Authentic Style Shrimp Tacos

Authentic Style Shrimp Tacos

 We have recently been eating at a local taco place, Cilantro Tacos, for lunch. The owner is Mexican-American and is from Southern California. His tacos are nothing like “Taco Night.” Shredded cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream are not offered as toppings. No one asks, “Do you want hard or soft shells?’ Because these tacos are authentic. The shells are soft, corn tortillas that are small enough to be held in your hand. The only toppings are chopped onion and fresh cilantro. Then why eat them? Because they are delicious. What makes real tacos special is the variety of meats available. You can get everything, but ground beef. Braised beef, carnitas (stewed and then fried beef), tongue, grilled shrimp, fish, steak, chicken are all cooked with different spices and piled into freshly made tortillas. I am in love.

While not claiming that these are authentic, I did take inspiration from my new favorite lunch spot. If you don’t like cilantro then fresh, flat-leaf parsley is a good sub. You can shake the jalapeno strips in the flour to make them even crispier. For side dishes, I served red pintos cooked with bacon fat, onions, chopped jalapeño and a little oregano and of course white rice. Get at least 2 kinds of salsa. I used Frontera Tomatillo and Frontera Mexicana Medium. These are excellent with a good cold beer.

Serves: 10 handheld tacos (3-4 people probably)

Time:  Active time 30 minutes; Cook: 15 Minutes, tacos in 35 minutes

Hardware:  A cutting board and knives, measuring spoons and cups, a heavy skillet (for frying), a slotted metal spoon (or a spider/skimmer), an oil thermometer, 1-gallon plastic bag, a paper towel lined, oven safe bowl, a bowl of very cold water, paper towels, and food prep gloves

Ingredients:

• 1-pound large shrimp (21-25 count) You can buy them cleaned without tails
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup corn starch
• 2 large jalapeño peppers
• Small Spanish onion (6 ounces, 1 cup)
• A bunch of fresh cilantro
• 10 white corn, soft-shell 4-inch tortillas
• 3 limes
• Oil for frying
• Your favorite red salsa or  Salsa Verde

1.      Chop the onion and place it in the cold bowl of water. This helps take the bite out of it. Wash and chop the cilantro and set aside. Slice the limes. Wearing the gloves, slice the jalapeños into long thin strips.

2.      Rinse and pat the shrimp dry. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder and a generous amount of salt on the shrimp.

3.      Place the flour and corn starch in the Ziploc with the remaining seasonings and a generous pinch of salt. Shake the bag. Add the shrimp to the Ziploc bag and shake like crazy. Set aside.

4.      Add enough oil to fill the heavy skillet up half way. Heat it on medium high. When the temperature reaches 375°, the pan is ready.

5.      Drop the jalapeño strips into the oil and allow them to crisp up. Remove and save to use as a topping.

6.      Shake as much flour as you can from the shrimp. Fry them for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Don’t crowd the shrimp. You may need to cook them in batches. Use the thermometer to keep the temperature between 370° and 375°. Using the slotted spoon, move them from the oil to the paper towel lined bowl. You can keep them warm by placing the bowl in the oven on the lowest setting.

7.      Drain the onion, completely.

8.      To prepare the tacos, heat the tortillas according to package directions. Fill each tortilla with some shrimp, onions and cilantro. Squeeze on lime and then top with French fried jalapeños. Offer your guests salsa.

Port and Cheddar Burgers

Port and Cheddar are an amazing combo

My husband and I visited St. Petersburg, FL recently to see a concert. We decided to stay for a few extra days and visit the town. St. Pete has many art galleries and artist collectives. We visited the Dali Museum and the Dale Chihuly Glass Collection. We also saw a glass blowing exhibition at the Morean Glass Studio and Hot Shop.

Happily, all this creativity wasn’t confined to visual arts.  Downtown was full of funky, little bistros, gastropubs and diners. Every meal we ate that week consisted of an everyday food elevated in some inventive and delicious way. One evening, after visiting my friend Roger’s club Enigma, we ate at a place around the corner called Engine 9. Their Wino Burger inspired me to start thinking about wine as a condiment.

