It is almost Cinco De Mayo, meaning that it is time to start planning your party and gathering all that you would need to "spice up" the day and make the most out the occasion. While many may take this as a day to eat all of their favorite delicious Mexican dishes, it is important to first acknowledge the importance of the day before moving on to indulging yourself. Cinco De Mayo, while it does mean, "the fifth of May," it actually is a day of significance in which it marks a key Mexican victory over the French, on May 5, 1862, at the Battle of Puebla. Here in the United States, it became and adapted itself more into a celebration of Mexican-American culture and history. To celebrate ourselves, we gathered up some of our favorite recipes to share with you for this day:
Side Dishes
"The Best" Guacamole
Maybe not your typical guacamole but pretty dang good, this recipes is super creamy and adds a lovely amount of acidity and heat from the limes and chile.
Serves - About 3 Cups | From Bon Appetit
Gather Together :
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3 Large Ripe Hass Avocado
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¼ White Onion - Finely Chopped
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1 Serrano Chile - Finely Chopped (Seeds Removed If Desired)
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1 Garlic Clove - Finely Grated
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2 Tablespoons (or More) of Fresh Lime Juice
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1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
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¼ Cup of Chopped Cilantro - Plus More For Garnish
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Toasted Pepitas (Pumpkin Seeds; Optional)
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Chips (for serving)
Directions :
- Smash avocados with a potato masher or fork in a medium bowl or with a molcajete (a Mexican mortar and pestle) until very coarsely mashed. Mix in onion, chile, garlic, lime juice, salt, and ¼ cup cilantro. Taste and add more lime juice, if desired. Top with pepitas (if using) and more cilantro; serve with chips alongside.
Pan Con Tomatillo
This is a riff on the classic dish known as Pan Con Tomate, it takes a more modern update with Tomatillos
Serves - 8 | From Bon Appetit
Gather Together :
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16 Medium Tomatillos (About 1½ Pounds) - Husks Removed, Rinsed, Quartered
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4 Teaspoons of Kosher Salt
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1 Tablespoon of Sugar
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1 Ciabatta Loaf
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3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil - Plus More for Drizzling
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2 Garlic Cloves - Finely Grated
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2 Small Green Tomatoes - Thinly Sliced (Optional)
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Flaky Sea Salt
Directions :
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Toss tomatillos, kosher salt, and sugar in a small bowl. Gently massage until they feel soft and juicy. Cover and let sit at room temperature, tossing occasionally, until tomatillos have released some of their liquid, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300°. Holding a bread knife parallel to a cutting board, slice ciabatta in half. Slice each piece in half lengthwise, then cut each strip on a diagonal into about 4" pieces. Drizzle 3 Tbsp. oil over bread and rub each piece to evenly distribute oil. Place bread on a baking sheet and bake until browned all over and dried out and crisp, 60–75 minutes. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, transfer tomatillos to a food processor; leave juices in bowl. Pulse until finely chopped but not smooth (mixture should look pulpy with bits of skin). Transfer to a medium bowl; add garlic
- Spoon tomatillo mixture over toast, then drizzle some of the reserved juices over. Top with green tomatoes, if using; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Esquites
Perfectly creamy and full of amazing flavor, this side dish will surely impress!
Serves - 4 | From Marcela Valladolid at Food Network
Gather Together :
- 4 Ears of Sweet Corn - Husked and Silks Removed
- 4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise or Mexican Sour Cream
- 4 Tablespoons of Unsalted Butter - Softened
- 6 Tablespoons of Crumbled Queso Fresco or Mild Feta Cheese
- Ground Chili Powder - For Sprinkling
- Salt - For Sprinkling
- Lime Wedges - For Serving
Directions :
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the corn to a platter and allow them to cool slightly. Using a serrated knife, remove the kernels from the corn. Divide the corn between 4 individual cups or small glasses. Put 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon butter in each glass. Sprinkle with cheese, chili powder, and salt. Serve with the lime wedges, if desired.
Main Dishes
Skirt Steak Fajitas with Grilled Cabbage and Scallions
The grilled crisp vegetables help bring out the steak for an incredible array of flavors and textures that will set these fajitas far from the rest.
Serve - 8 | From Bon Appetit
Gather Together :
For The Steak -
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4 Cloves of Garlic - Peeled
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¼ Cup of Fresh Lime Juice
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¼ Cup of Olive Oil
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3 Tablespoons of Hot Smoked Spanish Paprika
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2 Tablespoons of Chopped Fresh Cilantro
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1 Tablespoon of Ground Cumin
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1 Teaspoon of Kosher Salt
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1 Teaspoon of Onion Powder
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2 Pounds Skirt Steak - Cut Into 4 Equal Pieces
For The Vegetables and Assembling -
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½ Medium Head Green Cabbage - Cut Into 2 Wedges (Core Intact)
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1 Large White Onion - Halved With Some Root End Attached
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1 Bunch Scallions - Trimmed
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6 Tablespoons of Olive Oil - Divided
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Kosher Salt And Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
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¼ Small Red Onion - Chopped
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3 Tablespoons of Lime Juice
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1 Tablespoon of Fresh Chopped Cilantro
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Warm Flour Tortillas - (For Serving)
Directions :
For Steak -
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Purée garlic, lime juice, oil, paprika, cilantro, cumin, salt, and onion powder in a blender until smooth. Transfer marinade to a resealable plastic bag and add steak. Seal bag and turn to coat; chill at least 4 hours.
DO AHEAD: Steak can be marinated 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
For Vegetables and Assembly -
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Prepare grill for medium-high heat. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat.) Drizzle cabbage, white onion, and scallions with 4 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until vegetables are charred and softened, about 4 minutes for scallions, 10–12 minutes for cabbage and onion. Let vegetables cool slightly.
