Arlene Learns About Mexican Food: Guacamole and Tuna Ceviche

Well, hello today. It’s so nice to see you. We’re glad you dropped by the “At Home” program today. We’ve got some really interesting things to share with you, and a most interesting guest. This young man, I would call him really, an entrepreneur because I was so impressed reading about his business instinct that he has. Fernando Leon, who is the owner and operator of the Cozumel Restaurants here in the Pittsburgh area, is our special guest today, and he’s going to be cooking Mexican for us, cooking, he’s preparing some things. Maybe one day we’ll get to take the camera and go into the Cozumel Restaurant kitchens. That would be interesting, ’cause I understand his father is quite a cook. But, if you wanna go some place where there’s great atmosphere, and you just have a nice time, there’s a free, a happy place, then you’re gonna want to visit Cozumel. And we were just there recently, and sometimes the mariachi band comes in and sometimes there’s a trio there and they’re playing the music, and it just makes you feel good. Besides all of that, the food is unbelievable. Now, I know that there are a lot of Mexican restaurants around, but true Mexican food is different than what most people think. When you say Mexican, the first thing a lot of people think of is, hot. Not necessarily so. Because, hot can be in different stages, in degrees of heat. And we’re gonna be talking with Fernando about that in just a little bit. And Mexican food does not have to be hot, but it sure is tasty, and there is a specific way that you make authentic Mexican food. Well, Fernando is gonna be here. And this is gonna be a good program. If you like Mexican food, if you enjoy the salsa and the chips, and I’ll tell you, with everyone talking about keeping the fat intake low and getting off the potato chips and the corn chips and all of that, the chips that they make at Cozumel, they make them there and they are almost totally greaseless. There’s not a taste or a hint of grease on your fingers, and he’s gonna talk about that in just a little bit. And the salsa is so good, it’s homemade, and it’s a very light snack. And we need to be thinking in that realm. So, today on “At Home”, we’re going to be talking Mexican. Beautiful Serape, isn’t this gorgeous? This, you know when I look at things like this I think, a country that has this kind of color, this is a place I wanna be. This is party time here, this is great. And they tell me that if you go to serenade someone, Fernando told me, you have to have a Serape on. So, I’m not serenading but we’re gonna be cooking here in a little bit, but this is beautiful. Stay with us now, we’ll be right back, right after the hint to get started with Cozumel and Fernando Leon, stay with us. Here’s today’s “At Home” hint. Cook carrots and potatoes in the same pan and then mash them together. This makes the potatoes a light orange color, and produces an entirely new flavor. If you’ve got a helpful hint that you’d like to share, we want to hear from you. Send your hint to AT HOME HINTS, CTV, Wall, Pennsylvania 15148-1499. Well, welcome back. Fernando, I’m so glad you’re here today.

Thank you.

I feel like I know you. We have enjoyed your restaurant so much. We go to the one in Greensburg on Route 30, but I understand there’s another one.

There’s another one in Shady side.

Shady side.

Right on Walnut Street, yes.

[Arlene] Okay, and how long has that one been open?

It’s been open for almost three years.

Really?

Yes

[Arlene] You make good Mexican food.

Thank you.

And it’s a family affair, isn’t it?

Yeah, it’s a family operation, yes.

Your mom’s there, she’s taking you to your seat, she’s taking your money at the door, and your brothers are waiting on the tables. I love that, and dad’s in the kitchen, right?

Yeah, my dad is in the kitchen.

They told me he’s back there cookin’.

Yes, he likes to cook.

That’s great.

That’s great. I love it when everybody gets into the act. And, lemme read this, cause this is his menu. Now, this is a small version. Look at this. There are, I mean there are, I would literally say hundreds of options here. Right here on the combination sheet, there’s thirty options, like, you could get a chalupa and chilli renello, relleno…

Relleno. Yes, you said it right.

Seriously, thank you, and an enchilada. I mean, there’s variety here. There’s appetizers, there’s even a child’s plate, different types of things for your children. And some of these, well the ones that we’ve tasted, we have enjoyed everything. And they’re not hot. What I said before, why do people think Mexican food’s so hot?

Well, it’s a stereotype that the media, the magazines have created through the years.

[Arlene] And because the of the jalapenos probably, right?

Yes, yes.

[Arlene] That has a lot to do with it.

Yes.

Because if you think jalapeno, you think it’s hot, but there’s ways that you don’t have to put so much jalapenos, so it isn’t so hot.

