Recados Speech

“Recados”

Introduction

I. Marinades, seasoning blends, dry rubs, chili pastes…we’ve all used them, but where do they come from? Who’s heard of recados? According to Reed Hearon, author of La Parilla: The Mexican Grill, the word recados literally means “complements”. They are the predecessors of our pre-packaged seasoning mixes.

II. I first became familiar with these flavorful ingredients of Mexican cuisine when I was researching how to re-create the Conchinita Pibil. It was a dish I had several times while visiting the Yucatan peninsula, but had never made at home until recently.

III. Now, I’d like to introduce you to recados by reviewing their history, three of the main types and their availability.

[ First, let’s begin with the history and a basic description of recados.]

Body

I. Recados have been around for a very long time. Just how long seems to vary depending on the author. I’ve read such non-specific dates as “Pre-Colombian” and “prior to the Spaniards arriving in the New World”.

A. Hamman states in her book, Mayan Cooking: Recipes from the Sun Kingdom that recados may have been the first convenience food, a pre-Colombian pre packaged mix.

B. According to the Gerlach’s (a couple who are avid collectors of Mayan recipes and research) state that recados are the most famous seasoning from the Yucatan and that they were developed long before the arrival of the Spaniards in South and Central America.

C. While the traditional method of preparation varies based on the type of recado that is desired, there are ingredients and methods common to each.

1. Basic ingredients include but are not limited to cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, oregano, cumin, annatto seeds, cloves, chilies and garlic. I’ve brought annatto seeds whole and ground into a paste for those of you who have not seen them before.

2. In general, all of the ingredients are coarsely ground by hand, toasted and then re-ground by hand in a mortar and pestle then mixed with water or vinegar to form a fine paste.

a. As you can see, the annatto seeds are very hard. They are difficult to grind into a fine paste even when using a blender or a spice grinder. I would say this is the most difficult part of making a good recado.

b. According to Cherry Hamman, it takes even an experienced recado maker about 45 minutes to completely grind this paste to the right consistency due to the toughness of the annatto.

[ Now I’d like to review the pay off for making the recados at home is worth it, if only for the variety.]

II. There are many types of recados for the home cook to attempt, but the three main ones are Red, Green and Black.

A. We’ll start with my favorite, Recado Rojo, which is also the most popular here in the states.

1. Recado Rojo also known as Achiote or Colorado sauce is the flavor behind Conchinita Pibil whose main ingredient is annatto seeds. I take the recado, and rub it on a pork shoulder, marinate overnight, and then roast until the meat falls apart it is so tender.

B. There is also a green recado known as Recado de Bistec. It is a more vinegar based recado.

1. The name, Recado de Bistec tells us that this paste is typically used for a beef marinade.

2. However, it is also used to pickle vegetables, and results in the side dish, Escabeche, relish that includes pickled peppers, carrots and other vegetables

C. Finally, there is a black recado called Chilmole, it is often confused with mole sauce due to its name as well as its glossy dark appearance.
1. Each of my sources agree that Recado de Chilmole gets its distinctive color and flavor from pouring alcohol over dried chilies and letting them burn. The Mayans started this process and it is still adhered to today.
2. Chilmole is typically used as a sauce poured over turkey.

[ As you can see, this is not a process that fits into our faster paced life. The alternatives are convenient bulk and pre-packaged recados available at Mexican markets. I’d like to address the quality and variety of these options next.]

III. The best quality and variety of recados is found in the markets in the Yucatan or freshly made at home. The pre-packaged pastes are not recommended for authenticity.

A. The Gerlach’s recommend purchasing recados ready made in markets in the Yucatan by the kilo. There they are sold in bulk. For example, Diana Kennedy, today’s foremost writer on Mexican cuisine states that she found these pastes formed into balls for purchase in markets in and around Merida in the Yucatan.

1. While it is not always accessible to travel to Mexico to get these pastes, know that according to Hamman, these can be brought back into the United States without customs difficulties.

B. I have found prepackaged recado pastes in Mexican markets here, such as Fiesta Mart, however, I do not feel that these pastes have the full flavor that I look for. They taste muddier and milder than any I’ve had in Mexico.

C. Basically, I’ve found that to replicate the true flavor of the Yucatan, you have to take the time to make recados at home.

1. After trial and error, I recommend using the annatto paste to ease the difficulty of making a recado at home. Combining this paste with my own toasted and crushed spices and fresh ingredients creates an acceptable simile to authentic recados.

2. Also an important consideration for easing home preparation, Hamman states that a properly made recado paste can keep up to one year in the refrigerator, so after finding a recipe that works for you, make it in bulk and all the work is done for the next year.

Conclusion

I. In summary, we’ve learned a little about the history, type and availability of recados. If you are a fanatic about authentic Mexican food, learning how to make recados can greatly influence the quality of your finished product.

II. We have a responsibility as future chefs to really learn the history and traditions of our ingredients, not just mimic what other chefs and recipes have done before. Studying the true origins of recados has definitely given me a greater respect for the indigenous people who created Mexican cuisine as well as given me the drive to seek out the correct ingredients. By taking the time to seek knowledge, we will create better food.

Bibliography

Gerlach, Nancy and Jeffrey. Foods of the Maya: A Taste of the Yucatan.
2nd ed. Albequerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press, 2002.

Hamman, Cherry. Mayan Cooking: Recipes from the Sun Kingdoms of Mexico.
New York, NY: Hippocrene Books, Inc, 1998.

Hearon, Reed. La Parilla: The Mexican Grill. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle
Books, 1996

Kennedy, Diana. From My Mexican Kitchen: Techniques and Ingredients.
New York, NY: Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2003

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