Queso Fresco

This chilaquiles recipe is the blueprint for one of my favorite comfort foods. It’s a great way to use up tortillas (or tortilla chips) that are past their optimal freshness.

Capirotada is a classic Mexican bread pudding, usually served during Lent. This version combines raisins, nuts, coconut, and bananas in a sweet custard with torn bolillo rolls.

These griddled masa disks get a little crispy on the edges but stay tender on the inside. Top them with black beans, salsa, and queso fresco or any other toppings you love.

In this riff on huaraches, grilled cactus paddles stand in for the traditional corn masa “sandal sole” that provides the base for velvety black beans, crumbled queso fresco, and chipotle salsa.

This recipe shines for its simplicity. However, in order for it to be spectacular, the quality of the three ingredients really matters.

Go hard on those potatoes and let them get good and browned before tossing them in the pan. That way they’ll keep their crunch after being doused with the spicy mayonnaise.

These pressure cooker enchiladas are all about the tortillas and the ancho chile sauce. Shredded chicken and cheese round out the Mexican-American favorite.

These richly-spiced enchiladas are a totally worthwhile weekend cooking project.

In the state of Chiapas, these are made with chewy dried shrimp and called tostadas turulas. Use the most flavorful shrimp and best tomatoes you can find.

Spicy Mexican chorizo adds richness to tinga, a tomatoey shredded-chicken tostada topping.

Roasted poblano chiles and cream are a classic—and irresistible—combination. It's worth roasting more than you need—the peeled and seeded chiles freeze well and thaw quickly. Sliced and seared zucchini or chayote squash is a terrific addition to the rajas mixture.

In Mexico, salpicón is a kind of shredded meat or fish salad, usually made with beef, and commonly served on tostadas. This version gets a fresh crunch from radishes and sweet acidic kick from a combination of lime and pineapple juices.

In Peru, Quinoa is one of the most nutritious grains cultivated by our ancestors, which we are once again sharing with the world.

Years ago in Veracruz, I bought sweet corn from a guy in a bike cart. Mixed with mayonnaise, lime juice, ground chilies and queso fresco, it was one of the most exciting street foods I'd ever eaten.

If you grew up in Northern California in the 1990s, you lived through the trend that was sprouts. From alfalfa sprouts to bean sprouts, they seemed to find their way into every green salad, sandwich, and omelet. This savory whole-grain breakfast bowl is inspired by those California days, with chunks of ripe avocado, crumbled Cotija cheese, toasty almonds, and a citrus-sparked yogurt sauce. While alfalfa sprouts were prevalent when I was growing up, today I try to branch out, using a tangle of colorful bean sprouts or more delicate radish or sunflower sprouts. These morning bowls couldn't be easier to prepare, but the barley does take a while to cook; I put a pot on the stove first thing in the morning so it'll be ready by the time I've had my coffee and prepped the other ingredients. Feel free to experiment with other grains, too. I've tried this with both quinoa and farro, and it's as wonderful with delicate grains as it is with heartier ones. Morning Notes: Cotija cheese is popular in Mexican and Latin dishes. It's a firm, crumbly cheese made of cow's milk and is used so often because it's milder than feta or even goat cheese and softens with heat but doesn't fully melt. You can also use queso fresco if it's easier to find.

Yuca Bread with Queso Fresco The ratio of flour to cheese seems crazy, but it works. Serve the bread hot (for a spongy texture) or warm (for a denser interior with the dough settling more and forming air pockets).