It’s Cinco de Mayo today but sadly there will be no tacos at your favourite Mexican restaurant – nor will you be heading to the best bar that will be doing buy-one-get-one-free margaritas. Alas. But fear, not. We have got you covered on how to celebrate appropriately in isolation, ensuring the day is just as fun as any regular year.

So this year is a double whammy; not only is it Cinco de Mayo but it’s also Taco Tuesday. Triple whammy: it’s Tequila Tuesday too. We know that this holiday is to commemorate the Mexican Army’s 1862 victory during the Franco Mexican War but the food and drink elements that make up this celebratory day make it one of our favourites.

Margaritas

Potentially our favourite cocktail, margaritas are fun, quick and easy to make (they’re also fun, quick and easy to drink too but more of that later). Get yourself some quality tequila – we love Casamigos – as the base to your Mexican cocktail. Online drinks retailer 31DOVER is delivering the drink straight to your door. Casamigos literally translates to ‘House of Friends’ which could be quite apt if you’re isolating with friends or family this lockdown. But even if you’re not, jump on a Zoom call or House Party and have your own Cinco de Mayo party.

Make your margarita with the classic mix of tequila, Cointreau (or any orange liqueur), sugar and lime juice. If you’re a budding bartender, you might already have a cocktail shaker at home; otherwise, just stick it all in a blender with some ice. Garnish with a lime wedge. Obviously it’s not as easy to run out to the shops so Casamigos has also created a Pineapple Margarita recipe, should orange liqueur be a struggle for you to find (it was for us!)

50 ml Casamigos Reposada Tequila
25ml pineapple juice
15ml fresh lime juice
15ml simple syrup (or 2 1/2 teaspoons of sugar)
8-10 coriander leaves
Salt to line the rim of your glass

Taco Tuesday

We celebrate Taco Tuesday most weeks, to be fair, but the fact that Cinco de Mayo falls on Taco Tuesday this year has got us extra excited. Anyone else? It can’t be just us…

One of our favourite taco spots in London might be closed currently but if there was ever a time to attempt recreating a Mexican meal at home, isolation would be it. Thanks to Aldi, we’ve got our hands on a simple taco recipe to DIY.

Ingredients
6 mini tortilla wraps
400g white fish or salmon
4 tsp cajun seasoning
2 tsp dried oregano
200g salsa
150g pack of mini peppers
100g washed spinach leaves
1 red onion
2 avocados
100g Greek yoghurt
50g mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
6g fresh coriander
3 limes
50ml olive oil

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Cut the fish into strips and toss with the Cajun seasoning and the oregano in a bowl – or, if using leftover fish, break into chunks and toss with the above seasonings.

Cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds and white pith and slice thinly. Shred the spinach leaves. Peel, halve and thinly slice the red onion. Cut the avocados in half, discarding the stones, then remove the flesh and chop finely. Squeeze the juice from 1 lime over the chopped flesh.

In a bowl, add the yogurt, mayo, chilli powder, cumin and paprika and mix well. Chop the coriander. Cut the limes into quarters. Put the salsa into a small bowl.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Fry the fish for 8 minutes until crispy and cooked through. If using the leftover fish, cook for about 5 minutes.

Dry fry the wraps in a large frying pan on both sides for a few minutes to warm through, or griddle them. Serve the wraps alongside the rest of the ingredients and serve for guests to assemble.

Quarantine Quesadillas

Get your quesadilla fix this Cinco de Mayo – thanks to Holy Moly. These avocado-based dips have the best of the best ingredients all the way from Mexico and they are vegan, dairy-free and gluten-free. There are also 100 free ‘chip and dip’ packs available on Holy Moly’s website – all it will cost you is postage and packaging.

Ingredients
Olive Oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 pot of Holy Moly Guacamole
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
3 large plum tomatoes, chopped
4 green jalapeños, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fajita seasoning
4-5 wraps
100g grated dairy-free/normal cheese

Method
Heat up some olive oil in a large wok.

Shallow fry the onion and garlic on a low heat until golden, then add in the red and yellow peppers.

Cook for a few minutes until softened, then add in tomato, jalapeños and seasoning. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Keep stirring to prevent sticking!

Line baking trays with baking paper and lay down the tortilla wraps.

Divide the filling onto half of each wrap and follow with grated cheese and Holy Moly Guacamole. Fold over the tortilla wrap.

Bake in a preheated 200 C / Gas 6 oven for around 5 minutes or until lightly brown and the cheese has melted! Cut the quesadillas in half, and serve whilst warm with a drizzle of soured cream, salsa, Holy Moly Guacamole, lime juice and fresh coriander. Enjoy!

Author

Always looking for exciting opportunities to travel, eat fabulous food, and enjoy the fashionable-side of life, Amira writes with passion, enthusiasm and genuine interest.

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