Tex-Mex Dining Dictionary
Bunelos--cinnamon crisps served as a dessert. Botanas--appetizers. Cabrito--young, tender goat. Cerveza-- beer. Chalupa-- fried, flat corn tortilla spread with refried
beans and topped with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese; open-faced
taco. Chicarrones--fried pork cracklings. Chile con queso--dip made from peppers and melted
cheese. Chile rellenos--stuffed peppers. Chorizo--spicy pork sausage. Enchilada--corn or flour tortillas wrapped around
a filling and covered with a hot or mild sauce; varieties include
beef, chicken, cheese, sour cream, and shrimp. Fajita (pronounced fa-he-ta)--grilled skirt steak
strips, wrapped in flour tortillas and usually served still sizzling
on a metal platter with condiments (pico de gallo, sour cream, cheese)
on the side. Flauta--corn tortillas wrapped around beef, chicken,
or pork and fried until crispy; may be an appetizer or an entree. Frijoles Refritos--refried beans. Guacamole--avocado dip spiced with chopped onions,
peppers, and herbs. Huevos Rancheros--ranch-style eggs, spicy and made
with tomatoes and chiles. Leche Quemada--pecan praline made with burnt sugar;
the number one dessert in Tex-Mex restaurants. Margarita--popular tequila drink, served in a salted
glass either over ice or frozen. Menudo--soup made from tripe. Migas--eggs scrambled with torn strips of corn tortillas. Molé (pronounced mole-ay)--an unusual sauce
made with nuts, spices, and chocolate; served over chicken enchiladas.
Picante Sauce--red sauce made from peppers and onions,
and eaten as a dip for tortillas chips; ranges from mild to very
hot. Pico de Gallo--hot sauce made of chopped onions,
peppers, and cilantro. Quesadilla (pronounced kay-sa-dee-ya)--tortilla covered with cheese and baked. Queso--cheese Sopapilla--fried pastry dessert served with honey. Tamale--corn dough filled with chopped pork, rolled
in a corn shuck, and steamed; served with or without chile sauce. Tortilla (pronounced tor-tee-ya)--flat bread-like
disc made of flour or corn; used to make many main dishes, and also
served as an accompaniment to the meal, with or without butter. Tostada--fried tortilla. Verde--green sauce, used as a dip or on enchiladas. |
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