Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Home

Have you ever purchased a boxed taco kit, or pre-made tortillas from your local supermarket, only to go through all the trouble of preparing a Mexican fiesta at home and finding out with that first bite that your taco is stale?  Well I sure have, and it’s a major bummer! 

So I told myself, “Christina, you’re better than stale tacos!”  Why not get back to basics and prepare a great Mexican fiesta from scratch, the way Mexican food was intended: with fresh, simple, quality, locally- produced ingredients. 

I consider myself a Mexican food connoisseur, and could indulge in Mexican food everyday, seven days a week, and never tire of it.  I love the bold spices and unlimited combinations of ingredients used in a majority of Mexican dishes such as lime, chiles, garlic, and cilantro, just to name a few.With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, why not treat yourself, your family, and friends to a Mexican fiesta at home? 

Cinco de Mayo happens to be one of my favorite holidays, I mean, it’s right up there with Christmas and Thanksgiving in my book (food-wise that is). Did you know that the annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo, or the 5th day of May, celebrates the Mexican Army’s unlikely 1862 victory over French forces at the Battle of Pueblo during the Franco-Mexican War, which occurred between the years 1861-1867?  It’s not the celebration of Mexico’s Independence Day, which is actually celebrated on September 16th as many may have believed.In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a day which celebrates Mexican culture and heritage.  

In honor of this day, I am providing you with a few of my favorite Mexican recipes, which have served me well.The first recipe is a basic, simple recipe for making homemade corn tortillas using nothing more than Maseca Instant Corn Masa, water, and a pinch of salt.  How simple is that?  This particular type of flour is gluten free, and can also be used to thicken up your favorite chili recipe.  You can find it at your local Stop & Shop or Seabra Market for only $2.99 for a 4.4 lb. bag.  Now that’s a whole lot of tortillas!

Next, it would help if you can get your hands on a good old fashioned cast iron tortilla press.  This will make your life so much easier when pressing out your dough, so I highly recommend it.  I purchased my press at the Sanchez Tortilleria, which is a mini Spanish grocery store located at 802 Atwells Avenue in Providence, Rhode Island.  A little tip: Unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, you may want to bring one of your Spanish interpreter friends with you.  This little market has every hot sauce and Mexican spice imaginable, so it's definitely worth the trip.  And if that's not enough to entice you, fresh tortillas and carne asada are prepared on premises and are made to order.  

If visiting the Tortilleria is not your thing, you can also find a wide variety of tortilla presses and Mexican spices  on-line, through various sites on the web.The second recipe is a recipe for Mexican chorizo, without casings, which I have perfected and developed over the past year by trial and error. For the chorizo, I like to order my pork from right here in Warren.  I usually call ahead, and ask my butcher to grind two pounds of fresh pork butt (which is actually cut from the upper portion of the shoulder) and when I arrive, it's all wrapped up and ready to go. The butchers over at Tom's are extremely helpful and knowledgeable when it comes to answering questions about their great selection of meat and poultry items. 

I have also tried making this chorizo recipe by using the pork that was already pre-ground and available in the meat case, but I wasn't as crazy about it as the ground pork butt.  I found that the pork readily available in the case was ground from pork chops, which is a much leaner cut of pork, and it did't caramelize as well, due to the lower fat content. So just make sure to ask your butcher what type of pork you are buying if it's pre-ground, because it really does make a big difference when making your chorizo.       

