Feria Fever

Ferias, the country fairs of Mexico and Spain, are times of passion, joy and wonder. During the short days that the feria lasts, we let our feelings run at high speed. It’s as Jean Paul Sartre once wrote on another subject: “It is a moment when the real world gives way to a world of magic.”

For many years, my husband and I traveled the roads of Mexico and Spain, going from feria to feria, following our favorite bullfighters: the Mexican Manolo Martinez and the Spaniard Paco Camino, who were disputing which was the best bullfighter on Earth. They were both magic!

But the magic extended beyond the bullring. We found it also in the food we ate, in the music we heard and with the many friends we made in each of the towns where the ferias were held.

Of all the ferias in Mexico, my favorite is the feria of San Marcos, Aguascalientes, in central Mexico. I still have very fond memories of one particular feria there in 1977. That was when my mother and her friends first became known as Las Coyotas (the coyote girls).

That year, a group of her friends decided to join us for the feria, forming a very unorthodox bullfight mob. We stayed at the Francia Hotel, which, back then, was the place where everyone connected with the feria stayed, including the bullfighters.

The breakfast at the Francia was absolutely spectacular. There were chilaquiles and eggs served in a wonderful variety of ways: eggs with cactus and cilantro or in salsa verde, eggs rancheros (fried eggs on top of tortillas covered with spicy tomato sauce), a la mexicana (scrambled eggs with chopped serrano chile, onion and tomato--the colors of the Mexican flag) or motulenos (fried eggs on top of tortillas with beans, chopped ham, peas, tomato sauce and cheese). Then there were the Mexican biscochos (sweet breads) and chocolate.

You could also choose from a variety of Aguascalientes specialties, such as enchiladas rojas and condoches, also called gorditas de horno. These last are small puffy tortillas that can be sweet or salty, depending on the ingredient you use--jocoqui (yogurt) or coconut oil--or filled with beans and chile. There was also pork loin with guava sauce, chocolate tamales and, above all, the most delicious birria.

In the central region of Mexico, in the states of Jalisco, Guanajuato, Aguascalientes and Zacatecas, birria is the greatest dish, made from goat or lamb that has been seasoned with spices and chiles and cooked in a pit barbecue. The people of the region will tell you that birria is the right choice for breakfast after a long day and night of tequilas and cubas (or cuba libres--rum and cola).

After breakfast, the women would walk to the fairgrounds to buy arts and crafts while the men would gather at the bullring to witness the drawing of the bulls, a little ceremony during which the manager of each bullfighter finds out which bulls his man will fight.

At lunch we would meet at any of the small restaurants surrounding the bullring, where they have an amazing variety of Mexican dishes and antojitos, which are finger foods or munchies that can be truly extraordinary. For example: tacos al pastor, quesadillas, gorditas, panuchos and sopes. And, of course, in each restaurant, bands of mariachis were always playing.

Once we were in the bullring, the band would play those magnificent pasodobles until the cornet announced that the fight would begin. There were moments of intense suffering during the fight that were compensated for with moments of immense joy. It was magic!

When the bullfight was over, we would all go back to the hotel to rest. Later, there were always parties to go to, gambling in improvised casinos on the fairgrounds, shows with some of the best Mexican singers, or just strolling on the square of San Marcos with a tambora (band of musicians) following closely behind you.

I remember on one of those nights that Manolo Martinez invited us to his friend’s place to play poker. Manolo was a good poker player, and he really liked to win. That night, he must have thought he could win big playing against my mother and her friends. Little did he know that these ladies were very experienced players.

As soon as he began to lose, he positioned the members of his cuadrilla team behind each of the ladies and right before placing a bet he would wait for a signal from each of them.

My mother’s friends were no innocents and immediately began playing their cards really close to their vests, making it impossible for the guys to know what they had. Feeling desperate after a few lost hands, Manolo called for my husband, who was in another room, and demanded an explanation about these ladies who were taking him to the cleaners.

That night they were baptized Las Coyotas, because he just couldn’t believe they could be smarter and better than him at a game he had been playing for so long.

That name has stuck with them until today, though Manolo is gone. He died young, but he sure lived life at its fullest. For him, every day was magic, a feria.

Birria

Active Work Time: 2 hours * Total Preparation Time: 5 hours plus 1 hour standing

Fresh masa is available at the meat counter of Latino markets. Banana leaves are sold at Latino and Asian markets.

ADOBO PASTE

6 dried ancho chiles

10 dried guajillo chiles

4 cups water

14 cloves garlic

2 1/2 onions, quartered

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 1/4 tablespoons ground oregano

8 cloves

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 stick cinnamon

3 sprigs thyme

4 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons vinegar

* Roast ancho and guajillo chiles in dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and softened, about 5 minutes. Slice open and remove seeds and veins.