Oh not really. There’s a little trick that I wanna show the people, how to get rid of the hotness of the jalapeno, yes.

Well, let’s get started. What are you gonna make for us first?

Today, we’re gonna make ceviche or tuna salad. Actually, ceviche is made in different ways. You can use shrimp, you can use fish, and the way the ceviche is made, is you use the raw fish, or the raw shrimp and then you cook with lime. That’s what the ceviche is. But today we’re gonna–

Now what does ceviche mean? Salad?

Ceviche is like a fresh seafood salad. That’s actually what it is, with a lot of fresh ingredients and stuff like that.

Did I understand you to say you use the raw, and then the lime would cook it?

Yes, the lime, you have to let it sit for a while, maybe 45 minutes to one hour, to make sure that, some people even do it with the ground beef. Ceviche with ground beef. But today we are gonna use the tuna–

We’re gonna use tuna, okay.

Tuna yeah. What we use in here is tuna, and preferably, use this in a water base instead of the oil base.

You can use the oil?

Yeah, so–

Lemme move this out so that the guys can take a picture of what you’re doing here, okay?

Okay, we’re gonna use this and set it over here. What we’re gonna do, we’re gonna pour this.

Now, how much tuna is that? Is that the big can or–

Yeah, this is the big can. You can use your favorite brand or whatever, you know? Let’s see. Now, we have the lime.

And you use a lot of limes more than lemons?

Yes. Yeah, we don’t have to cook this in a lot of lime because it’s already cooked.

Cooked, sure.

What we’re gonna do, we’re gonna squeeze this,

[Arlene] Smells good.

And we’re gonna put some salt, just a little bit. We’re gonna keep adding. Maybe one lime. That’s how we want it–

The whole lime.

Yeah, the whole lime.

Now, if that had not been cooked, would you use more lime than just this one?

Oh yes, we probably use about three or four limes to really, to really cook, yes.

To cook it.

But in this case, we don’t have to because it’s already been cooked and we don’t have to do that. So what we doin here, we stir with a spoon. Make sure that all the lime gets into the…

[Arlene] Sure.

[Fernando] The tuna, because it’s very important the lime flavor.

[Arlene] Sure.

And next, we’re gonna add some cilantro.

That’s a good parsley, isn’t it?

Yeah, this vegetable here is very important. It’s not like parsley. It looks like parsley, but you know, it has a very, very unique flavor.

You just cut that, and boy you can instantly smell it. It’s pungent, isn’t it? And you use a lot of that too, huh?

Yes, or you know if some people are not too crazy about cilantro, they can you know use a little bit. So we’re gonna double cut it here.

Yeah, make it finer. You know, your wife told me, Lisa, she’s a neat lady too. And you have two small children, well, one nine and one three. But she told me you made a Mexican breakfast for her not long ago, and she told me that you did like something special. You roasted the peppers and you made the special salsa.

The chili chiles, yes.

I mean this man, I mean this is not throw the sausage in the pan, get the bacon ready and throw the eggs in. This man cooks for breakfast. That was wonderful, what a treat that was. And here you are running restaurants and he’s still willing to cook at home. Now, this is what I call a real husband who loves his wife.

Well, sometime it’s…

Is it relaxing for you?

It’s relaxing, and it’s just different to do something for breakfast.

That’s right, And it’s nice to do it for your family, isn’t it?

Oh yes, yes.

Yeah. Okay.

So, we’re gonna put little bit of onions here. Let’s see, let’s cut the top first.

That’s the one that’s like real strong, huh?

This is what I do. Instead of cutting it on the board, we can just do this.

[Arlene] You keep turning it as you’re cutting it.

Just be careful. Don’t cut yourself.

[Arlene] Boy, that would make a fine cut, doesn’t it?.

[Fernando] A very fine cut, yes.

That’s really smart. I’ve never seen anybody do that before.

That’s the way you slice it.

Aha!

Just watch your fingers on the other side.

[Arlene] That’s very good.

Okay, I just finished. Keep doing it. It depends how many onions you want.

Good idea. I’m gonna try that one, carefully.

Yes, very careful.

Carefully try it. I wanted to tell you, while he’s doing that, this is what I like too. He says, “Not all Mexican food is hot. “All of our dishes are meticulously prepared “with an authentic yet mild flavor. “For those who like it hot, “we put a dish of hot sauce on the table. “Let us introduce you to real Mexican food.” And that’s really the truth, I mean that’s exactly what it’s all about. Okay, now we’re chopping tomatoes.

