There's no better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with chilly drinks and great carne asada. This traditional Mexican dish, whose name literally means roasted meat, can be made on the grill or under the broiler. Inexpensive steaks, such as skirt steak and hanger steak, are traditionally used to prepare this great dish. However, you can step it by using a nicer cut of steak. The basic carne asada recipe below is used as the main dish and in several fun entrees and bocadillos, or appetizers.
Basic Marinade
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup minced cilantro
2 diced serrano or jalapeno chiles, depending on personal preference
2 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
Dash of ground coriander
Dash of cumin
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup mango puree, optional
Whisk all ingredients together. Place with steak in a sealable plastic bag or bowl in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least five hours. Grill or broil until cooked to your personal preference. Let steaks rest for approximately 10 minutes before cutting.
Traditionally, sliced strips of steak are served with fresh tortillas, cilantro and diced onions. Rice and beans generally accompany such dinners. You may wish to serve a fresh salsa or a mango salsa alongside the traditional rendition of the dish.
Double-Takes on Carne Asada
Using the meat prepared with the first recipe, you can make many tasty entrees and appetizers. Use the below ideas to give this traditional Mexican dish a makeover. These recipes work particularly well to cure a Cinco de Mayo hangover.
Festive Flautas
Roll chopped meat and crumbled cojita or cheddar cheese into flour tortillas. Be sure to roll with the sides of the tortillas tucked in. Fry in a cast iron skillet in an inch of oil until golden brown on all sides, or use a deep fryer to cook until golden brown. Allow flautas to cool for a few minutes before cutting in half. Flautas are best served with sour cream, pico de gallo and fresh avocado.
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