The King of Party salad makes an impression at every party. I am surprised by the combination of flavor and texture in this recipe. Paleta presents an exquisite dish with layers of crispy vegetables, aromatic pork and a rich sauce.
Meat and bean ingredients
- 500 g chopped beef or pork shoulder
- One flat tablespoon of Mexican spice mix
- 400 grams of canned red or black beans
- Tomato puree, 3 tablespoons, i.e. 40 g
- One large red onion (200 g)
- Two tablespoons of cooking oil
- Two cloves of garlic, i.e. about 10 g
Other salad ingredients
- can of canned corn – 400 g
- 200 g of iceberg or Chinese lettuce
- 300 g fresh tomatoes
- 150 g pickles – approx. 4 pieces
- 120 g of grated cheese
- 200 g of your favorite mayonnaise
- 200 g of sour cream 12% or 18%
- a handful of fresh cilantro or parsley
- Corn chips “nachos” – any flavor
The salad king of the party
Step 1: Prepare the minced meat
500 grams of raw, minced meat is required. I buy beef in pieces and grind it myself. I used 500 grams of pork shoulder. Add two peeled and pressed garlic cloves to the bowl containing the minced meat. For example, you can add a level tablespoon of pre-made cruciferous mixture to Mexican recipes. Mix the meat well.
Tip: Instead of pork, you can use beef shoulder. It’s also easy to swap out the ground beef for fried pieces of chicken breast that have been seasoned to the same degree. Pork or gyros can be a good substitute for a spice mix in Mexican cuisine.
Step 2: Fry the onion
After peeling and chopping the onion into thin slices or small cubes, heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Fry the onion over low heat for about five minutes. The onion should become tender and glaze-like.
Tip: Instead of red onion, you can use leek, regular white onion or garlic onion.
Step 3: Add the seasoned meat
Add the fried onion and seasoned meat to the pan. Mix and divide the meat pieces. The meat should be fried after about ten minutes of cooking.
Step 4: Add the beans and concentrate
Add about 40 grams of tomato paste along with drained black or red beans. Mix all ingredients well. After another two to three minutes of cooking, remove the pan and wait until the meat cools down.
Tip: You can focus more. Add some chili if the salads are too spicy.
Step 5: Garnish with tomatoes and lettuce.
Make sure you have two glass bowls with a capacity of approximately 1500 ml each or one with a capacity of approximately 3 liters. I will divide the ingredients in half because I used two dishes. Place 100 grams of shredded Chinese cabbage or iceberg lettuce at the bottom of each bowl. Place regular or cherry tomatoes in the background.
Tip: You can replace the tomatoes with red peppers.
Step 6: Add corn
Break a large can of corn into a can. After removing the corn from the brine, arrange it on plates.
Step 7: Prepare the sauce.
Combine the sauce ingredients in another bowl: 200 grams of your favorite mayonnaise; 200 grams of sour cream, 12 or 18%; 120 grams of cheese, grated; and 150 grams of pickles, finely chopped. Mix everything together.
Tip: Instead of pickles, you can use pickled mushrooms or cucumbers. Cheddar or mild mozzarella are easy substitutes for yellow cheese.
Step 8: Place the meat and sauce on top
Place the cooked meat in the sauce (equally between two bowls) on top of the corn. Then add the sauce. Add any flavor of corn chips and crushed nachos on top. Also add chopped parsley or coriander.
Step 9: Finish the decoration
Place the chips side by side on the inside edges of the bowls. You can place any vegetables in the center and add a few extra pieces.
King of the Party salad is best prepared on the day of serving. At this point, the layers will remain properly separated. It will taste even better after a night in the fridge, but the salad may lose its visual appeal when the dressing and vegetable juice start to mix. The Mexican king of the party can then be assembled and served without visible layers.
Enjoy your meal.
