♪ >> Pati Narrates: El Fuerte's one of Mexico's magical towns.

Much of that can be attributed to the majesty of the city's ancient architecture which dates back to the arrival of the first conquistadors to the region.

Once an important stop on the trade route from the Pacific Ocean in North America, El Fuerte is named for this fort built by those early conquistadors!

This is not my first time here.

Years ago, a family vacation on The Chepe Express, a passenger train carrying tourists to Mexico's Copper Canyon stopped in El Fuerte.

And this, the Posada Hotel, was the highlight.

Today, I'm retracing my steps and getting a walking tour packed with flavor.

At the Posada Hotel, the house specialty.

This is the most famous ingredient in all of El Fuerte.

Langoustine with garlic butter and - mmm, mmm!

I'm on a mission to track down the next most famous treat in town, a delightful, sweet, cinnamon barley water.

In my kitchen... You ready?

Inspired by that El Fuerte barley water, I'm making Horchata which is kind of its cousin.

Irresistible and so easy to make.

Ah, how pretty is this?!

And the El Fuerte langoustines made me dream of ways to cook lobster, so I'm doing lobster two ways!

Crazy, saucy, messy Chilaquiles, and my take on the classic Lobster Roll with a Mexican spin of course.

>> Alan: I finished that so quick, I need another one.

>> Pati: Who wants a second round?

>> Sammy: I'll take a second!

♪ ♪ >> Announcer: Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: ♪ >> La Costena.

Over 40 years, bringing authentic Latin American flavors to your table.

Tropical Cheese.

♪ ♪ Avocados from Mexico >> BanCoppel.

Your recipe for sending money to Mexico.

>> Chilorio.

La Chata.

>> Pati Narrates: Posada del Hidalgo is an El Fuerte institution.

While the hotel itself is gorgeous, their calling card is an irresistable recipe for a local delicacy, langoustines.

This is the most famous ingredient in all of El Fuerte, langoustines or river - Chef Chayito is a local success story.

Born and raised in El Fuerte, she has worked at the hotel restaurant for 14 years.

Just two years ago she became the first female head chef at the restaurant ever.

Woman power.

You were telling me that - If someone's coming to El Fuerte - >> Pati Narrates: Chef Chayito starts with a special house seasoning.

>> Pati: Noo, no secrets, come on!

>> Pati: She's not giving up her secret seasoning, which only means that she wants you to come to El Fuerte.

The smell, it just smells delicious!

Pati Narrates: Now the house butter sauce.

First, a whole lot of butter.

When she said butter sauce, she really meant butter sauce.

Pati Narrates: Next is garlic, and more of that special house seasoning.

>> Pati: Ah, as it's grilling.

>> Pati Narrates: As crazy as it seems now, and watching this cook on the grill it does sound crazy, most people in El Fuerte didn't even fish for langoustines until recently!

What is now their most famous dish was nothing but a pest just a generation ago.

>> Pati Narrates: Over some grilled potatoes, the langoustine presentation is almost too pretty to touch.

But hey, I've already eaten with my eyes, it's time to dive in!

>> Pati: Mmm, mhmm!

I love it because you have the crust from the griddle - luscious and meaty and soft.

>> Pati: Look at the bite!

I mean, it's a gorgeous bite.

>> Pati: We absolutely adore chilaquiles at home, and today we're gonna make some really special chilaquiles because we're making Lobster Chilaquiles!

They're crispy, they're saucy, they're messy, they're the most beautiful way that Mexicans have to honor tortillas.

First of all, you're cutting the tortillas into beautiful edible pieces, and then you crisp them up.

You dress them, garnish them, and then you add lobster to them.

I mean - I'm gonna brush a little bit of oil on this baking sheet.

There are basically two ways you can make tortilla chips for chilaquiles.

One of them is you deep fry them in a lot of oil and they're delicious.

The other way you can do them is by baking them, and they're just as delicious, and you don't need to fry them in a lot of oil if you're concerned with that.

Drizzle a little oil on top, sprinkle some salt.

I have the oven at 375 degrees, and you want to bake them between 25 - 30 minutes until they're nice and crispy.

Now I'll make the salsa for the chilaquiles, and to make this sauce I'm using roasted ingredients!

I'm also going to use Morita Chiles.

So I have 2 morita chipotle chiles, and they smell like chocolate, raisins and spices, and I love them, and they're delicious, and that's why we're using them.

Put them in this bowl, cover them with hot boiling water because they need to rehydrate for a little, and what we want at this point is really for the chiles to just soften up a little bit, and for us to be able to open them and take the seeds out, that's all we want.

I'll put the rest of my ingredients in the blender.

A pound and a half of ripe roma tomatoes, a pound and a half of tomatillos.

People usually make a salsa roja or a salsa verde, they think they have to choose between tomatoes or tomatillos to make a sauce but you don't have to choose!

You can mix them both, and they actually go really well together.

Half an onion that we quartered, three garlic cloves.

Now my hands will smell like roasted garlic which my husband complains about.

Roasted charred jalapeños.

