Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula is legendary—and for more than its cerulean waters, white sand beaches and luxury hotels. The culture of the spectacular Mayan ruins of Chichén Itzá, Uxmal and Cobá rose to brilliant heights over ten centuries ago, having mastered dramatic architecture, richly developed astronomy (including the most precise calendar of the time), advanced mathematics and a comprehensive writing system.

All that’s frozen in time, but not the rich cuisine of this storied land. Ancient ingredients like nixtamalized corn, colorful beans, abundant seafood and game, singular chiles, pumpkinseeds and native spices are still indispensible in today’s kitchen.

Yucatan’s markets celebrate three complex spice pastes shot through with garlic and sour orange juice. The “blanco” one flavors beef and escabeche, the red one brings the famous cochinita pibil to life with achiote, and the mysteriously black one adds burnt-chile complexity to relleno negro and, for this menu, aguachile.

It’s a singular, earthy cuisine born out of smoky, wood-fired village kitchens, a cuisine with ancient echos and elemental satisfaction.