Rania's Recipes Cinco de Mayo Meal
Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and if you want to celebrate in style, be sure to try out these recipes from Rania Harris!
Corn Fritters with Roasted Tomato Sauce
- 2 cups whole corn kernels (either cut fresh from the cob, or frozen and defrosted)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions, white part only
- ¼ teaspoon finely minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ ground coriander
- Corn oil, for frying
Directions:
Heat the oil in a wok until very hot. Mix al of the ingredients together. Using two spoons or your fingers, drop small dollops into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve warm with Roasted Tomato Sauce.
Yield: Approximately 20 fritters
Roasted Tomato Sauce
- ½ white onion, coarsely chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 6-8 ripe red tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- Olive oil, to drizzle
- A handful of basil, chopped
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cholula Chili Lime Sauce to taste
- Chicken stock, to thin when blending (only if needed)
- A non-stick sheet pan
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the onion, garlic, tomatoes, paprika, and olive oil in bowl. Spread on a sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven until slightly caramelized and soft.
Puree the tomato mixture in a Cuisinart food processor and add chicken stock slowly until the sauce is the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the herbs and a dash of lemon juice, if using
Makes 3 cups
Chicken Enchiladas with Cheese Sauce
For the Filling:
- 3 large yellow onions, chopped
- 3 tablespoons oil or butter
- 6 poached chicken breasts, pulled into strips
- 12 ounce canned green chilies, chopped
- 3 cups shredded jack cheese (reserve 1 cup for topping enchiladas)
- 10-12 corn tortillas, warmed to soften
- 3 tablespoons oil
For the Cheese Sauce:
- ¾ cup butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons white pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups sour cream
- 2 cups shredded jack cheese (Pepper Jack may be substituted for a spicier result)
To Serve:
- 1 ½ cups bottled green chili sauce
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
- A few sprigs of cilantro
- Lime wedges, to serve
- A large, rectangular baking dish, oiled
Directions:
To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir until a light brown. Add the salt, pepper, milk, and chicken stock. Cook until thickened. Add the sour cream and cheese. Season to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Sauté the onion in oil until lightly browned. Add the pulled chicken, green chilies and 2 cups of jack cheese. Lay the tortillas flat and fill each one with about ½ cup of filling. Roll the tortillas and arrange in lines in the prepared dish. Pour cheese sauce over the top. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Garnish with green chili salsa, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges to serve.
Serves 8 - 10
