Los Barrios Family Cookbook: Tex-Mex Recipes from the Heart of San Antonio

197 Pages·2002·4.79 MB·English

by  Diana Barrios Treviño

To my father, the late José C. Barrios,
and my mother, Viola B. Barrios
A lifetime of love is what you have given me.
Eternal thanks is what I return.

FORWORD
As the food correspondent for ABC's Good Morning America, I'm always
looking for new tastes and cuisines in di(cid:35)erent regions of the country,
especially those that involve local culture. We went in search of big Tex-Mex
cooking, which San Antonio is known for. I chose Los Barrios from the many
Tex-Mex restaurants in the city because I fell in love with Diana Barrios
Treviño and the entire Barrios family. They've survived a rocky start and
di(cid:45)cult times, all the while remaining true to their family business and the
home-style Tex-Mex food they serve. The dishes they have created contain
amazing combinations and (cid:47)avors that many people don't get to experience. I
wanted the rest of the country to sample what I was tasting. I wanted people to
realize that true Tex-Mex cooking isn't just fajitas and burritos.
We did the segment from the Arneson River Theater on the Riverwalk. We
were surrounded by mariachis and thousands of San Antonio fans. Diana
brought platters and platters of enchiladas and tamales, and prepared a
traditional Mexican dish that her mother makes, Pollo con Calabacita, a hearty
home-style chicken dish with tatuma squash and oregano. After only a few
minutes, my mouth began to water from the awesome aromas coming from the
pot!
Later that day, I went by Los Barrios with my then girlfriend—now wife—
Alden. What began as a late-afternoon lunch turned into a true feast. I
managed to taste almost everything on the menu, which is no easy feat! The
whole Barrios clan joined us at the table to help polish o(cid:35) the great food. The
more food they brought, the more people showed up—our table just kept
growing and growing. I felt right at home, because Los Barrios is all about
family, and I now felt like a member of Diana's welcoming family.
Now, with the Los Barrios Family Cookbook, I am excited to know that
people across the country can easily prepare and taste all of the delicious
dishes I experienced on my visit. Whether you like your food hot, medium, or
mild—and these recipes have it all—you'll love the food in this book. So go
ahead, kick it up a notch San Antonio style!
EMERIL LAGASSE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
When Random House (cid:26)rst approached Los Barrios in June of 1999 about
doing a cookbook, my (cid:26)rst reaction was one of excitement. But as I started to
think about it, I began to get nervous. We weren't writers; we made enchiladas
for a living. Yet throughout the entire process, we were blessed to work with a
woman who had tremendous faith in us: Pamela Cannon, our editor, held my
hand from beginning to end. During my pregnancy (and with the emotional
roller coaster that came with it), through my broken ankle (she said it was a
blessing because it would force me to sit still long enough to write this book),
and all the way through our busy summers at the restaurant, Pamela was there.
She gave me the con(cid:26)dence I needed to do this project and created a very
special bond between us that will always be there. Thank you, Pamela, for your
constant encouragement and for being such a great friend.
My father died in 1975, and it was a bad year for our family. The bright spot
in that otherwise dark time was the arrival of Maria Marquez, who came to
work with my mother. Maria has been with us through thick and thin, and is
still very active on a day-to-day basis at Los Barrios. Her brother, José Luz
Villegas, known as Lucio, has also been instrumental in our organization. I
thank them both for their many years of support and loyalty. Mil gracias por
todo.
Many thanks to everyone in my family for being so supportive. I thank my
sister, Theresa, for putting up with my late-night phone calls to get her opinion
on wording for a recipe and for letting me interrupt her even if she was with a
patient. I thank my brother, Louie, for his great belief in me and in this
project, and also for his collaboration in writing the story of our family. I
would also like to thank my husband, Roland, and my sons, Jordan, Evan, and
Diego. “Yes, boys, Mommy is done and we can play now.”
And to my beautiful mother, Viola, thank you for teaching me everything you
have taught me. If I can be a fraction of the woman you are, I will have
succeeded.
CONTENTS
Foreword by Emeril Lagasse
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Stocking Your Kitchen
Helpful Hints for Great Results Every Time
The“Must Haves”
Breakfast
Appetizers
Soups
Salads
Entrées
Side Dishes
Desserts
Beverages