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Food Fiesta For Cinco De Mayo

CHICAGO (CBS) -- This coming Saturday is Cinco de Mayo. It's the celebration of the Mexican army's victory over the French Empire in 1862.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot is joined by Aldo Ayala, Executive Chef at Mercadito, to talk about tasty and traditional dishes for your fiesta.

One of the dishes featured is queso fundido with chorizo, which features cheese, tortillas and sausage, which can also be made with brisket. It can be topped with a tomatillo salsa.

Queso Fundido Recipe
(Credit: Mercadito)

Another flavorful and festive food is the baja estilo taco featuring mahi-mahi.

"We serve it on top with Mexican coleslaw which is cabbage, pico de gallo, and chipotle aiole," said Ayala, who is from Puebla, Mexico. "One of our traditional dishes."

The fish is beer-battered.

"The batter can not be really light, it has to be in the middle," said Ayala. "The oil has to be at 350 degrees."

Tacos Estilo Baja Recipe
(Credit: Mercadito)

Flautas are another favorite. In the center of the crunchy tortilla rolls are chicken known as chicken tinga.

"We make our chicken tinga with tomatillos, serrano peppers, onions, garlic," said Ayala who added that the ingredients could also go with tacos and tostadas.

That dish is topped off with Mexican cheese and sour cream.

Mercadito Flautas Recipe
(Credit: Mercadito)

For more information on the restaurant visit the Mercadito website for menus, hours and events.

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