QUELITES

Los quelites The quelites (from the Nahuatl quilitil, (edible herb) are the leaves, shoots, petioles, stems and even flowers of various herbaceous plants that in Mexico are considered edible They are wild herbs, this means that they are not cultivated, but are collected. The harvesting season for quelites occurs in the rainy season, when the drought ends, and the agricultural cycle begins. They are species that belong to different botanical families, and are mostly Native American, although it also includes many others brought from the Old World, such as watercress or turnip leaf.

Depending on the sources, the number of species of quelites varies between 2002 and 3003, although in a broad sense, the term encompasses up to 500 species. The best-known quelites are the cenizo, the winter one, the holy leaf, purslane, watercress, epazote, pápalo, quintoniles, chaya and huazontle, just to mention a few. Normally they are born in the cornfields and in coffee plantations, and their growth occurs spontaneously, without requiring human intervention for their care.

In gastronomy, quelites have the same consideration as leafy vegetables, since they are included fresh in salads, or cooked in stews, soups, fried foods ... etc. others are aromatic herbs and are used as a condiment. In the nutritional aspect, they are a source of vitamins, minerals, folic acid and fiber among others.

Depending on each quelite, human action is present. Many are wild herbs, such as xonequi, tequelite, acedillo or basiáwari, while others are domesticated, such as pumpkin flowers, purslane, chaya or romeritos. The quelites, in general, provide large amounts of fiber, which helps the proper functioning of the digestive system, in addition to purifying and detoxifying the body. They contain a considerable amount of vitamin A and X, which help to heal well, strengthen the immune system and maintain the health of blood vessels.

In addition, they are rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron, they protect the cardiovascular system, bone health and prevent diseases such as anemia. Its consumption is recommended for people who suffer from gastritis. Some are common throughout the country, such as epazote, purslane, or huauzontle, while others are more typical of a particular region, such as alache in Hidalgo, chepil in Oaxaca, or chaya in Yucatán.

FISH, CHILEATOLE, QUELITES

(10 servings)

 Ingredients:

  •  100 g of Clean Purslane
  •  20 pcs of nasturtium
  •  10 pz of Pápalo clean and cut
  •  15 g of Clean Pipicha
  •  30 pz suehilung leaves
  •  30 pz of thin scallion rings 
  •  15 g of Wild Cilantro
  •  30 pz of quelites
  •  10 g of huauzontles
  •  30 pz of epazote leaves
  •  30 pz of Fennel Flower
  •  7 pz of poblano pepper burned, sweaty and clean.
  •  1 pz of onion (350g)
  •  100 g coriander (blanched)
  •  100 g epazote (blanched)
  •  150 g of cooked white corn, ground in its cooking broth and strained
  •  4 cloves of garlic
  •  200 g fresh corn
  •  10 g epazote
  •  3 pz of marrow
  •  100 g onion
  •  30 ml lemon juice
  •  C/s of salt
  •  6 poblano peppers
  •  1 onion (350g)
  •  4 cloves of garlic
  •  150 ml whipping cream
  •  50 g sour cream
  •  150 g of mashed potatoes
  •  50 ml lemon juice
  •  150 ml olive oil
  •  2 g salt
  •  100 ml of water
  •  20 g cornmeal
  •  33 g oil
  •  1 g of salt

 Process:

FOR THE CHILEATOLE

1

    7 pz of poblano pepper burned, sweaty and clean. (Without veins, peel, or seeds)

    1pz of onion (350g)

    100 g coriander (blanched)

    100 g epazote (bleached)

    150 g of cooked white corn, ground in its cooking broth and strained

    4 cloves of garlic

    Sautéed the onion, garlic and chilies in a pot. Once cooked, grind in a blender or thermomix until obtaining a smooth sauce without lumps.

    Strain return to cooking and add the previously strained corn atole. Cook for 20 min, Grind the leaves in a blender with the help of a little of the cooking broth until obtaining a super fine texture. Add them to the previous mixture and cook for 5 more minutes. Rectify salt and reserve.

FOR THE ESQUITES

2

    200 g fresh corn

    10 g epazote

    3 pz of marrow

    100 g onion

    30 ml lemon juice

    c/s of salt

    Cook the corn kernels in water with a little epazote and onion. Bake the marrows at 180 ° C for 12 min previously seasoned, once ready add to the cooked corn with a little of the same cooking water, finish with salt and lemon.

FOR THE POBLANO CHILE PUREE

3

    6 poblano peppers (burned, peeled and cleaned)
    1 onion (350g)
    4 cloves of garlic
    150 ml whipping cream
    50 g sour cream
    150 g of mashed potatoes (passed through mashed raisins or Chinese strainer)

    Sautéed the onion, garlic and chili peppers in a pot. Once golden, add the whipping cream and sour cream. Reduce until almost dry. Grind with the help of a blender or thermomix until obtaining a smooth puree without lumps. Strain. For every 400ml add 150g of puree and incorporate with the help of a whisk. Rectify salt.

FOR THE LEMON VINAIGRETTE

4

    50 ml lemon juice
    150 ml olive oil
    2 g salt

    Mix all the ingredients until you get a homogeneous mixture. Rectify flavor and reserve.

FOR LA DANTELA

5
    100 ml of water

    20 g cornmeal

    33 g oil

    1 g of salt

    Place all the ingredients in a thermomix and grind at speed 10 for 1 min. In a frying pan with Teflon pour a little of the mixture and cook until it becomes firm, cut with a mold of your choice and reserve.

FOR THE FISH

6
    Portion the fish in a weight of 40g and put in a brine, with a radius of 80g x liter of water for 7 min. 

    Pack in a vacuum bag and cook in a thermocirculator at 60 ° C for 2 min, then seal in clarified butter on the skin side and reserve for serving.

    PLATE UP

    On a plate, place a quenelle of poblano puree, left a tablespoon of esquites with marrow on it and next to the puree place the fish. Add the dentella de quelites over the skits. In a bowl, place purslane and spicy leaves, add eureka lemon vinaigrette, mix and reserve. Add the leaves on the dentella and finish with onion rings, spicy leaves, quelites, fennel flower and wild coriander. Place the chileatole in a jar and sauce on the table.

FOR PRESENTATION

7
    100 g of Clean Purslane

    20 pcs of nasturtium (cut with a 1cm diameter cutter)

    10 pz of Pápalo clean and cut (with a 1cm diameter cutter)

    15 g of Clean Pipicha

    30 pz suehilung leaves

    30 pz of thin scallion rings (1cm diameter)

    15g of Wild Cilantro

    30 pz of quelites

    10 g of huauzontles

    30 pz of epazote leaves

    30 pz of Fennel Flower