Tacos al carbon
If you were in Houston in the 1980s, it was hard to escape the ubiquitous tacos al carbon. Ninfa Laurenzo—of the eponymous Ninfa’s—made…
Roast lamb with jalapeño yogurt sauce
It’s said that Texans don’t usually eat lamb. This isn’t true, of course, as the first time I had lamb was in a…
Red lentils with jalapeños and lime
One of my dearest friends recently gave up eating meat. As we were talking about her new lifestyle, I asked if she was…
Cheese enchiladas: the essence of Tex-Mex
Tex-Mex is not Mexican food. That’s right, even though many of the restaurants you see across Texas often call themselves Mexican they’re not.…
Country-style pork ribs and sauerkraut
My family loves sauerkraut. My father has a stone crock so he can ferment it at home, and my mom has also canned…
King Ranch bean casserole
The first time I cooked King Ranch casserole, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever had it before. While it’s a classic Texan standby,…
Cheesy baked pasta with chorizo
Back when I was learning to cook, one of my favorite combinations was pasta, sauce, cheese, and ricotta. That summer, I waited tables…
Classic crispy tacos
If you think of iconic American tacos, the crispy taco what most often comes to mind. This style, which also goes by the…
Hatch green chile chicken enchiladas
In most regions of Texas, when one orders enchiladas verdes, the green salsa that drapes the dish will be made with tart tomatillos…
