Cinco de Mayo Celebration

Friday night we had our friends over for a casual (hence paper plates) Mexican dinner in celebration of Cinco de Mayo tomorrow. You don't need a holiday to make Mexican food. In fact, we cook it all the time. I've never met someone that doesn't like it. Seriously, what's not to like?

I love chorizo. I mean really love it. It's always in my fridge and it winds up in breakfast almost every weekend. So I always make my tacos with 1 part ground beef and 1 part chorizo. My secret ingredient (well, not secret anymore) is Sriracha sauce. Sriracha is a spicy chili sauce that is often found in specialty markets in the thai/asian food section. I add a little at the very end and it gives the mixture some kick and really brings out the chorizo flavor while not overpowering it. I also strain the meat before I add the sauce because chorizo is very oily and it helps keep the taco light, crispy and not messy. These tacos are damn good and the citrus side salad isn't too shabby either.

Taco's Shaw Style
Makes 4 servings

1/2 pound chorizo
1/2 pound ground beef
1 sweet onion
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha hot chili sauce
salt and pepper
8-12 Hard taco shells
Shredded cheese (pre-shreded from store works great)
Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
Sour cream for serving

Add onion, beef and chorizo to a pan and cook on medium heat, about 8 minutes, Quickly put mixture in a strainer and strain oil. Wipe pan and add mixture back to pan on same temperature. Put taco shells on cookie sheets and warm at 300 degrees for 4 minutes. Add cumin and Sriracha sauce. Stir to coat.

Spoon meet mixture on tacos and layer with cheese and chopped lettuce. Serve sour cream on the side.

Shaw's Citrus Fiesta Salad
3/4 cup corn, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup jicama, peeled and chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, minced
1 lemon, juice
1 lime, juice
3/4 cup halved cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper
1 avocado, cubed
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and diced

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Add lemon and lime juice. Toss to coat. Place in fridge for 20 minutes. Serve cold over romaine lettuce leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Some people eat as a wrap or eat like a salad.

Cinco de Mayo Celebration