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 We are excited to add this new section “Abuelita’s Kitchen” (Grandmother’s Kitchen) featuring flavorful Mexican recipes. It is dedicated to my wonderful grandmother, Belen Tapia, whose epicurean treats were heavily spiced with much love for her family and friends. She was a mother of seven, a grandmother of 17, and a great grandmother of 25 little ones! A lovely woman who cherished her family and shared her love of culture. She has been gone for many years, but continues to play a role in our daily lives. I hold her dear to my heart and thank her for inspiration.
Here is a picture of her when our store “Casa Belen” was called “Las Trancas.” People would drive from all over to eat one of her famous “gorditas” on Olvera Street. She would always greet her clients with a great friendly smile and treat them as family! I loved her gorditas with chorizo and papas! Yummy!
Below are a few recipes we hope you will enjoy. My Grandmother would never follow a recipe step-by-step since she cooked intuitively; like creating art. She loved experimenting with spices with a dash of this and that, pouring love into her food for her family. We invite you to get creative and experiment as you create your own signature dishes. Bon appetite!
Ginette’s Authentic Guacamole
(Avocado Dip)
Recipe courtesy Ginette Rondeau
This recipe is inspired by both my wonderful Grandmother Belen Tapia and my loving Mother Irma Tapia. They would often create different variations and I have learned to be creative. Just add a dash of love here and a dash of spice there! Viola!
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe, medium size avocados
(I use ALL the ingredients, but the following MAY be considered optional…)
- 1/2 small finely chopped red onion (Or you can choose your favorite: yellow, white or green onions)
- 1 to 3 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and very finely chopped (If serranos are too hot for you, trying using Ortega roasted diced chiles, Tabasco Sauce or any other chile you enjoy.)
- 1 ripe medium tomato, cored, and finely chopped
- 8 sprigs cilantro (coriander), chopped
- juice of ½ lime
- salt about ½ teaspoon or to taste
- Mexican queso fresco (Mexican cheese) sprinkled on top
- Black Olives scattered on top too!
Cooking Directions:
Close to the time you are going to serve, halve the avocados lengthwise, remove the pits, and scrape the avocado pulp from the skins and add it to a medium-size bowl or molcajete (mortar).
Using a fork, roughly mash the avocado while mixing in the other ingredients, making a course, thick mass. Add the optional finely chopped onion, chiles, tomato, garlic, and cilantro. Flavor with salt, then lime juice. Return the pits to the guacamole (to prevent it from becoming dark).
Serve the guacamole dip in an attractive pottery bowl or Mexican molcajete. Sprinkle the dip with chopped onion, cilantro, radish, chile slices and/or queso fresco (cheese). You can also decorate your dip with a dab of sour cream in the center and add tortilla chips! Serve immediately.
Yield: About 3 cups, serving 6 as an appetizer, 12 to 16 as a dip
You can also use guacamole as a condiment for burritos, tacos, taquitos, fajitas, and much more!
Fresh Hot Tortilla Chips
Recipe courtesy Ginette Rondeau
Ingredients:
- A package of Corn Tortillas
- Vegetable Oil
- Salt
Cooking Directions:
Heat 3 - 4 cups of Vegetable Oil until very hot. Cut tortillas diagonally into eight sections. Deep fry until golden brown. Take them out of the pot, drain off excess oil and sprinkle salt to taste. Serve them warm in a beautiful bowl.
Mommy’s Grilled Flank Steak Burritos
Recipe courtesy Ginette Rondeau
Here’s a simple comfort food recipe I loved as a child when I lived on Olvera Street. My mother (Irma Tapia) made it with lots of love as she knew it would bring a large smile to my face. Today, I follow her tradition and make it for my family. My son is a vegetarian, so he gets a meatless version. Of course, that means more steak for the rest of us!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Flank Steak
- Garlic Salt
- Pepper
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- 12 flour tortillas
Cooking Directions:
To try something quick and delicious, grill flank steak. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat up flour tortillas for burritos. Slice the steak and place a few pieces into the tortilla. Add a couple of pieces of Monterey Jack Cheese or any other type of cheese you like and then spread in a tablespoon or two of the guacamole dip. Then finish it off with a dab of either sour cream or crema fresca! Roll up the tortilla and enjoy!
Yield: 12 yummy burritos
If you have any favorite recipes you would like to share, please submit them at recipes@Olvera-Street.com Email us your family recipe with a paragraph sharing a story about it and a picture of you or your family. If you are selected, we will feature it online! It is one way to share your family history with us too!
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