How about five easy, but super tasty, recipes for your Cinco de Mayo brunch!
EASY RECIPE
Bacon Tacos.
Recipe serves four.
Ingredients:
1 lb. thick butcher cut bacon.
8 eggs.
8 taco shells.
2 tomatoes – diced.
1 can re-fried beans.
1 C Mexican cheese mixture – shredded.
1 avocado – cut into wedges.
1 lime – cut into wedges.
1 Tbsp fresh chopped cilantro.
1 Tbsp bacon grease.
Preparation:
This brunch recipe is super easy to make, but timing the elements is critical to the final result. So, it is important to do the meal in stages.
Stage 1:
Chop the cilantro.
Dice the onions and tomatoes, sprinkle some cilantro on the tomatoes, cover and set aside.
Spoon canned re-fried beans into pot, and reserve empty can.
Cut the lime into wedges.
Stage 2:
Heat fry pan to medium high heat and begin browning the bacon. This will take some time and will include multiple batches. You may need to drain off bacon fat midway. If so, place a paper towel in the empty bean can, and carefully pour grease into the can; but remember to reserve 1 Tbsp.
As each batch of bacon is done place bacon on paper towel on plate with large pot cover to keep warm.
When all the bacon is cooked, turn burner off, and in mixing bowel crack 8 eggs and then whisk them.
Place fry pan with bacon scraps and 1Tbsp of grease back on medium heat and when warm add the eggs. Salt and pepper to taste and begin to fold the eggs to create soft scrambled eggs.
At same time heat re-fried beans on low temperature.
Stage 3:
When eggs are done, plate them along with the bacon and taco shells on a large serving platter.
Peal and cut the avocado into thin wedges.
Plate the onion, tomatoes, avocado, and limes.
Place beans in bowl and cheese in bowl.
Place store bought salsa in bowl.
Shrimp Street Tacos.
Ingredients: Serves 4 people
1lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined) use a medium to large size shrimp
Corn tortillas (min. 2 per person)
1 head lettuce
1 Onion
1 to 2 ripe tomatoes
4 Avocados
Cilantro
4 Limes
Sour Cream (light sour cream is fine for the calorie watchers)
Cheese (your choice, but we used medium sharp cheddar)
Old Bay seasoning (2 tbsp)
Cumin seasoning (1/2 tbsp)
Cayenne seasoning (1/2-1 tsp) This stuff brings the heat!
Olive oil
1-2 cans your choice black or re-fried beans (this will be your side)
Salsa of your choice
Tortilla chips
Taco Prep:
Shrimp:
Cut shrimp into little cubes about 1/2 inch and drop into bowl.
Add seasoning and sprinkle with olive oil.
Mix and set aside
Taco Fillings:
Get several bowls out. We are going to prep all the taco fillings. Go ahead and prep more than you think you’ll need. This will be served buffet style so we want people to not be shy about filling up their tacos.
Finely chop onion, tomatoes, lettuce, 1 avocado (small cubes), cilantro and grated cheese (1-2 cups). Slice limes.
Set all into individual bowls
Tortilla Prep:
Each tortilla needs to have a sprinkling of olive oil. This keeps them from sticking to the pan as you fry them, but also helps give a slight crunch and golden brown look. Follow my steps to achieve this goal and it’s a fairly low cal/grease technique. You want a slight coating on both sides. Not dripping, but coated.
Sprinkle/drizzle oil over tortilla. Then grab another “dry” tortilla and rub them together spreading oil onto both tortillas.
Repeat
Cook time:
Preheat one large pan/skillet (high heat).
Preheat one medium pan/skillet (medium high heat).
Open beans, put into pot on low to simmer.
In large pan/skillet over high heat fry tortillas. The idea is to give each side a nice golden brown. You know it’s close when the tortilla starts to visibly bubble up. Flip as needed. When cooked, place on plate and cover.
Add shrimp to medium pan. Cook for about 4 minutes or until pink. These guys cook fast!
Fish Tacos
Recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
1 lb. fish filets ( I used cod but you can use whatever you like or looks the freshest)
8 soft corn taco shells
4 limes
2 avocados – sliced
1 red onion – diced
1 tomato – diced
1/2 cup cilantro – chopped
14.5 oz black or re-fried beans
olive oil
1/2 Tbsp chipotle chili pepper
1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
4 Tbsp low fat mayo
Colby cheese – grated
Siracha (spicy red sauce in Asian food section)
Preparation:
Rinse and paper towel dry the fish filets. Place filets on a plate and drizzle olive oil on each filet, then spread oil with fingers. Halve two limes. Squeeze juice of one lime on the filets and then sprinkle each with half the chipotle and cumin powder. Flip the filets drizzle with oil , juice of the second lime, and add the remain chiptole chili pepper and cumin. Finally sprinkle a little chopped cilantro and salt and pepper on the fish. Cover the fish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Chop lettuce, dice onion, tomato, and place in small bowls for individual use.
