From: julie@eddie.jpl.nasa.gov (Julie Kangas)
Newsgroups: rec.food.historic
Subject: Re: Aztec Thanksgiving meal
Date: 17 Nov 92 15:51:47 GMT
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA

In article <1992Nov16.214710.26461@llyene.jpl.nasa.gov> julie@eddie.jpl.nasa.gov (Julie Kangas) writes:
>In article <1992Nov16.134653.16063@hemlock.cray.com> dadams@cray.com writes:
>>In article 16NOV199212050337@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov, rusty@nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov (Kenneth Hall) writes:
>>|In article <Bxo5Lt.Cyo@usenet.ucs.indiana.edu>, stcmille@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (Stephen C. Miller) writes...
>>|>In article <CRAIG.92Nov12111008@kbsw3.kbsw1.uucp> craig@kbsw1.uucp (Craig Smith 806 1080) writes:
>>|>>My wife and I are starting to plan an Aztec Thanksgiving meal.
>>|>>We would like some help.  We have some ideas, but in order to
 
< amusing accounts of sacrificing neighbors deleted >

At the risk of being too serious, I'd like to give a few 
recipes for an Aztec meal.
_______________________

Along with salamanders (axolotl) in green chile sauce, the Aztecs
also had frogs in green chile, maguey worms with small chiles,
newts in yellow chile sauce, and tadpoles with chiltcpins (a very
small hot chile).  I think you can see a common theme here, maybe
even a couple of themes :).

I did dig out some recipes more acceptable to modern palates from
the bible of chile cooking -- _The Whole Chile Pepper Cookbook_
by Dave DeWitt and Nancy Gerlach.  They list several recipes 
that are very close to what the Aztecs cooked at the time
of the conquest.  They have marked (and so have I by use of <> )
post-Columbian ingredients that can be omitted for a more
historically accurate dish.

Here's three Aztec meals:

(For all dried chiles in these dishes, remove the stem.  Only
a hot food wimp removes the seeds :) -- also remember the Aztecs
didn't have the ingredients enclosed in the <>'s )

Shrimp Tenochtitlan 
	TWCPC notes that this is a "typical Aztec seafood dish".

3 dried Ancho chiles                    3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 Chipotles                             2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded
2 Piquins                                        and chopped
2 oz dried shrimp                       1 lb shrimp, shelled, deveined
< 1 onion, chopped >
< 4 cloves garlic, chopped >

Toast anchos briefly in a hot skillet.  Cover all chiles with hot
water for 15 minutes.  Toast dried shrimp a few minutes then grind
to powder.  Saute onions and garlic in half the oil until soft.
Combine chiles, water, onions, and puree.  Fry sauce in remaining
oil for 10 min.  Add fresh and dry shrimp and 1 cup water.  Bring
to boil then reduce heat.  Simmer for 10 min.


Loin of Pork Pulque
	Pulque is a fermented beverage made from the agave 
plant (century plant).  It's hard (if not impossible) to find
in the US so you can substitute tequila.
	The Aztecs would have used wild pig for this dish but
you can use a domesticated one.  To be extremely gross, I
should point out that the Aztecs found the taste of domestic pig 
to be very similiar to the taste of human flesh.

2 dried Anchos                          < 1 tsp cinnamon >
2 dried Pasillas                        1/2 tsp allspice
1 Chipotle                              1/4 cup pulque or tequila
< 1 onion chopped >                     3 - 4 lbs pork loin
< 2 cloves garlic >                     roasted pumpkin seeds, ground
2 tbsp oil
< 2 tbsp brown sugar >

Cover chiles with hot water for 15 min.  Drain.
Saute onion, garlic, and chiles in oil.  Add sugar and spices and 
simmer for 10 min.  Puree and add water if necessary.  Marinate pork
in sauce for 24 hrs.
Bake pork and marinade for 2 hrs at 350deg (to be real authentic dig
a whole in your backyard and cook it there).  Let pork sit 15 min then
slice thinly.  Strain marinade and pour over sliced pork.  Garnish
with pumpkin seeds.  Serve with <rice>, zucchini, or corn.


Pumpkin Blossom Quesadillas
	TWCPC says that the Aztecs often used squash blossoms
	in quesadillas

4 serrano chiles, chopped
1 poblano, chopped
1 tbsp oil
1 cup whole kernal corn, cooked
20 squash blossoms, stems and green sepals removed, chopped
4 corn tortillas

Saute chiles in oil until soft.  Add corn and cook 5 min.  Add 
blossoms and cook until moisture removed.
Warm lightly damped tortillas in oven (to soften).  Place some mixture
on one half of each tortilla.  Wet edges, fold over, and seal.  Toast
on a hot griddle to heat.


The Aztecs were also very fond of a hot chocolate drink.  It was
very unlike ours but a direct ancestor of the modern Mexican hot
chocolate.  I don't have a recipe with me but most Mexican cookbooks
should have one.  Be sure to do like the Aztecs though and add some
hot ground chile to your drink!

Julie
DISCLAIMER:  All opinions here belong to my cat and no one else
Newsgroups: rec.food.historic