Looking for a little spice? You'll find plenty of that as well as fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, nachos and so much more in this collection of Gourmetecipe. We've also got a Mexican menu plan for six ready to go! http://www.gourmetrecipe.com http://www.gourmandia.ca

1. Mexican Recipes
As colorful as their costumes, Mexican food is a platter of many colors. The taste
isn’t boring either. There’s tang and spice and a bit of kick. Even the simple and
popular taco isn’t boring. Bite into crisp and crunch corn taco shell, it won’t end
there but give the eater another crunch from lettuce and tomatoes plus juicy,
spicy ground beef topped with cheese and salsa. Plain nachos are drizzled not
only with salsa but cheese and sometimes topped with jalapeno and ground beef.
Mexican food staples are usually corns and beans. Corn is used as the main
ingredient in tortilla, taco shells, and masa, or eaten on the cob. Beans are used
in popular dishes like burritos or soup. It’s sometimes used as a main ingredient
in nacho dip. Jalapeno peppers give their dishes a bit of a kick and are included
tacos, quesadillas, and other popular dishes. Smoke dry the jalapeno pepper and
it’s called chipotle, a popular spice along with cilantro, chili, and oregano, which
gives Mexican food its characteristic taste, with a kick like a shot of tequila.
With Mexico’s large size, history, local climate, and ethnic differences, Mexican
food varies per region. In fact Mexican cuisine is considered one of the largest in
the world. It has a lot of Spanish influence as it was once a colony of Spain. Spain
brought olive oil, meats, wine, almonds, and parsley. Rice, one of the most
common grains, was brought by Spaniards.
Tacos, quesadillas, tortas, and tamales are popular dishes in Mexico, and those
are the street food bought from vendors. There’s also a dish called carne asada,

2. which consists of beef steak marinated with olive oil and sea salt, or in some
recipes, have the addition of lemon and pepper before cooking on a grill. Some
local villages have quite unusual sources of meat using exotic meats like
rattlesnake, iguana, deer, and some other insects.
For the sweet tooth, bite into some chocolate as this very popular sweet has
played an important role in Mexican cuisine. Did you know that aside from being
sweet food, chocolate was once used as currency for trading and for religious
rituals? Chocolate was once a drink, bitter and frothy called xocatl. This drink is
sometimes flavored with vanilla or chili. Chili chocolate has been an interesting
drink to try and is still served at some coffee shops today. Chocolate uses have
evolved not only to hot drinks but as ingredients to meals.
Globalization takes part in the constant evolution of Mexican dishes. Some of
these dishes have carried over to other parts of the globe. Tex-Mex cuisine, for
example, fuses Mexican cooking with ingredients available in the US and this gave
birth to many restaurants serving fajitas, chili con carne (a hearty bowl of meat
and beans), and taco salads. This colorful cuisine continues to evolve throughout
the years putting in more colors and flavors to their story.

3. Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Hot and peppery, this salsa is perfect for serving with a plate of tortilla chips or as
a side dish for a Mexican-style fiesta.
Servings: 3 cups
Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes
Cooking Time: Approx. 30 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil, 2 large onions, chopped, 3 bell peppers, 1 green and 2 red,
chopped, 1 tbsp. garlic, chopped, 1 tbsp. fresh cilantro(chopped), 1 tsp. ground
red pepper, Salt to taste, 1 can black beans(drained), 1 can whole kernel
corn(drained)
Preparation Instructions:
Pour the olive oil into a large skillet. Add onions, peppers and spices. Over
medium heat, sauté until the onions and peppers are tender, 5-10 minutes. Add
beans and simmer for about 20 minutes.

4. Quesadillas with Mushrooms and Cheese
Adapted from a Kroger recipe. Made with whole-grain tortillas and low-fat
cheese, these quesadillas are both tasty and healthy.
Servings: 8-10
Preparation Time: 10-12 minutes
Cooking Time: 7 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms, 2 cloves
garlic, finely chopped, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, 1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper,
2 tbsp. butter, 8 (7-inch) whole-grain tortillas, 1 1/2 cup shredded low-fat
Mexican cheese
Preparation Instructions:
Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes. Add
mushrooms, garlic, thyme and pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until the liquid
evaporates. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter. Brush
butter on 4 tortillas, only on one side. Place tortillas, butter side down, on a
baking sheet. Top with 1 cup cheese, the mushroom mix, and the remaining
tortillas. Brush tops of tortillas with remaining butter. Bake for 6 minutes. Sprinkle

5. with remaining cheese and bake an additional minute, or until cheese has melted.
Remove from oven and cut into quarters. Serve.
Coleslaw Fish Tacos
In this California specialty, cod is showcased in a corn tortilla set off with tangy
coleslaw.
Servings: 3 to 6
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty Level: Easy
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, Grated peel of 1 lime, Juice from 1 lime, 3 cups
coleslaw mix, 2 green onions, chopped, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, Salt,
Freshly ground pepper, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 lb. cod fillets, cut into 6 portions,
1 teaspoon chili powder, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 12 corn tortillas(heated)
Preparation Instructions:
In a bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lime zest, and lime juice. Add the
coleslaw mix, scallions, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Pour
the oil into a large skillet placed over medium heat. Season the cod with chili
powder and salt. Dredge the fish in the flour, shaking off any excess flour. Once
the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the cod. Cook, turning one time, until golden,

6. about 5 minutes. Remove the cod with tongs. Serve the tortillas, fish, and lime
coleslaw separately. Keep the tortillas warm by putting them in a basket or bowl
lined with paper napkins, then cover with an additional napkin. To make each
tortilla, place one tortilla inside another, add 1 piece of cod and break it up using
a fork. Top with a spoon or two of the coleslaw mix.
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