Cinco de Eato: Salmon Tostados and Shrimp Empanadas

Despite what ES-ers may think/
Cinco Mayo’s ’bout more than the drink/
So chop up your fish and spice up that dish/
It’s time for a Mexican feast.

OK….not sure why I decided to close today out with a limerick…but it’s just that time of the week ya’ll. And with Cinco De Mayo falling on a Monday this year, we’re thinking all-weekend Mexican party. To get things started on the appetizer front, we’ve got two delightful recipes courtesy of our friends over at McCormick.

Salmon-Tostada-with-Chamoy-and-Charred-Corn-Relish_Recipes_1007x545

Salmon Tostada with Chamoy and Charred Corn Relish

Chamoy is a versatile condiment from Mexico with sweet, sour and spicy flavors. In this dish, it serves as a perfect complement to baked salmon, which is flaked and served in tostada shells with a charred corn relish.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

2 ears fresh corn, husks and silk strands removed
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced (1 cup)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, diced (1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
2 blood oranges, juiced (1/2 cup) or 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/3 cups Chamoy Sauce, divided (recipe follows)
4 salmon fillets, skin off (4 to 5 ounces each)
8 tostada shells (5-inch)
2 avocadoes, peeled, seeded and each cut into 16 slices
1 cup sour cream

1. Grill corn over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until tender and lightly charred, turning occasionally. Cut corn kernels from cobs. Toss corn with tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, blood
orange juice and 1/2 cup of the Chamoy Sauce in large bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2.Place salmon in baking dish. Brush top of each fillet with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Chamoy Sauce. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Flake each salmon fillet into large pieces.

3.To assemble tostadas, place 4 avocado slices in each shell. Top each with about 1/4 cup of the corn relish, 2 tablespoon of the sour cream and flakes from 1/2 of a salmon fillet. Drizzle with remaining Chamoy Sauce.

Makes 8 servings.
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Shrimp and Queso Fresco Empanadas with Charred Tomatillo Sauce

Shrimp-and-Queso-Fresco-Empanadas-with-Charred-Tomatillo-Sauce_Recipes_1007x545

The origin of empanadas, a popular street food in Latin American, can be traced to Spain and Portugal where they were often filled with seafood. This empanada is filled with shrimp and creamy queso fresco offset by a tangy Mexican tomatillo salsa.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

8 ounces tomatillos, papery skin removed and rinsed well
3 serrano chilies, seeded
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 ounces (1/2 package) cream cheese
1 cup shredded queso fresco, divided
3 green onions, sliced
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped and seeded fresno chilies, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped Marcona almonds, divided
1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Ancho Chile Pepper
2 packages (14.1 ounces each) refrigerated pie crusts (4 crusts)

1.For the Charred Tomatillo Sauce, toss tomatillos, serrano chilies and garlic with oil. Place on foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 4 to 6 minutes or until tomatillos and chilies begin to char in spots.
Cool slightly. Place tomatillos, chilies and garlic in blender container. Add cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the queso fresco; cover. Blend on medium speed until pureed. Add green onions, cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the fresno chilies and salt. Blend until smooth.

2.For the Empanada Filling, mix 2/3 cup of the Charred Tomatillo Sauce with remaining 1/2 cup queso fresco in large bowl Add shrimp, 1/4 cup of the Marcona almonds, 1 tablespoon of the
remaining fresno chilies, cumin and ancho chile pepper; mix until well blended.

3.To assemble empanadas, unroll pie crusts on lightly floured surface. Using 4-inch round cutter, cut each into 5 rounds for a total of 20 rounds. Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of filling onto
half of each round.Moisten edge of each with water. Fold in half; press edge with a fork to seal. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Pierce top of each with fork to vent.

4. Bake in preheated 400°F oven 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Mix remaining 1/4 cup Marcona almonds with remaining 1 tablespoon fresno chilies. Sprinkle over empanadas. Serve
with Charred Tomatillo
Sauce.

Makes 20 (1 empanada) servings.

Test Kitchen Tips:
• Fresno chilies are similar in size to the jalapeño pepper. When green they have a mild heat level. As they ripen and turn red, they become hotter. If unavailable, substitute jalapeño or
serrano chilies.
• Marcona almonds are grown in Spain. They have a rounder shape, a sweeter taste and softer texture than the California variety. They can be found in gourmet markets. If unavailable,
substitute the more familiar
California almond.

McCormick is celebrating their 125th anniversary this year with Flavor of Together, a year-long program to celebrate the unifying power of flavor and get people around the globe to share their flavor stories with each other.

Share your own unique flavor story by commenting on this post, or anywhere on social media, using the hashtag #flavorstory. For every story shared, McCormick will donate $1, up to $1.25 million, to United Way to help feed those in need. 

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