Pavo en Relleno Negro
Ayer nos invitaron a Oxtapacab para celebrar el Día de Muertos con la señora que limpia nuestra casa y su familia. Desafortunadamente, teníamos otros planes y no pudimos hacer el viaje de una hora hasta allá esta vez.
Esta mañana, cuando ella y su hija llegaron a limpiar, como lo hacen una vez por semana, trajeron una pequeña olla de pavo en relleno negro y un montón de tortillas hechas a mano, caseras.
Si nunca has probado una tortilla hecha a mano, entonces realmente nunca has probado una tortilla. Las tortillas que llegaron esta mañana, todavía calientes, envueltas en un pañuelo y dentro de una bolsa de plástico, son más gruesas y sabrosas que las compradas en la tienda o las hechas a máquina. Tienen más o menos el tamaño de la mano de una mujer maya, y se forman a partir de una bola redonda de masa. Luego se colocan sobre el comal, que en este caso (lo sabemos por experiencia) es la parte superior de un tambor de cincuenta galones. Se cocinan a la perfección, apenas tostadas, y después generalmente se depositan en una calabaza hueca que las mantiene calientes. Comidas con un poco de sal, un poco de mantequilla o untadas en algo, son ricas, suaves y deliciosas.
El pavo en relleno negro probablemente sea algo totalmente diferente a lo que hayas probado o visto. Es pavo con bolitas de masa parecidas a polenta, todo bañado en una salsa de relleno negro. La salsa de relleno negro es, por supuesto, lo más importante. Se hace con varios ingredientes (no somos cocineros, así que no los conocemos todos), siendo el más importante el chile de árbol quemado. Se quema hasta que queda negro y luego se muele dentro de la salsa. Así que cuando comes este guiso delicioso, que parece sopa, da la sensación de que estás comiendo pavo en aceite de motor.
Debemos admitir que la primera vez cuesta trabajo llevar la cuchara a la boca… ¡pero ahora es un platillo favorito! Si vienes a Yucatán, asegúrate de probarlo.
Comments
Working Gringos 13 years ago
You must be referring to Mayan Cuisine: Recipes from the Yucatan Region.
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Rene'e Watson 13 years ago
Ana , on December 2010, tells of an incredible cook book by Daniel Hoyer that I would love to find but she does not mention the title of the book. Does anyone know the name of this book on Mayan Cuisine. I would love to have it for the pictures and the recipes.
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Mercedes 15 years ago
As a yucateca/american living in California I love your website and had to comment on this post! As you know, there are many fellow Mexicans in L.A. but very few Yucatecos, and getting my coworkers to eat food that looks like motor oil is an amusing uphill battle... however, I count on the innate politeness that prevents people from turning down food that I offer and have been successful in hooking a lot of people on relleno negro! Now, I regularly have to share my relleno negro, queso relleno, alcaparrado, kibis... although not many takers on habaneros yet!
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ana 15 years ago
Daniel Hoyer published this great book on Mayan Cuisine. It has beautiful pics and authentic recipes, including Relleno Negro. I'm a snob when it comes to Yucatecan/Mayan food and this book really delivers. The author really did his research.
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Jennifer 16 years ago
Thanks for the info on rellenos negro. I went to Chaya the other night and saw a man with a plate of what looked like motor oil. The waiter told me what it was and now I am going back to try it tonight!
I bought some black recado in the mercado. I wonder if this is what they use to make that sauce. Hmmm.
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Ruth 16 years ago
Where can I buy the paste? I haven't eat that since I was 15 years old over 25 years ago we had a cook from Yucatan! I miss the taste if anyone can tell me where to get it! Please e mail me at Ruthmartinez1030@yahoo.com
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Yucatan Living - Mayan Pueblo Afternoon 16 years ago
[...] soup bowl full of very delicious homemade pavo en relleno negro. Our regular readers may remember a little pot we took a picture of a whle ago… well, here’s what was in the [...]
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San 17 years ago
strangely enough, I make Pavo Relleno negro here in Oregon! Have to admit I either carry the black condiment home from visits, or have someone coming up bring it. Still working on making a proper roll of the minced meat and hard boiled egg. Fortunately. practice tastes good! Recipe in "Yucatecan cuisine of the Hacienda Teya" booklet available even in english in Merida bookstores.
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Annie 18 years ago
I'm so glad to read that so many of you like the exotic spices of the Yucatan. My father is from Merida, and we have a bakery/ restaurant located in Downtown Los Angeles. Our name is "La Flor de Yucatan" and we specialize in the Mayan cuisine. For those who are interested in trying some other delicious dishes pay us a visit or give us a call. Also, those who miss their home in Yucatan, we will make you feel like you were back. We have everything from Relleno Negro, to Cochinita (marinated pork), Panuchos, Salbutes, Morcilla (Moronga)..etc... Also, we have Ojaldras, Patas, and we also carry other goodies straight from Yucatan!
Unfortunately our website is under construction, but we can be reached at laflordeyucatan.bakery@gmail.com and at (213) 748-6090. For english however call Marc (my brother, and food consultant) at (661) 917-3816
We do catering, and if you're not local, we can ship things to you.
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Laura 19 years ago
I am married to a yucatecan that grew up with all the great recipes so now I get to enjoy them too! Who knew mexican food could be so exotic? One restaurant here in Los Angeles makes great traditional recipes.
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Dan 19 years ago
On the subject of recipes, you might mention the remarkable series of books on Cocina Indigena y Popular, produced by the Mexican Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes. The Merida bookstores have some of them, but I saw the largest selection at the museum of anthropology. There are about 50 books, each costing only $3-$4, covering the regional cooking of much of the country. Some titles: "La dulceria en Puebla", "Las flores en la cocina mexicana", "Aroma y sabores de Nuevo Leon", and "Recetario de pescados de Sonora". I'm pretty sure there is one for the Yucatan, but I regret that I don't have it.
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