Bachelor in the Kitchen: A Fiesta for President's Day

Written by Nick -

This year President’s day fell on February 20th which might also happen to be National Margarita Day (there are conflicting reports for Feb 20 and Feb 22). Well, I don’t make the rules I just abide by them and If I HAVE to celebrate Washington’s Birthday (and maybe also yesterday) with a day off of work and a margarita, that’s fine by me. It only seems fitting to find the perfect Mexican dish to pair with these margaritas. So, when most of the country was hanging USA flags on Monday, I was mixing up some margaritas and cooking Abuelita Enmoladas.

And if I’m going to go through the trouble of pairing a meal with a dish for a national holiday, I like to call it a “celebration.” So I invited the local riff-raff over for Abuelita Enmoladas to celebrate President’s Day/Margarita Day.

To say everyone loved the food is an understatement. I was even complimented days later on how tasty the enmoladas were. When they come back days later to tell you how good it was you know it’s true! The great thing about this recipe is how easy it is to make. The only tricky part is dipping tortillas in the sauce and then rolling the enmoladas – it can get a bit messy.

So, if it’s President’s Day or Labor Day try pairing Abuelita Enmoladas and Margaritas for your next celebration!

Abuelita Enmoladas

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1 cup water
• 1 packet (3.98 ounces) MAGGI Sofrito Seasoning Paste (tomato, garlic, onion)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce from a can, seeded if desired
• 2 tablespoons canned adobo sauce from the chipotle chiles
• 1 tablespoon MAGGI Granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon
• 1 tablet (90 grams) NESTLÉ ABUELITA Chocolate, broken into pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 large corn tortillas
• 2 cups crumbled panela cheese
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped onions
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

PLACE water, sofrito, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce and bouillon in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

PLACE mixture in large saucepan. Add Abuelita chocolate. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until chocolate has dissolved completely and sauce has thickened. Set aside; keep warm.

HEAT oil in large skillet. Fry tortillas one at a time for 2 to 3 seconds to soften. Drain tortillas on paper towels. Dip tortillas in Abuelita mixture.

FILL dipped tortillas evenly with cheese; roll and place in serving dish. Pour remaining Abuelita sauce over tortillas. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with onion and cilantro; serve immediately.

Nick D’s Margaritas

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• Tequila – to taste
• Triple Sec – to taste
• Lime Juice – to taste
• Lemon Juice – to taste
• Splash of agave nectar

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a shaker with some ice. Shake and pour over ice. Serve with Abuelita Enmoladas! Adjust recipe (to taste) and pour another.

Although I don’t follow a strict margarita recipe, I did find this recipe for Blood Orange Margaritas from @CreativCulinary that I can’t wait to try.

Links:

• Abuelita Enmoladas
• More Hispanic recipes at El Mejor Nido
• Blood Orange Margaritas

Related Recipes:

Chicken and Cheese Entomatadas

Easy Mole Sauce