If you are naturally curious and not too bad at Spanish, you may have even bought some and asked how to prepare it. Perhaps you have noticed on a restaurant menu Tortitas de Huauzontle and ordered some...
No need to go to Mexico to enjoy huauzontle, grow some in your garden!
The return of spinach from the Aztecs
This Mexican goosefoot has been known, prized and consumed by the local population for many centuries. The Aztecs called it uauhtzontli, which means “amaranth hair”. They were fond of it and greatly appreciated the nutritional contribution of this plant, rich in proteins and easy to grow.
The Aztecs of the pre-Columbian era paid up to 160 bushels in taxes to their government d'uauhtzontli.
This staple food has long played an important role in religious ceremonies in Mexico. It is also part of the country's Catholic traditions during the Lent period when meat must be avoided.
To better control the conquered peoples, the Conquistadors deprived them of their uauhtzontli by prohibiting its cultivation. Fortunately, she resurfaced around the middle of the 20e century! Today, it is widespread throughout Mexico into the southern United States and even parts of the northeastern United States.
A new species with a long history!
Like the large-scale cultivation ofAztec spinach had passed through the Spanish mill, it was less easily found at the beginning of the 20e century than today. Local botanists and writers then associated it with Chenopodium bonus-henricus.
In 1917, the fate of this plant changed with the visit of the eminent archaeologist Zelia Nuttall to the Xochimilco market. Curious, she buys a bunch ofuauhtli, the common name of the plant at the time, and sent it for identification to William Edwin Safford, a renowned botanist and ethnologist.
Safford finds no trace of this species anywhere and demonstrates its differences with C. bonus-henricus. Also, as it is an unnamed species, he named it Chenopodium nuttalliæ in honor of Nuttall!
In the kitchen
THEAztec spinach found most often in markets is green. The red selection is just as delicious and adds color to the plates!
This floral vegetable exudes an intense fragrance and its unique flavor is reminiscent of a mixture of spinach and cabbage with peppery and minty notes. It pairs well with cheeses, cream, chilies, bacon, cured meats, lemon and lime, cumin, eggs and garlic.
In Zelia Nuttall's notes, we can read that the bud inflorescences sold as vegetables were called at the time huauquilitl.
A traditional preparation involves washing them, then coating them in a batter made of eggs, flour and grated cheese before frying them in a cauldron of melted bacon. To do this, you keep a good length of the stem to be able to immerse the cobs in the frying bath and then use them to “shell” the tasty green buds between your teeth.
Zelia Nuttall also mentions that fresh seeds — or dried and soaked in milk for several hours — are delicious and highly nutritious. The dried seeds can be ground into flour and incorporated into breads and muffins.
You can also steam the flower buds or sauté them in butter or oil, like broccoli. They are also excellent in soups and gratins, or served with pasta.
Culture
Red Aztec spinach grows to 1,2 m in height and is grown in soil enriched with compost, in full sun. It is sown after the risk of spring frost has passed and the soil temperature is between 7 and 24°C.
Indoor sowing 4 weeks before the last frost allows you to get a head start on the harvest which begins after around 80 days.
Transplanting young plants into the garden takes place when the soil reaches a temperature between 10 and 21°C.
The sowing depth is 1 to 1,5 cm and the space between plants is 30 to 60 cm.
Guylaine tried it in a stir-fry last summer and it was her favorite of the season! Brown onions and mushrooms in oil and butter; add the leaves and ears of Aztec spinach; let everything soften for a few minutes; add salt and pepper ; That's it !
