In my last post I mentioned that salsas in Mexico are probably the most important part of our cuisine. Although there are many of them in every region of the country, one stands out. This is the classic a la mexicana sauce that is used for many dishes. A la mexiana is a term that refers to something being cooked in this salsa: huevos (eggs) a la mexiana, bistec (steak) a la mexicana, pollo (chicken) a la mexicana, etc.

This salsa is called a la mexicana because the three main ingredients, tomatoes, onions and green peppers (either jalapeno or serrano), represent the colors of the Mexican flag. This salsa is very easy to prepare and you can make it to spice up almost anything. This time I made a very simple chicken dinner using it, one of my favorites from my parents’ restaurant, pollo a la mexicana.

Remember that there are just a few days left to participate in our Homemade challenge with any homemade salsa. There are several entries already and they all look delicious. Come see them at the forum.

Pollo a la mexicana

The ingredients:

• 4 chicken thighs in the bone
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

The how-to:

1. In a sauce pan sautee onion and garlic. When they start to turn golden brown add the chicken. Brown both sides.
2. Add tomato and pepper to the pan mix well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
3. Add cumin and adjust seasoning. Simmer until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes.
4. Serve with rice and tortillas.

The afterthoughts:

• Some people like to prepare the sauce separately, but I think cooking the chicken in it gives it a much better flavor. You can add other condiments and herbs such as oregano, parsley or cilantro. The heat of this sauce can be adjusted by adding or reducing the amount of peppers.

¡Buen provecho!