Taco Truck Night at Home

Taco Truck Night at Home

Tacos are my food soulmate. Street tacos. Real tacos. Not usually available at a drive through window unless you live in Texas. I'm talking flavorful, marinated beef or spiced chicken topped with fresh avocado, paper thin slices of radish and cilantro. Shrimp with a spicy cream sauce and a bright spritz of lime. I can almost hear the mariachi. But I can't. Which is the beauty of being at home. :)

A few things we need to talk about before we get down to business:

Toppings-
I'm pretty particular about my taco toppings, so I am going to give you a list. If you choose to veer off of this fairly traditional list, that is your call. Just don't tell me. You do you.

Cilantro (love it or hate it. I love it)
Squeeze of fresh lime
Pickled Pink Onions (recipe below)
Crumbled queso fresco (not really on the shrimp tacos)
Pico de gallo
Sliced jalapeno
Avocado
Shredded cabbage
Salsa of any type
Creamy/Spicy sauce - especially for shrimp tacos - recipe below

Tortillas-

White corn tortillas are preferred. Most street tacos double up on the tortillas, so you'll need two per taco. Heat these up on your grill or skillet just until they start to lightly brown. This makes the tortilla more malleable and enhances the flavor. You can use the tiny tortillas or the small ones.

The best way to heat these on a stovetop grill or skillet is to do two at a time, stacked on top of each other. When the one on bottom starts to brown, flip them both over with tongs. Then, flip the top tortilla to expose the unbrowned side and keep flipping until all sides of both are browned. Doing two at once not only makes you look cool, but it also keeps the tortillas from drying out. 

 Chipotles in Adobo Sauce-
 This little can of miracles is most likely available in the Mexican section of your food store. Chipotles are smoked, dried jalapenos and adobo sauce is a wonderful tangy, slightly sweet tomato sauce. I puree several cans of this at a time and store some in the frig and some in the freezer, so it's always on hand. This magical ingredient works beautifully as an addition to marinades, chili, stews, meatloaf, mixed with mayo as a sandwich spread, combined with sour cream as a dip, or as a smoky addition to a Bloody Mary or Bloody Maria. 

The task of pureeing is made super easy with my immersion blender (also called a stick blender), one of my go-to gadgets. Chipotle puree is used in my taco meat marinades and it gives everything a smoky, warm depth like a glass of whiskey and a fireplace. (Which sounds much better in January than it does now in August, but let's go with that anyway). 

Marinades-
And speaking of marinades (yes we were, right before we went off on that fireplace tangent), did you know that you only need to remember 4 things to invent your own marinade? I promise, it's easy and you don't even have to write this down -- remember ; ASSS. Acid, Salt, Sugar, Spice. I told you that you'd remember it.  Choose at least one thing from each category and get creative, but don't go overboard.

ACID breaks down the protein/tenderizes: Lime juice, Lemon, any type of vinegar, wine, beer

SALT tenderizes meat, enhances flavor and keeps meat moist. Salt, soy sauce, chicken broth, teriyaki sauce, Worchestershire sauce

SUGAR promotes browning. Maple syrup, honey, molasses, ketchup, brown sugar

SPICE adds flavor. Any herbs such as cilantro, oregano, rosemary, basil, mint and spices such as pepper, cayenne, chili powder, cumin, ginger, commercial spice mixes, also onion and garlic.

And now.....the TACOS!!!

Tacos al Pastor (Chicken or Pork)

1 lb pork or chicken breast - cut into uniform cubes, about 1"
8 oz can of pineapple tidbits - drained mostly
1 medium white onion - chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro
1 Tbsp chili powder (not chili seasoning)
1 Tbsp cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp canola oil 
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
1 Tbsp pureed chipotles in adobo sauce 
Juice of 3 - 4 limes
Add a little beer or wine, if desired
Soft corn tortillas and toppings of choice

Combine meat with all ingredients (except tortillas and toppings) in a large zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight. Remove meat and discard leftover marinade. Cook meat thoroughly on a Le Creuset Grill, or a large skillet in a bit of hot oil (unless you're using a nonstick pan)  at medium/high until cooked thoroughly, stirring often. Serve with warm tortillas. Suggested toppings: Cilantro, shredded cabbage, queso fresco, pink pickled onions, pico de gallo, squeeze of fresh lime.


