Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo—a day originally set aside to celebrate the victory by the Mexican army over the French in the battle of Puebla in 1862—has been embraced by our culture as an excuse to enjoy Mexican food and cocktails. For us, the celebration seems to go beyond “cinco” and the parties continue through May. Here are some traditional Mexican “nibbles and sips” for you to enjoy as the weather warms.

Margarita

Serves 4 (taken from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 (6 ounce) can frozen limeade concentrate
6 fluid ounces tequila
2 fluid ounces triple sec

Directions:
Fill blender with crushed ice. Pour in limeade concentrate, tequila and triple sec. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and serve.

Sangria

Makes one pitcher (from http://wine.about.com)

Ingredients

1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)

1 Lemon cut into wedges

1 Orange cut into wedges

1 Lime cut into wedges

2 Tbsp sugar

Splash of orange juice or lemonade

2 Shots of gin or triple sec (optional)

1 Cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)

1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)

4 Cups ginger ale

Preparation:

Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving. If you’d like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice. However, remember that the best Sangrias are chilled around 24 hours in the frig. – allowing the flavors to really marinate into each other.

The Best Chicken Tacos…EVER

Serves 8 (from mexicanfoodrecipes.org)

Ingredients

2 l bs boneless chicken thighs

1 ancho chili

2 bay leaves

1 quartered white onion

5 crushed cloves garlic

1 tablespoon dried cumin

12 corn taco shells

Queso blanco or grated cheddar, to serve
¼ cup grated parmesan

Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Salsa Fresca:

2 chopped ripe tomatoes

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 stemmed, seeded jalapeno pepper

¼ teaspoon minced raw garlic

½ minced white onion

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Combine the chicken, ancho chili, bay leaves, white onion, garlic, and cumin in a pan and add enough water to cover it. Turn the heat up high to bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer, skimming any foam off the surface as you go. Cover the pan partially and turn the heat down to get a steady simmer. Cook the mixture until the meat is tender. This will take about half an hour.

Take the chicken out of the liquid and let it cool, then shred it with your fingers. Adjust the seasoning.

Combine the salsa fresco ingredients, adjusting the amount of salt and pepper until it tastes good. Let the salsa sit for 15 minutes so the flavors can merge and blend nicely.

Warm the taco shells in the microwave until they are soft, then fill each one with some of the shredded chicken and some salsa fresco. Add the queso blanco or cheddar and arrange the tacos on a serving plate. Pour the remaining salsa fresco over them and sprinkle the parmesan on top. Serve immediately.

Churros

Serves 4 (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 cup water

2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 quarts oil for frying

1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar, salt and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in flour until mixture forms a ball.

Heat oil for frying in deep-fryer or deep skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Pipe strips of dough into hot oil using a pastry bag. Fry until golden; drain on paper towels.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll drained churros in cinnamon and sugar mixture.