Hola! Es hora de la fiesta. It’s time to party. If there’s ever an occasion to pull out your best fiesta-themed menus and props, it’s Cinco de Mayo — the fifth of May. And if you expect to be recovering from your Market Street Festival weekend on May 5, there’s no harm in bumping a celebration to the summer months ahead; the fun stores well.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates a small Mexican militia’s unlikely victory in 1862 over Napoleon’s much larger force, at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Surprisingly, it’s a relatively minor holiday in Mexico — except in the area of Puebla — but many in the U.S. embrace it as an opportunity to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage. Parades, dancing and mariachi bands (along with margaritas and Dos Equis and Corona beer) are often the order of the day. And the food, of course the food.
You can host a fiesta with something as simple as salsa and burritos, but why be so blasé?
A six-layer Mexican dip (pictured above) from eat-spin-run-repeat.com starts with a layer of black beans and seasoned vegetable stock topped with diced bell peppers, seasoned Greek yogurt, yellow corn, salsa, tomato and thinly sliced onion. Did we mention cilantro, jalapeño pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, chipotle chili pepper, lime juice and cumin? Si, it’s the real deal — a colorful dip, kicking with flavor.
Stand out from the taco crowd by serving up camarones al mojo de ajo (shrimp in garlic sauce). Don’t be intimidated by the name of this aromatic shrimp dish; the recipe is easy.
Also simple: cheese-stuffed jalapeño appetizers with Monterey Jack, dry bread crumbs and bacon bits. Or Mexican-inspired corn on the cob, with a taste you won’t forget.
For dessert, a caramel flan balances a savory feast. If you like, add whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds to the flan. All the recipes are included in today’s pages and at cdispatch.com under the lifestyles link.
Los niños
If you’re entertaining little ones, this is where opting for tacos makes sense. You can also add to the fun with simple crafts or games. With the help of music games or flash cards, you can easily teach kids how to count to 10, or learn basic colors in Spanish.
Or, let them make maracas out of paper cups. All you’ll need are cups, dried pinto beans, hot glue gun and craft paints. Decorate the outside of each cup and let it dry. Fill one cup halfway with beans, apply hot glue to the rim and attach the other cup.
Keep children active with the Mexican hat dance, holding hands in a circle around the hat, taking turns dancing in the center around it. And, of course, the ubiquitous piñata is always a hit — literally.
When it comes to saluting Mexican culture, we’re certainly not limited to the fifth of May. Today’s recipes will be just as delicious any time patios beckon and you’re feeling distinctly south-of-the-border.
SIX LAYER MEXICAN DIP
Makes 9 1/2 cup servings
Layer 1:
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
1/4 tsp each paprika and chipotle chili powder
Layer 2:
1 cup finely diced bell peppers (different colours make it look pretty)
Layer 3:
1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced
1/4 teaspoon each onion powder and garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon each cumin and chipotle chili pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
Layer 4:
1 cup yellow corn
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Layer 5:
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 medium tomato, seeded, diced
Layer 6:
1 spring onion, sliced thinly
Additional cilantro, to garnish
*You’ll need a bowl that holds about 5 cups of ingredients. It looks pretty if it’s a clear bowl, but doesn’t have to be.
(Source: eat-spin-run-repeat.com)
CAMARONES AL MOJO DE AJO
Makes 2-3 servings
30-40 shrimp, deveined, raw, headless, shell-on
3 tablespoons butter
2 garlic heads
1/4 cup lime juice
1-2 chipotle adobado peppers
Cilantro and lime wedges for garnish
(NOTE: If you wish, you can grill the shrimp; in that case, marinate shrimp in garlic butter overnight, then put it on skewers and cook on the grill, with lid on.)
(Source: whatscookingmexico.com)
MEXICAN-INSPIRED CORN ON THE COB
Makes four servings
3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/8 teaspoon red pepper, ground
4 ears fresh corn
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
(Source: mccormick.com)
CHEESE-STUFFED JALAPENOS
Total time: 30 minutes
Makes 30 servings
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 2-by-1/2-by-1/4-inch strips
15 jalapeño pepper, halved lengthwise and seeded
1/4 dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup real bacon bits
(Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.)
(Source: tasteofhome.com)
CARAMEL FLAN
Prep time: 20 minutes, plus standing
Cook time: 55 minutes, plus chilling
Makes 8-10 servings
1/2 cup sugar
1-2/3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1 cup milk
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
(Source: tasteofhome.com; Anelle Mack, Midland, Texas)
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.