Published: April 29, 2008 04:32 pm         

TASTE THE BEST: Try these South of the Border treats

Olé!

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner, and what better time to learn about the history of Mexico.

Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's "independence day" as many think. According to www.vivacincodemayo.org, the reason May 5 is celebrated is due to the fact that 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City, on the morning of May 5, 1862.

According to www.vivacincodemayo.org, the French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.

General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz's superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.

So now that you are familiar with the history of why Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, eat up! Here are some recipes to help celebrate, even if you're not Mexican.

Appetizer

Nachos

8 oz. homemade white corn tortilla chips

1 1/2 cups refried beans, warmed, recipe follows

2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 to 4 canned, pickled jalapeno chiles, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 4 ounce)

1/2 cup sour cream

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Spread half the chips out in a large shallow casserole dish or on an ovenproof platter. Top with half the beans, in small spoonfuls, and scatter with half the chiles. Repeat with the remaining chips, beans, and chiles. Sprinkle the top of the nachos with the cheese. Bake until heated through and the cheese melts, about 3 to 5 minutes. Top the nachos with dollops of the sour cream and serve.

www.foodnetwork.com

Main dish

Pork and Rice Quesadillas with Orange Salsa

Cooking spray

1 cup instant rice, cooked according to package directions

2 cups diced roasted pork loin

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 cup chopped arugula leaves

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup diced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

6 burrito-size flour tortillas, regular or flavored

1 recipe Orange Salsa, recipe follows

Coat a stove-top griddle with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat to preheat.

In a large bowl, combine rice, pork, beans, arugula, cheese, and tomatoes. Mix well to combine.

Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top 1 side of the tortillas with pork mixture. Fold the other side over to cover filling. Transfer quesadillas to hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cheese melts. Serve with orange salsa.

Orange Salsa

1 (11-ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained and chopped

1/4 cup diced red bell pepper

2 tbsp. freshly chopped scallions

2 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.

www.foodnetwork.com

Side dish

Refried Beans

One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 cup chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 tbsp. chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) (optional)

In a small bowl, mash two-thirds of the beans with a fork or potato masher. Reserve the whole beans separately.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and add the onion. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the spices and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add the mashed beans and half the broth and cook, stirring frequently until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the whole beans and the remaining broth and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes more until thickened but not pasty. Season with the salt and pepper, and stir in the fresh coriander, if desired. Serve.

www.foodnetwork.com

Dessert

Mexican Chocolate Fondue

2 cups coffee

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped

3 cinnamon sticks, preferably Ceylon

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. ground chipotle chili powder

8 ounces Mexican chocolate, chopped

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

Assorted Dipping Ingredients

Banana slices or banana chips

Plain salted popcorn

Pound cake squares

Shortbread cookies

Ladyfingers

Jumbo marshmallows

Candied orange peels

Dried pineapple

Apple wedges

Heat the coffee, vanilla beans and seeds, and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil and continue to cook until the liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes.

Add the milk, cream and chipotle powder to the pan, lower the heat to medium, and bring to a gentle simmer. Place the Mexican chocolate and the semisweet chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Strain the milk and cream mixture over the chocolate, and stir, using a whisk to melt the chocolates. It may be necessary to place the bowl over a double boiler to ensure that all of the chocolate will melt smoothly.

Place the chocolate in a fondue pot over a low flame to keep warm, and serve with assorted dipping ingredients.

www.foodnetwork.com