Matt Martinez's Culinary Frontier
Reading Matt Martinez'sCulinary Frontieris like digging into heaps of the best food you've ever eaten while listening as a kicked-back, sleepy-eyed hombre tells you how his Mexican grandfather fled to the U.S. to escape hanging, then started the first Tex-Mex restaurant in Austin, Texas. Martinez, who spices up his volume with old family photos, talks about feeding the local politicians and famous sports figures who come through town. You want him to keep talking while you keep eating.Martinez practices true cowboy and prairie cooking. He claims that all dishes can be prepared in a cast-iron skillet. He believes in lard and homemade chorizo, but also cooks lean food. Carne Gasado, an elemental chicken stew, Matt's Jalapeno Coleslaw, and creamy King Ranch Casserole made with sirloin are evidence of his cooking style. Catch the recipes for smoky and hot Chipotle Sauce, unusual Corn Tortilla Quesadillas, and incendiary Prairie Mary Cocktail. If you get to Dallas, the Smoked Baked Potato served at Matt's No Place, one of the four restaurants Martinez has in Texas, is an experience long remembered. Thanks toCulinary Frontier, you can try to duplicate it at home.