Cuisine key when celebrating Cinco de Mayo

B reaking bread with some traditional Mexican cuisine is how many people choose to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Those who want to add some authentic Mexican cuisine to their Cinco de Mayo celebration this year should consider the following recipe for “Baja Fish Tacos” from Karen Adler and Judith Fertig’s “Gardener & The Grill: The Bounty of the Garden Meets the Sizzle of the Grill” (Running Press). Enchilada Casserole from Kelley Cleary Coffeen’s “200 Easy Mexican Recipes” (Robert Rose). Turkey Fajitas With Guacamole Vinaigrette from Andrew Shloss and David Joachims “Mastering the Grill”.

Baja Fish Tacos

Serves 4 Grilled Napa Cabbage Slaw 1 large head Napa cabbage, cut in half lengthwise Vegetable oil, for brushing 1 cup assorted baby greens 8 green onions, chopped (white and green parts) 1⁄4 cup tarragon vinegar 1⁄4 cup sour cream 1⁄2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 1⁄2 teaspoon fine kosher or sea salt

Baja Fish

11⁄2 pounds mahi mahi, catfish, halibut, or other mild white fish 1⁄4 cup Red Hot Blackened Seasoning (see below) 8 flour tortillas, for serving 8 lemon wedges, for serving 11⁄2 cups salsa, for serving Prepare a hot fire on your grill. Brush the cut sides of the Napa cabbage with oil. Coat the fish fillets with the Red Hot Blackened Seasoning.

Grill the cabbage, cut side down, directly over the fire for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cabbage has good grill marks. Remove from the grill.

Grill the fish directly over the fire, flesh side down first, for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Turn only once to grill the skin side, halfway through grilling.

To make the slaw, thinly slice the grilled cabbage and place in a large bowl. Stir in the greens and the green onions. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sour cream, lemon juice, and salt to make a dressing. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss to blend.

To assemble the tacos, place some of the grilled fish on each tortilla. Top with about 1⁄3 cup of the slaw and roll up, soft-taco style. Serve with a lemon wedge and a small ramekin of salsa.

Red Hot Blackened Seasoning

Makes about 11⁄4 cups

1⁄4 cup paprika 3 tablespoons garlic salt 2 tablespoons granulated onion 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon dried basil 11⁄2 teaspoons dried thyme 11⁄2 tablespoons black pepper 11⁄2 tablespoons white pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper Combine all of the ingredients in a glass jar and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Shake to blend. This keeps for several months in the pantry.

Enchilada Casserole

Serves 6

24 6-inch tortillas, warmed 3 cups Green Enchilada Sauce 2 Cups diced cooked chicken 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese 1 onion, diced 1 cup shredded lettuce 1/2 cup sliced black olives 1 tomato, seeded and dried Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place 6 tortillas in the bottom of a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish, overlapping as necessary. Top with 1 cup of the sauce, spreading to the outer edges of tortillas. Top with half of the chicken and 1 cup of the cheese, spreading to the outer edges of the tortillas. Garnish with one-third of the onion. Layer 6 more tortillas, sauce, the remaining chicken, and half each of the remaining cheese and onion. Top with 6 remaining tortillas and remaining sauce, cheese and onion.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 5 to 8 minutes. Cut into 6 equal squares and serve on individual plates. Garnish with lettuce, olives and tomatoes.

Green Enchilada Sauce

Makes 2 cups

1 Tomato, seeded and diced 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted green chili peppers 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup all-purpose flour kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper In a large skillet, combine tomato, chiles, garlic, and broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and bring to a gentle boil. Boil until vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Gradually stir in flour, creating a roux (a thick paste). Remove from heat.

Gradually stir roux into chile sauce over medium heat, whisking until smooth and thick, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Turkey Fajitas With Guacamole Vinaigrette

Serves 3 1 limes cup olive 4 oil 2 2 tablespoons large cloves garlic, chili powder minced 13⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt 3⁄4 teaspoon black pepper 4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 pounds turkey tenderloins 2 avocados, peeled and pitted 2 onions, peeled

1 small tomato, seeded and finely chopped

1 jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded and chopped

2 bell peppers, 1 red and 1 yellow 8 large flour tortillas Grate the zest from 2 of the limes into a large zipper-lock bag. Cut these limes in half and squeeze the juice into the bag. Reserve the remaining lime. Stir into the bag 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the chili powder, 1 minced garlic clove, 1⁄2 teaspoon of the sea salt, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro. Pour a few tablespoons of this marinade into a small zipper-lock bag or bowl, seal, and refrigerate. Add the turkey to the large bag, seal, and turn to coat completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Heat the grill as directed.

For the vinaigrette, mash the avocadoes in a medium bowl with a whisk. Squeeze the juice from the reserved lime into the bowl. Whisk in 1⁄2 cup of the remaining olive oil, 3⁄4 teaspoon of the remaining salt, 1⁄4 teaspoon of the remaining black pepper, the remaining minced garlic clove, and the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cut the onions lengthwise into quarters, leaving the root end intact to hold the quarters together as they grill. Finely chop 3 tablespoons of onion and stir into vinaigrette along with the tomato and chile. Cover and set aside. Mix the 1⁄4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper in a cup. Core, seed and quarter the bell peppers. Brush the pepper slices and onion wedges with the seasoned oil and set aside.

Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the turkey on the grill and cover. Cook, turning and basting with the reserved marinade a few times, until nicely grill-marked and

just slightly pink in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest for a few minutes, then slice the meat into thin strips and arrange on a platter. While the turkey grills, grill the vegetables until almost tender and nicely grill-marked, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the grill, cut into thin strips, and arrange on the platter with the turkey.

Wrap the stack of tortillas in foil and warm over a very low-heat area of the grill, 3 to 4 minutes per side.