Food for fiesta

Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, is just around the corner. The holiday commemorates the victory of the Mexicans over the French in the battle of Puebla in 1862.

Parties are held in Puebla and other parts of Mexico on Cinco de Mayo. Four years ago, I attended a Cinco de Mayo party at a Queen Village home on a brutally hot night. Although the hosts were not Mexican, they went all out for the festival, setting up tables and chairs in their large garden, hanging pi�atas for the kids to whack and serving a vast array of Mexican dishes, beer and, of course, margaritas.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, large numbers of Mexican Americans have left New York for Philadelphia. They have opened restaurants and grocery stores and continue to contribute their culture to our city. My favorite South Philly Mexican restaurant is Garibaldi’s, a cozy BYOB on Washington Avenue that once housed Saigon. It is family-owned and the staff makes you feel at home. Whenever I shop in the Italian Market, I sometimes stop by the Tacqueria Veracruzana for a quick bite. Las Cazuelas, a BYOB in Northern Liberties, now has a Queen Village location.

Like America, Italy and France, Mexico has a diverse cuisine that varies from region to region. Chefs and good home cooks living in cities and towns nestled near the sea make use of glorious local fish, such as red snapper. Corn is used for many dishes, from soups to tortillas. Rice is the starch of choice in Mexican fare.

Why not toss a Cinco de Mayo party? Although the fifth of May falls on a Wednesday, celebrate on Saturday or Sunday. Have plenty of tortilla chips and your favorite salsa on hand.

The drinks recipes are from The Craft of the Cocktail by Dale Degroff ($35, Clarkson Potter, hardbound, full-color photographs). Here are recipes for Cinco de Mayo.

Margarita

Ingredients:

1-1/2 ounces tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

Directions:

Combine the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a salted rim.

To salt the rim, rub a lime piece on the outside rim of the glass, then dip the outside rim into a saucer of coarse salt.

Passion Margarita

Ingredients:

3/4 ounce Alize Gold
3/4 ounce tequila
1 ounce Cointreau
3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
Thin lime wheel for garnish

Directions:

Shake all the ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with coarse salt. Garnish with the lime wheel.

Phyllis Stein-Novack’s Guacamole

Ingredients:

6 ripe avocados, peeled, stones removed
Juice of 2 limes
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
Fresh chopped cilantro leaves, to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

Place two of the avocados in the bowl of the food processor along with the lime juice and process until smooth. Using a fork, mash the remaining four avocados in a bowl.

Add the processed avocados to the bowl. Add the tomatoes and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with kosher salt.

Makes about 4 cups.

Taco Buffet

Ingredients:

Crisp taco shells
Boneless chicken breasts, grilled
Sliced black olives
Fresh coriander leaves
Torn crisp romaine leaves
Diced tomatoes
Shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Guacamole
Salsa and pico de gallo

Directions:

This is another great freeform recipe, so amounts vary. The amount of ingredients you need depends on the number of guests you have.

Place the taco shells in a pretty basket. Then place each ingredient in a separate colorful bowl. Have plenty of paper napkins on hand. Guests then build their own tacos.

You can substitute grilled shrimp for the chicken or grilled flank steak. If you plan a large get-together — at least 12 people or more — you might wish to set out chicken, shrimp and steak.

For those who enjoy fajitas, set out a basket of warm flour tortillas. Saut� onions and peppers in olive oil and place them in a bowl along with the ingredients for the taco buffet. Have a bowl of sliced avocados near the fajitas station since the sliced variety goes well with fajitas.

Pico de Gallo
From USA Cookbook by Sheila Lukins

Ingredients:

3 tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (1-1/2 cups)
1/4 cup finely minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoons finely chopped jalape�o pepper, or to taste, optional

Directions:

Toss all the ingredients together in a bowl and let rest for up to one hour before serving, but not too much longer. The fresher, the better.

Makes one cup.

Note from Phyllis: Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

Pickled Mexican Vegetables
From It’s All American Food by David Rosengarten

Ingredients:

1/2 of a large head of cauliflower
2-1/2 cups peeled, diagonally sliced carrots, 1/4-inch thick
1 cup sliced zucchini rounds, 1/2-inch thick
6 jalape�o peppers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup white vinegar
2 cups cider vinegar
2 cups water
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1-1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 bay leaves, crumbled
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, halved

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and carrots. When the water returns to the boil, boil two minutes, then drain and refresh the vegetables in cold water. Place cooked vegetables in a large bowl with raw zucchini and jalape�os. Mix to combine.

Place the vegetables in a heatproof 2-quart glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the vinegars and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for five minutes to blend flavors. Immediately pour over the vegetables in the jar.

Let cool to room temperature. Close the lid and refrigerate until cold. The pickled vegetables will keep at least several weeks in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 quarts.