I'm Having Weeds for Christmas (And You Should Too)
Romeritos, a pre-Hispanic Mexican dish, are edible weeds (quelites) cooked in a "revoltijo" (scramble) of potatoes, nopales, nuts, and sometimes mole. Despite being considered weeds, they're surprisingly nutritious, packed with protein, vitamins, and antioxidants.
Right, listen up, you culinary luddites. Forget your foams, your sous-vide shenanigans, and your truffle-infused nonsense. I'm here to tell you about something actually interesting: romeritos.
Now, before you start picturing some poncey little sprig of rosemary, stop right there. This ain't no herb for sprinkling daintily over your roast lamb. Romeritos, you see, are a proper, honest-to-goodness weed. Yes, a weed. The sort of thing your average suburban gardener would wage chemical warfare against. But the Mexicans, bless their cotton socks, have the sense to eat it. And not just eat it, they elevate it to culinary stardom.
Apparently, these little green blighters, also known by the slightly more glamorous names of romerito, romerillo, or quelite salado (which, let’s be honest, still sounds like something you’d spray weed killer on), are packed with more nutrients than a health food shop after a marathon. Nitrogen? Check. Protein? Double check. Amino acids? You bet your asparagus they've got 'em. They’re basically the Popeye spinach of Mexico, only without the annoying cartoon sailor.
And the history, oh the history! These weren't just some trendy foraged ingredient dreamt up by a hipster chef. No, no, no. These things have been around since the Aztecs, who, it turns out, weren't just busy building pyramids and ripping out hearts. They were also stuffing their faces with romeritos before their big religious festivals.
Then the Spanish rocked up, declared it a weed (typical), and tried to banish it to the compost heap of history. But like a particularly persistent dandelion, the romerito refused to be ignored. It snuck back into kitchens, this time the convent ones of New Spain, becoming a key player in the burgeoning mestizo cuisine. Take that, conquistadors!
So, what do you do with this wondrous weed? Well, you certainly don't just nibble it raw like some rabbit. The Mexicans, being culinary geniuses, throw it into a gloriously chaotic concoction called "revoltijo," which translates, quite aptly, as "scramble." Potatoes, nopales (cactus paddles, for the uninitiated), nuts, onions, garlic – it’s all chucked in there with a joyous abandon that would make a Michelin-starred chef weep into his perfectly julienned carrots.
Oh, and did I mention mole? Because, of course, there's mole. And dried shrimp cakes. Because why not? It’s a fiesta in a pan, a culinary carnival, a symphony of flavour that'll leave your taste buds singing mariachi tunes.
And the best part? It's all thanks to the humble romerito, a weed so magnificent it makes kale look like, well, kale. So next time you’re pulling weeds in the garden, think twice before consigning them to the bin. You might just be throwing away the next culinary superstar. Now, if you'll excuse me, I’m off to find some romeritos.
