Cinco de Mayo (or 5 May) is a patriotic holiday that celebrates Mexico's heritage and to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. Traditionally celebrated in both America and the Mexican state of Puebla, the holiday's spirit has spread across the globe, giving plenty of people an excellent reason to indulge in spicy and savoury Mexican food.
As we're quite the fan of both margaritas and Mexican food, here are a couple of recipes so you can celebrate at home in true Mexican style.
How to Make the Perfect Burrito
Our friends at Chilango have shared with us their secrets on how to make the perfect burrito. Luis Castro, Chilango's Food Innovation Director, says that when making burritos at home, you should keep it simple, and focus on a burrito's four crucial components, which are the meat, the salsa, the tortilla, and the avocado.
MEAT
What to do: Marinate 1kg of sliced bavette steak overnight in a mix of chopped coriander, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 finely chopped jalapeno, juice of two limes, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 teaspoon of cumin, salt. Cook in a HOT grill pan.
SALSA
What to do: For a fresh, vibrant pico de gallo, mix together four finely chopped ripe vine tomatoes, small bunch of coriander, ½ a Spanish onion, juice of 1 lime, and salt.
TORTILLA
What to do: The thinner the better; the tortilla is merely a “carrier” for the goodness inside. If you have a gas burner, knock it on high, flop the tortilla on top of the flame and drag it slowly across the burner. Rotate the tortilla as you repeat the process. You should get a bit of char, but don’t burn it.
Wrap in foil and keep warm in a 100C oven while you prepare the next one.
AVOCADO
What to do: Finish with slices of ripe Hass avocado. Extras such as crisp lettuce, sour cream and cheese work well too.
How to Serve
1) Aim for 150g of meat, 50g of pico and 4-5 slices of avocado in each burrito.
2) Place the filling in the centre of the warm tortilla, leaving a bit of space at the bottom. Fold the bottom up, then wrap each side around the filling and roll. Enjoy with an ice cold beer or authentic margarita.
How To Make a Classic Margarita
A classic margarita recipe from the Cocktails at Sainsburys book, which is available at Sainsburys for only £3!
Ingredients
35ml tequila
15ml Cointreau
25ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
ice cubes
12.5ml sugar cane syrup
slice of lime, cut to look like a wheel, to garnish
Method
1) Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker
2) Fill with ice and shake hard
3) Strain into cocktail glass
4) Garnish with lime wheel on side of the glass
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