Grab your straw hat, your sunglasses, some sun block (or sun tan lotion if you please) and all the books you have yet to budge on your reading list. We are going to Mexico!
Where is the plane ticket? No need. Break out the entertainment system and put on some Mariachi music or Carlos Santana, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass or even a little Buena Vista Social Club. While you are it, shuffle your feet to the beat of the drums because during the time you save up for the actual plane fare, you and I are going to get our salsa on in the kitchen!
We are children of the Caribbean. When it comes to the magic of the place, we who grew up there have fond memories of our childhood and are still children at heart. The Caribbean and Latin American region provided a fun and exciting backdrop to summers and holidays spent climbing trees, picking and eating fresh fruit and even veggies. For those more inclined to adventure and who had greater freedom, fishing by the many rivers or even at the sea in coastal areas was the perfect way to spend a summer day.
Life in the region is a colourful and eclectic mix of colours, heat, spiciness, sea and mountain breeze, sun, rain, and just general excitement. We make the most of what we have and find creative ways to add our own touch to everything. We are a colourful people, we get lost in our music and dance and we talk with much animation. This is reflected in our ‘sing-song’ accents, or music, and of course, our food.
It is a multicultural grouping of nations spanning the languages (and derivatives thereof) of the Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, English and Native American Indians. The Caribbean and Latin American region span Mexico and Central America, South America and the islands from Trinidad & Tobago in the Lesser Antilles all the way to Puerto Rico, Hispanola and Jamaica in the Greater Antilles. They are a varied bunch but all have one thing in common- a love for tasty food and taking simple ingredients and as Chef Emeril would say, “Kicking things up a notch!”
This week we will draw inspiration from the Spanish-speaking nations of Latin America. May 5, is celebrated as Cinco de Mayo in Mexico, and what better time to feast?
We are making a squid ceviche, tomato salsa, and a beef burrito that will make you want to join a Latin dancing class. Salsa and ceviche dishes are all popular throughout the Latin American/Hispanic states but will vary from one to another with additional ingredients. Burritos are inherently Mexican. We have compiled the simplest recipes with the easily available ingredients so that you can get a good taste of Mexico. So there you have it, three very tasty and spicy dishes Mexican style…
MEXICAN BEEF BURRITO
Ingredients : 400-500g minced beef, 1 large red onion 2, medium tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 1 Serrano chili (seed if desired to make less spicy), 1 ½ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp chili paste or chili powder, A handful chopped coriander, 1tbsp sunflower oil, Salt and pepper to taste, 1 pack of tortillas.
Toppings
Tomato Salsa , Monterey Jack/Asiago cheese, fresh coriander
Method:
Remove tortillas from fridge and bring to room temperature.
In a hot pot, sauté onions, cumin, garlic and chilli. Add beef and brown.
Add other ingredients except chilli powder and coriander. Taste. Add chilli pepper if desired. Keep stirring until cooked in about 15 minutes.
Place a tortilla on flat surface. In centre of tortilla, place tbsp sour cream in a line. Add about 2-3 tbsp of meat (or more) along same line. Add shredded cheese on top. Add 1tbsp of your fresh homemade salsa. Top with fresh coriander and or green onions. Fold the front of the tortilla over the filling then tuck in both sides and fold again. Roll over the tortilla on its belly so that the folded side is tucked underneath. You may secure with a toothpick. Makes about 6 tortillas. You may also add shredded lettuce if you so desire.
TOMATO Salsa
Get the recipe for our popular Reggae Salsa
Get the recipe for our Squid Ceviche that will make you the talk of the town!
Didn’t know you had Caribbean roots! Well, yay. Great recipe and description of our colorful culture!
100% Caribbean Bren! Both of us are Jamaican but I even have Cuban relatives and some family speaking Spanish and doing salsa/rumba at reunions and there have been a few bottles on the head in the midst of it!
What a great Cinco de Mayo spread! Your tomato salsa is one of the best looking I’ve ever seen! I’m definitely holding onto that recipe!
Thanks so much Lisa. It is absolutely fabulous and a winner at every gathering. Hope you try it!
Love it! Perfect for some Cinco De Mayo fun! Today is also Cayman Carnival Batabano 🙂 Thousands of people be jumping and waving in Cayman tonight! I’m looking forward to the food festival and street fete tonight. I’m sure y’all wish you could be there too!
Thanks Parsley! Sounds like loads of fun! Have an extra two drinks of Appleton for us;)
Mama Mia here we go again.. my my Kari i do adore you… x
Happy to have you back! These recipes are all original and lip-smackingly delicious!
Congrats on the Foodbuzz top 9 today! This is a really great article. You are correct that salsa and ceviches are authentic to and found across all Latin American countries. But burritos I’m not so sure. In Mexico they are only popular in the North, so I would be surprised to find them in other Latin countries. Well they might not be authentic but thanks to globalization perhaps they are found elsewhere. Regardless, your 3 dishes look fantastic. I love the scotch bonnet in your salsa.
Nancy, thanks for your comments. To be precise, ceviche is originally from Spain and carried over from there to the former Spanish colonies. We didn’t mention nativity originally, just that they were popular all over with different versions. It wasn’t so clear that the salsa and ceviche were more commonplace than burritos so we amended the copy to reflect that. Hablamos muy poquito espanol!
Congratulations on making the foodbuzz Top 9!
Thanks much!
ohh yum yum! My husband just declared that I should make all three this week.
And he is just about right! You will all love these and will never buy a jar of salsa again! Have a party over the weekend and teach V a few Spanish words for the colours of the food! We would suggest blanching the squid for longer if you are eating in your pregnant state of serving to children (added precaution).
Ohhh that looks so yummy!
It certainly is!
Isn’t it funny but I grew up on Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and my son loves burritos and salsa – and I ceviche! Latin America truly is an exciting blend of cultures and don’t you love the food that reflects it all? Great write up and you really put me in the mood for this fabulous food!
Jamie you are the only other person I know apart from two friends who actually know of Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass! It’s great that you are now in the mood for food that is favoured in your family!
Oh how I miss good Mexican food. There is NONE here in Israel and I find myself craving it often. These burritos, salsa and ceviche look like a perfect way to indulge my cravings at home!!
I know what you mean Beth. We haven’t stumbled on any Mexican eatery here that makes it better than we do, so we might as well make it at home. And since all of these spices are readily available to us in the Middle East, you definitely should!
What a colourful post Kari, you have drawn such a vivid picture of the place and the feel 🙂 thoroughly enjoyed it…
Wow, what wonderfully vibrant photos! Everything looks so fresh!
It’s a great chance of reading this unique blog with wonderful contents. I love food and culture topic.
Passionate food from great culture, I love the story