DIY Network

Spicy Salsa Party: Food Preparation From "Weekend Entertaining" episode WKE-201

Host Jeanne Benedict shows you how to prepare this Salsa Borracha.

This party is rated 2 on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the most difficult and is geared toward the skills of a frequent entertainer.

Hourly Breakdown

Total Prep Time -- 14 hours
Food Preparation -- 5 hours

Salsa Borracha

Ingredients:

1 medium dried chipotle or ancho chili
4 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup diced onion
One 3.5 gram beef bouillon cube (mashed)
1/4 cup Ugo Magi or oyster sauce
1/2 cup beer
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. salt

Preparation:

Note: Chipotle chili means a smoked chili.

Remove stem and seeds from ancho chili pepper and place in a small saucepan full of water. Bring water to a boil for 5 minutes to soften the chili. Cool to touch and mince into tiny bits.

Cut tomatoes in half and remove seeds and the liquid before dicing. Add 1 cup diced onion, 1 mashed beef bouillon cube, 1/4-cup oyster sauce, 1/2 cup beer, 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro and 1 teaspoon salt into a bowl and stir to combine. Cover salsa and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before serving to allow flavors to blend. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Expert Tip: When you are making salsas, you want to make sure you use the freshest possible ingredients. Try to keep the ingredient list small. If you want your salsas to be milder, you can accomplish that in a myriad of ways -- by the peppers you chose, by adding more tomato, and you can also fold in some sour cream to tone it down a bit if it is too hot.

Servings: 5 cups

advertisement

Gourmet Tamales

Gourmet Tamales

Ingredients for Tamales:

30 corn husks
3 cups Masa Harina
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup lard
1-1/2 tsp. salt

Suggested Mixtures for the Fillings:

Caramelized Jalapeno Pepper and Cream Cheese
Pepito Cilantro Pesto and Jack Cheese Filling
Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Preparation:

Combine the masa mix and salt in a bowl and set aside. Place lard in a larger mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add the masa and salt mixture to the bowl gradually, mixing as you go, until it is all blended together. You need it the consistency of peanut butter -- you may need to use your hands to mix it all together.

Place 2 tablespoons of this mixture in the center of each corn husk. Spoon a filling of your choice on top of the masa mixture. Fold one long side in, then the short sides over and the other long side in. Tide with a cornhusk string.

Place in a tamale pot. The pots should have a bit of liquid in the bottom to steam the tamales. To enhance the flavor you can add 2 tablespoons of Cuervo Gold Tequila. Cook the tamales for an hour on medium heat.

Delicious Stuffed Tortilla Cones for dessert are a perfect ending for your Salsa party.

Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Cones with Vanilla Ice Cream and Fruit Salsa

Ingredients:

Canola oil
8" flour tortillas (1 per guest)
Cinnamon
Sugar
Marshmallows
Vanilla ice cream
Strawberries
Bananas
Papaya

Preparation:

To make the tortilla cones you will need a covered fryer, or you can fill a stockpot two-thirds full of canola oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees. Roll the tortilla in a cone shape and fry it for 1 to 2 minutes until it is crisp.

Cool the cone on a paper towel and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture on each side.

Expert Tip: The best way to make sure your oil is hot enough to fry the tortillas, is to simply break off a little piece of flour tortilla and fry it up. As soon as you place it in the pot if it starts to bubble you know the oil is ready.

Fill the cones with ice cream and serve with your favorite fruit salsa.

RESOURCES :

Sophisticated Entertaining: Spirited Food for Grown-Up Parties
1557883459
Jeanne Benedict
(October, 2000)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Whole Foods Market
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Salsa Dancing Information
Ken Baldwin
Salsa Instructor
222 S. Central Ave. #401
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Phone: 323-858-7948
E-mail: kenbaldwin@dancefish.com
Website: www.dancefish.com

Hillcrest Party Rentals
3507 Motor Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Phone: 310-837-9009
Website: www.hillcrestparty.com

Jackalope
Website: www.jackalope.com

The Sophisticated Cookie: Baking with Spirits: The World's Best Cookies Made with Alcoholic Beverages
1557882940
Jeanne Benedict
(September, 1998)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Celebrations: A Joyous Guide to the Holidays from Past to Present
1557883734
Jim McCann and Jeanne Benedict
(November, 2001)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
HP Books

Nueva Salsa: Recipes to Spice It Up
0811836975
Rafael Palomino and Arlen Gargagliano
(April, 2003)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Chronicle Books

GUESTS :

Harry Schwartz
Culinary Expert
PO Box 1320
Yarmouth, ME 04096
Phone: 207-846-8881
E-mail: chefharry@chefharry.com
Website: www.chefharry.com

Cheryl Evanoff
Vice President, Regal Rents
6612 Shenandoah
Los Angeles, CA 90056
Phone: 310-529-0312
E-mail: Cheryl@regalrents.com

Jorge Lopez
Technical "WOW" Director
President
J and M Entertainment
26027 Huntington Lane, Units D and E
Valencia, CA 91355
Toll-free phone: 800-585-4235
E-mail: jorgel@jandmentertainment.com
Website: www.jandmentertainment.com

Jessica Bennington
Director of Catering
Dean and Deluca
560 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-226-6800
Email: catering@deandeluca.com
Website: www.deandeluca.com