Community Corner

Patch Recipes: Cinco de Mayo Food and Drinks

Eat, drink and have fun (safely), just don't call it Mexican Independence Day.

Today is Cinco de Mayo, which marks the 151st anniversary of the Mexican victory in the Battle of Puebla against a better-equipped and larger invading French military. Cinco de Mayo festivities throughout the United States celebrate Mexican heritage and culture.

As we strive for accuracy at Patch, let's be clear about something important—Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That falls on Sept. 16. Go here to learn more about Cinco de Mayo.

Here are some recipes you can try to make your Cinco de Mayo celebration a good one.

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Shrimp and Mango Ceviche

from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Patch

Ceviche Ingredients

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  • 1 red bell pepper, small dice
  • 1 red onion, small dice
  • 3 jalapenos, small dice 
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 2 mangoes, skin removed and small dice
  • 1/4 cup of minced mint
  • 1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 pound of 31-40 count shrimp cut in half
  • 14 medium-sized limes and the juice of these limes.

Salsa Verde Ingredients

  • 5 roasted tomatillos. (Remove the husk, rinse in cold water, drizzle with olive oil, dust with salt and pepper and throw them into a 375-degree oven on a sheet pan until the skin has begun to turn a dark brown color. It's OK if they burn a little. You need the few sugars in the tomatillos to caramelize. If not, the bitterness of the tomatillos will dominate the salsa. A little sweetness is a good thing!)
  • 8 scallions
  • 1 bunch of cilantro

Directions

Add the ceviche ingredients to a large mixing bowl and let the mixture sit for about three hours. When all the shrimp are bright white and no longer opaque, season the ceviche with salt and pepper to taste. In a food processor, add the tomatillos along with the juices on the sheet pan from the roasting process, the scallions and the cilantro to a food processor and puree. 

Add a small amount of salsa verde to the bottom a plate and using the back of a large spoon, scrape the sauce across the plate. Place a mound of the ceviche in an artful position in relation to the salsa verde. 

Guacamole

from Los Alamitos Patch

Ingredients

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1 fresh lime
  • 1 small vine tomato
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • 3 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1 tbsp. sea salt
  • Dash of freshly ground pepper
  • I minced garlic clove (optional)
  • 1 or 2 Serrano chilies seeded and chopped

Recipe

  • Cut avocados in half, remove pit, scoop out the avocado into a bowl and mash with the back of a fork. 
  • Finely chop the red onion and add to the bowl.
  • Mince the cilantro, about 3 tbsp., and add to the bowl.
  • Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice of both halves into the bowl. Mix. 
  • Add the sea salt and the freshly ground black pepper.
  • Seed the vine tomato and then dice. Add the tomato to the bowl. (*Note: if you are not serving the guacamole right away, do not add the tomato until right before serving. If you add the tomato to the guacamole and let it sit the tomatoes will get mushy.)
  • Mix everything together.
  • Taste! Want it a little sweeter? Add some more lime juice. Need more salt or pepper? Add some more!

Enchilada

from Farmington Patch

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup light sour cream
  • 10 ounces enchilada sauce (canned is just fine)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 can black beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed (canned corn works just fine, but drain it first)
  • 1/4 cup diced jalapenos or 4 oz. can of green chiles
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 10 8-inch flour tortillas
  • Tomato, avocado and cilantro for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.

In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup of each type of cheese. Add chicken, corn, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper, jalapenos and scallions. Stir together until incorporated. 

Spread about half the remaining enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Spoon the filling into each tortilla, roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish with the seam down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the filled tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until hot.

Watermelon Margarita

from Campbell Patch

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Casamigos Reposado Tequila
  • 4 ounces triple sec
  • 4 cups cubed watermelon
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 limes, juiced

Directions

In a blender, puree watermelon and sugar until smooth. Pour puree through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer liquid to a pitcher and add limejuice, tequila and triple sec. Stir to combine. Divide margarita into glasses and garnish with watermelon wedge.


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