* Heat water in 6-quart saucepan over medium heat and add chiles. Simmer 20 minutes. Drain chiles; reserve water.

* In blender or food processor, puree chiles, garlic, onions, cumin seeds, ginger, oregano, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, thyme, bay leaves, salt and vinegar in batches to form thick paste. If too thick, add a little cooking water.

LAMB

1 banana leaf

1 tablespoon oil

1 (6 1/2-pound) leg of lamb, cut in 3-inch chunks

1/2 cup lard

Adobo Paste

2 1/2 pounds fresh masa, kneaded with 3 tablespoons warm water

* Cut banana leaf into 6 to 8 pieces small enough to fit into deep-sided roasting pan. Brush pieces with oil, stack and wrap them in foil. Roast at 425 degrees until leaf pieces are soft and pliable, 15 minutes.

* Coat lamb with lard, making sure pieces are well covered. Let stand 30 minutes.

* Spread Adobo Paste over chunks, working it into lamb so all pieces are covered. Let stand 30 minutes.

* Line bottom and sides of deep-sided roasting pan with most of roasted banana leaf pieces. Place lamb chunks on top. Cover with remaining leaf pieces.

* Place foil on work surface and roll masa out so it’s large enough to cover lamb and leaf pieces and just fit inside roasting pan. Lift foil and invert masa onto leaf pieces, then peel away foil. Cover pan with lid.

* Fill shallow pan with water and place on lower oven rack so it will be beneath roasting pan. Bake lamb at 350 degrees until tender, 3 to 4 hours. Start checking lamb after 3 hours by carefully lifting edge of masa to remove meat chunk; if lamb is not tender, pack masa back around lamb and continue to cook, checking again after 10 to 15 minutes.

SOUP

5 large tomatoes (about 3 pounds)

4 cloves garlic

1 1/2 onions, chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/3 cup oil

1 gallon chicken broth

Salt

* Place tomatoes in baking dish and roast at 425 degrees until tender and slightly charred, about 45 minutes.

* When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, blend tomatoes, garlic, onions and oregano in blender until smooth, in batches, if necessary.

* Heat oil in large saucepan over high heat and cook tomato mixture 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add broth. Season to taste with salt, if necessary. Simmer soup 30 minutes to meld flavors.

ASSEMBLY

1 1/2 onions, finely chopped, for garnish

1 cup cilantro leaves, stemmed and finely chopped, for garnish

8 limes, cut in half, for garnish

* Remove lamb from oven. Uncover and discard masa and leaves.

* Shred lamb with 2 forks while still hot. Drain pan juices and add to Soup.

* To serve, divide shredded lamb among 10 to 12 soup bowls and pour Soup over. Garnish with onions, cilantro and limes.

10 to 12 servings. Each of 12 servings: 538 calories; 1,234 mg sodium; 102 mg cholesterol; 25 grams fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 40 grams protein; 1.90 grams fiber.

Scrambled Eggs in Salsa Verde With Caviar

Active Work Time: 35 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

SALSA VERDE

12 tomatillos, husks removed

8 serrano chiles, stemmed

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion, quartered

1 bunch cilantro, stemmed

1 teaspoon salt

* Place tomatillos, chiles and garlic in baking dish and roast at 425 degrees until tender, about 30 minutes.

* Puree roasted tomatillos, chiles and garlic in blender or food processor with onion, cilantro and salt. Makes 2 cups.

ASSEMBLY

2 tablespoons oil

1 1/2 cups Salsa Verde

8 eggs

1 tablespoon caviar

Salt

8 corn or flour tortillas

* Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in Salsa Verde and bring to boil.

* Beat eggs in bowl and add to skillet. Cook over medium heat until eggs are softly scrambled, about 5 minutes.

* Divide among 4 dishes and spoon caviar on top center of scrambled eggs. Season with salt to taste. Serve with corn or flour tortillas.

4 servings. Each serving: 413 calories; 1,026 mg sodium; 449 mg cholesterol; 23 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 18 grams protein; 0.61 gram fiber.

Potatoes and Poblano Chiles

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

4 poblano chiles

2 1/4 pounds boiling potatoes

Salt

Butter, for greasing

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions, sliced

2 cups whipping cream

Pepper

7 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

* Using tongs, roast chiles over stove-top flame, rotating so chiles blacken evenly on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes. (Alternatively, place on pan under broiler and broil a few minutes on each side until blackened.) Place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap about 10 minutes. Remove charred skin, rinse and remove seeds and veins with sharp knife.

* Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until fork-tender, 30 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel, slice and place potatoes in buttered 8-inch baking dish.

* Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.

* Blend chiles, onions and cream in food processor or blender until well mixed and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour chile mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with cheese.

* Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and bubbly around edges, 30 to 40 minutes.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 443 calories; 189 mg sodium; 110 mg cholesterol; 32 grams fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams protein; 0.88 gram fiber.