Iguana meat
Iguana meat has until recently been important in the culinary traditions of Mexico; particularly in the states of Jalisco, Michoacán and Colima. But they are still very important. In Fray Sahagún's history of colonial Mexico, he mentions the iguana as a traditional food throughout Western Mexico and describes it as good to eat when properly prepared.
There has been a marked preference for the Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) over the Black Iguana (Ctenosaura pectinata) in the region, though both are eaten.[1] The native Mexican Green Iguana is becoming scarce because of habitat loss.[2]
Proper preparation of the iguana requires parboiling it in saltwater for 20–30 minutes before roasting or stewing it. Common recipes for the iguana include stews (guisado), pozole, birria, roasted in tacos and flautas, roasted and finished with mole, and even sauteed with almonds. Two recipes for traditional preparation can be found at Wikibooks Cookbook project.
[edit] References
Notes
Bibliography
- Martinez Campos, Gabriel - Recetario Colimense de la iguana - Mexico (2004) Conaculta
- Sahagún, Br. Bernadino de - Historia General de las cosas de la Nueva España - Mexico (1975) Ed Porrúa
[edit] External links
Green Iguana Society - with information on the living species and its current scarcity
