Ideas for an Authentic Cinco De Mayo Dinner
May is just around the corner, and so is Cinco de Mayo. It is never too early to start preparing for this celebration of Mexican culture and heritage. With parades, mariachi music performances and street festivals, this fun holiday gives everyone the chance to enjoy friends, family, and great food! Here are a few ideas to get you started on your search to fill for your May 5th menu with dishes that will get you excited about partying for Cinco de Mayo.
Chiles Rellenos: This is a classic dish that involves stuffed peppers and originated in Puebla. The "chiles" are stuffed with meat, vegetables, cheese, and topped off with flaky crust. To stay true to the classic chiles rellenos, use Poblano peppers (which originated in Puebla).
Mole Sauce and Chicken Enchiladas: There's a wide variety of mole sauce in Mexico, but the most popular of them can be made of bananas, ancho peppers, pumpkin seeds, and even chocolate. Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect pair to smother your mole sauce in.
Make Home made chips and salsa: This classic go-to appetizer can be brought up a step by preparing them all by yourself for a homemade appeal all in 20 minutes. Start off by preparing the salsa in a small bowl. Mix diced tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, coriander, and season to your liking with salt and pepper. Set your fresh made salsa aside and prepare a 2 inch deep pot with oil, heated to a heat of 360°F. You can use a deep-frying thermometer to keep track of the heat. While you wait for the oil to heat up to the right temperature take your choice of tortillas, stack them, and cut them into tortilla shapes. Fry the chips, turning them with a slotted spoon until the are golden brown. Once they are done, let them cool, season them with salt and then serve.
Tamales: Tamales are popular in Mexico and it features, a spiced meat combination that is wrapped in masa and cooked inside a corn husk. Despite what many people think about tamales being a difficult food to make, there are many recipes and ways to make them that are easier than you think.
Drinks: Your Cinco De Mayo menu isn't fully complete without the perfect beverages to wash down all the yummy food! Try a tequila-based cocktail. Tequila is made from the blue agave plant that is mostly cultivated in Mexico. There are many drinks you can explore with tequila such as a margarita or even a tequila sunrise. Be sure to chill your cocktail glasses and stock up on limes.
Now that you are caught up on the many different ideas of what to serve your Cinco De Mayo guests, finalize your menu plans by finding the best recipes that fit your needs and enjoy May 5th with your friends and family.
