Seafood is an Exciting Part of Mexican Cuisine

By Ken Kudra

When Mexican food is brought up, most people think of beef, chicken, or pork, not seafood. If you think about it though, Mexico has six thousand miles of coastline. With all that oceanfront property, seafood has got to be a big part of their menu. Mexico is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. The Gulf of Mexico also provides a good fishing spot. The amount of seafood caught in Mexico every year is substantial.

Ceviche is a very popular seafood dish from Mexico. Made with small pieces of raw fish, squid, or shrimp, the recipe includes onion, peppers, salt, and cilantro. The fish is "cooked" with lemon or limejuice. The citric acid in the juice changes the proteins in the fish just like cooking. Even so, some ingredients will be cooked for safety purposes. You can enjoy ceviche on its own or used as filling for a taco. It is also wonderful on crackers or tostadas.

Seafood can also be simmered in the Veracruzana style. This is a sauce preparation made with tomatoes, chilies, olives, and capers. The resulting dish is both tangy and spicy. This sauce is often prepared with red snapper or shrimp. Veracruz and its surrounding region are well known for this and many other seafood dishes.

"A la Plancha" is a Spanish cooking method that is also popular in Mexico. In this method, a metal plate is set on top of an open flame for grilling. Fish does not stick to the plate like it does to a grill, yet it gets all of the grilled flavor.

Winter produces a huge assortment of seafood from the ocean in Mexico. Seafood is eaten especially on Fridays, when meat is forbidden in the Catholic religion. Lent is another time when seafood comes to the forefront. It plays a large part in the religious celebrations each family observes. Every cook has their own flair of seasoning that they use at this time, no matter if the seafood is something rich and sumptuous or something humble.

When you are looking for dishes to make at home, do not forget to look for those that contain seafood. You may be surprised just how versatile it really is. Chilies stuffed with shrimp, spicy clams and delicious snapper await your eager taste buds when you prepare them like they are served in Mexico.

Choosing a Mexican food recipe like one of those described here will increase your enjoyment of the cuisine. Make seafood stews, soups, and fillings. Put fish or shrimp in enchiladas, chimichangas and many more of your favorite recipes. Around Veracruz, one popular dish is known as seafood and rice. This delectable meal is made with crab, clams, octopus, shrimp, and fish. You could also try seafood frittatas. You will love it when you bite into these eggs full of crab, fish, clams, mussels, and octopus.

Do not write off Mexican food if it does not contain beef, pork, or chicken. Seafood truly shines in Mexican cuisine. Explore the culture of Mexico through its seafood and you will see everything in a whole new light. The seafood provides the perfect combination with the many spices and ingredients best loved in Mexican cooking. - 30289

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