Free book: Mexican Spanish Food Recipes
Author: Berta la Cocinera

We have revived and republished this little gem from way back. It's a valuable resource for those interested in cooking and reading about the culinary arts of other cultures from the early part of the 20th century. There are many traditional recipes that combine the lively flavors of Mexico with the sophisticated tastes of Spain. The writer is informative but engaging, each recipe includes step-by-step instructions and often with some history behind it. This PDF or ePub format book will be loved by anyone who enjoys food history or likes to cook, or even wonders what happens when two different kinds of cooking meet – such as south of the border! If you want to try creating authentic Mexican/Spanish dishes at home, this would be an excellent place to start.

Some recipes from the book:

Tamales
Chop one pound of beef, pork or chicken, add a little chopped tallow or one tablespoonful of lard and a little salt; fry in a pan until tender; chop again very fine; return to pan; add a little warm water and pulp of two red chiles; stir and fry few minutes. Add to one quart of cornmeal two tablespoonfuls of salt, two tablespoonfuls of lard, and boiling water to make a thick dough. Cut off about one inch of corn husk stalk ends and soak in hot water ten minutes; dry and rub over with hot lard. Put a layer of dough on the husk about four inches long, one and one-half inches wide and one-fourth inch thick; along the center spread two teaspoonfuls of the prepared meat; roll and fold the small end of the husk; place them folded end down in a strainer over hot water. Cover and steam several hours. Serve hot.

Spanish Omelet (Supreme)

A complete lesson—Fry a strip of bacon for each diner; remove from fat and keep hot. Cook until tender, in the fat, one tablespoon minced onion and sliver of garlic button (young green onion is best), one tablespoon minced green sweet pepper, same of canned sweet red pepper (pimiento), one tablespoon parsley, four sliced ripe olives, four seedless raisins, six mushrooms. Add when done, level teaspoon flour, then add one cup tomato—raw or canned; cook few minutes, salt to taste, add one teaspoon chile powder or two tablespoons red chile sauce. Use the above amount for every two eggs. Keep hot and prepare eggs by breaking in separate bowl whites and yolk; beat yolk first very stiff till light in color, add tablespoon water to each yolk and one-eighth teaspoon salt. Beat whites stiff, add small pinch cream tartar while whipping. Fold three-fourths of the whites into the yolks—do not break up too fine. Have hot omelet pan bottom covered well with lard or butter; pour in eggs; lower fire and cook slowly, lifting up with spatula at different places to let raw egg to bottom. When nearly done, set under gas broiler or in very hot oven for a few minutes until seared. Remove, and with spoon, put prepared filling on one-half of omelet, fold other half over, turn out on a hot platter. Put rest of whipped whites on top to form a circular crown around edge. Sprinkle with salt and bits of butter; set back in oven and brown but not too deeply. Remove; decorate with bits or strips of pimiento, sliced olives, parsley, and last, the strips of bacon and triangles of toast. A simple way, not so pretty and fluffy, but good, is to mix the filling with whipped eggs; cook, fold and serve hot.

Enchiladas, No. 1 (Very fine)
Make Tortilla. Chop one cup onions very fine, slice and chop one-half cup olives, cook in little lard; have cup grated cheese ready, dip tortilla in hot salted lard, dip in chile sauce No. 1, spread with grated cheese, put in center tablespoonful of cooked onions, tablespoon chopped hard-boiled eggs, two tablespoons chopped chicken, six seedless raisins soaked in claret, level tablespoon chopped olives, a sprinkle of cheese and fourth cup Chile Sauce No. 1, fold both sides, one over the other, pour Chile Sauce No. 5 over all, put tablespoon cooked onion on center of top of each and several large pieces of cheese and three whole olives. Place in hot oven till cheese is melted, serve very hot.