MEXICAN-SALAD STAPLES

Keep your pantry stocked with: » Adobo: This garlic, herb and spice seasoning is typically used to flavor seafood, meat and chicken before tossing in a salad. » Beans: Black, pinto and red kidney beans work best. Rinse well and dry before tossing in a salad. » Chile peppers: Use fresh or pickled jalapeños. Be careful because heat varies. Too many hot chiles can overpower the other flavors of a salad. Tomatillos are a small green Mexican fruit that are part of the tomato family. Substitute for red tomatoes. » Coriander: Also called cilantro, its fresh leaves are often used as garnish. The fragrant seeds, which are toasted, ground or whole, can be added to any salad dressing. » Diced nopales: Often called cactus paddles, nopales are the leaves of edible cactus. They are available fresh, cleaned and cut into

» Be careful slicing jalapeños. The juice easily burns fingers. Wear plastic gloves while dicing, or use paper towels to protect your fingers squares for tossing into a salad. » Lemons and limes: These citrus regulars are salad-dressing staples. Fresh is always best. For additional citrus flavor, add a pinch of zest to the salad dressing. » Pepitas: These edible pumpkin seeds add flavor and crunch to Mexican salads the same as croutons do for Italian salads. They are available with or without the hulls, and raw, roasted and salted. When the hulls are removed, a dark green, delicate flavored seed remains that is even more flavorful when roasted and salted. » Queso panela: This soft white cheese absorbs other flavors easily. » Queso fresco: Usually made from a combination of cow’s and goat’s milk, it tastes like a mild feta cheese. It crumbles easily. » Queso Cotija: Known as the Parmesan of Mexico, this sharp, firm cheese is perfect for grating into a salad.

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