I cooked a good port down until it was basically a syrup. The best cheddar that I could afford balanced that sweetness with a sharp, pleasant bite.  French fried onions complimented both flavors and added a needed crunch. It isn’t necessary to use any other toppings. In fact, I can’t think of anything that would enhance this dish without detracting from it. My husband, who is not an adventurous eater, loved these.

Servings:  6 burgers

Hardware:  Measuring cups, a sauce pot, a silicone spatula, a spatula, a heavy bottom skillet with a lid
Time:  Active time 15 minutes; Cook: 15 Minutes, Dinner in about 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pounds ground beef
• Enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet 
•  Salt and pepper 
•  ¾ cup of the best port that you can find
• 12 ounces of the best cheddar you can afford 
•  4 ounces French fried onions
• 6 toasted buns

1.  Cut the cheddar into 12-1 ounce slices.
2. Place the port in the sauce pot and allow it to boil until it is a thick syrup. This took about 10 minutes, but the time could vary. You want the port to be the consistency of honey. You can cook the burgers while the port is reducing.
3. In the skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Divide the ground beef into 6 equal ¾ inch patties. Make a small dimple in the center of each burger. Generously salt and pepper both sides of the patties just before placing them on the heat.
4. Place the burgers into the skillet. Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes and then flip. Cook for 3-4 more minutes, keeping the lid on the skillet. Check the thickest burger for desired temperature. Place 2 cheese slices onto each burger during the last minute or so of cooking. Cover the skillet so that the cheese will melt.
5. To serve, place the warm burgers onto the split buns, cheese side up. Top each burger with the a generous helping of the port sauce and then pile on the onions. So simple, so good.

Enchilada Beans and Rice Casserole

Enchilada Beans and Rice Casserole

Casseroles get a bad rap. I understand that some of them can be mushy and flavorless. However, many casseroles combine interesting tastes and textures. The longer cooking time deepens the flavor. And they are easy and convenient and often inexpensive. So, let’s find another name. How about Enchilada Bean Bake? Or One Dish Enchilada Beans and Rice? Tex-Mex Hotpot? Oh, just call it a casserole. It is sooo good.

If you want this to be vegetarian, make your own enchilada sauce and substitute veggie broth for beef broth. This makes a big dish. I froze the leftovers right in the glass baking dish covered in plastic. The next day I sliced the frozen casserole into serving size pieces and sealed it with my food saver. Freezing it first will ensure that the food saving system doesn’t mash it.

Servings: 8-10

Time:  Active time 10 minutes; Cook: 45 Minutes, Dinner in about an hour

Hardware:  A measuring spoons and cups, cutting board and knife, a skillet, a large mixing bowl, tongs, a wooden spoon, a can opener, and a 2x11x8 glass baking dish

Ingredients:

Use orange peppers for a splash of color

• 1 large bell pepper (8 ounces)
• 1 large onion (8 ounces)
• Oil to cover the bottom of the skillet
• 3 cups cooked rice
• 1-16 ounce can red kidney beans in chili sauce
• 1-4 ounce can diced, green chiles
• 2 cups enchilada sauce (buy a large can or make your own)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 green onions
• Cooking spray
• Salt
• Sour cream, pickled jalapeños and hot sauce for garnish

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375˚.
2. Dice the onion and green peppers. Heat the oiled skillet over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the veggies and cook to desired tenderness. Some people like them very soft, but I prefer them to have some crunch.
3. Slice the green onions. Set aside.
4. Mix the cooked veggies, rice, beans, chiles, enchilada sauce and one cup of the cheese together. Taste and adjust the salt.
5. Spray the glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon in the rice mixture.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges are bubbling. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese and green onions. Return to the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese melts.
7. Allow the casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Offer your guests sour cream, pickled jalapeños and hot sauce.