From coast to coast, Mexican cuisine is getting an over-the-top makeover, with south of the border-themed eateries cooking up some seriously innovative takes on the spicy staples we’ve come to love and devour.
We’ve tracked down some of the most inventive Mexican dishes you can eat today! Buen provecho!
—By Jennifer M. Wood
Mexican Street Corn Quesadillas with Lime Sour Cream
Recipe by Sarah Mason
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 ears corn, shucked
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese or Mexican blend
8 tortillas
Cilantro, chopped, for serving
8 ounces feta, crumbled, for serving
For the dipping sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
1. Boil the corn for 4-6 minutes or until cooked through. Drain; cut kernels off the cob.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all dipping sauce ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add red bell pepper and onion. Saute until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Add corn kernels. Cook for 3-5 more minutes or until mushrooms are softened.
4. Grease a separate skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. To assemble the quesadillas, add one tortilla to the skillet. sprinkle the bottom evenly with cheddar cheese (about ¼ cup). Add about ½ cup of the corn mixture. Sprinkle with more cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the bottom starts to brown and cheese melts, then flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Cut the quesadillas into triangles. Top with dipping sauce, cilantro and feta. Alternatively, you can dip the quesadillas separately.
Mexican Pork Posole
Recipe by Ingrid Hoffmann
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
4 dried whole New Mexico chiles
1 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons peanut oil
8 ounces boneless pork loin chops, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 15.5-ounce cans white hominy, drained and rinsed kosher salt
1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 limes, quartered
Instructions
1. Place chiles in a heatproof medium bowl. Pour boiling water over chiles. Let stand until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid. Cut the chiles lengthwise in half and discard the stems and seeds. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree with the reserved liquid. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.
3. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, onion, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile paste and oregano and mix well.
4. Return the pork to the Dutch oven. Add the broth and hominy and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended and the pozole thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Season with salt.
5. To serve, ladle the pozole into soup bowls. Allow each guest to top with cabbage, avocado, radishes, and cilantro, as desired, and serve lime wedges on the side for squeezing.
Huevos Mexicanos (Mexican Scrambled Eggs)
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 green chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
4 extra-large eggs, beaten
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 small handful cilantro leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion, red pepper, garlic and green chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes until the onion turns golden. Add the tomatoes, mix well and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer until the tomatoes start to soften.
2. Tip in the eggs and season with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well and leave for a minute or so until the eggs begin to set around the edge of the pan, then mix everything around until the eggs set completely.
3. Throw in the scallions and cilantro, give the scrambled eggs one final mix and serve immediately.
