1 of 8
2 of 8
3 of 8
4 of 8
5 of 8
6 of 8
7 of 8
8 of 8
Raul's Party tips
- "People plan food for a party thinking that their guests are only going eat two or three pieces, but the way my friends eat, I plan for more. You can always host brunch the next day and invite the friends who couldn't make it to the party."
- "I always plan my parties for Sundays because I'm not competing with other holiday parties. It's also a good way to start the party earlier on Sunday and have it end a little earlier in the night."
- "Always hire staff if you can, so you can spend time with your guests and be a great host and enjoy the time with your friends." "Always make sure to tell your neighbors ahead of time that you're having a party, and if you like them, invite them."
Mango Salsa
Ingredients 1 medium tomato, diced 1/4 red onion, diced 1-2 mangos, chopped into small cubes 1 jalapeño, minced Juice of 1 lime Cilantro leaves Salt, to taste Directions 1. Combine the tomato, onion, mango, jalapeño and lime. 2. Season with salt and garnish with cilantro leaves.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Jerk Chicken Skewers
(Serves 15) Ingredients For the skewers 3 boneless chicken breasts 1/2 cup of orange juice 1 large red bell pepper 1 large green bell pepper 1 red onion Jerk seasoning, to taste For sides 2 cups of cooked white rice 1 cup of canned black beans Directions 1. Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. 2. Place in a bowl, add the orange juice, place in the refrigerator and marinate for two hours. 3. Chop the peppers and onions into 1-inch pieces. 4. Skewer, alternating pieces of the chicken, peppers and onions. 5. Grill skewers over a medium flame on a gas or charcoal grill, or bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 6. Sprinkle the skewers with the jerk seasoning throughout cooking for desired spiciness. 7. Serve over rice and beans. 8. Top with homemade mango salsa.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Pineapple Jalepeño Margarita
Ingredients 1/4 fresh jalapeño, diced Juice of 1/2 lime 1 1/2 ounces of silver tequila 1/2 ounce of Cointreau 2 ounces of pineapple juice Ice Salt Pineapple, for garnishing Directions 1. Muddle the jalapeño with the lime in the bottom of the glass. 2. Pour the silver tequila, Cointreau and pineapple juice into a shaker and add the muddled jalapeño, lime and ice. 3. Rim the glass with salt. 4. Shake all of the ingredients together and pour it into the glass. 5. Garnish with the fresh pineapple.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Avocado & Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients 1 cup of fresh corn 1 tablespoon of butter 1/2 red pepper, diced 1/2 green pepper, diced 1 cup of canned black beans 1/2 small red onion, diced 1/4 bunch cilantro, stems removed and leaves chopped 2 tablespoons of agave nectar 1 small avocado, diced Salt, to taste Directions 1. Melt the butter in a wide saucepan. Add the corn and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned. 2. Add the diced red and green peppers to the pan and sauté for 3 minutes. 3. Add the black beans, turn off the heat, and allow the mixture to cool. 4. Add the diced red onion and cilantro. 5. Toss with the agave nectar and add the diced avocado. 6. Season with salt, to taste.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Tamales
(Serves 15) Ingredients For the chicken 2 cups of shredded chicken 2/3 cup of Nacho Mama's Salsa (available for purchase at the restaurant) For the chocolate-chili sauce 2 bars of unsweetened Nestlé Abuelita dark chocolate 1 large yellow or white onion, diced 2 whole tomatoes, diced 10 ancho chiles, diced 2 jalapeños, diced 1/4 cup of chicken broth 3 tablespoons of sugar For the tamales 2 1/2 cups of masa flour 2 cups of chicken broth 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder 1/2 cup of canola oil 1/2 cup of water 15 corn husks or banana leaves For toppings Cilantro Queso fresco Directions For the chicken: Simmer with Nacho Mama's Salsa for 5 minutes. For the chocolate-chili sauce: Blend the chocolate over medium-low heat with the onion, tomatoes, chili anchos, jalapeños, chicken broth and sugar and reduce the mixture until thick. For the tamales 1. Mix masa flour with the chicken broth, salt, baking powder, canola oil and water. 2. Press into corn husks. 3. Fill with shredded chicken. 4. Steam the tamales for about 45 minutes. 5. Unwrap from husks and top with chocolate-chili sauce and more chicken, if you'd like. Garnish with cilantro and queso fresco.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Falafel Tacos
(Serves 15) Ingredients 1 can of ground chickpeas 1/2 onion, minced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 cup of cumin 1/4 cup of fresh parsley 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper 2 tablespoons of hot sauce 2 tablespoons of pickled jalapeños, finely diced Warm flour tortillas Directions 1. Mix all of the ingredients together. 2. Form into 2-inch balls, place on a baking sheet and refrigerate for one hour. 3. Heat the oil and drop the falafel balls into hot oil over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes. 4. Serve in warm flour tortillas and top with your favorite chopped veggies, cheeses and Nacho Mama's Veracruz Sauce (available for purchase at the restaurant).
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Kahlua Flan
Ingredients 2 cans of condensed milk 1 can of evaporated milk 1/4 cup of Kahlua 1 tablespoon of vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup of sugar Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In a saucepan, heat 1 cup of sugar over medium heat. Continually stir until the sugar is caramelized. 3. Carefully, and immediately, pour the caramelized sugar into an 8-inch round pan, evenly coating the bottom and sides of the pan with the sugar. Let it cool for approximately 10 minutes. 4. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, Kahlua, vanilla and milk for about 2 minutes, or until smooth. 5. Pour mixture into the cooled pan. 6. Place the pan in a shallow water bath and bake for approximately 1 hour.
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas
(Serves 15) Ingredients For the refried black beans 2 15-ounce cans of black beans For the carnitas 2-pound pork butt 1 large red onion, chopped 2 tablespoons of Cuban spice blend 1 bunch of cilantro, stems removed and leaves chopped Crispy tostada shells For the cabbage slaw 1/4 red cabbage, shredded, or bagged shredded cabbage 1/4 diced red onion Juice of 1/2 lime Salt and pepper to taste Toppings 4 ounces of tomatillo sauce Salt and pepper, to taste Queso fresco 2 limes Directions For the refried black beans Drain the cans of black beans and mash into a paste-like consistency over medium heat, and add salt and pepper to taste. For the cabbage slaw Combine the shredded cabbage and diced red onion with the fresh lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. For the carnitas 1. Chop the pork butt into 3-inch cubes and simmer with half of the chopped onions for 1 hour on medium-low or on low in a slow cooker for 8 hours until the pieces are fork-tender. 2. Add the Cuban spices. Sauté the pork and the onions with the chopped cilantro and 1/4 of the chopped red onion. 3. Spread the refried black beans on top of the tostadas. 4. Top with the cabbage slaw, queso fresco, a drizzle of tomatillo sauce, remaining onion, and chopped cilantro. 5. Serve with fresh lime wedges on the side
The Recipes
Mango Salsa • Jerk Chicken Skewers • Pineapple-Jalepeño Margarita • Avocado & Black Bean Salsa • Tamales • Falafel Tacos • Carnitas Cubanos Tostadas • Kahlua Flan
