Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner, so I thought I'd share one of my family's favorite dishes: Mexican Chef's Salad.
My mom got this recipe from a friend when she was living in Colorado and pregnant with me. As she tells it, she went over to the Hankins' house every Sunday in the summer for this salad and a strawberry daiquiri. She claims the daiquiri was virgin, but this was back in 1978 when moms smoked and kids rolled around the backseat without any sort of restraint system, so who knows! Anyway, the frequency of the meal does explain my obsession with both avocados and fruity beverages.
Mexican Chef's Salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 can dark red kidney beans
Taco Seasoning (Old El Paso or homemade)
Avocado, cubed
Tomato, chopped
Small onion, chopped
8-10 oz. Sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
Iceberg lettuce, shredded
Bag of Doritos*, crushed
*Right now, I need you to put your right hand over your heart, raise your left hand, and repeat after me, "I, (state your name), do solemnly vow, never to use Baked Doritos in this salad." I know what you're thinking, "Now, Katherine, does it really make a difference?" In one word- YES! Don't get me wrong, I love Baked Doritos, but for some reason, when they mix with the dressing, they end up tasting like stale cardboard.
Dressing
Combine in blender-
1 C mayonnaise
1/4 C chili sauce
2 T sweet relish
2 T chopped green olives
1 little jar pimentos
1/2 lemon, juiced
Dash Tabasco
Dash Worcestershire Sauce
Getting Started
Brown beef and drain. Then add beef, beans, and taco seasoning back to pan and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool.
My mom's recipe doesn't call for taco seasoning, but I think it really elevates the flavor profile of the whole dish. (PS- I have no idea what that means, but they say it on Master Chef all the time, so I thought it would add to my credibility.)
Just before serving
Combine salad ingredients in a BIG bowl and pour dressing on top. Then, making sure you've washed your hands (because we all know you snuck a few Doritos and licked off the orange yumminess), toss the salad . . . yes, with your hands. My mom and I have both tried other utensils, including a fantastic pair of acrylic salad "fingers," but none of them quite did the job the way your own two hands will. Sadly, once you've tossed the salad, it will no longer look as lovely as this beautiful sunflower Alex designed, but it will leave people begging for more.
This salad serves 6-8 people easily, so if you don't plan on eating it all in one night, I suggest only tossing half of it with the dressing and Doritos. They are much better crisp and crunchy. I love to serve this with margaritas, Mexican cornbread, and key lime pie. I'm a big fan of the pie recipe on the back of Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice. It is quick, easy, and delicious. Sadly, neither Nellie nor Joe paid me for that endorsement.
My boys love the salad, although they do sometimes eat a deconstructed version with the chips; beans & meat; and lettuce, cheese, & dressing all in different compartments on a divided plate. They get that quirky little habit from me, so I can't really judge. This meal is also a good one to take to families when they have had a baby, mainly because it is different from chicken casserole, and it can be prepped in advance.
I hope you enjoy the salad as much as we do. Happy Cinco de Mayo! Buen provecho!
Labels: family, food, recipes