I'm removing the seeds in the moritas because the seeds are really spicy.

1 tsp of salt, and then I'll puree this until completely smooth.

(blender whirs) >> Pati: I've pre-heated my saucepan at medium-high heat, and I'll add about 1 tbsp of oil.

This is a typical second step of cooking Mexican salsas, it just concentrates the flavors, and takes all the ingredients to a different level.

I'll cook this 4 - 5 minutes, and I'll check my tortilla chips because it's been 15 minutes and I need to flip them.

It smells like tortillas that just came out of the tortilleria, but when they're toasted, the smell completely changes.

I'll put them in the oven for another 10 - 15 minutes until they're super nice and toasted.

I have a gorgeous lobster.

I like to put it on a baking sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes because it makes the process of cooking it and cutting it a lot smoother and easier.

To cut it, you need to find the place where the head connects to the tail.

Cut the body in half.

You want a sharp knife, and you want to do it as fast as you possibly can.

So we have the two halves.

With a spoon, you'll just clean and leave only the meat.

We're going to use some of this sauce as a basting sauce for the lobster so the chilaquiles that will bake in the sauce marry the lobster that will be cooked in the sauce, so I'll brush this sauce all over the lobster meat, and then we'll add a little salt.

I have my grill at medium to medium-high heat.

(lobster sizzles) Pati: Ah!

Gorgeous, and you can tell the meat is ready to be flipped because you can see the shell and how it changed to a more intensely colored shell.

So this needs 5 - 6 more minutes.

(tortilla crunches) Pati: Mmm!

I'm not gonna sauce my tortilla chips just yet because I like my chilaquiles really crunchy, so I'll make my topping.

Queso fresco.

Chopped white onion and some chopped cilantro.

My grandfather who was Polish used to eat white onion as if it were an apple.

So you have the fresh and the raw, the charred grilled lobster's there in that sauce, and I'm excited for how it's all gonna come together.

I'll take this half of the lobster, take the meat out.

The first time I ate lobster I had come with my family, I think we were in Florida, I must have been 10 or 11, and we went to that very famous huge lobster restaurant chain where they have the steak and lobster combo, and I remember getting the lobster with the butter sauce, and it was such an incredibly special thing, and the lobster and steak thing, it was like, woah!

We'll add the lobster.

You ready?

Fresh crema.

Mmm!

I feel really bad not sharing something that's this good.

The tortilla chips are so crunchy, and they're completely covered in this tangy, spicy, smoky sauce, and then the lobster, I mean, it's just - I can't think of any more special chilaquiles ever.

>> Pati Narrates: El Fuerte is a town deeply rooted in the history of the Sinaloa state.

Founded in 1563 at a bend in the Fuerte river, El Fuerte is a quiet colonial town, but for over 300 years it was the most important commercial and agricultural centre in Northwest Mexico.

I'm getting a walking tour of this magical town from local guide Ariel, and Ariel is on a mission.

Pati: So he was on the phone trying to get us the real barley water because they sold out of barley water because it's so popular!

>> Pati Narrates: Barley water, a kind of sweet drink similar to horchata is a favorite in Sinaloa.

I mean, look how happy it makes Ariel!

>> Pati Narrates: He promises to get us a taste.

El Fuerte is a beautiful town for a walking tour.

It's namesake, this fort, was built by Spanish conquistadors to ward off attacks from native tribes local to this area.

>> Pati: Wait!

There's a bride!

Hi!

Did you know it's good luck to see a bride?

Pati Narrates: El Fuerte was the capital of the region in the mid-1800s, an important centre for commerce and trade.

How's the water going?

He promised.

While Ariel tracks down our barley water, I can't resist a quick snack.

>> Pati Narrates: Tostilocos which translates to "crazy chips" are a popular street food that can be found all over Mexico.

You start with a bed of tortilla chips and top it with a luscious mix of crunchy jicama, crispy chicharrones, cucumber, Japanese peanuts, sweet but tart tamarind candies, and for the finishing touch, lime juice, hot sauce, and Chamoy.

Pati: Mmm.

Mmm.

Mmm!

Oh my gosh, mmm!

This is the best thing ever.

It has the Chamoy sauce, and it's this gooey liquid that's here, that's like sticky, spicy, sweet.

Mexicans know what I'm talking about.

>> Pati: Oh, he said that there's sign of the water, he thinks we may have found the water.

>> Pati: Ah, he says it's a done deal.

>> Pati: It says "Pura Vida", see?

Barely made it - Oh, they saved me four sips!

>> Pati: No!

>> Pati: I have some.

Mmm.

Mhmm!

I mean honestly it tastes like a really cool horchata.

>> Pati: Sweetened condensed milk.

>> Pati: (gasps) >> Pati: We thought that the pura vida had barley water, but now he's telling me there's no barley water in here, but it's still called barley water because it has the color of barley water, so it's complicated, but it's really delicious.

>> Pati: I'm gonna show you how to make horchata from scratch, and it is not complicated at all.

All you need is a few ingredients, and soaking time.

