Hola

Hola mi amigos,
Comos es usted? I feel in a spicy mood today. I'm listening to some Mariachi el Bronx
Mariachi El Bronx - Holy from Our Videos on Vimeo.
and it's putting me in the mood for some Mexican food.

Not your typical Tex Mex cheesy stodge fest rubbish but something nice and light, which will still deliver a big kick to the cahunas.

I wanna eat my tasty Mexican food with one hand while dancing about to "Holy" and shaking a maraka in the other.
 If you feel like being a bit more extreme then turn it up a notch and listen to some Brujeria.

I May also sing some la cucaracha if the mood takes me.
Either way, lets have a mini food fiesta.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeehahahahaha.

Smoked mackrel tacos with avocado, apple and chipotle salsa
serves 4

4 soft corn tacos ( if you can't get soft corn tacos then you can just use flour tortillas or flat breads)
2 large smoked mackrel fillets
1 large ripe avocado
2 chipotle chillis from a tin of chipotles in adobo sauce chooped fine(you can pretty much get these in most supermarkets now or specialist shops like "Lupe Pintos" www.lupepintos.com )
small bunch spring onions sliced finely
4 ripe tomatoes chopped roughly
juice of 1 limes
1 apple (I like golden deliciouse for the crunch and tangyness. That's a word. It is)
1 small red onion diced fine
2 baby gem lettuce washed and shredded finely
half cucumber - half length ways, seeds scooped out and cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon sugar
small handfull chopped corriander
Pinch salt

To make the salsa mix the tomatoes, chipotle chillis, lime juice, red onion, corriander and sugar and salt together, cover and store in the fridge till needed.
You can make the slasa a day in advance as this will improve the flavour and it will keep in the fridge 4 days.
Heat your tacos or tortillas in the microwave on high for about 45 seconds. If you don't have a microwave, cover them with tin foil and heat in a high oven for 5 minutes.
When tacos are heated peel, destone and cut your avocado into four. Smoosh one piece of the avocado onto each taco with a fork, top with the shredded baby gem, then the cucumber. Flake the smoked mackrel fillets on top of this. Add a good dollop of salsa to each taco, slice the apple thinly and put on top and sprinkle over the chopped spring onions. Roll it up and shove it in your gub. Goes really well with a strawberry Margarita (check out this weeks "Cocktail Monday" blog).

Time for puddin

Choocy Churros with white chocolate, raspberry and chilli sauce
Churros are basically long doghnuts which you dip into hot chocolate or chocolate sauce. They originated in Spain but were brought over to Mexico where the are sold by street vendors. They are very very good.

I'm basically using a choux paste recipe for my churros so they are very light and crispy. I've also mixed it up a bit by making the churros chocolate and the sauce with white chocolate. You will need a piping bag with a star nozzle. If you don't have one then you can just spoon a dessert spoon dollop of the mix into the hot oil. They will taste just as deliciouse.

Serves 4

For the churros
150 ml water
65g plain flour
50g butter
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Extra 50g caster sugar for dusting

About 1 litre sunflower or vegetable oil for frying

For the sauce
500 ml double cream
150g white chocolate cut into peices
Handfull raspberries smooshed to a pulp
1 teaspoon caster sugar
pinch dried chilli flakes


Put your water, butter and sugar into a sauce pan and bring to the boil. You butter should be melted. Take off the heat. Sieve in your flour and cocoa powder and with an electric mixer or wooden spoon beat vigerously until smooth.
Cover and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Put the oil into a heavy based pot and heat to 180 degrees centigrade (or test by putting a bit of bread into the oil. It should turn golden in about one minute if the oil is hot enough. Or if you have a deep fryer heat this to the same.

Using an elecrtic mixer or wooden spoon beat one egg at a time into the choux paste mix untill smooth. Your mix is ready to be piped. Place some paper towel onto a plate.

To make the sauce place the double cream, sugar and chilli flakes into a sauce pan and bring gently to the boil. Take off the heat and add the white chocolate and raspberry smoosh. Whisk untill chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth.

Fill your piping bag (Not to the brim) and pipe about 6 inch long peices into the hot oil. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes until the churros are nice and golden brown. Use a metal spoon or spatula to turn the churros to make sure they are evenly cooked. Take out of the oil and olace onto the paper towels . When they are all ready remove the paper and cover with the 50g of caster sugar. Turn gently to coat. Put into a big bowl and serve with the sauce. Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuum.