RECIPES: Cinco de Mayo Favorites

May 5, 2010 — -- To read the "Nightline: Platelist" profile of Jose Garces, click HERE.

All recipes courtesy Jose Garces

Jicama Salad

Ingredients:

Jícama-1/2 ea, small dice

Mango -1 ea, small dice

Orange-1 ea, segments

Honeydew-1/4 ea, small dice

Red Onion-1/4 ea, brunoise

Jalapeño-1 ea, small dice

Frisée-1/2 bunch, rough chopped

Cilantro-1/4 bunch, chopped

Pepitas-2 Tbs, toasted

Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients:

Lemon Juice-1/2 c, freshly squeezed

Extra Virgin Olive Oil-1/2 c

Shallot-1/2 ea, minced

Sugar-1 tsp

Salt-1/2 tsp

Preparation:

Combine lemon juice and shallot and let stand for five minutes. Whisk in oil and season with salt and sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble the salad:

In a bowl toss the frisée with 1 TBS of the lemon vinaigrette. Place in the bottom of a glass serving bowl. Toss the remaining ingredients in a bowl with ½ c of the lemon vinaigrette. Spoon onto the frisée and serve. (It is also nice to serve the salad with lemon or lime sorbet on top.)

Tuna Tacos

Ingredients:

Yellowfin Tuna-1 pound

Corn Tortillas (6 inch flour tortillas)-6 ea

Chayote and Cucumber Salad-recipe follows

Chile de Arbol Sauce-recipe follows

Avocado Espuma-recipe follows

Salt

Pepper

Chayote and Cucumber Salad Ingredients:

Chyote-1 ea, julienne on a mandoline

Cucumber-1ea, julienne on a mandoline

Lime Juice-2 ea, fresh squeezed

Cilantro-1/4 bunch, chopped

Extra Virgin Olive Oil-2 Tbs

Preparation:

Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and reserve for taco. (Do not add lime juice and olive oil if you do not plan on assembling taco immediately.)

Avocado Espuma Ingredients:

Avocado-1/2 ea, peeled and chopped

Jalapeño-1/2 ea, peeled and chopped

Cilantro-1/4 bunch, just leaves

Lemon Juice-1 ½ tsp, fresh squeezed

Heavy Cream-1 Tbs

Whole Milk-1/4 c

Sugar-1/2 tsp

Salt-1 tbs

Preparation:

In a blender, combine avocado, jalapeño, cilantro and lemon juice, and puree. With blender running, add cream and milk and process until smooth. Season with sugar and salt. Reserve in refrigerator until ready to use.

Chile de Arbol Sauce Ingredients:

Chile de Arbol Chiles-10 ea, remove stem, toasted

Onion-1/2 ea, medium dice

Plum Tomato-2 ea, rough chopped

Garlic-1 ea, clove

Cumin Seeds-1 tsp, toasted

All-Spice-5 ea, toasted

Sesame Seeds-2 tbs, toasted

Apple Cider Vinegar-1 ½ c

Water-1 ½ c

Vegetable Oil-2 Tbs

Salt-1 tbs

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients except for salt and oil, in a pot and reduce by ½. Puree in a blender and emulsify with oil. Season with salt.

Assembling the taco:

Cut the tuna into 3 oz. portions. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sear tuna on the grill. Cook to desired temperature (rare recommended). Warm the flour tortillas on the grill, about 5-10 seconds on each side. Spread 1 tbs of the avocado espuma on the bottom of the tortillas. Cut tuna into 5 slices and place on top of the tortillas. Add a desired amount of the chayote-cucumber salad on top. Finish with a tsp of the chile de arbol sauce and serve.

Esquites

Ingredients:

Butter-4 tbs

Onion-1/2 ea small diced

Corn-6 ears of yellow corn cut of the cob

Corn Stock-3 cups – recipe follows

Epazote-10 ea leaves, chiffonade

Mayonnaise-1/2 cup

Queso Fresco-2 cups

Chile Pequin-1 tbs

Limes-3 ea

Salt-TT

Preparation:

Cut all the corn of the cob with your chefs knife. Make sure you do not cut to deep into the cob, you just want fresh corn and not the cob. Set aside the corn and make a corn stock with the cobs by placing them in a pot and cover with 2 quarts of water. Bring up to a boil and then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook for one hour. Strain the stock and set aside.

Sweat the onion in butter on low heat for five minutes. You do not want any color on the onions. Add the corn and cook for twenty minutes until the corn is tender. Add 3 cups of corn stock to the pot and reduce by 1/2. Season with salt and fold in epazote.

Plating:p

In a rocks glass place ½ tbs of mayo at the bottom of the glass. Add ¼ c of the corn mixture. Squeeze a dash of lime juice on top of the corn and top with a tbs. of queso fresco. Repeat the layering process one more time starting with the mayo and finishing with the queso fresco. Top off the esquites with a dash of chile pequin.