Let's celebrate!

I love the 4th of July, it makes me feel so grateful to live in this amazing country and it always means friends, playing outside, fun drinks, DELICIOSO food and lots of fireworks.

I decided to give this 4th a Latin twist on American classics.

Enjoy these recipes. Hope you have lots of fun, stay safe and please drink responsibly.

love, ingrid

Menu:
Tamarind Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Mango and Red Cabbage Slaw
Corn Pudding
Micheladas Maria

Tamarind Glazed Baby Back Ribs
Serves 4 to 6

2 racks of of pork baby back ribs (about 2 pounds each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 aji panca or ancho chiles soaked in hot water
1/2 cup tamarind paste
3 to 4 tablespoons light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
½ cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed from about 1/2 orange)
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 300°F.

Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper and place them meaty-side up on an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or shallow baking dish. Roast for 30 minutes and then drain off any accumulated fat from the baking sheet. Turn the ribs over and increase the oven temperature to 400°F. Return them to the oven for an additional 30 minutes.

While the ribs cook, make the glaze. Remove the dried chiles from the soaking liquid and discard the stem and seeds. Place the chiles in a blender along with the tamarind paste, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon and orange juices and garlic. Purée to make a thick paste, scraping the jar as necessary. Add some of the chile soaking liquid if it seems to thick. Set aside 1/4 of the glaze for serving.

After the ribs have cooked at 400°F for 30 minutes, begin basting them with the glaze every 15 minutes until the ribs are tender, about 1 hour, turning the ribs meaty side up again after 30 minutes. Remove the ribs from the oven and brush with the reserved glaze and serve.

Mango & Red Cabbage Slaw
Serves 4

1 head red cabbage, halved and very finely shredded (about 8 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1 large or 2 small ripe mangoes, peeled, fruit sliced from the pit, and diced (page 000)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Place the cabbage in a large bowl and toss it with the salt, using your hands to press down firmly on the cabbage to encourage the cabbage to release some of its moisture and better absorb the salt. Transfer the cabbage to a colander and let it sit for 20 minutes to drain.

Using paper towels or a kitchen towel, wring as much liquid as possible from the cabbage and place it in a clean, large bowl. Toss with the mangoes, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar and sugar. Let the coleslaw sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Corn Pudding
Serves 6 to 8

Kernels from 6 ears of corn, sliced of the cob (about 4 cups corn kernels)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon at room temperature
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups (1 pint) sour cream
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)

Place 3/4 of the corn kernels and 1/2 cup of the milk in a blender and pulse until coarsely puréed.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining whole 3 1/4 cups of corn kernels along with any accumulated corn juices, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn purée the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and heavy cream and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8- X 11-inch baking dish with the tablespoon of softened butter and set aside.

Combine the melted butter, eggs, cornmeal, salt, sour cream and cheese together in a large bowl. Stir in the creamed corn and blend well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and bake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly and a cake tester comes out with just a little moistness, about 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Michelada Marias
Serves 4

1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 limes, quartered
Ice Cubes
4 12-ounce bottles of beer
Tabasco sauce
Worcestershire sauce

Combine the salt and chili powder in a small bowl and transfer it to a flat plate. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of each beer mug and dip it into the chili-salt to coat the rim. Squeeze 4 lime wedges into each mug. Add a couple of the juiced wedges to the mug and fill with ice. Add 1 bottle of beer, a dash of Tabasco and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and serve immediately.