The idiot's guide to Mexican food

[BroccoliSpears]

Thanks to the brilliant suggestion of Mumsnetters, I am going to cook Mexican at my birthday party in a few weeks time.

I thought I'd do a little trial run this evening for dp, dd and I. I have just realised how little I know about mexican food.

What's the difference between a fajita, a tortilla, and enchillada, a taco and a burrito?

And, more importantly, because I'm just off to the supermarket, if I get some of those soft, floury flat breads, make some guacamole and salsa and get some sour cream, does anyone know a simple recipe for something vegetarian and possibly beany so that we can make those little parcels for supper? Oh, and doesn't cheese come into it?

Gahhh.

don't forget your refried beans and a jug of margaritas !

Oooh - refried beans. Now, do they go on the side or in the wrap?

Apropos of absolutely nothing, and of no help to the OP, when last in a Mexican restaurant I ordered a Chimichanga - didn't have a clue what it was just ordered it because the name made me and dd laugh (yes, am immature and juvenile). Turned out to be a circular type of Cornish pasry filled with chilli.

Hmm... I think I like the name more than the sound of the dish.

yes, you're right, I wish I had stuck to Nachos!

if you put cheese in any of those things, they are tex-mex. not mexican.

fajitas, enchiladas and burrito i think are tex-mex, originally.

maize tortillas are mexican. flour ones not quite authentic.

refried beans are lovely inside a burrito. make breakfast burritos using refried beans, tomato salsa and egg. instead of egg you can add shredded left over meat to the salsa and heat through.

i think an enchilada is a dressed up (cooked) fajita, really.

Just googled quickly and found this. Don't know how useful it is as haven't got time to read it, sorry.

Hope you have fun

I think refried beans are a side dish - but it's been ages since I had them - used to go to Cafe Pacifico in C Garden

Here's my understanding of the basic Mexican wraps - I could be totally wrong though.

A tortilla is a piece of round flat bread, either made from wheat or corn.

When you take a tortilla, load it with meat or seafood, onions, peppers, guacamole, salsa and sour cream, then roll it up and eat it, it's a fajita.

If you take a tortilla, and load it as above, along with rice, then it's a burrito.

If you take a fajita, and then fry it, it's a chimichanga.

If you take a fajita, pour salsa on the outside and bake it in the oven, it's an enchillada.

If you take a corn tortilla, that has been fried and shaped, you have a taco.

so really Mexican food is just the same stuff in different arrangements

just so it hte nigella expresss way

Why not try Nigella's margarita icecream? As shown on her toe-curlingly embarrassing Nigella Express programme!

Store bought refried beans are gross, always taste of tin. Make your own.

And those tortillas (whether flour or corn) are much better fried than plain. Ideally, fried with a bit of grated cheese on them.

DH is from california and does all the mexican cooking in our house. This is our very non-authentic but delicious burritos:

For veggie burritos, fry onion with diced courgette, add a little water to get it to soften quicker (we are impatient last-minute chefs in our house), add salt, pepper, tons of cumin, cayenne pepper to your taste, throw in some lime and tequila if you're feeling frisky, a tin of chopped toms, tin of refried beans (or some mashed pinto beans) and cook for a bit.

Singe the tortillas a bit on the stove top when you're ready to serve and put a spponful of the mixture on top. Serve with any combo of salsa, grated cheese, guac, sour cream. Fold the bottom upwards, then the two sides in. Need a diagram here.

Hope I haven't missed anything out:dh would be cross. For meat version, substitute ground beef for courgettes.

Oh, and ScaryscienceT had it about right. A burrito doesn't have to have rice, but it often does; in an (American) mexican restaurant this would be a combo burrito. Yes, all these things are TexMex, not real mexican.
A fajita is usually served with the tortillas on the side: so all the meat and veggies are usually brought to you on a sizzling dish, with the tortillas for you to wrap up yourself. A burrito is more for on-the-go, so is all wrapped up together.
For a party, tacos are prob the easiest and people can put them together themselves.
HTH - let me know what you make!

I am educated! Thank you for the definitions and various advice.

So.

If I do...
1 x hot sizzly chickenish dish with maybe peppers,
1 x spicey vegish dish with courgettes, mushrooms, peppers, etc,
1 x stack of maize tortillas,
1 x stack of shaped tacos (maybe),
1 x homemade refried beans
1 x bowl grated cheese
1 x bowl guac
1 x bowl salsa
1 x bowl sour cream
Maybe a bowl of those v hot green peppers, sliced. What are they called? Are they in brine of some sort? They're not freshly sliced.
And for nibbles when people are arriving, 1 x nachos with all the gloop on top

Would that do?

I used to go to Cafe Pacifico in Covent Garden, Mary Singletomb. Late 1980's. Loved it!

I used to go to Cafe Pacifico in the early 90's

is it still there?

Thank you, MrsB,

I was trying to think of the difference between a fajita and a burrito, and the only thing I could think of ~in my experience~ was the rice. But you are right, fajita - make your own, and burrito - they make it for you!

a yummy dip to go with Nachos -
1 tub phillie cheese
1 jar hot (or not) nachos dip
grated cheese

Smear phillie onto bottom of baking tray or pyrex dish
pour nachos dip on top
cover with grated cheese and put in hot oven or under grill until all melted and schmootzy - yum

don't know if it's still there -I used to go in early 90s

jalapenos are called!

My mexican friend suggests a new restaurant in London called Wahaca... it is in Chandos Place.

They have a website with the menus... you could get some inspiration from there....

Nice veggie filling for fajitas is sliced butternut squash with a can of chick peas fried up in one of the fajita seasoning sachets - really yummy - even carnivorous dh liked it!