Any food you eat with your hands is fun and Mexico's classic street food, the taco, is no exception.
For many of us, tacos are spiced ground beef in a crunchy corn shell, but a Mexican taco is usually a soft tortilla (either corn or flour) wrapped around anything from sliced beef tongue to crispy fried grasshoppers (yes, really).
I'm not offering a recipe for insect tacos because there are many more mainstream possibilities such as vegetarian, seafood, beef, chicken or pork, with fresh toppings of cheese, vegetables and often a delicious sauce. Tacos are a great quick weeknight meal, and a taco bar is a lot of fun at a casual gathering. Lay out a variety of tortillas, fillings and toppings and let your guests pick and choose.
Sausage and Potato Tacos
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into
¼-inch cubes
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 six-inch soft flour or corn tortillas, wrapped in foil and warmed in a 300º F oven
Chopped fresh tomatoes
½ cup sour cream mixed with 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed potatoes and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden brown and tender (about seven minutes); transfer to a small bowl.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet along with the sausage and onion and cook, breaking up the sausage meat, until the sausage is browned and cooked through and the onion is tender, about 10 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, chili powder and oregano and cook for another minute. Taste mixture and add salt and pepper as desired. Add the cooked potatoes and toss to combine.
Spoon filling into the warm tortillas; top with chopped tomato and sour cream.
Makes four servings.
Mushroom and Pepper Tacos
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp dried oregano
1 fresh poblano chili, seeded and cut into
¼-inch strips (you can substitute a green bell pepper if you prefer a less spicy taco)
1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch slices 1 garlic clove, minced
½ tsp Kosher salt
2 large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned (scrape out the dark gills) and cut into ¼-inch strips 1 medium Roma tomato, diced
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tsp fresh lime juice
8 six-inch soft corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, or shredded Monterey Jack
1 medium avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin and oregano and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the poblano pepper, onion, garlic and the salt and cook until the onion is tender, about seven minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and tender, about six minutes. Remove pan from heat and stir in the tomato, cilantro and lime juice. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon filling into tortillas and top with cheese and avocado slices. Makes four servings.
Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa
Salsa:
1 small shallot, minced
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (use more or less depending on desired heat level)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, peeled and diced
½ tsp salt 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
¼ cup coarsely chopped cilantro Shrimp:
1½ Tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
1½ lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed frozen shrimp are fine) 8 six-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed
2 cups finely shredded red or green cabbage (bagged coleslaw mix is a quick alternative)
1 cup sour cream Lime wedges
Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine; set aside. Preheat a grill pan over medium heat. In a large bowl combine the olive oil, chili powder, salt, cayenne and shrimp; toss to coat shrimp with oil and seasonings. Grease the grill pan generously with vegetable oil; place shrimp on pan and cook until just opaque, about two minutes per side. To serve, top each tortilla with a generous spoonful of salsa, three shrimp, sour cream and shredded cabbage; squeeze lime wedges over top. Makes four servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
