Sunday, September 21, 2008

Let's Have A Fiesta!

It’s so easy to have a fiesta these days. No, seriously – it is. I had a couple of friends over for Bid Whist (you cannot be from Chicago and NOT KNOW HOW TO PLAY BID WHIST). I figured it was a perfect time to turn my kitchen in to a hacienda. I did just that. Oh, and you? You can just as easily. The menu was easy, no-fuss, and really fun. I’ve mastered the perfect fish taco. It was on a toasted corn tortilla topped with cheese, a homemade pico de gallo (recipe in this post), and a chipotle sour cream. We also had my version of a Mexican hot wing with an adobo ranch sauce for dipping. We rounded out the meal with a corn muffin loaded with cheddar chese, serrano peppers, and corn kernels that had been pan roasted in a bit of butter. Simple and easy. Most of these recipes are really 1-2-3. Don't believe me? Let's cook!

Mexican Hot Wing

-1 tablespoon of each (ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, honey salt, cayenne pepper and white pepper)

- 4 pounds of chicken wings

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- cilantro & limes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the spices, chicken, and oil together. Let this mariate for as long as possible - overnight even. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes (or until golden brown and crispy).

For the adobo ranch dipping sauce, take your favorite ranch dressing and mix it with two tablespoons of red adobo sauce (you can find this in the Hispanic Foods aisle in your grocery store). Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and dip away!


Fish Tacos

- Any white fish (I used tilapia) cut into strips

- 1 tablespoon of each (ground cumin, coriander, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder)

- 1 cup of corn meal

- oil for frying

- corn tortillas

- a good Latino inspired cheese (I used Chihuahua cheese)

- tons of pico de gallo (combine chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onion, garlic, chiles, lime zest, lime juice, a touch of sugar, salt, and balsamic vinegar)

- chipotle sour cream (combine sour cream and minced chipotle peppers)

Marinate the fish in the spices. Coat with the corn meal and fry at 375 degrees (medium high heat) until golden brown. Toast corn tortillas in the oven until crispy. Top tortilla with fish, cheese, pico de gallo, chipotle sour cream, and a sqeeze of lime.

Mexican Inspired Corn Muffin

- 2 cups of Bisquick

- 1 cup of sugar

- 1 stick of melted butter

- 5 tablespoons of corn meal

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 - 3/4 cups of milk

- 1/2 cup of frozen corn kernels

- 1/4 cup of mild cheddar cheese

- 1/4 cup of minced serrano chiles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients except milk. Add milk slowly to get desired consistency. You're looking for a batter that is a little looser than pancake batter. Once desired consistency is reached, spoon into muffin liners and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.


Fish Tacos!















Marinating the fish!















Chipotle peppers being minced...
















Corn and serranos get a quick saute in butter.















Corn muffins...looks good, right?
















They're marching...three by three - lol.
















Mexican Inspired hot wing - yum!
















A final presentation. They were gone in 5 minutes.















Ingredients for the pico de gallo. Couldn't be simpler.
















Limes...all sqeezed out! (Is sqeezed a word?)
















Another fantastic pic of the 'squeezed' limes.















The finished pico de gallo. Great on just chips.













41 comments:

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

Oh, I love Tex-Mex/Mexican food! Everything sounds and looks delicious! A wonderful party!

Cheers,

Rosa

Swedish Mike said...

Looking good man!

// Mike
http://www.freestylecookery.com

OhioMom said...

I love the chicken wings, especially because they are baked and not fried and the dipping sauce, yummy! I will have to give these a try.

Dee said...

I so want to be your friend and play Bid Whist. I don't even know what that is, but I'll let you win if you let me eat :)

Those tequilla chooks look pretty darn good as well!

Keisha "Kitten" Isaacs said...

I'll have an order of that please! Those chicken wings look yummy yummy for my tummy!

Barbara GF said...

I like your recipe for Mexican-inspired corn muffins, Darius, especially the 1/4-cup of minced serranos you jazzed it up with! I will have to give that one a try.

