Throwing a Cinco de Mayo party this year? As you probably know, food is the centerpiece of every successful gathering. Classic recipes like guacamole and salsa are a must, but by spicing up your tried and true recipes, your guests are sure to be impressed. If you’re looking for new recipes to try this Cinco de Mayo, we have you covered. Casey Easton of Food Lab Boulder has provided these incredible recipes. Happy hosting!
Mezcal Paloma
2 ounces mezcal
2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice, plus wedges for garnish
2 ounces sparkling water or your favorite flavored sparkling water
½ ounce lime juice
¼ ounce agave nectar
Coarse sea salt, for the rim of the glasses
- Rub the rim of the glasses with lime or grapefruit juice, thin dip in a plate of coarse salt.
- Mix the mezcal, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and agave nectar into the glass. Fill with ice, serve with grapefruit wedge.
The Best Guac
This is inspired by the amazing Mission restaurant in Scottsdale, Arizona.
2 ripe avocados
1 TBSP toasted pumpkin seeds
1 TBSP crumbled cotija
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP red onion, diced small
½ jalapeno, diced
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp chipotle sauce
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
Salt
- Mash avocados lime and salt in a bowl, mixing thoroughly.
- Fold in remaining ingredients, leaving out anything you don’t like!
- Serve with chips and salsa.
Salsa Verde (serves 8)
5 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
3 cloves garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded
2 limes, juiced and zested
8 sprigs cilantro
4 sprigs parsley
Salt
Combine all of the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend them until mostly smooth.
Goat Cheese Green Chili Queso
1 TBSP butter
1 TBSP AP flour
½ cup milk
6 ounces monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
2 green chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
Tortilla chips for serving
2 carrots for serving
- Turn the oven on to broil.
- Melt butter in a pan on medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for a minute, add milk and stir until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat and fold in monterey jack and green chilies.
- Place in an oven safe dish, top with goat cheese and place in the oven for 5 minutes. Enjoy with chips and vegetables.
Chicken Lime Cilantro Taquitos
Braised Chicken Filling
2 TBSP canola oil
2 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
1 TBSP guajillo or New Mexican red chile powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
½ onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup chicken stock
½ cup canned tomatoes, crushed
1 lime, zested and juiced
Salt
- Heat the canola oil in a skillet on medium high. Add chicken, onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes and add chili powder, cumin and salt. Once the chicken is seared a bit, turn the heat down to medium and add tomatoes and chicken stock.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it for 15 minutes or until it is tender and there is little to no liquid left in the pan. Turn off the heat, and add the lime zest and juice. Using two forks, shred the chicken and allow it to cool slightly before using it to make your taquitos.
Taquitos
8 corn tortillas, 6” wide
2 cups braised chicken filling
1 cup cotija, crumbled
2 sprig cilantro, picked
½ cup sour cream
1 TBSP chipotle sauce
1 lime, cut into wedges for serving
Frying oil
- Heat a saute pan to medium high and coat with oil. Heat tortillas, one at a time, 30 seconds on each side. Set aside.
- Place 3-4 tablespoons of braised chicken in a line through the middle of each tortilla, and top the chicken mixture with a tablespoon of cotija. Roll up each tortilla tightly into a cylinder, and skewer them with a toothpick to hold their shape.
- Once all of the tortillas have been stuffed, recoat the pan generously with oil, gently set the taquitos back in the hot oil using the toothpick to drop them in and fry them until the tortilla is golden and crisp, about 3-5 minutes. Remove and set on a paper towel.
- Combine sour cream with chipotle sauce, mixing well.
- Serve taquitos with cilantro and sour cream sauce immediately with lime wedges on the side.