pam@cepu (Pam McGarvey) (01/09/87)
TEXMEX-TACOS(M) USENET Cookbook TEXMEX-TACOS(M)
TEX-MEX STYLE TACOS
TEXMEX-TACOS - San Antonio, Texas style tacos
My dad is from east Texas and my mom from southern Oklahoma,
but they developed their definition of Tex-Mex from several
years in San Antonio. Since they now live in D.C., they
feel extremely deprived-none of the chain restaurants come
anywhere near the taste they developed in San Antonio.
Tex-Mex cooking is based on peasant-style dishes from the
areas of Mexico bordering Texas. The primary ingredients of
Tex-Mex cooking are corn tortillas (the thinner the better),
ground beef, pinto beans, and hot chile powder, sharp Ched-
dar cheese, and onions.
INGREDIENTS (1 dozen tacos)
2 lb extra lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped fine.
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp chile powder (or more to taste)
vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas (the thinner the better)
1/2 lb sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 large tomato, chopped.
3 cups shredded lettuce
PROCEDURE
(1) Brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a large
skillet. There should be enough fat in the beef
to eliminate any need for extra oil and also to
saut' the onions at the same time. While you are
browning the beef (it should be completely cooked
with no pink or red color left), be sure to break
it up so that it is granular in texture, as
opposed to chunky, when completely browned.
Onions should be limp and translucent but not
brown.
(2) Drain off as much fat as possible. Add salt and
chile powder and continue to saut' until the chile
is completely incorporated into the meat mixture.
Cover skillet and leave on extremely low heat-just
enough to keep the meat hot.
(3) Put about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a small
skillet, and heat it. Test the oil for proper
temperature by putting in a small piece of tor-
tilla. When the oil reaches the temperature where
it immediately begins to bubble frantically over
the tortilla as soon as it is put in the oil and
the tortilla piece becomes crisp quite quickly,
you are ready to cook the taco shells. This is
important because there is nothing worse than a
soggy taco shell (which results from the oil not
being hot enough).
(4) Using tongs, put the tortillas in the oil, one at
a time, and cook for 30-60 seconds until the
underside just starts to become crisp. With the
tongs, turn the tortilla over and, using a spa-
tula, bend in half to form the shell. Cook each
side of the bent tortilla until crisp, about 30-45
seconds per side. Remove the shell from the oil
and drain on a newspaper-covered cookie sheet.
The cooked shells can be kept warm in the oven at
very low heat.
(5) To assemble, fill each shell about 2/3's full of
the meat and top with cheese, tomato and lettuce.
We like to add extra zap with a shot of Tabasco
sauce.
NOTES
Don't try to use instant onion in this recipe. In San
Antonio, people consider that the best chile powder is
Gebhardt's or Eagle Brand.
RATING
Difficulty: easy. Time: 20 minutes. Precision: measure the
spices.
CONTRIBUTOR
Pamela McGarvey
UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
{ihnp4!sdcrdcf,ucbvax!ucla-cs,hao}!cepu!pam