[Fernando] Yeah, I did the same thing with the tomato. If you don’t like too much tomato, you don’t have to cut that much in there.

[Arlene] How did you get it started, getting interested in foods?

My mother, she’s a very good cook, and she always teaches how to do things, in different way, and you know, that’s…

And do you bring some of the ingredients that you use in your restaurants from Mexico? Do you actually import some of it?

Most of the stuff. Like jalapenos peppers, have to be the Mexican brand and all that stuff so that’s–

And you have a certain kinda cheese.

Chihuahua cheese, very important.

Chihuahua cheese, it is so good. I mean, once you taste that, you don’t want long horn or the other. You said you don’t even have long horn in your restaurant, do you?

No!

No!

We don’t have, we don’t even know about cheddar cheese in Mexico, we don’t have it.

You don’t have it?

We don’t have it.

So, they have chihuahua and I’ll tell you, it is so good. Wow, it’s good.

Now, we’re gonna put some avocado. And it’s very important, a lot of people they don’t know how to handle the avocado properly. To get the bone out you just gonna…

[Arlene] Okay, you pierce it with the knife…

With the knives.

Oh, and turn it, okay.

Turn it and then get the avocado. Now I’m gonna use another knife to make it real easy.

[Arlene] Okay. So, you don’t peel it or anything, right?

[Fernando] You can with a spoon, but in this way you really…

[Arlene] It’s a nice ripe one too, isn’t it?

Yeah. You already cut into pieces, you use your knife.

You squeeze it and scoop it out.

Just scoop it out.

Wow, that’s great. You’re making it so easy. Of course, I guess you developed this after doing it for so long, right?

Yes.

Yeah. And some more salt.

Put a little bit more salt. And then now…

[Arlene] Mix it up. Oh it smells wonderful. What a nice combination of aromas here.

The cilantro really makes the big difference Arlene, because that’s a very consistent vegetable that gives a lot of flavor to a lot of the food so that’s…

And it makes a nice color too. It would be kinda drab if you didn’t have that dark green in there, huh?

Yes.

Beautiful.

And for people that want to put like, I’m not gonna put jalapeno, but if they wanna put jalapeno, they can put jalapeno for flavors,

That would spice it up a little bit.

Spice it up a little bit.

Now would this serve how many people?

This serve about, two to four people.

Two to four, depending on if it was a main…

Yeah, it depends how hungry they are too.

Yeah . Well, okay so, that’s finished, and we’re going to be back in just a minute with some more, and he’s gonna make guacamole for us. Right after this important message, we’ll be back with Fernando.

Thank you.

Well, if you’ve just joined us, you’ve missed the first part of “At Home” today, with my very special guest, Fernando Leon, from the Cozumel Restaurants here in the Pittsburgh area. And you folks that are across the country watching, if you’re flying into Pittsburgh, or visiting here and you want a real taste treat, we’re putting the numbers at the bottom of the screen, periodically. Call, make reservations. I tell ya, it’ll be worth a trip to wherever you go, to enjoy this food, because this is good, authentic, Mexican food. It’s thoroughly enjoyable. Well, what are we gonna make now?

Now we are gonna make our famous, guacamole.

Guacamole.

And we’re gonna use garlic, and avocados, and limes, cilantro, onions. So, it’s really use–

Using the same thing?

Yeah, the same thing with this. Maybe I have a habit of doing this.

[Arlene] Well, it’s probably, it’s just easier for you so you do that, but just be very careful. That’s the main thing.

[Fernando] You have to be very careful here.

What’s the favorite, your favorite thing to cook, or to make?

Probably, eggs rancheros in the morning.

Oh really? That’s what’s tastiest to you and you enjoy the most, huh?

And my wife too, she really loves those.

Does she really like Mexican?

Yeah! I guess she gets tired of bacon and sausage in the morning so she makes me cook those.

Well, I guess if my husband was a Mexican chef, I’d have him cooking eggs, or any other time of the day that he wanted to. That would be great to have someone doing that for you, so you don’t get tired of the same old thing over and over and over.

Well, we did the avocado thing. Like the people who don’t know how to handle the bone.

No, okay, before you do that, tell me how do you know when an avocado is ripe? ’cause I’ve got stuck a lot of times on avocados.

Sure! Actually what you do, is feel the avocado.

What should it feel like?

Make sure that it’s kinda, it’s mushy and soft.

[Arlene] If it’s hard, it’s not ready?

