Caballeros Inc.
Traditional Oaxacan Recipes

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The food of Oaxaca has a flavor like no other in the world. Its secret is in the hands that prepare it and the herbs and produce that are unique to the region. The rich traditional diet of Zapotec and Mixtex Indians is now becoming a sought after culinary experience for Americans dining at restaurants like Reed Hearon’s Café Marimba in San Francisco, Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago and Zarela Martines’ Zarela in New York.

Orange Scorpion Sorbet: 2 cups sugar; 1.3 cups water; 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice; 1/2 cup Scorpion Mezcal Silver; Combine sugar and water in saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Let syrup cool, refrigerate until well chilled.
Combine freshly squeezed orange juice, Scorpion Mezcal and 2 cups of the chilled syrup in a 1.5 to 2 quart ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Cured Salmon Scorpion Mezcal Style Adapted from a recipe from Larry Nicola, Nicola Restaurant: 1 salmon fillet (about 1 lb.); 2 T. sea salt of kosher salt; 2 T. sugar; 1/2-3/4 cup chopped cilantro (to taste); 1 t. coriander seed, toasted; 1.5 oz. Scorpion Silver, Reposado or Añejo Mezcal; 1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper; 1 small red onion sliced very thin; 1/4 c. rice vinegar; 1 T. extra virgin olive oil; 1 T. fresh oregano or 1/2 t. dried; salt and pepper to taste; Span a single piece of plastic wrap across a small pan. Remove pin bones from salmon and pierce skin with a fork. Mix sugar and salt and rub into fillet. Scatter the toasted coriander seed and cilantro over fillet. Sprinkle salmon fillet with Scorpion™ Mezcal (silver, reposado or añejo*/***). Wrap salmon tightly with plastic wrap. Use a few layers of plastic wrap to insure there are no leaks. Place another pan on top of this one and weigh down with a heavy object (suggestion, a #10 can). This curing process takes 24-36 hours depending on the thickness of the fish.
Classic Scorpion MezcalRita: 1.5 ounces Scorpion Silver Mezcal; 1 ounce Cointreau; 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice; lime slices; kosher Salt; ice; Place the Kosher salt on a plate and rub the lime slice around the rim of the glass. Coat the outside of the glass rim with salt by rolling it around the plate. Set glass aside. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add Scorpion Silver Mezcal, Contreau and lime juice. Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with lime slice.
Coctel Donaji: 1 large lime cut in half; 1 tablespoon of coarse Kosher salt mixed with 1/8 teaspoon red chili powder; 3/4 cup orange juice; 3 ounces Scorpion Silver Mezcal; 2 teaspoons grenadine to taste; orange wedges; Using 2 margarita or broad-bowled stemmed cocktail glasses, moisten the rims of the glasses with a lime half, then dip each glass in the chili salt to thinly coat the rims. Add 2 or 3 ice cubes to each glass if desired.
Squeeze the juice from the lime halves. Mix 1 tablespoon lime juice with the orange juice and Scorpion Mezcal and stir. Pour into the prepared salt rimmed glasses. Float a little grenadine on top of each to taste and garnish with an orange wedge on the rim and serve. Serves 2
Mezcal Café su Da (Vietnamese Coffee with Mezcal) Created by Chris Carlsson, Spirits Review: 1 oz. Scorpion Silver; 1 oz. sweetened condensed Milk (fat free ok); 4 oz. strong coffee; Stir with lots of Ice and enjoy!
Mercury (a Smokey gin & Tonic): 1 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 1 oz. Gin; 6 oz. Tonic water; Lime for garnish; Mix Mezcal and Gin over Ice, add tonic water and lime wedge; Bitters Optional
Malaria: 1 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; juice of 1 Lime; 4 oz. Tonic Water; Pour into chilled highball glass over ice.; optional: Rim the glass with lime juice and salt
Scorpion Blood and Sand Adapted by Chris Carlsson for Caballeros Inc.: (Original version was based on the 1922 silent film Rudolph Valentino movie about bullfighting. First recording of recipe was 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book which uses Scotch.; 1 oz. Scorpion Reposado or Anejo*; 1 oz. orange Juice; 3/4 sweet; 3/4 oz. maraschino Liquor; (red) vermouth; *For a dryer version, use Scorpion Mezcal Silver
