Stokes Sauces: Tex Mex Special

Cinco de Mayo - 5th May

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

This is a Mexican American festival celebrated in a big way Stateside. It marks the failed invasion of Mexico by the French in 1861. French President Napoleon III fancied a slice of Mexico and invaded under the guise of seeking repayment of massive debts owed by Mexico to Europe. Who says history never repeats itself.

Flamboyant is the dress code and extravagant is the food order.

It's sangria and salsa all the way and a great excuse to go Tex Mex. So, make sure you have a jar of jalapeño, lots of lime, a bottle of tequila and buckle up gringo ... this is going to be a hot one.

Margarita time

Before we get to the hot stuff, let's cool it with a Margarita. Salt the rim of a chilled Margarita glass and set aside. Put 2 parts tequila, 1 part lime juice and a dash of orange liqueur in a shaker or blender with 1 cup of crushed ice and blend until the mixture is smooth and frothy. Pour it into the salted Margarita glasses and chill.

It's time to Tex Mex

Quesadillas - the basics

Mexican Americans use Monterey jack cheese which is produced from cow's milk that may be skimmed or whole. It has a smooth texture and a very mild flavour.The best supermarket replacement is Gouda, but experiment until you find your own favourite.

You'll need:

1 onion, finely chopped
1 avocado, sliced
450 g of minced beef
1/2 tsp of chilli powder
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of paprika
1 tbsp of Stokes Chilli Jam
8 medium flour tortillas
A handful of chopped coriander.

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/relish-and-chutneys/chilli-jam

Here's how:

Soften the onions over a medium heat for 5 minutes then add the meat, spices and chilli jam and cook for a further 10 minutes until cooked through. Set the meat aside and wipe the pan clean of water and grease and return it (empty) to a low heat to keep warm.

To assemble the quesadillas: sprinkle cheese onto 4 tortillas. Top each with beef, some avocado and coriander and finally another tortilla. One at a time put the 'tortilla sandwich' in the pan and cook for 2 or 3 minutes until golden on one side, flip and do the same to the other side.

Cut the quesadillas into triangles and serve warm.

TIP: To flip the 'tortilla sandwich', invert a plate over the pan, roll the pan over, dropping the tortilla onto the plate, then slide it back into the pan, now upside down.

Ensalada de Pollo (Mexican Chicken Salad)

This is a delicious salad of chicken and vegetables dressed in a creamy mayonnaise dressing that's perfect for fiestas before the siestas.

You'll need:

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/mayonnaise/real-mayonnaise

4 tbsp of Stokes Real Mayonnaise (one of the new small jars)
4 tbsp of sour cream
1 tbsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard
The juice of 1 lime
500 g of cooked chicken
125 g of cooked diced potatoes
125 g of cooked diced carrots
125 g of cooked peas
75 g of cooked corn.

Here's how:

In a bowl mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lime and season. Add the chicken and the vegetables, coating them all well.

Rest it for 20 minutes to let the flavours marry then serve on a bed of lettuce topped with chopped jalapeño, or wrap it in a tortilla.

Fish Tacos with Chipotle sauce

This is a simple version of a very tasty tacos supper. You can either use fresh fish fillets such as Tilapia (great value for money) or frozen breaded fish goujons. The Chipotle sauce is an easy take on a Mexican classic.

You'll need:

750 g of fish (approx), cooked and kept warm
4 - 6 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
A good handful of chopped coriander
1 shredded little gem lettuce
2 avocados flesh, sliced widthways
The juice of 2 limes
8 flour tortillas, warmed
4 tbsp of sour cream
1 tbsp of Stokes Chipotle Ketchup (make that 2 tbsps!)

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/product/ketchups-and-sauces/chipotle-ketchup

Here's how:

Cook your chosen fish. If you use fresh fillets, coat them first in a little ground cumin and coriander before frying in butter and cutting into mouth size goujons.

Mix the tomato, onion, avocado, fresh, lettuce, coriander and half the lime juice. Season to taste.

For the chipotle sauce, simply mix the chipotle ketchup with the sour cream and the other half of the lime juice. Add more chipotle ketchup and season to taste (if you like it hotter add a shake of cayenne pepper).

Load your warm tacos with even amounts of fish, tomato salad mixture and a dressing of the chipotle sauce - fold and enjoy.

Chilli Choc Pots

You'll need:

200 g of rich dark chocolate (highest cocoa %)
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
100 g of unsalted butter
2 tsp of caster sugar
The seeds of one vanilla pod
1 tbsp Stokes Chilli Jam

Here's how:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Gradually add the butter until it too melts and is fully incorporated with the chocolate. Add one egg yolk at a time beating each in fully before adding the next.

Now mix in the chilli jam and vanilla seeds. In another bowl, beat the egg whites and sugar to glossy stiff peaks. Carefully fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and spoon into individual bowls to chill.