Cinco de Mayo

A festive Cinco de Mayo menu

By Jeffrey Gardner Southern Kitchen

Ceviche

It’s not as tricky as you might think to make ceviche, but you’ll want to find the freshest fish of the highest quality available, such as bass, snapper, grouper or halibut. This is also not the time to cut corners with bottled citrus juices.

Buy your own limes and juice them — the difference is very noticeable.

PHOTOS: RANJI MCMILLAN

Yucatan-Style Ceviche with Avocado

Serves: 4 • 12 ounces firm, white fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch pieces • 1/2 red onion, finely diced • 1 cup fresh lime juice • 2 oranges, segmented • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced • 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped • 1 avocado, halved, seeded and diced • 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • Kosher salt • Corn tostadas or tortilla chips, for serving

In a large bowl, combine the fish, onion and lime juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove the fish and onion from the lime juice; discard the juice.

Stir in the oranges, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, jalapeno and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and serve with the toastadas or chips.

PHOTOS: RANJI MCMILLAN

Margarita

If you truly want to elevate your margarita game, ditching the store-bought sour mix in favor of making your own is a great start. This sour mix recipe will last for about 10 days in the refrigerator.

Grapefruit Margarita

Serves: 2 • 1 tablespoon sugar • 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt • 1/2 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder • 1 pink grapefruit, cut into small wedges • 3 ounces reposado tequila • 3 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

For the sour mix:

• 1/4 cup sugar • 1/4 cup water • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the sour mix: In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and the water over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, then stir in the lemon and lime juices. Let cool completely in the refrigerator until ready to use.

On a small plate, combine the tablespoon of sugar, salt and chili powder, and mix with a fork until combined. Take one of the grapefruit wedges and run the flesh side completely around the outer rim of your desired glass. Dip the outer rim of the glass in the salt-sugar mixture.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and two grapefruit wedges. Add the tequila, 3 ounces sour mix and grapefruit juice, and shake vigorously. Strain out into the rimmed glasses, and serve either up or over ice, garnished with an additional grapefruit wedge.