Gonzalo Guzmán was born in Veracruz, Mexico, and came to the United States as a young child. He began working at Kokkari restaurant in San Francisco as a dishwasher, but was soon promoted and went on to work his way up through the ranks at Boulevard, Chez Nous, and Nopa. In 2009, he partnered with Laurence and Allyson Jossel and Jeff Hanak to open Nopalito on Broderick Street. Guzmán is now the chef of both the original Nopalito as well as a second location on Ninth Avenue, just outside Golden Gate Park.

Background and Basics: From Mexico to Your Kitchen In the Mexican Kitchen 3 Building the Mexican Pantry 7 A Few House Recipes 31Queso Fresco 32Nopalito Spices 35Crema 35Teleras 36 Mexican Sandwich RollsCemitas 38 Sesame Sandwich RollsEscabeche Rojo 39 Pickled Red OnionsJalapeños Curtidos 39 Pickled JalapeñosCurtidos “Para Tacos” 40 Pickled VegetablesChipotles Adobados 42 Chipotles in Adobo SauceMayonnaise 43Maiz para Pozole 43 HominyChorizo Oaxaqueño 44Spiced Peanuts 45 Recommended Tools (and someextras that are nice to have) 46Platillos Pequeños (Small Plates)Ceviche Nayarita de Camarón 54 Shrimp Ceviche from NayaritCeviche de Camarón y Cangrejo à la Mexicana 57 Shrimp and Crab Ceviche with Tomatoes, Onions, and JalapeñosCeviche de Pescado con Chile Guajillo 60 Halibut Ceviche with Red Chiles Ceviche Verde de Pescado y Calamari 61 Green Ceviche with White Fish and CalamariGarbanzos con Chile 63 Fried Chickpeas with Chili PowderTotopos con Chile 64 Baked Tortilla Chips Tossed with Spicy Salsa de ÁrbolGuacamole 69Queso Flameado con Chorizo y Nopales 70 Hot Oaxacan and Jack Cheese Dip with Chorizo and CactusEnsalada de Frutas 73 Fruit Salad with Chile and LimeEnsalada de Nopales 74 Cactus Leaf SaladEnsalada de Pepinos y Verdolagas 77 Cucumber and Purslane SaladEnsalada de Lechuga con Manzana 78 Little Gem Salad with Apples and Jalapeño VinaigretteEsquite Tostado con Crema y Queso 81 Toasted Corn with Crema, Ground Chile, and Queso FrescoQuesadillas con Repollo de Bruselas 82 Quesadillas with Brussels Sprouts and Cascabel Chile OilQuesadillas de Esparagos con Salsa de Cilantro 85 Asparagus Quesadillas with Salsa CilantroQuesadillas Rojas con Chicharrónes 86 Crispy Red Quesadillas with Braised Red Pork and Pork RindsTacos de Cochinita 91 Marinated Shredded Pork TacosTacos de Pescado al Pastor 95 Fish Tacos Marinated in AdoboTamales de Amarillo con Camote 96 Sweet Potato Tamales with Mole AmarilloTamales de Birria con Pollo 103 Tamales with Stewed ChickenTamales Empipianados 106 Tamales with Red Spiced Sunflower Seed MoleEmpanadas de Deshebrada de Res 108 Fried Beef EmpanadasEmpanadas de Camarón 110 Fried White Shrimp EmpanadasEmpanadas de Flor de Calabaza 111 Fried Empanadas with Squash BlossomsGorditas de Papas con Chorizo 113 Potato Gorditas with ChorizoHuaraches de Huitlacoche y Hongos 114 Blue Corn Huaraches with “Corn Truffle” and MushroomsTostadas de Picadillo 117 Ground Beef TostadasTostadas de Tinga Poblana 118 Chicken Tinga TostadasPanuchos de Pollo 121 Black Bean–Stuffed Tortillas with Shredded ChickenArroz Mexicano 122 Mexican Rice Frijoles Pinquitos de