South of the Border Flavor

I’m sharing a little South of the Border flavor

for Cinco de Mayo and a

Fiesta of Food and Flowers in celebration!

From the 2011 archives, this post

has a couple of recipes worth a second helping

or a segundo plato :) for a summer soirée. . .

Inspired from a trip to the Farmers Market and a Bobby Flay Cook-Along.

For a little South of the Border flavor, I added some bold color found in a serape-style pattern in placemats & napkins. . .

. . .along with some festive patterned salad plates & bowls for the table.

A trip to the farmers market yielded peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes and other veggies for a colorful and edible decoration, along with an urn filled with flowers for a centerpiece.

Economical when today’s centerpiece becomes this week’s dinner.

I spied a Bobby Flay recipe in the May issue of Food Network Magazine. . .

Red Chile Short Rib Tacos

This is a muy bueno recipe! I made a couple of changes when I couldn’t find the peppers called for, feel free to add or substitute peppers to turn up or down the heat for your crowd!

Also, after browning the short ribs, instead of turning up the heat in the kitchen, I put everything in the slow cooker, turning heat up in the tacos with a few jalapenos.

Red Chile Short Rib Tacos,

recipe adapted from Bobby Flay for Food Network

Ingredients

3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, fat trimmed

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup canola oil

3 cups beef stock

6 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed and seeded

1 large Spanish onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed

1 cup dry red wine

12 sprigs thyme

16 hard corn taco shells

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the short ribs on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove to a plate.

Meanwhile, combine the stock and dried chiles in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let steep, 15 minutes.

Discard all but 3 tablespoons oil from the Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes; add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Pour in the red wine and simmer, stirring, until almost completely reduced, about 12 minutes. To a slow cooker, add the red wine/ onions, thyme and chile-stock mixture and the short ribs. Cook on low 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove the short ribs to a bowl; shred the meat from the bone. Strain the cooking liquid and pour off the excess fat. Pour the remaining liquid into a skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 15 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Add the meat and toss to coat. Fill the taco shells with the meat; top with cilantro, pickled onions, jalapenos, queso fresco, or sour cream.

Red Pickled Onions

for the Chile Short Rib Taco recipe:

Bring 3/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup each red wine vinegar and sugar, and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and let cool, 5 minutes. Toss with 1 thinly sliced red onion in a bowl; cover and chill at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally.

You can find a printable recipe for the taco & onions, here.

Add a pitcher of sangria to quench

your thirst and cool down

from the heat and all those hot peppers!

Rose Sangria Spritzer,

recipe courtesy Bobby Flay

Total Time: 45 min

Prep: 15 min

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

2 bottles cold rose wine

1 green apple, thinly sliced

1 orange, halved and thinly sliced

1 pint fresh raspberries

Sliced peaches

Simple syrup, to taste

Ice cubes

Fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Club soda, cold, optional

Directions

Combine wine and fruit in a pitcher, add simple syrup, to taste. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day. Serve over ice, garnish with mint and top with a few splashes of club soda, if desired.

Tip: Place a peach or similar fruit on the top of the sangria pitcher to help keep flying & stinging insects away :)

You can find a printable recipe, here.

South of the BorderTable Details:

Salad Plates & Bowls/ Kohl’s-  Corsica Home/Tivoli

Placemats & Napkins/ Kohl’s

Napkin Rings & Urn/ Pottery Barn

Dinner Plates/Pier 1

Tray/ Stein Mart

Pitcher, Chargers & Flatware/ World Market

Thank you for your visit!