4 easy to make dishes for your Labor Day bash

Posted on September 6, 2009

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Babaloos Cuban Cafe in Phoenix has five perfect summer recipes to guarantee your holiday bash is a huge hit.

Executive Chef Robert Gonzalez starts your party off with a fresh and easy tropical salsa to go along with tortilla chips (or anything you want!).

Next up, Chef Gonzalez suggests a very light and refreshing chilled avocado soup.

“The orange lends the avocado a nice sweetness,” says Gonzalez. “While the yogurt lightens it up.”

For the main course, Gonzalez recommends a unique twist to your ordinary burger. He calls it the Babaloo burger.

For the finicky eater, Gonzalez suggests preparing plain burgers along with a zesty chimichurri sauce.

“The chimichurri sauce is a great complimant to grilled meats,” says the Valley chef. “It also makes a great marinade! It is commonly used in Latin America as a steak sauce.”

Rounding out the meal, Chef Gonzalez has a Jamaican slaw side dish for you to serve with the burgers.

The Babaloo Burger
Yields about 12 – 8 oz Burgers

Ingredients:
Ground beef 5 #
Yellow onion 2 large
Green bell pepper 2
Garlic 8 cloves
Lee & perins Wor. Sauce 1 cup
Eggs 3-4 ( more if not binding)
Bread crumbs 1 cup
Salt & pepper To taste

Directions:
In food processor, grind up onion, pepper & garlic.

In large mixing bowl, mix onions, peppers, garlic and L&P with ground beef

Add eggs and bread crumbs, mix together.

Pat out a test burger to desired size and cook. If shape does not hold add more eggs and bread crumbs.

Chimichurri
Recipe: Courtesy of Babaloo’s Cuban Cafe
[ Yields 3 cups ]

Ingredients:
Parsley 1 bunch
lemon juice ½ c
canola 1 ¼ c
Garlic 6-8 cloves
Red onion 1 oz
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method:
Combine all ingredients in vita prep and puree.

Jamaican Coleslaw
Recipe: Courtesy of Babaloo’s Cuban Cafe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-1/2 tablespoons jerk seasonings
1/2 cup raisins

Directions
Combine the coleslaw mix, raisins and nuts in a large bowl; set aside.

Mix the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar and seasoning together in a small bowl; spoon over coleslaw mix.

Stir well, cover, and chill 1 hour before serving.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning adds a warm spicy note.

Tropical Fruit Salsa
Recipe: courtesy of Babaloo’s Cuban Cafe
Prep Time 15 minutes

Tropical fruit flavors with the bite of jalapeno!

Ingredients
1/2 cup diced fresh papaya OR fresh mango
1/2 cup sliced banana
1/2 cup diced fresh pineapple
1/4 cup kiwi, chopped (about 1 kiwi)
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup minced jalapeno OR Anaheim pepper
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cilantro

Directions
Combine all ingredients; blend thoroughly. Serve over fish, pork or chicken. Store in refrigerator.