Cinquo de Mayo
If by some unbelievable chance you aren’t aware what goes into Mexican dishes, you’ve either been living on a deserted island somewhere or you’re only a toddler, because Mexican cuisine is everywhere! Thank heaven, because it’s one of my favorite food groups!!
Mexican cuisine as we know it today was developed through centuries of food created by the Indian civilizations of the country, the Aztecs, Toltecs, Mayans and more. The basics in their spreads include rich, hot and mild sauces made from chilies, stewed meats like pork, soups, rice and stews. Of course we can’t forget tortillas and breads with plenty of cheeses.
Matt and I try out every Mexican restaurant within our hotels in every city we visit. It does make for some interesting gurgles during home show appearances but somehow we make it through!
The following recipes are out of cookbooks I have at home, or magazine clippings I’ve saved, and they all sound so wonderful it’s hard to write them down without running to the kitchen to whip them up.
Top of Page
Mexican Vegetable Soup with Tortilla Chips
From Cookshelf Mexican
by Marlena Spieler
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. Vegetable or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
- ½ - ½ tsp. Cumin
- 2-3 tsp. Mild Chili Powder
- 1 Carrot, sliced
- 1 Waxy Potato, diced
1 ½ cups Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Zucchini, diced
- ¼ Sm. Cabbage, diced
4 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock or Water
- 1 Ear of Corn, kernels cut off or 3 oz. Canned Corn
- About 10 Green Beans, topped and tailed, then cut into bite sized lengths
- Salt and Pepper
To Serve:
- 4-6 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- Salsa of your choice, or chopped fresh chili, to taste
- Lime wedges
1. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes until softened, then sprinkle in the cumin and chili. Stir in the carrot, potato, tomatoes, zucchini, and cabbage and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Pour in the stock. Cover and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are cooked and tender.
3. Add extra water if necessary, then stir in the corn and green beans and cook for a further 5 – 10 minutes or until the beans are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, bearing in mind that the tortilla chips may be salty.
4. Ladle the soup into soup bowls and sprinkle each portion with fresh cilantro. Top with salsa or chili, then add tortilla chips and a wedge of lime. Serve at once.
Top of Page
Chicken Fajitas
From Shari’s Kitchen
I make these chicken fajitas more often during the summer than in winter because I let my husband grill the chicken and while that’s going on I can chop up and put all the fixins in bowls. This one isn’t rocket science, I basically buy as many things already cooked, bagged or instant as I can so it becomes a fun and easy meal for me to make. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- Flour tortillas
- Four Chicken Breasts
- Salt and Pepper
- Can Refried Beans
- Instant White Rice
- Shredded Lettuce
- Bag Shredded Mexican Cheese or Cheddar
- Tomato (to dice)
- Sliced Black Olives
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Salsa
- Bag Blue Chips
1. Wash the chicken breasts and pat them dry. Season with salt and pepper and send them to the grill with your husband.
2. Open the can of refried beans, place beans in a small saucepan to heat on the stove. Start heating very slowly.
3. Prepare the instant white rice according to the manufacturers directions. This will probably have to go in the microwave for about 7- 10 minutes, so get it started.
4. Wash the tomato and cut into slices and then dice and place in a small bowl with a spoon.
5. Pull out a large bowl and empty the bag of shredded lettuce into it. A medium bowl should hold the bag of shredded cheese. A small bowl will hold the sliced black olives, and grab one for the sour cream, guacamole, and one for salsa as well. Bring out spoons or tongs for all ingredients.
6. A basket with a paper napkin is nice for the blue chips.
7. Keep stirring the refried beans until hot and transfer to a covered dish to keep them hot. Take the white rice out of the microwave. By now, the chicken should be almost done and when it comes in, use a fork and sharp knife to cut it into long strips.
8. Last, place the flour tortillas on a microwave safe plate with paper towels on top and put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds right before serving.
9. Everyone builds their own fajitas and adds a few blue chips and salsa to their plates as well. This can be a very filling dinner, depending on how many ingredients you stuff into your fajita!
Top of Page
For Dessert ...
Bunuelo Stars
From Cookshelf Mexican
By Marlena Spieler
Ingredients:
- 4 flour tortillas
- 3 tbsp. ground cinnamon
- 6-8 tbsp. sugar
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- Chocolate ice cream to serve
- Fine Orange Rind Strips for garnish
1. Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut each tortilla into star shapes.
2. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together and set them aside.
3. Heat the oil in a shallow, wide skillet until it is hot enough to brown a cube of bread in 30 seconds. Working one at a time, fry the star-shaped tortillas until one side is golden, then turn and cook until golden on the other side. Remove from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
4. Sprinkle generously with the cinnamon and sugar mixture. Serve next to chocolate ice cream, sprinkled with orange rind strips.
Top of Page
