Cinco de Mayo Nite: May 2008

One of our best nights EVER - everything was delicious! And healthy! Nice job, girls!

MEXICAN CHOPPED SALAD WITH HONEY-LIME DRESSING
from Stephanie, courtesy epicurious.com

Salad
2 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 can (15.5 oz) black beans, rinsed and well drained
3/4 cup chopped seeded tomato
3/4 cup chopped peeled jicama
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels, uncooked (or frozen or canned)
3/4 cup thinly sliced radishes
Half a ripe avocado, diced
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

Honey-Lime Dressing
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (or more to taste)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (use canned for less heat)

Toss all salad ingredients in a large bowl. In separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over mixture and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste.


GRILLED FISH TACOS
from April

These tacos don’t come from a particular town or restaurant; rather they incorporate elements from many different Yucatan grill masters. The preparation may look complicated, but it’s actually pretty easy – because your guests assemble the tacos themselves.

2 cups chopped white onion, divided
¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
¼ cup olive oil
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 pound Tilapia, striped bass or sturgeon fillets
Coarse kosher salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
Corn tortillas
2 avocados peeled pitted and sliced
½ small head of cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
Salsa Verde
Lime wedges

Stir 1 cup onion, ¼ cup cilantro, oil, 3 tablespoons lime juice, orange juice, garlic and oregano in a medium bowl. Sprinkle fish with coarse salt and pepper. Spread half of onion mixture over bottom of 11x7x2 inch glass baking dish. Arrange fish atop onion mixture. Spoon remaining onion mixture over fish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Turn fish. Cover and chill 30 minutes longer. Whisk mayonnaise, milk and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice in a small bowl.

Brush grill grate with oil. Prepare BBQ (medium high heat). Grill fish with some marinade still clinging until just opaque in center – 3 to 5 minutes per side. Grill tortillas until slightly charred, about 10 seconds per side.

Coarsely chip fish and place on platter. Serve with lime mayonnaise, tortillas, remaining 1 cup chopped onion, remaining ½ cup cilantro, avocados, cabbage, salsa verde and lime wedges.

**I added some thinly sliced/chopped red bell pepper and some carrots to the cabbage.
4 servings

SALSA VERDE

3 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 small onion, quartered through root end
3 to 6 Serrano chilies or 2 to 4 jalapeno chilies
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon or more sugar
Coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons or more fresh lime juice

Prepare BBQ (medium high heat). Thread garlic onto skewer. Grill garlic, tomatillos, onion quarters, and chilies until dark brown spots form on all sides, about 9 minutes for onion, 6 minutes for tomatillos and chilies, and 4 minutes for garlic. Cool. Peel garlic. Trim core from onion. Scrape some of the burnt skin off chilies and stem. Seed chilies for milder salsa if desired. Coarsely chop onion, chilies and garlic. Transfer tomatillos and all vegetables in blender. Add cilantro and ½ teaspoon sugar. Puree until smooth. Season to taste with coarse salt. *** it was VERY HOT at this stage but cools down after cooking. I used 4 Serrano chilies and seeded 2 of the 4.

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Carefully add tomatillo mixture (juices may splatter). Stir until slightly thickened, stirring often about 2 minutes. Add broth and 2 tablespoons lime juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until mixture measures 1 ½ cups – about 10 minutes (*** this took me much longer than 10 minutes, more like 20). Season to taste with salt and more sugar and lime juice if desired. Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly then cover and chill.
Makes about 2 ½ cups

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
from Robyn, courtesy Cooking Light

This is a great way to finish a Mexican dinner. It’s not too sweet, so it provides balance for the hot and spicy flavors of the rest of the meal. Mexican chocolate is sweet, with a hint of cinnamon. Look for it at your local ethnic grocery store or order a box of Ibarra Mexican Sweet Chocolate disks from http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/.

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons all purpose flour, divided
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 large egg whites
1 cup plain fat free yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tablespoon fat free milk
1 ounce Mexican Chocolate (such as Ibarra) coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1.) Preheat oven to 350*
2.) Coat and 8 inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom of pan with wax paper. Coat wax paper with cooking spray; dust with 2 teaspoons flour. Set aside.
3.) Lightly spoon 1 cup flour into dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Sift 1 cup flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) into a bowl. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add yogurt, vanilla, and egg, beating until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan; sharply tap dish once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350* for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan. Place plate upside down on top of cake, invert cake onto platter. Carefully peel off wax paper.
4.) Combine mile and chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGHT for 30 seconds or until chocolate melts; stir until smooth. Cool slightly; drizzle over cake. When glaze is set sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Yield: 8 servings