Cinco de Mayo

I had a Cuatro de Mayo pre-celebration.

We got together to cook, eat, and celebrate with love. For this magical and colourful occasion Laura’s friends came over and we had an interactive cooking party. The idea was a table market, more like a mercadito, a bodega, where altogether at the same time you have the fresh herbs, jars, canned food, tequila, flowers, fruits and meats. A community table ready with all the ingredients for preparation, cooking, and eating simultaneous. Where the simplicity and spontaneity blend together into a relaxing state.

The tortillas were homemade following the package instructions on the instant corn masa flour. With fajitas, they are easy to make and can please everyone’s tastes, vegetarian with asparagus and mushrooms to chicken or meat with onions and peppers. My dear guests cut all the fresh ingredients that were at the table, some into strips and some into small cubes. And from there it was just mix and combine. They did all the cooking. The king was the scrumptious guacamole made with avocados, tomatoes, onion, lemon, cilantro, jalapeños, and salt. And the queen, the frozen Margarita.

 

What we ate:

Frozen Margarita (1 serving)

1 cup crushed ice
3 ounces of tequila
2 ounces lemon juice.
1 ounce Cointreau
1 tablespoon of simple syrup
salt

Preparation:
Rub rim of a cocktail glass with lemon wedge and dip into salt to coat around the rim.
Mix in a blender the tequila, Cointreau, lemon juice and crushed ice. Pour into a cocktail glass.

 

The Guacamole

measurements are approximate, make to suit your own tastes
4 avocados
1 onion
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons of jalapeños, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
salt

Preparation
In a molcajete combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly, adding the lemon juice and salt at the end (to keep any leftovers from oxigenating, I like to put in the pits of the avocados and splash lemon juice over the top then seal with plastic wrap.) The best though is to make it at the very last and eat it quickly.

 

Chicken Fajitas

chicken strips (marinate with minced garlic, salt, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and tequila)
onion (cut into strips)
red, yellow, green, and orange peppers; cored, seeded, and cut into strips
leek, cut into strips
olive oil (for saute)

In a large saucepan or grill, saute chicken and veggies. Cook chicken until tender.

 

Steak Fajitas

flank steak or skirt steak (season with salt, cumin, and mexican oregano)

Grill to desired doneness and cut it into thin slices.

 

Vegetarian

asparagus
mushrooms

Saute on the grill, then serve with the sauteed onions and peppers.

 

Mango Salsa (quantities to your own taste)

mango, pitted, peeled, and chopped
red pepper, chopped
red onion, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
lime juice

Combine and season with salt.

 

Pico de Gallo (quantities to your own taste)

plum tomatoes, finely chopped
onion, finely chopped
fresh cilantro, finely chopped
jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
lime juice

Combine and season with salt.

 

Toppings and Accompaniments

refried red beans
Mexican cream
white cheese, grated
cilantro, chopped
jalapeño, chopped
iceberg lettuce, shredded
hot chili sauce
Pico de Gallo
Mango Salsa

 

For Dessert

We had watermelon and slices of orange as our first dessert course and to refresh our palettes.

Tres Leches: (a totally stress-free dessert)
I bought individual pre-made sponge cakes and poured the three milks over them: evaporated milk, heavy cream, and sweetened condensed milk.

I grated chilli chocolate over, and voila!, the dessert was ready. Everyone made their own tres leches mini-cake at the table. We followed them each with an espresso topped with a scoop of frothed milk and a garnish of orange peel.

I want to thank Chichi, Casey, Blair, Sofia, and Laura for making my stress-free and enjoyable Pre-Cinco de Mayo!

xoxo