- Core cabbage and cut into bite-size pieces along with scallions and onion. Toss chopped vegetables in a large bowl with red onion, lime juice, cilantro, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil; season with salt and pepper. Remove steak from marinade, scraping off excess; season with salt and pepper.
- Grill steak until medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 5–10 minutes before slicing. Serve steak with vegetables, tortillas, and salsa.
Cheesy Avocado Quesadillas
Perfectly crispy and deliciously cheesy, these will make for any good quesadilla lover!
Serves - 8 | From Damn Delicious
Gather Together :
- 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 1 Pound of Ground Beef
- 1 Tablespoon of Taco Seasoning Mix
- 1 (4.5-ounce) Can of Chopped Green Chiles - Drained
- 8 (8-inch) Flour Tortillas
- 1 (16-ounce) Can of Refried Beans - Heated
- 2 Avocados - Halved, Peeled, and Sliced
- 2 Cups of Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend
- 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Cilantro - Chopped
Directions :
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks. Drain excess fat and stir in taco seasoning and green chiles; set aside.
- Top tortilla with refried beans, ground beef mixture, avocado and mozzarella, and then top with another tortilla. Repeat with remaining tortillas to make 4 quesadillas.
- Place quesadillas onto the prepared baking sheet. Place into oven and bake until the cheese has melted, about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnished with cilantro, if desired.
Desserts
Tres Leches Cake
A basic sponge cake recipes gets kicked up a notch in a very traditional Mexican way to represent a deliciously creamy and decadent Tres Leches.
Serves - 8 Cake Slices | From AllRecipes
Gather Together :
- 5 Eggs - Separated (5 Yolks | 5 Whites)
- 1/3 Cup of Milk
- 1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
- 1 Cup of All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder
- 1 (14 Ounce) Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 (12.5 Ounce) Can of Evaporated Milk
- 1 Pint of Heavy Whipping Cream
- 10 Maraschino Cherries
Directions :
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Beat the egg yolks with 3/4 cup sugar until light in color and doubled in volume. Stir in milk, vanilla, flour and baking powder.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until firm but not dry. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it; fold in remaining egg whites. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
- Loosen edge of cake with knife before removing side of pan. Cool cake completely on a wire rack.
- Place cooled cake on a deep serving plate. Use a two-pronged meat fork or a cake tester to pierce the surface of cake.
- Mix together condensed milk, evaporated milk and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream. Set aside 1 cup of the measured milk mixture and refrigerate for another use. Pour remaining milk mixture over cake slowly until absorbed. Whip the remaining whipping cream until it thickens and reaches spreading consistency. Frost cake with whipped cream and garnish with cherries. Store cake in the refrigerator.
Flan Mexicano
An old classic meets new with the added flavors of orange and citrus to bring this Flan recipe to a new level.
Serves - 8 | From All Recipes
Gather Together :
- 1 Cup of White Sugar
- 1 Cup of Milk
- 1 (14 Ounce) Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3 Eggs + 3 Egg Yolks
- 1/4 Cup of Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
- 1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest
- 1 Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon of Corn Starch
- 1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
Directions :
- Place sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar melts and turns a golden amber color, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully once syrup begins to change color, because it burns easily. Carefully pour the melted sugar syrup into a flan mold. Let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Pour whole milk, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, egg yolks, orange juice, orange peel, vanilla extract, and cornstarch into a blender, and blend for a minute or so, until the mixture is smooth. Pour in the cream, and pulse several times to incorporate the cream. Pour the mixture over the cooled caramel syrup in the flan mold.
- Line a roasting pan with a damp kitchen towel. Place the flan mold on the towel, inside roasting pan, and place roasting pan on oven rack. Fill roasting pan with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the center of the flan is set but still slightly jiggly when moved, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let the flan cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. To serve, run a sharp paring knife around the inside of the mold to release the flan. Invert a plate on the mold, flip the mold over, and gently remove the mold to unmold the flan and reveal the syrupy caramel topping.
Drinks
Especiado Cocktail
Slightly spicy and sweet from the hibiscus, these cocktail will surely hit the spot!
Serves - 16 Cocktails | From Bon Appetit
Gather Together :
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2 Cups of Dried Hibiscus Leaf
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1 Cup of Light Brown Sugar - Packed
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4 Sprigs of Rosemary
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8 Cloves of Whole Clove
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6 Allspice Berries
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2 Cinnamon Sticks - Plus More For Serving
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3 Star Anise Pods
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12 Ounces of Tequila or Mezcal
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8 Lemon Slices - Halved
Directions :
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Bring hibiscus, brown sugar, rosemary, cloves, allspice berries, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 star anise pods, and 12 cups water to a boil in a large pot. Cook until reduced by half, 50−60 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Chill hibiscus mixture until cold, at least 4 hours.
- Stir tequila into chilled hibiscus mixture and serve in rocks glasses filled with crushed ice. Garnish each cocktail with a cinnamon stick, a star anise pod, and a lemon slice.
Classic Margarita
Truly an essential recipe for an Cinco De Mayo.
Serves - 1 Cocktail | From Bon Appetit
Gather Together :
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Kosher Salt - For Serving
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½ Thick Lime Wheel - Sliced
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2 Ounces of Tequila
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¾ Ounces of Fresh Lime Juice
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¾ Ounces of Simple Syrup
Directions :
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Place some salt on a small plate. Rub rim of an old-fashioned or rocks glass with lime (reserve for serving); dip in salt. Fill with ice and set aside. Combine tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds. Strain cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into reserved glass. Garnish with lime wheel.
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-Patrick
