The Weekend Series: five fast and fun Mexican recipes to celebrate Cinco de Mayo
Pop on your poncho on and grab your maracas – it’s time to celebrate the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo! Here are five of our favourite Mexican recipes that will have your taste buds dancing (the Salsa, of course). Ole!
Try your hand at: Churros with Mexican hot chocolate
Now that the nights are getting a little crisp, it’s the perfect time for swap your standard bowl of ice cream for a cockle-warming hot chocolate. But we’re not talking your run-of-the-mill powder-based ho cho. We’re talking a cinnamon-laced number made with creamy Mexican chocolate and spiced up with a chilli or two. Serve with a plateful of piping hot, cinnamon sugar-crusted Mexican donuts (known as churros) and experience dessert nirvana.
Try your hand at: Mexican steak Cobb salad with cilantro vinaigrette
Are those cheesy, meat-stuffed burritos, enchiladas and quesadillas threatening to pop the button on your jeans? Opt for a lighter option and whip up a tasty salad instead. A harmony of marinated lean steak, crunchy lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon and creamy avo, all topped with a zesty cilantro dressing, this is one salad you will want to make friends with.
Try your hand at: Grilled buttered corn and barbeque spice rubs
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that yield the most enjoyment. What’s not to love about hot, buttery cobs of corn, coated in homemade spice mixes (think fresh lime and sea salt, or a smoky mix of paprika, pepper, salt flakes and garlic), and lighted charred on the barbie? Sink your teeth in, let the juice dribble down your chin, and repeat.
Try your hand at: Portobello mushroom, cheddar and caramelised onion quesadillas
While the humble quesadilla is traditionally known as Mexican street food, this recipe ups the ante by introducing a few gourmet ingredients. Simply caramelise some onions in brown sugar and balsamic vinegar, sautee a handful of mushies in garlic butter, and stuff into a lightly charred tortilla alongside cheddar and rocket leaves. Toast until the cheese is gooey, serve with a dollop of lemon-scented sour cream, and – boom! – watch your popularity skyrocket.
Try your hand at: Mexican sweet potato hash with black beans and spinach
Warning: this recipe is packed with nutrient-dense superfoods and may leave you feeling smug and virtuous. If that sounds like a risk you’re willing to take, then best you pop down to your local market, snaffle up the freshest sweet potato, shallots and spinach you can find, and whip up this flavour-bomb of a dish.
If you’d rather someone else organise the fiesta for you, head to one of the many Mexican spots in our Stumble Guide!
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.