Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, Tuesday, May 5. We have put together a few tasty recipes for you to try with your family.

If you have a recipe that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you! Recipes, with photo (and a short story/history), if available, can be submitted to ads@the drummer.com.

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream 

Vegetable or grapeseed oil, for frying

1 T. butter

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat finely shredded

1 c. salsa

1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 c. shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend

1 lime, juiced

Salt

16 (5 to 6-inch) flour tortillas

2 c. shredded iceberg lettuce, for serving

For the Avocado Cream:

1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed

1 (4-oz.) container sour cream

2 T. fresh lime juice

Salt

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat melt butter and sauté onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, cheese, and lime juice. Let cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt. Keep flautas warm in the oven on a sheet tray while assembling and cooking the remaining tortillas.

To make the Avocado Cream:

In a serving bowl, mash avocado, sour cream, and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.

To serve, arrange flautas on a platter of shredded lettuce and serve with Avocado Cream on the side. Yields 16 flautas.

Cheesy Black Bean Guacamole  

3 large avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed

1/2 c. chopped chives

1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1 T. lime juice

2 c. rinsed, drained canned black beans

1-1/2 c. grated Romano cheese

2 large tomatoes, diced

1 T. cayenne pepper, or to taste

Stir mashed avocado, chives, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice together in a bowl; stir in black beans, Romano cheese, tomatoes, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Mexican Street Corn (Elote) 

6 ears corn, shucked & cleaned

1/2 c. mayonnaise

Chili powder

1/3 c. Grated cotija cheese

Freshly chopped cilantro

Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium-high. Grill corn, turning often, until slightly charred all over, about 10 minutes.

Brush corn with a layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle with chili powder, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Serve warm with lime wedges.

Landlocked Ceviche

1 small head of cauliflower, finely chopped (about 2½ c.)

2 c. tomatoes, diced (about 4 medium)

1/2 c. chopped red onion

1 jalapeno, diced

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. lime juice

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

1 avocado, diced

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, mix together the cauliflower, tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, salt, and lime juice. Add the cilantro and let the mixture sit in the fridge for at least one hour.

Add the avocado and black pepper to taste. Serve immediately. 4-6 servings.

Shrimp Nachos

1 (14.5 oz.) package tortilla chips

2 lbs. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1-1/2 lbs. large peeled and deveined cooked shrimp, tails removed, and shrimp quartered

1 c. mayonnaise

4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 c. dried minced onion

1-1/2 T. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Spread tortilla chips onto the prepared baking sheet.

Mix Monterey Jack cheese, shrimp, mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, cilantro, minced onion, cumin, and black pepper together in a bowl. Spoon mixture onto the tortilla chips.

Bake in the preheated oven for 3 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil nachos until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Allow nachos to sit at room temperature for about 2 minutes before serving.

Sweet Tamale Pie

Meat Mixture:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 lb. lean ground beef

2 (7 oz.) cans Mexican-style corn

1 (8 oz.) jar chunky salsa

1 (7.75 oz.) can Mexican-style hot (medium or mild) tomato sauce

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles

1 (1 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix

Corn Bread Topping:

1 (15 oz.) package corn bread mix

2/3 c. milk

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1 egg

2 (7 oz.) cans Mexican-style corn, drained

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles, drained

1 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a cold skillet; sprinkle in garlic. Cook garlic over medium heat until sizzling and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir onion, salt, and pepper into the garlic and olive oil; cook until onion is translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Cook and stir ground beef into onion mixture until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Mix 2 cans Mexican-style corn, salsa, hot/medium/mild tomato sauce, 1 can chopped green chiles, and taco seasoning into ground beef mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover skillet, and simmer until liquid has reduced, about 15 minutes. Transfer meat mixture to a 10x14-inch casserole dish.

Stir corn bread mix, milk, vegetable oil, and egg together in a bowl; fold in 2 cans drained Mexican-style corn, 1 can drained green chiles, Mexican cheese blend, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spoon cornbread mixture over meat mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the corn bread comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Mexican Strawberry Water (Agua de Fresa)

4 c. strawberries, sliced

1 c. white sugar (or sugar to taste)

8 c. cold water

1 lime, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

8 fresh mint sprigs (optional)

In a medium bowl, mix together sliced strawberries, sugar, and 1 cup of water. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

Remove the strawberry mixture from the refrigerator and pour into a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Pour the blended berry mixture through a wire mesh strainer set over a large mixing bowl; discard the pulp and seeds.

Add the remaining 7 cups cold water to the pureed strawberries and mix well. Place the Aqua de Fresa in the refrigerator to chill for several hours or pour over ice and serve immediately. Garnish with lime slices or mint leaves.

Flan Mexicano

1 c. white sugar

1 c. whole milk

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

3 egg yolks

1/4 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 T. grated orange peel

1 T. vanilla extract

1 T. cornstarch

1 c. heavy cream

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.

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.

Quote of the Week:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” 

~ Martin Luther King Jr.