CINCO DE MAYO IS MORE THAN A GREAT BAR NIGHT

WHAT IS CINCO DE MAYO?

Cinco de Mayo is an important milestone in Mexican history, and revelers in the U.S. are happy to help celebrate the occasion with special menus and festive cocktails (even if they don't know exactly what the holiday is all about). Though some mistakenly call Cinco de Mayo Mexican Independence Day, it actually commemorates the May 5, 1862, Battle of Puebla, in which a formidable French army was trounced by a small Mexican contingent under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza. The victory didn't result in immediate Mexican independence (that came five years later), but it still holds symbolic significance, particularly in Puebla, as well as in Mexican communities in the U.S.

Soft Fried Tortillas with Tomatillo Salsa and Chicken

                                                                               photo by: ROMULO YANES

Gourmet  | May 2004

Ingredients

For tomatillo salsa

1/2 lb fresh tomatillos, husks discarded and tomatillos rinsed and quartered

3 fresh green serrano chiles, coarsely chopped (including seeds)

1/4 cup chopped white onion

3 garlic cloves, quartered

3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

For chalupas

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 (4-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup shredded cooked chicken (from 1 chicken breast half)

2 to 3 tablespoons crema or crème fraîche

1/3 cup finely chopped white onion

1/3 cup finely crumbled queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese)

Preparation

Make salsa:
Purée tomatillos, chiles, onion, garlic, salt, and water in a blender until smooth.

Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then carefully add tomatillo purée (oil will splatter) and simmer, stirring, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and simmer 1 minute. Transfer to a small bowl.

Make chalupas:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in cleaned dried skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then briefly cook tortillas, 3 at a time, until softened and hot but still pale, about 10 seconds per side, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer tortillas with tongs to paper towels to drain briefly, then to a large shallow baking pan in oven to keep warm, arranging tortillas in one layer (overlapping slightly if necessary) and covering pan with foil.

Spread each warm tortilla with about 1 teaspoon salsa, then top sparingly with a few shreds of chicken. Thin crema with a little water and drizzle over chicken, then sprinkle with onion and cheese. Serve immediately.

Posted by Chef Bill Brooks, Corporate Chef, U.S. Foodservice, Inc

Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily

reflect those of U.S. Foodservice, Inc