeca-style Zucchini squash stuffed with Shrimp. The Olmecas were a native people of Tlaxcala over 1,000 years ago, and were a close relative of the Mayans.  Among the first tribes to inhabit Tlaxcala, they built a large and important city at Cacaxtla, near present day Tlaxcala.  This is Mexican Food in Tucson at its most original and authentic best.

This flavorful shrimp dish will make a great impression on any occasion.

Ingredients 

• 1 cup of cooked yellow corn 12 small or 6 large zucchini squash (depending on what is available where you shop)
• 4 Tomatoes (baked or slow cooked in a frying pan to soften)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 large onion, 1/2 finely diced
• 1 lb small shrimp
• 2 Chiles Serranos or Jalapenos
• 1 cup of Queso Fresco
• 4 Chiles Poblanos (cooked, cleaned, and cut into strips)
• Salt and Pepper
• Oil, Butter or Margarine

Directions:

• Blanche the zucchini for several minutes in hot water, just below a boil, or Microwave for 2-3 minutes, to partially cook and soften.
• Without breaking their outer shell, slice the top 1/4 lengthwise off the zucchini, and carefully scoop out the inside with a teaspoon, leaving enough thickness in the outer walls and shell to retain structure. Place in a baking dish.
• Using a blender or food processor, prepare the salsa by pureeing the garlic, 1/2 non-diced onion, cilantro, chiles serrano and cooked tomatoes. Set aside.
• In a sauce pan, heat the oil or butter and add the diced onion and shrimp, and allow to cook 5 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup of the salsa to the shrimp, and cook another 5 minutes on medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Fill the zucchini squash with the shrimp and salsa mixture, sprinkle the top generously with queso fresco, then lay the strips of Chile Poblano on top of the cheese.
• Place in oven at 400 degrees 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has turned a golden brown.
• Remove from the oven, and decorate each piece by sprinkling yellow corn kernels on top.
• Serve 2 small, or 1 large stuffed zucchini per guest, accompanied by with white beans and rice or the sides of your choice.

Buen Provecho!!

Chuletas Tulenas Top The List at Our Tucson Restaurant This Month

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the month of August, our culinary tour is traveling to the inspiring but sometimes unnoticed state of Hidalgo in Mexico.  You'll find Hidalgo in North Central Mexico with some unforgettable cuisine.  If you happen to go for a drive there, you'll get a vision of the old Mexican countryside that was popular in 1940’s and 50’s calendar art. 

Hidalgo is a state with a wide variety of climates and terrain, and has also been home to many different peoples like the indigenous Otomi people, Spanish colonials, and English miners.  All of these differences have melded into a unique style of Hidalgo Mexican food.

The natives of Hidalgo were excellent hunters and farmers.  The people in the mountains gathered wild mushrooms and the greens for their cooking.  Today, an enormous ¼ of all green chilis come from Hidalgo.  When the Europeans arrived, they brought with them the sheep, cattle, and pigs that would become staple ingredients in Hidalgo’s dishes.

Try out this recipe for to see why Hidalgo style means a great tasting authentic Mexican experience!

Chuletas de Puerco Tuleñas en Rajas y Elote

Ingredients: 

• 6  Pork chops, bone in
• 6-8  Ears of yellow corn, kernels stripped from the cob
• 5  Poblano Chiles
• 4  Tomatoes
• 3  Cloves Garlic
• 1  Onion
• Fresh-squeezed juice of 3 large Oranges
• Oil or butter
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

 Preparation:

• Marinate the pork chops in the orange juice, salt and pepper for several hours in a bowl or bag. Place in an oven dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 400º
• Slice and de-seed the Chiles, and sautee.
• Dice the tomatoes, onions and garlic
• Heat the oil or butter in a sauce pan, and add the onion, tomato, chiles, corn and garlic and cook 8-10 minutes
• Add in the pork chops and remaining orange juice reduction, stirring all ingredients together, and cook another 8-10 minutes. Add water as necessary.
• Serve chops covered in the sauce, with white rice and black beans

       Serves: 6

This is what you will enjoy:  Thick-cut bone-in pork chop, marinated in a mix of fresh squeezed orange juice, mild red chile powder and seasonings, then sauteed to juicy tenderness in this sauce along with corn, chiles, garlic and onions. Served with white rice and black beans and your choice of fresh flour or corn tortillas.

