What are you cooking for Cinco de Mayo?

I just realized that Cinco de Mayo is on Saturday, and, coincidentally, I'm having a friend over for dinner. I hadn't yet planned the menu (though I'd been mulling it over for the last week), so I thought I'd see what everyone else is preparing.

I've just pulled out my trust Rick Bayless "Mexico: One Plate at a Time," so I'll spend the afternoon browsing through that looking for inspiration.

Inspired by a really enjoyable mini-LTH dinner at Chuck's Southern Comfort Cafe last Sunday night, I began marinating my pork this morning for Conchita Pibil and purchasing the fixings for the obligatory marinated red onions and xnipec as accompaniments.

It should be noted that, if you choose to undertake this recipe yourself, just buy the ground achiote rather than trying to grind up the whole annatto yourself. The whole annatto becomes a cement like paste that will simply f*%k up a perfectly good spice/coffee grinder rendering it useless for any future use.

We'll also be complimenting the cold keg of Corona with some shrimp ceviche ala the Bayless recipe and fresh made guacamole and pico de gallo. Some of the ladies from the office are bring homemade chicken taquitos.

Shots of tequila will likely ensue.

Well, I'm not sure we're making it for Cinco de Mayo, but one dish that we've made a couple of times in the past week is Queso Fundido. It's really easy! All you have to do is fry up some chorizo with a little onion, and put it in a small pan. Then you sprinkle a lot of grated chihuahua cheese on top and broil it till it's melted. Serve with chips and salsa.

I'm having a fiesta.... a Filipino Fiesta for Cinco de Mayo. It's a pot luck and here is our tentative menu for tomorrow. (Astericks indicate what I'm making/bringing):

* Tamarind Shrimp Soup (Sinigang ng Hipon)
* Soy Sauce Chicken (Chicken Adobo)
* Beef & Tomato Stew (Mitsado)
* Garlic Fried Rice
Spring Rolls (Lumpia)
Eggplant & Tomato Salad (Talong at Kamatis)
Cassava Cake
* Coconut Pandan Cupcakes (Buko Pandan)
* Sweet Purple Yam Cupcakes (Ube)
Pineapple Dessert Mold
Pineapple Philippine Lemon (Kalamansi) Punch
Pili Nuts (Philippine nuts)

The Conchita Pibil and xnipec were a big hits. We served it nacho stye with a little sour cream, xnipec and pickled onion on a crisp tostada.

I made a snapper Veracruz-style and poblano rice with queso fresco. Both were new recipes, and were big hits. But every time I make margaritas, I tell myself that I need an electric juicer. Those buggers are a pain in the neck to juice, even with my handy dandy reamer.

chgoeditor wrote:But every time I make margaritas, I tell myself that I need an electric juicer. Those buggers are a pain in the neck to juice, even with my handy dandy reamer.

I bought a Waring electric juicer some 25ish years ago back in my margarita makin' days. It is still running smoothly; turning out lemon, lime and orange juice as required without even a whimper.

Well, we just celebrated the holiday this evening, as we had Beerfest last night, but I made a double batch of this pork tinga recipe, and it was most excellent.

We enjoyed them as tostadas, with some refried beans, and some diced mango and pineapple tossed with cilantro, lime juice and a dash of slivered serranos, and some tasty margaritas to wash it all down with.

And, to top it all off, I've got a pineapple upside down cake in the oven!

did our cinco de mayo feast on Saturday... no time to do it right on a worknight & it was a perfect night out in God's Country.

Arrachera:









Papaya, smoked corn and black bean salad:



Smoked turkey wings:







guac:



chicharones quesadilla:





nutella, caramel & banana chimichangas:



beverage:



All items were killer, top of the heap: (1) Chicharones quesadilla, (2) Nutella, caramel & banana chimi's, (3) arrachera

Hot DAMN!
I'll be over at 6:00 next Saturday

Great minds think alike. I made Arrachera tacos and guac last night after being on the road all weekend. It was a great wecome home meal!

jimswside wrote:
guac:



beverage:

All items were killer, top of the heap: (1) Chicharones quesadilla, (2) Nutella, caramel & banana chimi's, (3) arrachera

Great photos and the feast looks GREAT!

Cbot wrote: Great photos and the feast looks GREAT!

thanks my friend.

since I did 4+ lbs of arrachera I bagged up some portions and tossed them in the box freezer.

Arrachera nachos tonight for the actual 5th of May.

Pan browned enchiladas with pulled pork from last weekend's cook. Shredded cheese and roasted poblano strips inside, too.
Sides of yellow onion, sour cream, lime wedges and Vigo Yellow Rice.

That Camarena tequila at $18/bottle is fantastic in my opinion (even though I don't know a whole lot about tequilas).