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Cinco de Mayo RECIPES
Three local chefs share authentic recipes for you to celebrate with on May 5th.
Mexican Guacamole
This recipe was provided by Julio at Plaza Mariachi, a family restaurant owned by
Ramon Ayala Jr. They pride themselves on authentic Mexican food.
I N G R E D I E N T S
3 avocados
Onions
Tomatoes
Cilantro
Jalapeño
Salt
Lime
P R E P A R AT I O N
Remove the husk from the
tomatillos and wash them.
Cook the tomatillos, banana
peppers and serranos on a grill
until soft and a little black-ened,
but not burnt. Place in a
blender and add garlic, cilantro
stems, olive oil and salt.
I N G R E D I E N T S
1lb tomatillos
2 banana peppers
2 or more serrano peppers (depending
on how spicy you want the salsa)
2 garlic gloves
4 Tbsp chopped cilantro stems
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
The French eventually won
the war and installed Archduke
Ferdinand Maximilian as emperor
of Mexico in April 1864, but the
Battle of Puebla still played a
crucial role in shaping the history
of the world. If Zaragoza had not
prevailed at Puebla, the French
would have been able to conquer
Mexico much sooner and in the
middle of the American Civil War.
If that happened, France likely
would have aided the Confederacy
and the South might have prevailed.
Zaragoza and his brave army
were able to delay French conquest,
and the Confederate Army didn’t
receive the potential resources.
Ulysses S. Grant was appointed
commander of the Union armies
in March 1864 and his strategy of
using the North’s superior numbers
to attack the South from multiple
directions was succeeding. The
War Between the States effectively
ended on April 9, 1865, with
Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appo-mattox
Court House.
With the Union restored and
Mexico’s rebelling armies now
backed by U.S. dollars, Napoleon
III quickly abandoned his puppet
emperor in Mexico. French troops
were withdrawn in 1866. Maxi-milian
was captured on May 16,
1867, and executed the next day.
Mexico was free of French influ-ence.
Together, the United States
and Mexico were able to fight off a
powerful enemy that sought to take
advantage of them in their most
vulnerable moment.
The relationship between Mexico
and the U.S. is a complicated
one, filled with both fights and
friendships, but Cinco de Mayo
continues to serve as a reminder
of what we have in common: resil-ience,
pride, and a refusal to give up
no matter how many times we are
defeated.
Salsa Verde de Tomatillo
The recipe was supplied by Ramon Villasenor Castro, chef and owner at Taqueria
Los Portales, a family-owned restaurant serving traditional Mexican street food.
This simple yet rich salsa is great for chicken tacos or carne asada.
Chef Julio’s Aguachile
Chef Julio Camberos at Zocalo Street Food and Tequila describes this dish as “one
of those spicy shrimp cocktails that only get spicy when you stop eating it!” Zocalo
offers a modern presentation of regional, traditional Mexican cuisine.
I N G R E D I E N T S
P R E P A R AT I O N
Slice the avocados in half, remove
the pits and scoop the flesh into a
mixing bowl. Gently mash to your
desired level of chunky or smooth.
Add the onions, tomatoes, cilantro,
jalapeño (optional), lime juice and salt
and stir everything together.
1 ½ cups lime juice
6 serrano peppers
1 bunch cilantro
½ tsp salt
1 lb raw shrimp
1 Tbsp salt
Cucumber rounds, thinly
sliced
Avocado slices
Radish rounds, thinly
sliced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 cup tomato, diced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Fresh cilantro leaves for
garnish
Tajín seasoning (optional)
P R E P A R AT I O N
Place the lime juice, serrano peppers and cilantro in a blender and blend until
totally liquefied (aguachile). Set aside. Butterfly the shrimp and season with salt. Pour
the aguachile over the shrimp so it just covers it them. Let it marinade for 10 minutes.
Mix in the pepper and onions. Place the cucumber rounds as a base on a chilled
plate. Scoop the aguachile onto the cucumbers. Garnish with the sliced radishes,
sliced avocado and cilantro leaves.