[Fernando] No, If it’s hard, it’s green.

[Arlene] What do you do with it when they’re hard? How do you ripen them?

Well, I would suggest to fold it in a newspaper, and put it in a warm place.

And that ripens it?

And that ripens it.

How long?

Maybe one to two days.

A day? One to two.

And keep checking on the…

Now this gives, kinda like maybe a ripe cantaloupe. That’s the feel that it has. You know, it’s just a little bit giving. ’cause I really, honest, to be truth with you, I never knew how to tell that. That’s good to know, because boy, if you get one of them and they aren’t ripe it doesn’t have…

It doesn’t taste…

Taste right at all.

Taste right, yeah. That’s the truth. Because, to have the oil on the avocado is very important too.

So, tell me what does guacamole, what does that literally mean, in Mexican?

Guacamole is the Mayan word for green soup.

Green soup, really?

Green soup actually, yeah.

And you told me something about the varieties, there’s like over 1000 different dishes that comes out of Mexico, because of all the different, 31 provinces or something or sections?

Mexico has 31 states, and each state cook very differently, very traditionally, very unique.

So that’s why there’s such a variety of foods that people say, “Well, this is Mexican.” You say, “Well, that doesn’t taste like what I had before,” but it’s because it’s from a different state perhaps?

Yes.

Okay. And what state are you from?

Jalisco.

Jalisco.

Guadalajara, Jalisco, yes.

[Arlene] Okay.

Actually, this dish that we’re making here is typical from Michoacan, the state of Michoacan.

Michoacan.

So, it has this–

Where is that in Mexico? Where is Michoacan? I just went like this ’cause–

Michoacan is a state in the central part of Mexico, yes.

Okay. Very good.

[Fernando] So be careful when you cut the avocados. And again we’re gonna use this knife.

That’s a pro right there, you know, that’s good.

[Fernando] And then you use a spoon, and get the pulp out.

Now, is it true that if you put the side as a dip, sometimes, it starts to turn color? It gets like–

Like brown, like black, yes.

But I heard if you keep that stone in there, is that true?

If you keep the bone, it won’t turn like that.

Now, you call it bone?

Eventually, yeah.

Okay, it’s a bone?

Or the seed.

Seed, okay.

Eventually, it will turn black but not as fast as if you don’t have it in there.

That’s pretty interesting, huh?

So now we’re gonna, do we have a smasher? Yes!

Yes right there, I think.

Now we’re gonna smash this,

Smash it up.

In a very fine pulp.

[Arlene] And boy, that’s why you know they have to be ripe, or you’d never get that smasher through an avocado like that.

[Fernando] Just smash it real fine until you come out with a pulp. And then you add your ingredients.

You know I read, our Pittsburgh magazine did an article on you some time ago, and I was reading it with great interest because it was telling how this young man got into business with your father and your uncle at a young age, and just, in America, this is truly the land of opportunity. ’cause here’s a young man that was able to get into a business, make an investment, the investment paid off for you, enabled you to have some restaurants then, and you’re just a young man.

And they keep me outta trouble too.

That’s right. And that’s an important, if you keep busy, you can’t get in trouble right?

Yeah that’s right, that’s truth.

Well, I know that your brothers, they’re waiters, the ones I have met are up in the Greensburg area, and they’re very pleasant very nice. Your parents really did a great job on you boys, because you’re all very personable, friendly, and your mom is, she’s a gracious lady. And I’m sure your dad is too, even though I have not met him but I’m sure he is too.

Well, we like to make people feel like they’re in their casa, and they’re home whenever they go and eat.

That’s neat.

And then we squeeze lime. That’ll keep it from turning black.

[Arlene] That’s important to do that then.

Fernando] Yes, we put…

Yeah, I love the smell of lime ’cause it’s so fresh.

It’s so fresh, yes.

Isn’t it? This and this together, oh boy! Okay.

And let’s not forget the salt.

Don’t forget, you always salt with the lime, right?

[Fernando] Yes! And finally we just put the cilantro again. Let’s see, we have some cilantro here on the board.

Chop it up finely. Very good. All the salsa, at your restaurants, is that all homemade?

Yes, everything is homemade.

Everything is homemade.

Yeah we like to keep it, that’s why we say it authentic because we make everything in the premises. And we cook in a daily basis. So there’s our cilantro. If you wanna put jalapenos, I know a lot of people are afraid of this, but there’s a little tip. If you wanna get the hot out of the jalapeno, you wash them and take the seeds out. And wash them with water. Just be careful after you wash them. Wash your hands with soap. So that way if you touch your eye or something, you don’t get it.

