Turn up the flavour and bring the fiesta to your table! These 3 Mexican dishes are all about bold tastes, vibrant colours, and a little bit of fun. 

1. Quesabirrias  

Makes 6-8 

Ingredients 

½ batch beef short rib birria
6-8 medium-small white flour tortillas 
300g mozzarella, grated 
Handful of fresh coriander 
Pico de Gallo salsa, for serving   

Method 

1. Heat birria sauce in a large pan or pot. Dip tortillas in warm birria sauce for 3-4 seconds and place on a chopping board or two. 
2. Divide cheese and meat between tortillas, packing it tightly on one half of the tortilla. Fold over to sandwich close.
3. Heat a griddle pan over medium-high heat. (If your pan is too hot, your cheese won’t melt by the time the tortilla is cooked.) 
4. Grill quesabirrias for 1-2 minutes a side, or until cheese is melted and tortilla is well-charred.   
5. Serve hot off the grill, topped with salsa and coriander.

Recipe for Pico de Gallo salsa: 

Combine chopped tomato, finely diced onion, chopped coriander or parsley and green chilli (optional). Season and toss with a dash of lemon juice or vinegar. 

Recipes and styling: Liezl Vermeulen 
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

2. Blackened fish taco dorado  

Ingredients 

For the salsa  

2 corn cobs 
Handful fresh coriander and mint 
½ onion, finely chopped 
Splash lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 
Pinch of sugar 
Salt and milled pepper 

2 (about 800g) hake fillets, bones removed and skin on 
Salt and milled pepper 
2 Tbsp smoked paprika 
2 tsp garlic powder 
½ – 1 tsp chilli powder 
Canola oil, for frying 
6 medium-small flour tortillas 
Sunflower oil, for deep frying 
1-2 avocados, sliced 
Aioli, mayonnaise or plain double-cream yoghurt, for serving 
Lemon cheeks, for serving  

Method 

1. Heat a griddle pan over high heat and grill corn until well-charred. Remove and slice kernels off the cob.  
2. Combine corn and remaining salsa ingredients. Set aside. 
3. Pat fish dry and season. 
4. Combine spices and dip fish in mixture, covering it completely. 
5. Heat a pan over high heat (its houldn’t be smoking). Add a glug of oil and pan-fry fish skin-side down. (Add a layer of baking paper before frying if your pan isn’t non-stick.) Fry for about 2-3 minutes a side, or until fish starts to flake once gently pressed on a corner. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest.  
6. Heat 3cm sunflower oil in a deep pan or pot until shimmering hot. Fry tortillas until golden, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper and fold in half while hot.  
7. Fill tacos with corn salsa, fish, sauce and avocado. Serve immediately with lemons on the side.   

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen  
Photography: Zhann Solomons  

3. Mexican pork shoulder braai feast    

Ingredients 

1 (about 2kg) deboned and butterflied pork shoulder (with fat layer intact) 
Salt and milled pepper
⅓ cup sriracha sauce  
½ cup honey 
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (soy sauce works well, too)  
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard  
Handful fresh coriander, chopped  

For serving  

16 soft bread rolls  
Shredded red cabbage  
2 braaied mielies, cut off the cob  
Fresh or pickled jalapeños, sliced   

Method 

1. Arrange coals in a horseshoe shape at the bottom of a kettle braai or Weber, creating two rows with a large gap between them at the one end (the ends of each row should not touch).  
2. Place a water-filled rectangular foil baking tray in the centre of the coals.   
3. Butterfly the meat open to create a flat, even surface. Season generously.  
4. Combine the sriracha, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and coriander to make a sauce.   
5. Brush meat-side of the pork shoulder with half the sauce. Do not brush the fat side as it will burn quite quickly.   
6. Light coals and place meat fat-side down on the grid, over the water-filled tray. Cover with the kettle-braai or Weber lid.
7. Braai the pork for about 3-3 ½ hours, making sure to maintain a steady low-and-slow heat and replenishing coals every hour or so. Do not let the coals die.   
8. Remove the pork from heat once cooked and rest for at least 20 minutes.  
9. Shred the meat using two forks, add remaining sauce and toss to coat evenly.  
10. Place pork onto a platter with rolls, cabbage, corn and jalapeño for guests and serve.   

Recipe & photography courtesy of Fresh Living magazine  

Also read: Mexican sangria

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