A Mexican Fiesta: Food and Recipes Galore

Crispy Fried Jalapeño Recipe

Battered Fried Jalapenos with an Avocado Salsa

Ingredients -

2 eggs

1 cup beer

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups sliced jalapenos

½ quart vegetable oil

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Avocado Salsa:

2 chopped plum tomatoes

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon white or red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 minced clove garlic

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

1 peeled, pitted and chopped ripe avocado

Preparation (Serves 8):

First, make the salsa.

Stir the avocado with the tomatoes, garlic, and onions.

Stir in the oregano and parsley, then the vinegar and olive oil.

Stir in the crumbled feta cheese. Cover the salsa and chill it for 3 to 5 hours.

Combine the salt, pepper, flour, garlic powder, beer, eggs, and chili powder in a bowl.

Heat the oil to 365 degrees F in a big pot or a deep fryer.

Dip the jalapenos in the batter, and then transfer them to the deep fryer.

When they float to the surface of the oil, they are cooked.

They will be crispy and golden brown.

Serve the hot battered jalapenos with the avocado salsa.

(Source: mexicanfoodrecipes.org)

Best Mexican Dessert: Banana Quesadilla

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 ripe medium bananas, peeled

10 flour tortillas (7 inches in diameter)

4 tablespoons butter

2 1/2 cups caramel sauce, warm, recipe follows

4 medium bananas

Whipped cream

Fresh mint sprigs

DIRECTIONS:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and bananas, continue to beat until smooth. Spread 1/4 cup of the filling over half of each tortilla. Fold the other half over the filling and press slightly. Place on a large plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until the filling sets, about 30 minutes. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Pan-fry the tortillas in batches, 3 at a time, until golden on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat the above process with the remaining butter and filled tortillas. To serve, slice each filled tortilla into thirds. Arrange the slices in the center of each serving plate. Spoon a 1/4 cup of the warm caramel sauce over each plate. Peel the bananas and slice 1/4-inch thick. Garnish each plate with the sliced bananas, a dollop of whipped cream and a sprig of fresh mint.

CARAMEL SAUCE:

Recipe from Everyday Is A Party Cookbook, by Emeril Lagasse, with Marcelle

Bienvenu and Felicia Willett, published by William Morrow, 1999

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup heavy cream

In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil, stirring often. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a deep caramel color and has the consistency of a thick syrup, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, return the saucepan to high heat, and boil the sauce until it regains the consistency of a thick syrup, about 2 minutes. Yield: about 3/4 cup

(Source: foodnetwork.com)