
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with these three traditional recipes for Mexican street food from executive chef Elia Herrera of Toronto’s El Caballito.
Mushrooms al Ajillo
Ingredients:
100 g Oyster and Bottom Mushroom Mix
7 pc of sliced garlic
1 Guajillo pepper, sliced
1 large lime
1/3 cup olive oil
salt, to taste
Directions:
1. Let the oil get hot in a pan
2. Add garlic and guajillo until is golden
3. Remove it from the oil
4. Add mushrooms until they get some color, add salt
5. Add the garlic and guajillo
6. Add lime juice
Ceviche Tradicional de Vera Cruz
Ingredients:
320 g fresh cod
125g onion, peeled
160g sherry vinegar
8g serrano peppers
150ml lime juice
20g coriander
1 1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
- Dice the cod, onion, Serrano peppers and the coriander into 0.5 cm cubes.
- Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix together.
- Allow to cure for 2 hours.
- Place in appropriate container and store in the fridge.
Guacamole
Ingredients:
14 pc avocado
87g chopped jalapeno
1/3 bunch chopped cilantro
585g chopped tomato
276g chopped onion
300ml lime juice
30g salt
Directions:
- In mixing bowl combine all the diced ingredients.
- Mix in the avocado flesh and combine in until mixed. Don’t over mix the avocado.
- Season to taste.
- Place in appropriate container and store in the fridge.
Recipes courtesy Elia Herrera, Executive Chef, El Caballito
Tags: cinco de mayo, cuisine, guacamole, mexican, recipe

Prep: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
- 3 tbsp chopped dry-roasted, salted peanuts
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots, optional
- 1 small hot red chili, minced
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
- STIR cilantro with peanuts, shallots and chili in a small bowl. Stir hoisin with orange juice in another small bowl.
- PREHEAT barbecue to medium. Sprinkle chicken with salt. Oil grill, then barbecue chicken, lid closed, until springy when pressed, 6 to 8 min per side. Transfer to a platter and immediately brush with half of hoisin mixture. Top with peanut mixture. Serve with remaining hoisin mixture.
Tags: chicken, Hoisin, Peanut

Prep: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, about 2 cups cooked
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 227-g pkg cremini mushrooms, coarsely grated, about 1 cup
- 1 cup coarsely grated zucchini
- 3/4 cup coarsely grated carrot
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp
Directions
- COOK quinoa according to package directions, omitting salt, about 14 min. Transfer to a large bowl.
- HEAT a large, wide non-stick frying pan over medium. Add oil, then mushrooms, zucchini, carrot, shallot and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 min. Add to quinoa. Stir in egg, cornstarch, salt and cayenne.
- HEAT the same non-stick frying pan over medium. Firmly press quinoa mixture into a 1/2-cup measuring cup. Turn and release into pan. Gently press to shape into a patty about 4 in. wide. Repeat, cooking 2 patties at a time. Cook until golden and warmed through, about 4 min per side. Top with tahini sauce and roasted plum tomatoes.
Tags: burger, quinoa

Prep: 5 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Makes: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 250-g butter puff pastry sheet, defrosted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup half-and-half cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 100 g bacon, chopped (about 4 slices)
- 1 cup sliced red onions
- 156 g baby kale (8 cups, packed)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a 9-in. metal pie plate or tart pan with removable bottom with puff pastry (carefully rolling or stretching dough to the right size). Trim edges. Prick bottom and sides of crust all over with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 min or until lightly golden. Remove from oven. If it has pulled up, use a fork to flatten dough and press back into place. Turn oven down to 400°F.
- Beat eggs with cream until uniform, and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
- Place bacon in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté for 4 min or until fat has rendered and bacon is beginning to crisp. Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat. Add onions and sauté for 3 min or until onions are lightly browned. Add kale and sauté for 2 min or until fully wilted. Remove from heat.
- Scrape into prepared pie shell and spread into an even layer. Pour egg mixture over top and use a fork to lightly stir, making sure that liquid is well distributed.
- Bake for 25 min or until filling is set. Let stand 10 min to firm up before serving.
TIP: Using a sheet of premade butter puff pastry makes this tart quick and easy to assemble.
Tags: bacon, kale, Quiche

Prep: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
Falafel
- 1 540-mL can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 4 tsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
- 1/3 cup tahini
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Salad
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 plum tomatoes, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment.
- Whirl chickpeas with 1/4 cup parsley, garlic, egg, spices and 1/4 tsp salt in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, pour 4 tsp oil through the feed tube, scraping down side of bowl, if needed, until mixture starts to come together. Stir in bread crumbs. Scoop mixture and roll into 1-in. balls. Arrange 1 in. apart on prepared baking sheet. Gently press balls into 1/2-in.-thick nuggets.
- Bake in centre of oven, flipping halfway through, until firm, about 20 min.
- Stir tahini with water, 2 tbsp lemon juice and remaining 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl until smooth.
- Whisk 2 tbsp oil with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt in a medium bowl until combined. Add tomatoes, cucumber and 1/2 cup parsley, tossing to coat.
Tags: cucumber, Falafel, lunch, tomato

Prep: 30 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
- 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage
- 1/2 cup finely sliced red onion
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 400 g cod fillets
- 1/2 tsp salt
- fresh pepper
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 8 soft flour tortillas
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Directions
- STIR sour cream with lime zest and serrano chilies in a small bowl. Combine red cabbage with red onion and lime juice in a medium bowl. Set both aside.
- PAT cod fillets dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Season with fresh pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high. Add canola oil, then fish. Cook until browned, 2 to 3 min per side. Remove from heat. Cut fillets in bite-sized pieces.
- ASSEMBLE tacos by filling tortillas with cabbage slaw, fish, sour cream mixture, pineapple and cilantro leaves.
Tags: fish, taco

Prep: 30 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups milk, or water
- 1 cup quick oats
- 4 chai tea bags
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp salt
- sliced bananas
- toasted sliced almonds
- toasted coconut chips
Directions
- WHISK eggs with milk and oats in a medium saucepan and set over medium-low. Add tea bags. Cook, stirring often, until very creamy, about 15 min. Discard tea bags. Stir in honey, cinnamon, ginger and salt.
- DIVIDE among 4 bowls. Top with bananas, almonds and coconut chips.
Tags: Breakfast, oatmeal

Ingredients
- 1 cup (250 mL) Adams® 100% Natural Creamy Peanut Butter
- ⅓ cup (75 mL) agave syrup
- 1 cup (250 mL) Robin Hood® Oats
- 1 cup (250 mL) toasted coconut
- ½ cup (125 mL) dried blueberries
- ¼ cup (50 mL) raisins
- ½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
Directions
- Combine all ingredients. Press into foil-lined 8” square pan.
- Refrigerate overnight. Cut into bars.NOTES: Recipe freezes well and add up to 2 tbsp of your favourite vanilla or chocolate protein powder.
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Tags: oatmeal, peanut butter, snack
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