Tomorrow, May 5 is Cinco de Mayo and that can only mean one thing — it’s time to celebrate by indulging in our favourite Mexican cuisine!
Mexican food is one of the most popular foods in Ireland according to Google trends with burrito bars popping up all over the country in the past few years.
While we’re all still cooking at home, Aldi wanted to help you to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with some fantastic Mexican recipes that you can try yourself.
So, why not give it a go by whipping up some delicious Chocolate Baked BBQ Chicken, try your hand at some homemade veggie burritos or make a round of sweet spring cocktails with this delectable Pamplemousse Gin recipe?
Savoury Chocolate Baked BBQ Chicken
A Mexican favourite — easy-peasy, sticky, caramelised chicken. Perfect for a big family dinner.
Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 75 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
900g Butcher’s Selection Irish Chicken Thigh Fillets
75g Moser Roth 70% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar
1 tsp Alcafe Rich Roast Instant Coffee Granules
1 tsp Stonemill Cumin
1 tsp Stonemill Paprika
1 tsp Stonemill Chilli Powder
1 tsp Bramwells English Mustard
65g Bramwells Tomato Ketchup
60g Grandessa Organic Squeezy Honey
70g The Pantry Caster Sugar
25ml The Deli Speciality White Wine Vinegar
10ml Bramwells Worcestershire Sauce
2 cloves Nature’s Pick Garlic
40ml Water
30g Fresh Nature’s Pick Coriander
Stonemill Crushed Chillies
Stonemill Sea Salt and Stonemill Black Pepper
Method:
Peel and mince the garlic.
Mix ground cumin, paprika, chilli powder, tomato ketchup, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and mustard together in a large bowl.
Break up the chocolate and put into a heatproof bowl along with the coffee, sugar and water.
Put the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, then stir until all the ingredients are melted.
Add this to the other ingredients in the large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Next, put the chicken thighs into the bowl and stir through to coat. Marinate for at least an hour.
When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6.
Line a baking tray with some tin foil and put the thighs and the marinade in the tin, with some space between the thighs, and roast for 35 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander and some chilli flakes.
Vegetarian Burritos
Fresh vegetable and rice burritos for healthy lunchboxes and family weeknight meals.
Serves: 2 people
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
400g Cucina Chunky Chopped Tomatoes
400g Four Seasons Red Kidney Beans (Drained and Rinsed)
200g Four Seasons Sweet Corn
1 Sachet Fiesta Chilli Spice Mix
1tsp Stonemill Chilli Flakes
250g Worldwide Long Grain Rice
1 Nature’s Pick Red Onion
1/2 Nature’s Pick Red, Yellow and Green Peppers
150g Country Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
1 Nature’s Pick Avocado (sliced)
1 Egan’s Butterhead lettuce
1/3 Nature’s Pick Cucumber
3 Nature’s Pick tomatoes
1 Nature’s Pick Red Chilli (de-seeded)
3 tbsp Solesta Olive Oil
1/2 Nature’s Pick Lemon
2 Nature’s Pick Limes
15g Fresh Nature’s Pick Coriander Leaves
6 Village Bakery Super Soft Original Wraps
200ml Clonbawn Sour Cream
Method:
Slice the onion and peppers and fry for a couple of minutes in 1 tbsp of the oil.
Add chilli spice mix and chilli flakes for extra spice followed by the chopped tomatoes, sweetcorn and kidney beans with half a can of water.
Leave to simmer for 10 minutes then add the spinach leaves to the mix.
In the meantime make the salad by finely chopping the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and chilli and mix with the juice of 1 lime and 2 tbsp of oil.
Cook the rice as per pack instructions and stir through the juice of half a lime and half of the chopped coriander leaves.
Fill the wraps with a layer of the beans, rice, salad and top with the avocado, sour cream and the rest of the fresh coriander.
Fold over the edges then roll up the wraps to make the burritos and serve with fresh lime wedges.
Pamplemousse Gin
Why not enjoy your Mexican dishes with this refreshing spring cocktail with pine needles and citrus flavours.
Serves: 2 people
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
80ml Boyle’s Irish Botanical Gin
Juice of 1 Nature’s Pick Grapefruit
Juice of 1 Nature’s Pick Lime
Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
Ridge Valley Tonic Water
Ice Cubes
Method:
Put the grapefruit and lime juices together with the gin in a cocktail shaker, along with a sprig of rosemary and some ice cubes.
Shake well, then strain into two large gin glasses over ice.
Top up with tonic water, garnish with lime wedges and rosemary to serve.
