Added 3/24/07: Since I still get a lot of hits on this particular piece from people wanting to know how to steam tortillas, I wanted to update the information I have on that subject. Further research has shown that steaming them in the microwave for about 30 seconds, rather than the five to seven seconds I originally suggested, is the best approach. Everything else stands as written.
Today’s topic is tacos. Specifically, how I make them. Any questions before we begin?
Are they authentic?
Um, how do you mean?
Is it an authentic Mexican recipe?
Ah, I see. I was afraid we were gonna have to get into the whole “what is the nature of reality” thing. No, they are not authentic Mexican tacos. Which is only fitting, since I am not an authentic Mexican. They are authentic white boy tacos, though.
Well now, wait just a minute. I thought those just required a packet of sauce mix from the grocery store.
Good point. That’s the kind I grew up with myself. These are somewhat similar, although it’s all done from scratch. The recipe is a variation on one printed in the March 2002 issue of Cook’s Illustrated.
Is it a low-fat recipe?
To a certain degree. We use ground turkey instead of beef, so that saves some fat right there. Also, we like to steam the tortillas briefly in the microwave rather than frying them. You could use low-fat cheese if you want to, although in my experience that stuff bears only a passing resemblance to any known dairy product. Oh, speaking of which – sour cream on Mexican food, whether “authentic” or anglicized, is an abomination. That said, if you absolutely must use it, Science Girl says low-fat* is the way to go.
Are they low-carb tacos?
How the fuck would I know? Er… no, probably not. I suppose you could just skip the tortilla and eat a bowl of meat, but… look, your body needs carbohydrate in order to function correctly. Just this once, drop the Atkins-nazi shit and live a little. I won’t tell anybody if you don’t.
Shall we begin?
OK, here’s what you need (I eyeball most of this stuff, so measurements may not be exact):
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 to one cup onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
2/3 teaspoon chipotle powder (The original recipe calls for cayenne pepper, but I usually substitute chipotle. I prefer the subtly smoky flavor it adds. If you don’t have/can’t get chipotle, go with the cayenne.)
¾ tablespoon oregano
a pinch of kosher salt (Table salt will do, of course; I’m just telling you what I use.)
1 lb. ground turkey
½ cup tomato sauce (Or, y’know, one of those little half-cans. I guess that’s about half a cup.)
2 teaspoons vinegar (The recipe calls for white vinegar. I use balsamic, because that’s what I have. Follow your conscience.)
Heat a skillet (if you’re like me, you’ve only really got one choice; if you have multiple skillets, I guess go with the medium or large) to about medium-high. Sauté your onions until they’re clear and pretty, about four minutes maybe? Dump in the garlic, the oregano, the salt, and all the spices (for those of you with short attention spans, that would be the chili powder, cumin, coriander, and chipotle) and stir for about a minute or so. Add the ground turkey. Break it up with your spoon so there are no lumps of meat. Stir for about, I dunno, four or five minutes. The goal is to brown the meat (no pink) and break up any meatclods that may form. NOBODY WANTS LUMPY TACOS. Now, add the tomato sauce and vinegar & stir it all together. The original recipe calls for the addition of chicken broth at this point, although I’m not really sure why. Since they’re using beef and we’re using turkey, I’ve never added it and I don’t think we’ve missed out on anything. But I digress. You’ll want to turn the heat down to low and simmer until the sauce reduces to a manageable consistency. Maybe 10 minutes or so. Don’t let it dry out, though, or people will speak poorly of you behind your back. Perhaps even to your face!
While your sauce is reducing, why not take advantage of this downtime to prep your toppings? Shred some lettuce (Dude!), grate some cheese (We use cheddar & jack, but hey, go nuts if you want to), chop some onion and tomato… you know, the usual suspects. Hot sauce is nice, too, although if you’re using chipotle for the first time you might want to taste the filling before adding anything else hot. Heh heh.
And let’s have a word about tortillas, shall we? First off, you want corn tortillas, not flour. Try to buy something locally made, if you can. Or, you could make your own. Whatever you do, avoid those pre-formed “taco shells” at all costs. Seriously. I will come to your house and shit in your silverware drawer if I find out you used those nasty-ass desiccated things. Crabs have shells. Snails have shells. Tacos are made with tortillas, OK? Now, you can fry them if you like. We used to do that, but it’s kind of a lot of hassle. Now we take two tortillas, sprinkle a tiny amount of water on them, wrap them in paper towels (or, if you run out of paper towels as we did this weekend, you can use coffee filters instead), and microwave them for about five to seven seconds. Voila! Steamed tortillas! You can now make soft tacos. Two things to remember about steamed tortillas, though: 1) Don’t try to do more than two at a time, and 2) they will cool off quickly, so don’t dilly-dally. Top ‘em & eat ‘em.
*Added 5/17/04: Science Girl corrected me today. Tillamook Fat Free is the sour cream of choice. I still think it's all nasty, fat-free or otherwise, but I realize I'm in the minority on that front.
LOL! Love your candor! I can't argue a single statement. Pre-formed taco shells are crap and putting sour cream on otherwise authentic Mexican food is nothing more than a fat person's excuse for staying that way.
Posted by: Tacos Carne Asada are better than sex (almost) | July 23, 2008 at 12:23 PM