Susan from Food Blogga said...

Fish tacos and corn muffins? Bring it on!

sonya said...

Oh good lawwwd! How in the world did I miss THIS blog?!?! Every single meal on here is divine, & I just can't wait to try some of your recipes. I love to cook, & better yet, I LOVE to eat, lol. Thanks so much for sharing the goods :)

Proud Italian Cook said...

Fish tacos, wings, I'm In!!! Looking real good here Darius!

La Bella Cooks said...

What a feast! Looks fantastic!

RealHustla said...

Will you marry me, cause I'm hungry?

dessex said...

fish tacos...I've never tried that.

I had a mexican theme going on myself this weekend. Make you go and check out the pics

Suite B said...

What the hell...who are you really? This looks too good, I want to marry you...oh wait I'm already getting married in 11 days...LOL

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

Wow, what a fiesta. I would have love the fish tacos.

Alicia Foodycat said...

I don't play cards, but I could mix margaritas if you'd let me eat? Amazing!

Jan said...

Wow that all looks DELISH!! Mmmmm YUM!

Lori Lynn said...

Hi Darius - we love fish tacos around here, being so close to Baja. Yours look muy delicioso!

The Short (dis)Order Cook said...

Those wings look so good. I'd eat them even faster!

Anonymous said...

yum, looks like great party food!

Jameil said...

i need you to understand the love that is mexican food in my life!! love it!! i want to get a hispanic husband so i can eat it all the time!! i knew i'd get hungry coming here but i couldn't stop myself!!! mmm!! mexican!!

Anonymous said...

It all looks so good! Especially the fish tacos. Better than going out for Mexican!

Thistlemoon said...

This looks so delicious! Makes me want to have a fiesta RIGHT NOW! :)

Cynthia said...

Darn! I wish I could have been there.

Prudy said...

There's nothing I love better than Mexican. Wish I was invited to your fiesta and that I lived close enough to really come.

Susan @ SGCC said...

Wow! That's quite a fiesta! You've got some terrific looking dishes going there. Fish tacos are one of my faves!

eatingclubvancouver_js said...

You've reminded how long we've gone without Mexican. Must remedy that real soon. Great fiesta.

Maria Verivaki said...

chipotle peppers, corn muffins, hot wings - this is definitely a feast!

Miss Snarky Pants said...

Lookin' good Darius...
Lookin' GOOD!!! :-)

glamah16 said...

I admit I dont know Bid Whist. But techincally Im from D.C! Anyway I should have been invited just to eat and look at everyones cards, and talk a bunch of mess. With food like that who could concenrate on cards.

Nicole said...

Hey! I wanted to come to the fiesta!
more cilantro and lime! YYYYUUUUMMMMY!

Anonymous said...

All I had to see was cumin & corriander on chicken & I was sold!
I've done something similar. I bet your place was so aromatic!

Cue the merenge music!!

Anonymous said...

Fish Tacos! That's one of my absolute favorite things to eat Darius, and yours are certainly drool worthy. I love the step by step photography as well. Well done.

One Man’s Opinion said...

Okay, I know I am days lates and dollars short, but "Yum".

Maggie said...

Those hot wings with the lime and cilantro sound fantastic!

Jeanne said...

There are few things I love more than a Mexican feast. We went to a wedding in Mexico in 2005 and I have never eaten so well (or so fresh) in my life. I am SO making those corn muffins!

test it comm said...

That is one tasty looking meal!

Anonymous said...

OMG, you're killing me with those wings. I'll take 2 pounds please...

kellypea said...

Of course those wings were gone in 5 minutes. They sound so good. I'm embarrassed to say I've never made a fish taco, which should be illegal or something when you're from San Diego. I just happen to have some tilapia in the freezer...

Unknown said...

Goodness gracious I love all the chicken recipes in your blog

shweetpotato said...

Ok where is the recipe for pico de gallo?? looks soo good

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