The fifth of May is just ‘around the corner’ and I have all of the ingredients needed for making Tamales, absolutely necessary in my opinion, to celebrate one of my favorite holidays.
The date of May 5 is observed to commemorate the Mexican’s ‘rag tag’ army’s unlikely victory over the French empire at the Battle of Pueblo on May 5, 1862. Many people incorrectly believe this date is to celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day which occurred fifty years earlier, on September 16, 1812.
If you are one of the 33.6 million U.S. residents that come from Mexican heritage, it should be no surprise that Cinco De Mayo is celebrated in the U.S. in greater numbers than in Mexico. Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Denver, with Florida’s Del Ray Beach hosting their annual Chihuahua races, are followed by the countries of Australia, Canada, Jamaica and Europe getting in on their fair share of salsa and dip.
In the U.S. there is more salsa sold than what we thought was our number one condiment, ketchup. On May 5 there will be 81 million avocados sold along with those tortilla chips, making up that delicious dish we know as ‘chips and dip’. Yum Yum!
Needed to wash down those chips are margaritas and cerveza (beer) topping the list. With that said, Mexican beers now top imported beer sales to the U.S., with Victoria overtaking Corona sales, followed by Modelo Especial. The Mexican beers are brewed German-style using barley in place of corn for its fermentation process. If you are hosting a Cinco de Mayo party, you cannot go wrong serving any one of these three beers topped with a slice of lime.
As in the U.S., microbreweries are fast becoming popular in Mexico with 66 percent of its population partaking of cerveza annually.
Nectar from the Agave plant, along with added yeast is part of the formula for making Tequila, the main ingredient of Margaritas.
Should Margaritas be your drink of choice, there are many great tequilas available. My hubby always believed that if you were planning to mix alcohol with sweet ingredients, then don’t go for the better quality or expensive tequilas which can range from $40 a fifth (Gold Sauza) to $90 and up (Cuervo La Reserva). Fairly decent tasting tequila can be found under $20, Tequila Blanco Silver for example.
According to Smithsonian magazine, Carlos Herrera reportedly developed the Margarita at his restaurant in Tijuana in 1936.
Topping off your Cinco de Mayo celebration should be a colorful Piñata in the shape of an animal, bird, star or even the moon. Filled with trinkets and candy, the piñata is waiting to be hit by a bat and its contents spilled out for all to enjoy. Evil spirits are thought to be vanquished when the piñata is broken.
Follow the above ideas with some Mariachi music added, you will enjoy your Cinco de Mayo party to the fullest. Viva Cinco de Mayo!
Vegetarian Tamale Pie (Serves 6-8)
1 lb. of sautéed 80% ground round may be added.
Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Preheat oven to 475 deg. In a bowl toss together:
2 (28 oz.) cans of well-drained diced tomatoes. Reserve juice.
1 medium onion coarsely chopped.
4 coarsely chopped garlic cloves.
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. salt
Spread on baking sheet and roast 35-40 min. until edges are dark brown. Stir often. Remove from oven and transfer along with juices to blender. Add to blender:
4 tsp. lime juice 1 Tbsp. chopped canned chipotle chile in adobo
sauce
1 Tbsp. chili powder
Reserved canned tomato juice
Process 8-10 pulses only until slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce into a large bowl and add:
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup zucchini cut into ½ in. cubes
¼ cup diced cilantro
1 tsp. dried oregano
Set bowl aside.
In a large saucepan boil 4 cups of water. Add ¾ tsp. salt and slowly add while whisking vigorously to avoid lumps forming:
1 ½ cups coarse-ground cornmeal
Cook on med. High for 3-4 minutes until cornmeal is softened and is thickened.
Preheat oven to 375 deg. and in a 9 x 12 in. baking dish pour in all ingredients and spread evenly. Top with
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Spread cornmeal evenly over dish making sure to push to edges of dish. Cover with aluminum foil that has been sprayed with PAM or vegetable oil. Bake 30 min. and then remove foil. Continue baking until crust is beginning to brown and filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Great with a dollop of sour cream and/or guacamole.
