Buy-and-serve burrito party

As a holiday, Cinco de Mayo stirs up more hoopla north of the Mexican border than south of it―but any excuse for a party that involves Mexican food is good enough for us. Best yet, it's easy to do: Just buy what you need for a burrito buffet at the supermarket; if there's a Mexican market near you, the choices for fillings and fixings get even better.

Guests build their own burritos, so all you have to make is the slaw. When it's this easy, you just might want to think about a Cinco de Junio next.

Your shopping list  for 10:

Appetizers and drinks

• Tortilla chips and salsa and/or guacamole
• Fried pork rinds (chicharrónes)
• Pickled jalapeño chiles
• Chile-lime roasted peanuts or garbanzos
• Mexican beer and sodas

 

Burrito bar

• 8 ounces cotija or feta cheese
• 1 1/2 cups crema (Mexican sour cream) or sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups salsa (1 or 2 types)
• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 ounce fresh cilantro
• 5 green onions
• 2 avocados (8 oz. each)
• or 1 1/2 cups guacamole
• 1 lime
• 2 or 3 cans (16 oz. each) black, pinto, or refried beans
• About 2 pounds boned cooked meat (see notes, above right) or 2 roasted whole chickens (1 3/4 lb. each)
• 10 fresh flour tortillas (10 in. wide)

 

Mexican slaw

• 2 limes
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 head cabbage
• 4 to 6 ounces radishes
• 1 ounce fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper

 

Pineapple sundaes

• 3 pounds peeled and cored fresh pineapple
• 1 1/2 cups caramel sauce like Mexican (goat-milk) cajeta
• 1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked or shredded dried coconut
• 2 1/2 quarts vanilla ice cream

 

Guests build their own burritos, so all you have to make is the slaw.

Next:  How to assemble your burrito bar