Although the 40 days of Lent are meant to be a time of penance and fasting, one of the guilty pleasures of the season is savoring the wonderful culinary specialties Mexican cooks whip up especially at this time of year.
The ancestral custom of guardando la vigilia, meaning refraining from consuming red meat on Fridays, has been abandoned by even many devout Roman Catholics. Still, many butcher shops and taco stands close for the day, while household cooks and restaurant chefs churn out an amazing array of delectable seafood and vegetarian dishes.
Mouths water at the thought of chowing down crispy pan-fried tortas de papa (potato cakes) or croquettes made from assorted veggies and grains. Empanadas (pastry turnovers) stuffed with various sweet and savory fillings are widely available these days, with demand peaking during Holy Week. Even chiles rellenos stuffed with gooey cheese and bathed in tomato caudillo and other standard meatless dishes are more popular than ever this time of year.
By far the most coveted and satisfying of all Lenten taste treats is capirotada, a sumptuous south-of-the-border version of bread pudding. Essentially, it’s a layered concoction usually composed of toasted slices of bread, bathed in home-brewed syrup and enhanced with spices, fruits and nuts. But like nearly all “traditional” recipes, ingredients and cooking techniques vary according to family customs and personal tastes.
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