Carmen’s Tears (a dry clear version) Chris Carlsson: 1 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 3/4 oz. maraschino Liquor; 3/4 oz. white vermouth; 2 dashes Oranges Bitters (Regans No. 6 recommended)
Original Blood and Sand *from Savoy Cocktail book 1930 and featured in Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh, 2004: 3/4 oz Scotch; 3/4oz Sweet(red) vermouth; 3/4 oz cherry brandy; 3/4 oz orange juice; Shake over ice 20 -30 seconds strain and serve in chilled cocktail glass
Original recipe called for Scotch in which case mezcal would be more appropriate but unheard of at that time.
Scorpion Stinger (shot) Created for Caballeros by master Mixologist DALE DEGROFF, author of the Craft of the Cocktail (Clarkson Potter 2002): 3/4 Oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 3/4 Oz. Kahlua Especial (70 proof version); Unsweetened cocao powder and dried chili powder mixed Preparation: Coat the rim of a shot glass with a mix of cocao poweder and dried chili powder.
Add the two spirit ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well to chill. Strain into the prepared shot glass.
Puta de Mayo Original drink by Jill DeGroff: 1.5 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 2 slices of Mango; juice of 1/4 lime; 4 oz. cranberry juice*; fresh Mint; Muddle mint, mango in a bar glass. Add cranberry and lime juice and the Mezcal. Shake well with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
* variation: substitute Cranberry juice with Orange juice
BLUE ON BLUE SCORPION MARGARITA: 3/4 oz. Scorpion Mezcal; 3/4 oz. blue Curacao; 1/4 oz. fresh lime juice; 1.5 oz. sweet ‘n’ sour mix; Blend with ice and pour into chilled margarita glass, salted rim optional; EL ENCANTO
(Rick Bayless, Frontera Grill Restaurant, Chicago, III.); 3 oz. grapefruit juice (preferably pink); 1/2 to 3/4 oz. sangrita, recipe below; 1 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; Combine with ice in shaker, shake, strain and serve in a salt rimmed martini glass.
Sangrita: 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice; 4 tsp. grenadine syrup; 1/4 cup tomato juice; 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice; 1/2 tsp. or more salsa picante or bottled hot sauce; 1/4 tsp. salt; in a bottle or pitcher, mix together all the Sangrita ingredients. Cover an refrigerate for at leas on hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
**NOTE: sangrita is often served in a separate glass alongside a straight shot of Mezcal.
BERTA Ricardo Valentín Jiménez: Misión de los Ángeles, Oaxaca; juice of two lemons; 2 tablespoons honey; 1.5 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; mineral water; squeeze of lime; Combine first three ingredients in 10 oz. Margarita glass. Stir, add ice, finish with mineral water and a squeeze of lime.
VERDE ANTEQUERA: Ricardo Valentín Jiménez; Misión de los Ángeles, Oaxaca; 1/2 oz. pineapple juice; 1/2 oz. green crème de menthe; 1/2 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; squeeze of lime
MALEFICIO Juan Morales Velásquez—Misión de los Ángeles, Oaxaca: 1.5 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 2 oz. lime juice; 1 oz. lemon-lime soda
RED CACTUS Adapted from Compadres Mexican Restaurant, Yountville, CA: 1.5 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 1 tsp. horseradish; 1 tsp. A-1 Sauce; dash worcestershire; dash tabasco; squeeze of lemon; squeeze of lime; dash of celery salt; splash or orange juice; tomato juice; marinated green beans; Serve over ice in 16 oz. Tumbler, shaken well, and garnished with lime slice and marinated green beans.
MEZBALL Adapted from Compadres Mexican Restaurant, Yountville, Ca.: 1.5 oz. Scorpion Mezcal Silver; 1/2 oz. Midori; splash of pineapple; splash of lemon-lime soda; Served over ice in rocks glass, or strained in martini glass.

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Caballeros Inc. Traditional Oaxacan Recipes

Caballeros Inc.
Traditional Oaxacan Recipes