Mexican Night

All right so sometimes I need a little international inspiration to come up with dinner ideas.  What better of a destination to start then Mexico! Everyone knows what a fiesta is! Its good to position this meal around Wednesday to help get over that midweek hump.

This is not just about one simple recipe but an experience. You can always add more or less to this dinner extravaganza.

First off is get the tequila! You can't have Mexican night with some margaritas (on the rocks of course). Okay, well maybe you can, but it sure makes more festive. Just a tip, do not drink more than one margarita while cooking. The food might still taste okay by the end, but it'll taste better if you can remember what you were cooking by the time the food is done. Ha!

My first actual recipe comes from an excellent cookbook that I definitely recommend, especially if you like to see photos of what you are attempt to make.  It has a color photo of every dish in the book, it also has recommended cooking times and techniques for common dishes.  Kitchen Bible (c) 2008 is a great addition to your bookshelf.


Cheese Enchiladas
Sauce: 
Olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup tomato paste
salt & pepper to taste
Filling:
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
8 flour tortillas (or corn is you want it more traditional)

To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until golden, add garlic, then chili powder and cumin.  Add stock and tomato paste simmer for 5 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. prepare filling, heat oil in pan over medium heat cook until the onion and red pepper are tender.

Lightly oil baking dish. Spread each tortilla with a spoonful of sauce. Top with equal amounts of filling and cheese. Roll up and place in dish.
Spread remaining sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 20 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.
*You can add cooked shredded chicken or ground beef into the filling if desire.

This is not a picture I took. Just a search on google images.  I will try to include pictures of my own when possible.

Another fun recipe to you can include in your Mexican fiesta.  A good one from foodnetwork.com courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely.

Steak Fajitas

Marinade: 

1/2 cup olive oil

4 tablespoons tequila
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2 pound) skirt steak, cut in 1/2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 poblano pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
18 flour tortillas
Fresh sprigs cleaned cilantro, for garnish
Lime wedges, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish

Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a large resealable plastic bag. Add the steaks and refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours.

Heat a cast iron grill pan over medium-high heat. Remove the steaks from the marinade and wipe off the excess. Cook the steaks for 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from grill pan to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest while you cook the peppers.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the poblano, red bell pepper, and onion and saute until tender and softened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove to a bowl.

Wipe out the cast iron skillet. Toast the tortillas, until warm and slightly puffy. Remove and wrap in a clean kitchen towel to stay warm.

Cut the steak across the grain into thin 1/2-inch strips. Arrange on a large platter with the vegetables, cilantro, lime wedges, and sour cream.

So tasty but don't forget about the sides. Oh yes I have easy suggestions there too.  Now for the longest time I haaaaaaated black beans. I would only eat refried beans with an Mexican type meal.  Until I found this recipe by Melissa D'Arabian off Food Network.  Yeah yeah I know a lot of Food Network stuff. Its a great place for food ideas.  And the instructional programming is very entertaining.

Perfect Black Beans

1/2 pound dried black beans (I always sub in 2 cans of drained and rinsed black beans)
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
3 fresh garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

The night before, soak the black beans in a large pot of water. The next day, rinse the beans, cover with 3 cups of fresh water and bring to a boil over high heat. (Or if you choose my short cut just drain and rinse the beans and get them in a pot with either water or chicken broth to cover.) Reduce the heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam. Stir in the onion and simmer 30 minutes more. Add the garlic, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar and vinegar, and taste before seasoning with salt and pepper. Turn out into a large serving bowl.


Most of the time we have a Spanish style rice with our Mexican meals. I personally like the Zatarain's Spanish rice.  You just need a can of diced tomatoes to add in.

Don't forget some Mexican hot sauce, such as Cholula.  And guacamole.

Quickie Guacamole

2 avocados

2 roma tomatoes, chopped, remove seeds

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

fresh lime juice

salt and pepper to taste

Pit the avocado by cutting in half longitudinally and hit the knife into the pit and twist.  This should work with a ripe avocado.  Scoop out the tasty green pulp.  Mash together with the remaining ingredients. If you need to refrigerate place plastic wrap directly on the guacamole to reduce air touching the avocados that tend to brown like apples when exposed to air.

This is great for a group of friends or just you and yours. Remember to make it a fiesta.  Have the drinks ready, even if they are virgin.  Chips and salsa are always part of the party.  

Mexican food is easy, cheap and delicious. And much more figure friendly (as Rachel Ray would say) if you make it at home!

Don't forget this is merely a place to obtain ideas.  Even if you choose all, one or none of these recipes, you might be inspired to dig up your own recipe ideas of a Mexican ideas!

Vaya el partido! (Go Party!)