Da Goddess

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May 05, 2008

Break Out The Cerveza, It's Cinco De Mayo

I've been getting loads of hits for people looking for info on Cinco de Mayo (although they're spelling it Cinco DA Mayo, which is totally wrong and just so we're all clear here, I prefer Dia De Los Muertos to the 5th of May -- I just don't get the same buzz off a 5th of May like I used to so I've switched to a 5th of whiskey) thus it's entirely warranted that I update a post from the borked archives of way back in Aught-Four.

I'm including an old photo after the old post, too, cuz you haven't had enough of those picture thingies lately, have you? (Surly -- at 6am -- without any alcohol...this is why I'm considered a "catch".)

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not the date of Mexico's freedom from Spain (that occurs on September 16.) Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico's victory against the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Old Town San Diego held its Fiesta Cinco de Mayo last weekend. [ed. note: there was another celebration this weekend, too. Funny how they seem to do it year after year at the same time.]

You can do a little celebrating yourself with some tasty food and a little cerveza.

Click below for a yummy Pork Empanada and Chipotle Salsa recipes. Enjoy!

Pork Empanada

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12-ounce pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chili, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons sour cream

Dough
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 large eggs

Chipotle Salsa (see recipe)
Sour cream

For filling:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, serrano chili, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and allspice to skillet and stir 3 minutes. Add lime juice; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

For dough:
Butter 2 large baking sheets. Mix flour, Masa Harina, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Whisk water and 1 egg in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture; knead in bowl until smooth pliable dough forms, about 2 minutes. Working with half of dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 3 3/4-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds for a total of 12 rounds per dough half.

Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each dough round. Lightly brush edges with egg. Fold dough over, pressing edges with fork to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush empanadas with beaten egg. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with Chipotle Salsa and sour cream.

Chipotle Salsa

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (sold at Latin American markets)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 3 cups.

Posted by Da Goddess at May 5, 2008 06:02 AM

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