To a small bowl add the mayo and add maybe a 1/4 tsp of Siracha, squeeze a little lime juice and stir. If you want the mayo spicier add more Siracha.
Heat BBQ grill to high. Grill fish on each side for 4 minutes. Only turn fish once to avoid breakage.
Heat beans on oven.
In the last 4 minutes of grilling peel the avocados and cut into strips.
Place 8 soft taco shells on a paper plate, cover with damp paper towel and cook in microwave for 40 seconds.
Plate one fish filet on each taco shell and invite your family or guests to add the goodies in the bowels, and small plate of lime and avocado slices, to construct their vision of the perfect taco. I like to put a little smear of the mayo-siracha spread on half the taco shell and top with all the goodies. Repeat as necessary!
Chorizo and Mole Tacos.
Recipe serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
One and 1/2 lbs. Chorizo ( beef or pork or if vegetarian use soy chorizo)
15 oz can tomato sauce
Small soft tortillas
Goat Cheese – hand crumbled
2 tomatoes – diced
2 oz dark chocolate (I used Dark Oregon Chocolate Decadence)
1/4 C minced onion
1 Tbsp fire roasted green chilies – canned
1 tsp Chili powder
1 garlic clove -minced
green onion diced
cilantro chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
Preparation:
In medium size pot heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and then reduce heat to low.
Add onion and saute until soft.
Add roasted green chilies and garlic.
Add tomato sauce, chili powder and stir.
Raise heat to medium, and when sauce is bubbling, reduce heat to simmer.
Break chocolate bar into smaller pieces and add to sauce. Stir the sauce as the chocolate melts.
Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes to allow it to reduce a little.
In large fry pan brown the chorizo (spoon out excess grease).
In separate fry pan heat canola oil and until hot, slowly place a tortilla shell into the oil for for a few seconds, remove with tongs and repeat with other shells.
Place tortilla shells on plate. Spread Mole sauce on each shell, add the chorizo, green onion, cilantro, and goat cheese. Place extra Mole sauce in small bowl.
Ahi Tacos.
Recipe serves 4.
Ingredients:
¾ lb. Ahi Tuna – sushi quality
½ head cabbage – shredded
¼ onion – diced
1 chipotle pepper pod
½ tsp dried oregano
1 clove garlic
¼ bunch of cilantro
¼ C red wine vinegar
½ tsp Wasabi powder
½ tsp Adobo sauce (from the chipotle pod can)
1 C vegetable or chicken stock
2 limes – one for juice, one for garnish
1 carrot – julienne cut
Taco shell (soft)
½ cup shredded cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 can re-fried beans
Montreal Steak Seasoning
Preparation:
Mix shredded cabbage and carrots in a large bowl.
Add to a blender: onion, chipotle pod, garlic, red wine vinegar, Wasabi powder, Adobo sauce, stock, juice of one lime, salt and pepper to taste. Blend. Add the cilantro and blend a second time .
Add 1/3 of the blended sauce to the bowl of cabbage/carrots and stir.
Cook re-fried beans on low heat.
Rinse Ahi, and then dab dry with paper towel.
Coat the Ahi on both sides with canola oil and then liberally coat both sides with Montreal Steak Seasoning .
Heat large fry pan and 1 tsp canola oil on medium high heat, when hot add the Ahi. Cook Ahi 2 minutes on each side. Remove to cutting board.
Heat taco shells briefly in oiled fry pan or in microwave with shell covered by damp paper towel.
Slice slender servings of the seared Ahi.
To heated taco shell add re-fried beans, cabbage, seared Ahi, drizzle a little sauce over the ahi, and top with a little cheese.
Garnish the plate with additional shredded cabbage, beans, and lime slices.
AND STUFF
And there you have it, five recipes for your party on the fifth day of the fifth month. Have a great and safe Cinco de Mayo.
Good Eating and Table Talk,
Roger
- Recently discharged unofficial Army Ranger Amber Reyes, now residing in Los Angeles, meets ex-FBI agent Jack Fields. They merge their formidable skills to form 3-D Security. A London insurer hires them to do a simple security review of a firm that stores gold for the wealthy. Now all they need to do to grow their new client is live long enough to thwart an elaborate gold heist. Available in select bookstores, all e-book formats, and through http://www.rogerscouton.com.
Follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/EasyRecipesAndStuff and on Twitter @easyrecipesrog
