California Mexican-Spanish Cook Book: Selected Mexican and Spanish Recipes

by Bertha Haffner-Ginger

Cut one pound stew beef or veal in small two-inch pieces, flour thickly and brown in tablespoon of hot suet; add one-half cup chopped onion, one bay leaf, four cups tomatoes; cook slowly until meat is tender; add salt, one tablespoon chile pulp; one cup cold boiled potatoes—cut in neat squares. When potatoes are hot, serve on triangles of buttered toast.

Mexican Chicken Meat Balls

Two cups ground chicken, two tablespoons finely chopped onion, one-half cup tomato, one-half garlic button, two tablespoons chopped sweet pepper, one egg, one teaspoon mint leaves, one-half teaspoon aregano, one teaspoon salt, one tablespoon butter, three tablespoons corn meal mush, mix together, roll in flour, make into balls, fry in deep fat, or bake in oven, serve with Spanish sauce.

Spanish Fish Stew

Cut fish in three-inch pieces, salt and roll in corn meal. Heat tablespoon bacon fat and one of olive oil, add half cup sliced onion, fry brown, add fish and brown, add enough tomato to barely cover fish, two tablespoons chile sauce, salt to taste, pinch safron, and aregano; cook few minutes. Serve on platter. Garnish with potato balls sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Spanish Baked Fish

Make a filling of bread crumbs wet with one cup of tomatoes, add one tablespoon minced onion, one tablespoon parsley, one-half cup red tomato pulp, two tablespoons melted butter, ten sliced olives, one-half cup seedless raisins; fill and sew up fish. Place in pan. When done, remove carefully to hot platter and peel off skin. Pour hot prepared Spanish sauce over fish; garnish with lemon and parsley. Awfully good.

Spanish Fried Fish

Salt and dip Barracuda or any tender fish in a batter made of egg, flour, milk and salt. Fry in deep hot olive oil. Serve with sauce made by browning tablespoon onion in tablespoon olive oil, adding tablespoon flour and browning, then add one cup tomatoes, two tablespoons green or red chile pulp, salt; cook and pour across center of fish, allowing brown crisp ends to show. Garnish with slices of sweet green pepper, lemon and parsley.