Celebrate Mexico from home with tasty Tequila and a Michelin-star meal
Cinco de Mayo (the Fifth of May) commemorates the Mexican army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The festival is now celebrated the world over with parades, historical re-enactments, and most famously, with shared Mexican dishes and drinks amongst friends.
Favourite amongst the Cinco de Mayo rituals is the ample (but responsible) drinking of tequila, and what could be better than celebrating with Mexico’s finest? Maestro Dobel is a masterful tequila from the creators of Diamante (the best-selling ultra-premium tequila in Mexico) and one of our all-time favourites.
Maestro Dobel Diamante is the world’s first multi-aged cristalino tequila, pioneering the fastest growing category of the spirit. Dobel is a crystal clear, complex and elegant spirit aged in Eastern European white oak barrels, making it aromatic and perfect for sipping neat or as a base for cocktails.
This year, Maestro Dobel has paired up with Michelin starred chef Rafael Cagali to create delicious recipes that you can make from the comfort of your own kitchen. These rare recipes will serve as a perfect complement to enjoying Dobel’s smooth flavours.
Cagali is head chef of Da Terra at the Town Hall Hotel in London’s East End where his cuisine marries his Latin American roots with extensive experience working in Italy with Stefano Baiocco at Villa Feltrinelli.
He has worked with fellow luminaries like Quique Dacosta in Spain and Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck all of which led him to his own restaurant Da Terra where he won a Michelin star just eight months after opening.
Try your hand at the master’s recipes below (this is the first time he shares his home cooking secrets) of reinterpreted Latin American x Italian fusion and create a Mexican fiesta at home!
BRING ON THE FOOD!
Gem Chicken Tacos
Ingredients (Makes 10 Tacos)
- Lettuce tacos
- Chicken thighs
- Reduced chicken sauce by half
- Radishes julienne
- Fried chicken skins
- Horseradish mayo
- Nasturtium leaves
Time needed: 30 minutes
Making 10 Tacos
- For the lettuce
Trim the edges of a baby gem leaf, making it look like a taco that will hold all the ingredients together. Keep in iced water until needed.
- For the chicken
Peel the skin off and cook in a pan until cooked and tender. Deglaze with some soy sauce.
- For the crispy skin
Boil in water for a couple of minutes then chill. Once its chilled, cut into small dices and fry off in pan until crisp.
- For the radish:
Slice the radish thinly and refresh them in a bowl with iced water so it becomes fresh and crisp.
- For the horseradish mayo:
7g egg yolks
1g white wine vinegar
1g Dijon mustard
30g horseradish oil
Salt
Place the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk, adding the vinegar and mustard.
Gradually add the oil, while whisking constantly. If it becomes too thick before all the oil has been added let it down with a little warm water and then continue to add the oil. Season to taste.
Assembling the snack: Build the snack like a taco by placing everything inside and making sure it is easy to hold
Pea Tartelette
Ingredients (Makes 10 Tacos)
Buckwheat Tartelette
- Fresh peas
- Pea mouse
- Mint oil
- Option: crisp bacon or crisp onion
- Borage flower or pea flower
- Pea shoot
For the tartelette base: - 133 buckwheat flour
- 43g sunflower oil
- 60g water
- 1.5g salt
- Mix the flour, oil and salt and add the water little by little. With a rolling pin make thin sheets of the dough. Punch out 50mm rings, placing in a tartelette tin and bake at 170c for 10 minutes.
For the pea mousse: - 200g frozen petit peas
- 275ml vegetable stock
- 3g chervil
- 3g parsley
- 2 soaked gelatine leaves
- Fine salt to taste
Heat the vegetable stock, peas and herbs then add the soaked gelatine leaves, blend in a blender until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and season with salt. Next, pour into a piping bag and leave in the fridge until needed.
For the fresh peas:
Blanch the peas in boiling water for 10 seconds, then chill in iced water to make them easy to peel.
For the mint oil: - 100g blanched mint
- 200g rapeseed oil
- Fine salt
Blanch the mint leaves in boiling water and refresh in ice-cold water. Squeeze out the water, then blend with the oil until smooth. Pour onto muslin cloth above a bowl and leave to strain overnight. The following day discard the blitzed herb but keep the oil. Check seasoning and pour into a squeezy bottle ready to use.
Assembling the snack
Fill the tarts to the top with pea mousse. In a bowl, dress the fresh peas with the mint oil. Pour over the tarts and decorate with pea shoots and flower. Sprinkle some crisp bacon (crisp onion) on the top.
AND NOW … THE DRINKS!
Maestro Dobel Diamante Raspberry Lime
- 8 Raspberries
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- 2 fresh mint leaves
- 50ml Maestro Dobel Diamante
- sparkling water
Muddle raspberries, honey, and lime juice then strain to remove all liquid. Muddle mint leaves to release mint fragrance. Pour the mixture over ice and top with Diamante and sparkling water.
Maestro Dobel Diamante Black Diamond
• 2 parts Maestro Dobel Diamante
• ½ part agave syrup
• ½ part fresh lime
Rim old-fashioned glass with salt. Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker, add ice and shake. Strain over fresh ice in salted glass.
For a twist on this classic, add ¼ fresh pomegranate OR 20ml pomegranate juice OR 15ml pomegranate liqueur and garnish with pomegranate seeds.
–
Maestro Dobel’s are pairing up with DDW to give away TWO bottles of their exclusive Maestro Dobel Diamante check out @Dontdiewondering on Instagram for your chance to win!
Read More: The secret behind a perfect Bloody Mary