The Culinary Architect: Make a Super Mexican Feast

The Island Now

I don’t know why Super Bowl Parties have come to mean….wings, sliders, chili, pigs in blankets, etc.!  

Why not be a little creative and create something different to serve during Super Bowl 50?

With not much effort you may easily create the following Mexican Feast.  If you are really lazy, you may buy the suggested menu from a local Mexican restaurant.  

However, I recommend trying your hand at these easy to recreate recipes.  

Add a festive Mexican blanket, terracotta serving pieces and a pitcher of Margaritas and you have a Super Bowl Fiesta.  Olé!

Menu

Serves 8

(Recipes may easily be 

doubled or tripled!)

Margaritas

Salsa*

Forgiving Quesadillas

Shrimp Seviche

Sliced Chorizo*

(available in Mexican 

Markets and grocery stores)

Green Salsa*

Tortilla Chips*

Mexican Meatballs

Churros*

*Recipe Not Given

Margaritas

The beauty of this recipe is it allows your guests to help themselves, and frees the busy host and hostess from becoming the bartender

2 cups tequila

1 cup triple sec

3/4 cup fresh lime juice

3/4 cup sweetened lime juice

(or Margarita mix)

3 cups ice

Kosher salt

8 lime wedges

1.  Fill a large pitcher with ice.

2.  Add the tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, sweetened lime juice and stir.

3.  OPTIONAL:  Pour Kosher salt onto a plate.  Rub the rim of a glass with a lime wedge.  Dip the rim of the glass into the salt; fill glass with margarita mixture; repeat for each serving.

Forgiving Quesadillas

One recipe makes one quesadilla.  My friends usually eat one whole quesadilla each

2 10” flour torillas

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar

cheese

Filling of your choice, i.e.

(let your leftovers be your

guide!)

1/2 cup shredded meat

1/2 Jalapeno pepper, seeded 

and minced

1 green onion, sliced and/or

2 tblsps. chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup refried beans

1.  Heat a quesadilla maker or Pannini Maker or George Forman Grill.

On a work surface, Place 1 tortilla and top with 1/4 cup of the Cheddar cheese, topping of your choice and remaining Cheddar cheese, respectively.  Place remaining tortilla over the top. (At this point you may make a  whole stack of “Quesadilla Sandwiches”.

2.  When ready, place a Quesadilla Sandwich on your heated Pannini Maker or George Forman Grill. Cook until tortilla is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

3.  Repeat as necessary.  Cut with a pizza cutter and serve.

Shrimp Seviche

Poaching Liquid:

2 quarts water

1 tblsp. salt

Seviche:

1    lb. raw shrimp (I like to 

use 10-16 per lb.), peeled 

and deveined

Juice of 2 lemons

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 cup finely chopped red 

onion

1 serrano chili, seeded and 

finely chopped

1 cup diced, seeded tomato

1 tblsp roughly chopped 

cilantro leaves, plus more 

leaves for garnish

1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup tomato juice

1/4 tsp. Kosher salt

1.  Combine water and 1 tblsp. salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat.  Add shrimp and immediately turn off the heat.  Let the shrimp sit until just cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Transfer shrimp to a cutting board until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

2.  Chop the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a glass bowl.  Add lemon and lime.  Stir in onion and chili.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

3.  Add tomato, chopped cilantro, oil, tomato juice and 1/4 tsp. salt into the shrimp mixture Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.  Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.

Mexican Style

Meatballs

Bag of premade cocktail meatballs  (20-26 ounce bag, available in the freezer section of your supermarket)

1 can of Rotel Mexican Tomatoes 

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

4 tsp. vegetable oil

2 small onions, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. ground cumin 

(I like to use Penzy’s)

2 cups chicken broth

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 

for garnish (optional)

1.  Place all the ingredients, except the meatballs, in a blender and puree.

2.  Put “sauce” in a crock pot large enough to hold the meatballs.  Add meatballs and cook on high for 2-3 hours or until done.

3.  Serve with toothpicks and garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 32-year old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties.  For more photos and presentation ideas, follow Culinary Architect Catering on Facebook.  Also visit Culinary Architect on the web at culinaryarchitect.com

Share this Article