la Olla 125 Braised Pinquito BeansFrijoles Pinquitos Refritos 126 Refried Pinquito BeansFrijoles Negros de la Olla 126 Braised Black BeansFrijoles Negros Refritos 127 Refried Black BeansVegetales con Aceite de Chile Cascabel 128 Roasted Vegetables in Cascabel Chile OilPlatillos Fuertes (Big Plates)Chilaquiles Rojos con Huevos 135 Red Chilaquiles with Scrambled EggsHuevos de Caja 136Frijoles Puercos con Huevos 139Pork-Braised Butter Beans with Scrambled EggsMachaca de Camarón con Huevos 140 Smashed Shrimp with Eggs and SalsaGuisado de Res de Pasilla 141 Stewed Beef with Pasilla ChilesCaldo Tlalpeño con Pollo 143 Clear Chicken and Vegetable Soup from TlalpeñoPozole Rojo 144 Red Pork Soup with HominySopa de Pollo con Fideos 147 Chicken Soup with Fried NoodlesTesmole de Mariscos 148 Spicy Seafood SoupBirria al Res 151 Short Rib StewBisteces à la Mexicana 153 Mexican-Style Stewed SteakCarne Asada con Chorizo 155 Grilled Steak with ChorizoCarnitas 156Trucha Adobada en Hoja de Plátano 159 Adobo-Rubbed Trout in Banana LeavesTortas Pambazos 160 Salsa-Dipped, Griddled Chorizo and Potato SandwichesTortas de Chilorio 163 Adobo-Braised Pork SandwichesCemita Poblana de Milanesa 164 Breaded Chicken Sandwiches with Sesame RollsEnchiladas Rojas de Camarón 167 Red Shrimp EnchiladasEnchiladas de Mole Poblano 170 Chicken Enchiladas with Mole PoblanoEnchiladas Vegetarianas 174 Vegetable Enchiladas with Cilantro SalsaEnmoladas de Coloradito 177 Tortillas in Mole Coloradito with Sesame and OnionCostillas de Puerco en Salsa Verde con Nopales 178 Stewed Pork Ribs and Cactus with Salsa VerdeEnsalada de Repollo 179 Sliced Cabbage Salad Bebidas y Postres (Drinks & Desserts)Horchata 184Agua de Jamaica 186 Hibiscus and Valencia Orange Agua FrescaLimonada de Limón y Gengibre 186 Ginger LimeadeLimonada de Limón y Fresa 187 Strawberry LimeadeIced Café de la Olla 189 Mexican Spiced Iced CoffeeChocolate con Chiles 190 Hot Chocolate with ChilesKiller Bee 193El Diablo 193Margarita 194Mezcal Paloma 197Blanco Rojo 198Mexican Coffee 198Bloody Maria 201Flan Napolitano 202Churros Mexicanos 205Polvorones 206Mexican Wedding CookiesCamote Enmielado 209 Candied Sweet PotatoesPaletas de Café con Leche 210 Coffee and Milk PopsiclesPaletas de Chocolate 210 Chocolate-Cinnamon PopsiclesPaletas de Limón con Crema 213 Lime Sherbet PopsiclesPaletas de Fresas 213 Strawberry PopsiclesPaletas de Mango con Chile 213 Spicy Mango Popsicles Nopalito SalsasSalsa Macha 218Salsa Cilantro 218Habanero Salsa 221Salsa de Morita con Tomatillo 221Salsa de Morita 222Salsa Frita de Árbol 222Salsa Cruda 223Salsa Frita de Guajillo 227Salsa de Tomatillo y Jalapeño 227Salsa Escabeche 228Salsa Borracha 228Salsa Chiltomate 230Salsa de Serrano y Tomatillo 231Salsa “Bufalo” 231Salsa de Árbol 233Salsa Guajillo 233Pequin Hot Sauce 234 GRACIAS 237

Winner of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Cookbook Award in "International" categoryFinalist for the 2018 International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Book AwardsA collection of 100 recipes for regional Mexican food from the popular San Francisco restaurant.