[Arlene] Yeah, because a lot of people that’s happened to. And they don’t even realize it.

Yes.

[Arlene] So if you rinse them under water and wash them off, take the seeds out, peel them real good, then they don’t have as much heat to them, right?

No, because, what is hot is the oil.

And you’re washing that off, so that that’s gone, great.

So that’s it, pretty much.

We mix that up then, is that right?

Yes! Now, we’re gonna mix all this up.

Well, that was easy.

We’re probably gonna add a little salt.

A little bit more. Now, you didn’t make it like real smooth when you were mashing it. There’s some chunks of the avocado, which makes it tasty.

Yeah, that’s the traditional about this guacamole.

Okay. Smells delicious. Now, you serve that with tortilla chips? Or what do you do?

You can heat up sour flour tortilla, tortilla chips, and you know just put a taco–

Just dip, like a dip.

Or use crackers, whatever you… On a sandwich, a lot of people make guacamole sandwich.

Guacamole sandwich.

So, it’s pretty much it.

Well, that can’t be any easier, and you make it look so easy. Okay, we’re gonna tell you how you can get today’s recipes and all the information about the Cozumel Restaurants, and here’s how you can do that. Stay close and pay good close attention. We’ll be right back.

[Announcer] To receive the recipes presented on today’s program, plus many more great recipe ideas, send your best donation in a stamped, self-addressed business-sized envelope to, “At Home”, CTV Wall, Pennsylvania, 15148-1499. You’ll receive Arlene’s heartwarming newsletter, Enjoy! Featuring an entire month of “At Home” recipes, including today’s mouthwatering dishes. Be sure to include the Enjoy! issue number with your request.

Well, we’re back here at the table on the “At Home” program today, and we have added Lisa, who is Fernando’s wonderful wife. Nice to have you here, Lisa. And did you enjoy yourself?

Oh yes, very much.

You’re right at home in anybody’s kitchen, I can tell. As long as he’s got the guacamole making and cuttin’ up the cilantro. Now, we wanna tell the folks what we’ve made again. Explain again in the first dish.

This is a tuna salad, or you can call it ceviche.

Ceviche, okay.

With tuna, yes.

[Fernando] And this is guacamole.

Guacamole?

Yes!

And you dip your chips into the guacamole or crackers or whatever. Now, I told you before about the chips there. They make these homemade at their restaurants. There is no grease, there’s no oil. They’re as flaky and crisp and delicious. And really light. Sometimes you get a tortilla, and it feels like it’s so heavy that you eat a couple of pieces and you’re full. But these are very light. And the salsa they make everyday in the restaurants is so good, it doesn’t burn your tongue off. It just has a nice little bite to it . And that’s what I like about this. That’s what I like about your restaurants, and I can’t say enough about them.

Thank you very much.

Fernando, I thank you so much for being here.

Thank you.

And maybe sometime, can we bring the cameras to your kitchen?

Sure, anytime, anytime.

Could we? And then he’ll make some stuff with chihuahua cheese.

[Fernando] Yes.

Because, you have to see what that is. It’s nothing like you’ve ever seen before. Just wanted to read one little thing that’s on the front of the menu. It says, “Cozumel is an island, “located in the Mexican Caribbean, “off the coast of Cancun, Mexico. “Cozumel is known for it’s beautiful scenery, “snorkeling and scuba diving.” Sounds like some place you’d like to visit, right? Well, if you can’t get to Mexico, you’ve got to go to Cozumel Restaurants, because it’s a pleasant experience every time you’re there. There’s such a variety of foods, a really full menu, and most of all, it’s a happy atmosphere and a homey atmosphere, very family oriented. And don’t forget to send your self-addressed, stamped, business-sized envelope, when you request the recipes that you’ve seen today. Because without you doing that, it would delay you getting your order, because we put those aside, if you don’t have an envelope in with them. But please remember to do that, because it really helps us to get the recipe to you quickly. And think about having some friends over. And why not make some guacamole, or how about a nice tuna salad? Do it a little bit different. Put that lime juice in it. That makes it taste good. And, Fernando, you were telling me that lime will cut the flavor of onions on your breath if you put the lime juice on the onions. Never knew that. There’s something there to remember. So, be sure to join us the next time, because without you being right there, it just wouldn’t be the same without you, here “At home”. Well, see you then.

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