For a city renowned, in part, for its sophisticated eateries, San Miguel de Allende delighted me most when I visited a not-so-sophisticated restaurant, where I was introduced to huazontle, an ancient Aztec veggie.
As an amateur chef and dedicated foodie, I like to think I've been exposed to a lot of ingredients and cooking techniques, but growing up in Nebraska and living in Colorado has not given me the kind of exposure I'd get if I traveled more internationally. Huazontle isn't an unknown ingredient to super-foodies on the coasts. Heck, one blogger said she can buy it in Baltimore, of all god-forsaken places. Rick Bayless has used it, as well, in his Chicago restaurants.
My encounter, however late in life, came last week, when my wife and I stayed for a week in Colonia San Antonio, a small neighborhood in the southwest section of San Miguel, central Mexico's home to the arts and several thousand retired gringos.
After eating at a couple of overpriced restaurants closer to the jardin (the town's zocalo), we decided to try a local spot called Cha Cha Cha, which is open only from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day but Monday. (Note: some say the place can be closed for a month at a time, though, if the owner decides to leave town. It was closed in May 2007, for example.)
We walked from our flat to the restaurant on a Saturday night and sat down at a table next to a family of locals who were sharing drinks and conversation. We were the only patrons, it turns out -- the other party was the owner's family.
The owner/chef immediately greeted us and handed us a menu, where we first noticed a few dishes with huazontle listed. Before ordering, though, we were captivated by the three handmade salsas presented with chips. Two of the salsas were green and had a bright fresh flavor, with hints of avocado and lime, but something else quite different from anything we'd had before. Though we didn't know it, that was our first bite of huazontle.
Eventually, faced with the daunting list of traditional Mexican items (all priced at $50 pesos for a meal with rice and beans), we decided to ask the owner what he would recommend. He pointed directly at the pechuga con salsa huazontle: pieces of chicken breast covered in a green sauce. Susannah ordered it, and I decided on the albondigas in chipotle sauce.
Susannah made the right choice.
The huazontle, while described by many as an Aztec broccoli, was made into a creamy green sauce that had a fresher and zippier taste than any broccoli I've eaten. I'd compare it more to cross between cilantro and spinach, with the texture of really fine broccoli.
We asked the chef how he prepared it. Our Spanish being about as good as his English, we were able to piece together a conversation that revealed that he had simply boiled the huazontle, then combined it with a little cream, a little broth and some salt for a simple and delicious sauce.
He then brought out a picture of huazontle, which we studied carefully. The chef told us he can get it in the market at the San Antonio Church in San Miguel, but that it's most easily available in Mexico City. The more traditional preparations include dipping it in egg, combining it with cheese and deep frying it in lard; or sauteing it with garlic, tomato and other Mexican veggies.
However huazontle is prepared, I highly recommend a cold Mexican beer to go with it.
Buen provecho.
(Cha Cha Cha is on Calle 28 de Abril Norte in Colonia San Antonio in the southwest section of San Miguel de Allende.)
