Preparation

The Aztec Empire's cuisine remains one of history's most misunderstood. While maize, beans, and chiles formed the foundation, lake resources provided essential protein. The shallow waters of Lake Texcoco and surrounding lakes hosted enormous populations of frogs, which were harvested sustainably and prepared in countless ways.

This recipe draws from Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún's 16th-century documentation of Nahua foodways. He recorded how cooks combined frogs with quelite—the edible greens of various plants, including squash vines—in complex green sauces that preceded modern moles.

Preparation

1. Rinse frog legs and pat dry. Season lightly with salt.
2. Heat lard in a large skillet and brown the frog legs on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, toast the pepitas until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Remove.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Blanch the squash vine tips and blossoms for 2 minutes. Drain and shock in ice water.
5. In a blender, combine the blanched greens, chiles, onion, garlic, toasted pepitas, and 1 cup of stock. Blend until very smooth.
6. In the skillet, heat another tablespoon of lard over medium heat. Pour in the green sauce and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes to develop the flavors.
7. Add the remaining stock and bring to a simmer. Return the frog legs to the sauce and cook gently until tender, about 15 minutes.
8. Tear epazote leaves over the top just before serving.

Serve in bowls with warm corn tortillas. The sauce should be verdant and complex, with heat balanced by the earthy sweetness of squash plants. For modern cooks nervous about frog, the sauce works beautifully with chicken or fish, though you'll miss the authentic texture.