By popular vote this month's theme is "anything with tacos", as one lady puts it. So why not set up some sort of Taco Bar with all the fixings? But first things first: fountain-side Lime Margaritas, Chips, home-made Salsa and Guacamole with brilliant-blooming bougainvilleas in view. With this calm and serene setting, it's easy to just stay put and call it the day. But wait, that Taco Bar is beckoning inside. What a scene-stealing spread!
And as if all that weren't enough, here come some Baked Churros for dessert. We can't help but thank the good Lord for such guilty pleasure.
Lime Margarita with Chips, Salsa and Guacamole.
Our Taco Bar: Grilled Tilapia, Carne Asada, Grilled Shrimp with home-made Corn Tortillas, shredded cabbage and lettuce, Mexican cheese, cilantro, salsa, guacamole and lime wedges.
Not pictured: Sriracha Aoli.
Mis tres tacos
Light, flaky Baked Churros.
Lime Margarita (from Epicurious)
serves 6
1 1/2 cups gold tequila
3/4 cup Triple Sec
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
4 tbsp sugar
8 cups crushed ice
2 tbsp kosher salt
6 lime wedges
1. Combine tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice and 2 tbsp sugar in a large pitcher and stir to dissolve sugar.
2. Add crushed ice.
3. Mix salt and remaining sugar in a shallow bowl.
4. Moisten rim of glasses with lime wedge, then holding each glass upside down, dip into sugar-salt mixture.
5. Pour margarita into glasses and garnish with lime wedges.
Corn Tortillas
makes 24
3 1/2 cups Masa harina (I used glutten-free Maseca)
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 cups canola oil
A cast iron skillet
A tortilla press (optional)
1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined.
2. Place dough on a clean, cool surface and knead until smooth and pliable - not too dry or sticky.
If it's too dry, add a little water, and if too sticky, add a little masa.
3. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat a cast iron skillet to medium high.
5. Divide dough to 24 equal balls.
6. Place ball on tortilla press between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, press together. You can also use a rolling pin, but make sure to place a plastic wrap between the dough and rolling pin.
7. Cook tortilla on pre-heated skillet until browned and slightly puffy, turn over to brown both sides.
8. Transfer to a bowl (cover with a kitchen towel to keep it from drying out) or a tortilla keeper.
9. Repeat process with remaining balls of dough.
Restaurant-style Salsa
Guacamole
2 to 3 avocados, mashed
1 tomato, diced
grated jack cheese
grated cheddar
dash of ground cumin
onion powder, garlic powder, salt and lime juice to taste
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until well combined.
Cover and refrigerate if not served immediately.
Baked Churros
serves 24
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar (I used coconut sugar)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1. Pre-heat oven to 450F
2. Unfold thawed puff pastry sheets on a clean, cool surface.
2. Divide each sheet into 12 equal rectangular pieces/sticks and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
4. In the meantime, melt butter and combine together sugar and cinnamon on a shallow bowl.
5. Take pastry sticks out of oven, brush one side with melted butter.
6. Coat buttered side in sugar and cinnamon mixture while brushing other side with butter, turn over to coat
both sides.
7. Repeat process with all pasty sticks.