2 cups of white rice.

In Mexico we typically use long or extra long white rice.

And then one stick of true cinnamon, it's also known as "canela", it's very thin and it breaks, and it's fragrant, warm, and smooth, and when you soak it in water, you can really puree it in your blender, so here I have 2 cups of white rice, and 1 cinnamon stick that I broke into pieces.

3 cups of hot boiling water, and I left it here overnight, now you can let it soak just for 2 hours, but the more you leave it the better.

I'll add 4 cups of whole milk.

1 cup of sugar.

Puree this until completely smooth.

(blender whirs) Pati: It smells like a kids party in Mexico City, that's what it smells like.

So we'll strain.

Mmm.

It is so gritty, sandy and grainy, but that's how it should be.

That texture is what makes a true horchata.

You can do a lot of different things with this horchata base.

What I'll make with this is Cafe Horchata.

So I'll pour some hot espresso right in here.

Pati: So refreshing!

So delicious!

This is gonna definitely keep me up.

Pati: So I wanted to make two fabulous things with lobster, one were the chilaquiles, and the other one, the classic Lobster Rolls, but of course with a Mexican spin.

I have hot boiling water with a lot of salt, and I'll just dump the lobsters in there head first.

Cover with a lid, keep it at a medium simmer, and then we'll cook it for 10 - 12 minutes.

So many people are intimidated by making mayo because they're afraid it'll be complicated, they think the mayo is gonna break, or they're worried because you're using raw eggs, but nothing to worry about, I'll show you how to make fresh mayo that will last a couple weeks in your refrigerator.

So you have 2 egg yolks and 1 egg, 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 tbsp of dijon, 1/4 tsp salt, some freshly ground pepper.

Use the lowest possible speed because mayo likes it low and steady so it doesn't break.

I'll slowly pour 1 and 1/2 cups of vegetable oil.

So the mayo will start thickening and emulsifying, you can see how the color starts to change, and then I'm adding a 1/2 cup of olive oil.

I do more vegetable oil cause I don't like a mayo with a strong olive oil taste.

I mean, just look at the beauty!

It's beautifully emulsified and thickened.

Adding 2 tbsp of chipotle in adobo sauce.

Why go through the trouble of making your own mayo?

Because you can customize to your taste!

I add more dijon mustard, I want it with more flavor, I want it with lime, and I want it with chipotle.

The lobster should be ready, you can tell by the color of the shell.

And we'll let them cool just until I can handle them.

I'm gonna make a quick cocktail sauce.

I have 1 cup of ketchup, 2 tsp of creamy horseradish, 1 Serrano chile.

You may be wondering, why is Pati making cocktail sauce for lobster rolls?

Because in the place we go to get lobster rolls, my boys started adding it, and we kind of really like it, so I "Mexicanized" this cocktail sauce, you may wanna try it, who knows?

And the lobsters have cooled.

The easiest way to take out the meat is separate the body from the head, go in with the shears right in the middle.

Use your fork.

And then you want to have fun with the claws.

Chopped celery, red onion, pickled jalapeños, and then we'll add some of the chipotle mayo.

Ah!

How pretty is this?

One for me, one for Alan, one for Sammy.

Adding potato chips to the bottom of these lobster rolls.

Yum!

>> Alan: Hi ma.

>> Pati: Hey!

>> Sammy: Hi mom.

>> Pati: Okay, so how crazy is it for you guys to have potato chips in the lobster roll?

>> Sammy: Whenever we bike when we visit our cousins in Mexico, they always make sandwiches for us.

and we always just put a ton of potato chips in the sandwich, it's so good.

>> Pati: So I didn't know that cocktail sauce is not a thing for lobster rolls.

>> Sammy: We always eat it with cocktail sauce.

>> Alan: Yeah.

>> Pati: We - see?!

Let's see what you guys think.

>> Sammy: That is so good!

>> Alan: It's really good.

There are so many different crunches, you have the crunch of the bread, crunch of the potato chips.

>> Sammy: I wanna try it with the - The mayo is so good!

So creamy.

Sammy: I like it better with the cocktail sauce.

>> Alan: I like it better with the sauce too.

>> Pati: Please forgive these Mexicans that love their lobster roll with cocktail sauce.

You know what?

Maybe we like the cocktail sauce because we salsita everything, so even though the lobster roll is delicious on its own, and it has the mayo, like, we have a need for "salsa-ing" >> Alan: I finished that so quick, I need another one.

>> Pati: Who wants a second round?

>> Sammy: I'll take a second.

>> Alan: Yeah!

>> Pati Narrates: For recipes and information from this episode and more, visit PatiJinich.com, and connect!

Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @PatiJinich.

>> Announcer: Pati's Mexican Table is made possible by: ♪ >> La Costena.

A tradition of authentic Latin flavors and family recipes.

Tropical Cheese.

♪ ♪ Avocados from Mexico >> BanCoppel.

Your recipe for sending money to Mexico.

>> Chilorio.

La Chata.

>> Announcer: Proud to support Pati's Mexican Table on public television.