Fat Mexican Women?

"Tell me," my boss's daughter once asked. "Why do all Mexican women get so fat?"

"What, do I look fat to you?" It was the first time I had been asked that question. I weighed at the time all of 104 lbs. if there was a brick in my coat pocket—I wish I had a brick so I could throw it at her!

"No. But someday you will be." She looked at me and smiled, but it was one of those mean smirky smiles. I did not smile back.

Since I never gave a satisfying answer to that question, this time I think I will ask

Eva Longoria

Salma Hayek

And even Frida Kahlo, "back from the dead", for their opinion on the subject.

And now that this burning question has been laid to rest—forever, I hope—I think it is only fair that I introduce you to this Mexican-style vegetable beef stew, a secret weapon in the fight against fat for those of us who vowed to lose some poundage early last month, only to see our resolve fall by the wayside when we were told that eating Mexican food will make us resemble a stuffed tamal. What can be more fatal to a diet than a bad carnitas taco craving when you are bored, bored, bored by some highly uninspiring processed "low fat" food that everyone tells you are supposed to eat in order to look good?

If you are thinking that this stew looks somehow familiar, you are partly right. It is the beefy cousin to my mother's caldo de pollo (the Mexican Chicken Stew that became our demon rooster's final resting place.) Take a bite of the tender boiled beef; taste the delicate sweetness of the corn-on-the-cob. Feel not a bit of guilt as you eat the calabacitas [zucchini], cabbage, garbanzos and even a small bit of not-so-terrible potato—all of them floating in a sea of clear beef broth that contains practically no fat, only sabor. This soup is best served when it's raining or snowing outside. Add a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of Mexican rice (optional, of course), and let your mind wander as you gaze out the window and contemplate the naked branches of the trees and dream of how fabulosa you are going to feel come la primavera [springtime].

Getting back the issue of "fat" Mexican women, perhaps it is just as well that I never responded to that woman's ridiculous question. She seemed proud of her designer clothing and semi-starved state, looking toda chupada y seca—like an unhappy bone that is sucked dry. I honestly don't think she would have understood. I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to sacrifice my health or my enjoyment of life just for the sake of trying to stay thin. I should thank her for that, although it was not quite the lesson she was expecting me to learn if she had known it.

I guess women are hardwired to want to look attractive (and to own a million sexy looking shoes), but why sacrifice our health or our self-esteem for the sake of some ideal imposed by a small group of stylemakers whose idea of the perfect woman is a giant in a size 2 dress? Not all of us will ever be slender or long of limb, nor should we want to be. I would be brokenhearted if any of my beloved sobrinas [nieces] ever started to believe that they were ugly just because they don't fit an unrealistic image of feminine beauty.

Our muchachas [girls] can be round-bellied or flat-bellied, tall or petite, güeritas or morenitas [light or dark skinned], swan necked or no-necked, it doesn't matter. Teach them how to cook healthy Mexican food and tell them, yes, tell them everyday that they are beautiful.

Because they are.

Mexican Style Vegetable Beef Stew with Zucchini Squash, Corn & Cabbage

Caldo de rez con calabazas, elote y repollo

This stew contains no chiles or tomatoes—a surprise for those who think that Mexican food is all about bold flavors. Add a spoonful of hot chile salsa if you want some kick. Plus, you might think it a pain to keep boiling the beef and tossing out the water until there is no more foam, but you will be rewarded with a nice scum-free broth.

3 pounds beef shanks, thick sliced (I buy mine at the Mexican butcher's)

plenty of water

about ½ tablespoon salt

8 peppercorns; or, ½ teaspoon ground pepper

½ onion

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

a pinch of dried thyme

3 thin-skinned white boiling potatoes, cut into not too small cubes (peeling is optional)

4 small or 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced in 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch disks depending on your preference

2 or 3 fresh ears of corn, cut to 2 to 3 inches

2 or 3 zucchini, sliced crosswise less than ½ inch

¼ head of cabbage, very coarsely chopped. You can add more if you like.

1 celery stalk, very thinly sliced, about 1/8 inch

fresh sprigs of cilantro

fresh limes cut into quarters

homemade chile salsa (click here for recipe); or, your favorite chile salsa

Mexican rice (click here for recipe)

Trim off any excess fat from along the edge of each beef shank. Rinse and place them in a large pot and cover them with water. Bring the water to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. When the water is full of foam, remove the beef and toss out the water. Wash and rinse the pot. Then, return the beef shanks to the pot and cover with water again. Repeat this process until the boiling water no longer foams up (up to 2 times). Then, add more water to the pot until the water level is about 1 inch to 1 ½ inches above the beef (about 12 or more cups).

Add ½ onion, garlic and salt, pepper corns, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, then set heat to low. Skim off any leftover foam that may rise to the top. Then cover the pot with a lid but make sure that it is vented. Simmer the beef for about 2 hours, or until the beef is very tender and practically falls off the bone. Fish out the onion and garlic and discard them. Remove the beef shanks from the pot. Trim off any leftover fat, etc. Discard the fat along with the bones. Cut the beef into large pieces, and put them back into the pot.

Now is the time to add the potatoes, corn and the sliced carrots. Bring to a boil. Then cover the pot and reduce heat to low and boil softly for about 30 minutes. Add the zucchini and celery. After about 15 minutes, add the cabbage and cook for about 10 minutes. Don't worry if any of the vegetables are still a little too crisp. The stew will continue to cook them after you turn off the heat.

Taste the broth. Does it need more salt and pepper? If you think that it needs more beefy flavor, you can cheat and add some beef bouillon to taste.

Use large bowls to serve this stew. Top with a generous helping of Mexican rice, a squeeze of lime, a bit of cilantro and salsa. Like with any stew, it tastes maravilloso the next day.

Serves 6 to 8 persons.