Mexican

Introduction/History
Mexican food has been influenced by recipes and ingredients from South America, Caribbean, France and Spain. When the Spanish first came to the Americas, they discovered the use of chocolate, peanuts, beans, vanilla, squash, avocados, corn and tomatoes in their cooking. The Spanish then introduced ingredients such as pork, beef, onions, and chicken into their cuisine, transforming their food into what we know today. Also, traditional Mexican food varies from different regions in Mexico. Regional cuisines display a lot of variety; some dishes are full of spices and hot chili peppers, while some are quite bland in comparison. Traditional Mexican food revolves around simple ingredients - chiles, beans, tortillas, beef, pork, sour cream, corn, and chopped lettuce and tomato's are often used as garnish.

Typical Foods

 * Meats:** chicken, beef, pork, lamb
 * Fish:** shellfish
 * Vegetables:** peppers, chili's, corn, tomatoes
 * Starches:** rice, beans
 * Breads:** tortillas (corn, flour, wheat)
 * Condiments/Spices:** salsa, guacamole, cilantro, etc.


 * Famous Dishes:**
 * Enchiladas (beef, chicken, cheese)
 * Burritos[[image:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UZCeUDMh1X4/SUVDTScTTWI/AAAAAAAABCY/SRdaWvIclBg/s400/Mexican+Food.jpg width="314" height="247" align="right"]]
 * Tacos
 * Quesadillas
 * Nachos

Ingredients 12 corn tortillas 3 cooked chicken breast halves, no bones or skin, shredded ½ cup chopped green onions ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 cups chicken broth 1 cup sour cream ¾ cup minced onion 12 oz shredded cheddar cheese 4 oz chopped green chilies ¼ cup butter ¼ cup all purpose flour Vegetable oil for frying
 * Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Preparation Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat, and then fry the tortillas on 5 seconds per side until they are pliable. Do them individually and add more oil as required. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and keep them warm.

Divide the chicken, onion (not green onion) and 10 oz of the cheese between the tortillas. Roll them up and place in a greased baking pan, seam side down. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until it begins to boil. Add the broth, stirring continuously.

Add the chilies and sour cream. Stir occasionally and do not let the mixture boil. Pour this mixture over the enchiladas when hot and thick. Bake the Mexican chicken enchiladas for 20 minutes then top with the rest of the cheese and bake for a further 5 minutes. Use the green onions and cilantro to garnish them. **