Pescado en Pipian Verde, Tucson Mexican Food At Its Best

When you come to Guadalajara Grill Tucson and join us for our Culinary Tour of Mexico, you are always going to be in for a surprise.  There are just so many incredible hidden gems among the diverse dishes that make up Mexico's rich culinary tradition, and we could never possibly hope to do them all justice.  But this dish is truly special.

Mexican food in Tucson does not need to be predictable, and Pipian Verde is one dish that definitely proves that point.  It is one of the  the most incredible and unimaginably complex yet simple Mexican sauces you could ever find. So, how can something be simple and complex at the same time? It all depends on how you look at it.  Chef Edgar breaks this delicacy down step by step, making it easy for you to try at home after you've tasted his mouth-watering creation. Come join us.  Taste it for yourself. Then try it at home!

Pipian is a simple mole that emphasizes the nuts or seeds that are blended in to thicken the sauce. Green pipian offers fresh oven roasted and tangy green chiles, onions and tomatillos and bright fresh greens and herbs to counterbalance the richness of the fish. This sauce also makes a good vegetarian dish; chayotes, pototoes, eggplant would all be a suitable replacement for the fish.  Chicken or pork also work well with this versatile sauce.

Main Ingredients:

•  8 whitefish fillets (we used sea bass)
• 2 Mexican or Zucchini squash
• Salt, pepper, butter or oil
• Queso fresco or Manchego cheese

For the Nut & Seed Mixture:

•  2 oz. unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup unsalted roasted almonds
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 jar sesame seeds
• 1 corn tortilla
• Cloves, salt, pepper

For the Fresh Greens Mixture:

• 1 bunch of Cilantro
• 1 Bunch of Romaine Lettuce

For the Tangy Mixture:

• 5 Tomatilllo green tomatoes
• 3 Poblano Chiles
• 3 Serrano Chiles
• 1 Onion
• 1 clove of garlic

Preparation:

• In a hot lightly oiled frying pan, toast the Nut & Seed Mixture. Do not burn!  Food process to into a powder, leaving some small pieces for texture.

•  Blend the Fresh Greens to a liquid

•  Cut into pieces and toss the ingredients in the “Tangy” mixture in oil, and broil in an oven dish until the skin of the chiles begins to crack.  Remove and deskin the chiles.  Blend the ingredients to liquid

• Fold the 3 separate mixtures together in a sauce pan, and simmer on low heat

• Pan fry the fish in butter, salt and pepper to taste, 5 minutes on each side or until they flake easily.  Add in the diced squash in the last 3 minutes

• Serve the fish on a bed of the diced squash.  Ladle the Pipian Verde sauce over the fish generously.

• Accompany with White Rice, Black Beans & Salad garnish

• Serves: 6

Fresh Tortillas Make Mexican Food Taste Better!

If you've ever been to Mexico, then you will for sure know what we're talking about when we say "there is nothing like a fresh, home-made tortilla hot of the grill.

At Guadalajara Grill Tucson, we make our own fresh corn and flour tortillas.  Sure, it takes a little longer, but so does everything else we do.  We only use the freshest and finest ingredients in our dishes, so why would we cut corners and use store-bought tortillas? 

If you love fresh corn or flour tortillas as much as we do, we invite you to stop by and watch them being made the next time your hungry. 

To learn more about tortillas, where they come from, how they are made, and some delicious recipes and tips for cooking with them at home, we hope you'll join us here on our blog and share your comments and experiences with us all. 

 

 Buen provecho!