Homemade Mexican Chorizo    

Ingredients   

* 2 pounds ground pork butt   
* ¼ cup cider vinegar   
* 1 tablespoon smoked paprika   
* 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, grounded   
* 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, grounded   
* 4 whole cloves, grounded    
* 4 cloves garlic, pasted or grated   
* 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano   
* 2 tablespoons guajillo chile powder   
* 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder   
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt   
* Freshly ground black pepper   
* 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the coriander, cumin, cloves, and Mexican oregano.  Once these spices are grounded, add them to a small bowl with the vinegar, smoked paprika, garlic, quajillo and ancho chile powders, salt and pepper until combined. 
Pour this mixture over the ground pork and mix thoroughly with your hands.  After the mixture is well combined, I like to take a tablespoon of the chorizo and fry it up in a touch of olive oil to see whether it needs more salt or pepper - or more heat!  If you find it needs more salt or pepper, now’s the time to adjust your seasonings.
Let the chorizo set, by refrigerating overnight, so your flavors have a chance to mingle. You are one step closer to your Mexican fiesta!!

Prior to your dinner party, heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat and cook the meat, stirring frequently, while using a wooden spoon to break up the chorizo until it is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add a tablespoon or two of water while cooking to keep the meat moist, if necessary.
Serve with your fresh homemade corn tortillas and a side of refried beans, pico de gallo, Queso Fresco or Manchega cheese and lime wedges.

Cook's Note: I usually make a double batch of this chorizo and freeze half for later, because it freezes so well.  Just divide equal parts of the chorizo between pieces of plastic wrap and roll into logs, that way you can just thaw individually as needed and you will always have fresh, homemade chorizo on hand for tacos, omelets or to top off a pizza.    

Corn Tortillas    

Ingredients

* 2 cups MASECA Corn Masa Flour   
* ¼ teaspoon salt   
* 1  ¼ cups of water (plus 2 tablespoons if needed)

Directions

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a with your hands.  The dough should not be dry or crumbly. You should have one big ball of dough that sticks together.  However, it should not feel sticky to the touch.  If the dough is too dry, just add a tablespoon of water at a time until you reach the right consistency.
Pre-heat a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat, while you start dividing and rolling the masa into 16 equal-sized balls. I use an ice-cream scoop to measure uniform balls.  Line up the balls of masa on a cookie sheet, one by one, and cover with a damp tea towel as you go, so they stay nice and moist, because you do not want the dough to dry out while you are pressing out the tortillas.
Place each ball between two sheets of plastic and press into small disks using a tortilla press.  I usually cut a plastic zip lock back in half, which seems to work much better than plastic wrap.  The tortillas should peel right off the plastic easily, without sticking.
Cook the tortillas on each side for about a minute or until the tortilla puffs up. Place each tortilla in a warmer or in a basket lined with a fresh tea towel as to go, and cover to stay warm. There is nothing better than a warm, homemade tortilla off the press.

Lastly, this wouldn't be a Cinco de Mayo celebration without a fruity, refreshing beverage.  I've decided to forgo the usual margarita recipe, and am providing you with my recipe for something called "Mexican Strawberry Water" (Agua de Fresa), but instead of using sugar, I prefer to use agave nectar, which can be found at your local .      

Mexican Strawberry Water 

Ingredients

* 4 cups strawberries, sliced    
* 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges    
* 1 oz. agave nectar (per drink)    
* 8 fresh mint sprigs    
* 8 cups cold water    
* 2 oz. Tequila (optional - per drink)

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the strawberries, and 1 cup of water.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Remove the strawberry mixture from the refrigerator and pour into blender.  Blend on high until smooth.
Pour blended mixture through a mesh strainer, which is set over a large mixing bowl; discard the pulp and seeds.  Add the remaining 7 cups of cold water to the pureed strawberries and mix well. Place the Strawberry Water in a large pitcher with the mint sprigs and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before your party. 

When your guests arrive, garnish your margarita glasses with lime wedges (and sugar the brims if you like).  To a cocktail shaker, add several ice cubes,  1 cup of Strawberry Water (or more depending on the size of your margarita glass) per person, 1 oz. of agave and 2 oz. of your favorite tequila.  Shake it up and serve!!  

If you're not crazy about strawberries, try this cocktail with watermelon.  The best part about this cocktail is that because you are eliminating the sugar, or sugary pre-made mixers, which most margarita recipes call for, you are also eliminating half of the calories!