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Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Friday, March 29

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Recipe Thu May 03 2012

Get Your Cinco de Mayo on With Recipes from Big Star and Tiny Lounge

Face it, whether you like it not, you're going to be drinking a margarita or two this weekend and eating piles of nachos drowning in processed cheese and drizzled with "sour cream." If you're lucky, you might venture upon a place that uses fresh squeezed lime juice and prepares their drinks to order and serves something that remotely looks like Mexican food. But most likely for Cinco de Mayo, if what you order comes in a pitcher, you're going to be indulging in way too many margaritas made from cheap sour mix and even cheaper tequila. And then you're going to end up at Burrito House or Tony's at 3 in the morning. You know what I'm talking about, it's inevitable. Especially when you start around noon, which you will.

La Bastarda Drink.jpgBut it doesn't have to be that way.

This year, Justin Large from Big Star, known for putting a unique spin on tacos, and Mark Johnson from Tiny Lounge, which does for the standard cocktail what Photoshop does for most celebrities, kindly lent Gapers Block some kickass Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes that are sure to add a little more style to your fiesta this year.

Buen provecho!

La Bastarda (colloquially, "the bastard child")
Tequila
Peach Nectar
Orange Juice
Dash of Cholula Hot Sauce
Fresh Lime Juice
Agave Nectar
Fresh Basil for garnish


Tacos de Ostiones (Fried Oyster Taco)
4 fresh corn tortillas
8 large or 12 medium oysters shucked for frying
1 C rice flour
1 C cornmeal or masa harina
2 red or breakfast radishes, shaved thinly with mandolin
1/4 head of green cabbage, shaved
1/2 large red onion julienned
2-3 T chopped cilantro
Lime juice
Extra virgin olive oil
5 T chipotle aioli (recipe below)
Salt
Oil for frying
Lime wedges

Chipotle Aioli
4 egg yolks
4 C neutral flavored oil
4 cloves roasted garlic
1.5 cans, pureed chipotles en adobo
Salt
Lime juice

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients except the oil in a food processor or blender and puree.
2. Add the oil in a slow stream and continue to process until the mixture has formed a thick emulsion.

Assembly
1. Heat oil to 350, drain oysters and reserve.
2. Mix together rice flour and cornmeal for dusting. Season with salt.
3. In a separate bowl mix radishes, cabbage, red onion, lime juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Season to taste and reserve.
4. Warm tortillas.
5. Dredge oysters in cornmeal mixture, fry until golden. Season upon removal from fryer.
6. Spread bottom of each tortilla with a generous portion of chipotle aioli, top with oysters and slaw. Finish with fresh cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

PS. If you don't want to make the tacos (what, can't shuck on oyster?) Mercadito's is featuring them for its Tacos for Strength program in May.

Thanks to Big Star and Tiny Lounge!

 
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Feature Thu Dec 31 2015

The State of Food Writing

By Brandy Gonsoulin

In 2009, food blogging, social media and Yelp were gaining popularity, and America's revered gastronomic magazine Gourmet shuttered after 68 years in business. Former Cook's Illustrated editor-in-chief Chris Kimball followed with an editorial, stating that "The shuttering of Gourmet reminds...
Read this feature »

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Drive-Thru is the food and drink section of Gapers Block, covering the city's vibrant dining, drinking and cooking scene. More...
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Editor: Robyn Nisi, rn@gapersblock.com
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