Beef Tacos

Skirt steak
lime juice - several tablespoons
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Sprinkle of red pepper flakes
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey
Beer (dark is best but use what you have on hand)
sliced jalapenos/chipotle puree/cilantro - optional
Soft corn tortillas and toppings of choice


Combine above ingredients (except tortillas and toppings) and marinate in the  frig overnight in a large zip bag, using just enough of the beer to cover the steak. Go ahead and drink the rest. You've earned it. Remove from frig one hour prior to cooking to let meat come to room temp. Remove the meat and discard leftover marinade. Cook meat to desired doneness on a Le Creuset Grill, or a large skillet in a bit of hot oil (unless you're using a nonstick pan) at medium/high, turning every 3 -4 minutes. Cook to 140 degrees for medium rare and 155 for medium. Remove from heat and let the meat rest for at least 5 minutes and then slice thinly against the grain. Serve with warm tortillas. Recommended toppings: sliced radish, queso fresco, cilantro, pickled pink onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime. 




Tequila Shrimp Tacos

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined (small is better, but don't use tiny shrimp)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp pureed chipotle in adobo sauce
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/4 c tequila
1/4 c fresh lime juice
dash of salt and pepper


Marinate the shrimp in a zip lock bag with all other ingredients for 30 minutes. Don't over marinate or the shrimp will get mushy. Remove the shrimp and discard marinade sauce. Cook on a Le Creuset Grill or a large skillet in a bit of hot oil (unless you're using a non stick pan) at medium for just a couple of minutes until shrimp is done. Do not overcook. Serve with warm tortillas. Preferred toppings are Spicy Creamy Sauce, (recipe below) cilantro, avocado, squeeze of fresh lime and pickled onions.  






Pickled Pink Onions

These are super simple to make and pretty! No fancy Grandma canning skills required. Trust me, the whole canning idea scares me. If you mess it up, you could kill people. I don't really need that kind of pressure. I'm just trying to make some tacos here. 

2 medium red onions, sliced thin
white vinegar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lime juice
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced thin

Add sliced onions to a pot of boiling water and boil for about 2 minutes. Drain and let cool. Meanwhile, in a non-metal bowl, combine orange and lime juice, a splash of vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar/salt are dissolved. After the onions have cooled, add the onion and jalapeno to the juice mixture and stir to coat. Refrigerate for at least an hour prior to serving or put in a cute jar and keep in the frig for up to a week. 

 


Spicy Creamy Sauce
This sauce is good on anything, but pairs especially well with shrimp or fish tacos. (Tip: I don't fry anything in my kitchen because it's a freakin' mess, so if I want fried fish tacos at home, I buy a good quality frozen battered fish, heat it up in the oven and boom - Fish tacos.) I use a 
plastic squeeze bottle  to pipe the sauce on and make it look pretty.
Cup of sour cream
tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp chipotle puree
lime juice to thin/taste

You want the mixture to be a little thinner than sour cream, but not runny. Spice it up to your taste. Some recipes call for sriracha to add heat, but I prefer chipotles for their smoky depth. 


Street Corn
This heavenly dish is the perfect accompaniment to your tacos. 

4 ears of fresh corn (lazy girl substitute: frozen roasted Mexican corn from Trader Joe's)
1/4 c of mayo (just enough to moisten the corn, don't overdo it)
Splash of lime juice
Chopped cilantro
Chili powder
Queso fresco
salt and pepper to taste

Grill the corn on a Le Creuset Grill or a large skillet and cut kernels off when the corn is cool enough to handle. In an small casserole , mix in all other ingredients and top with crumbles of queso fresco.  Heat at 375 until warm and bubbly. 


Chai Spiced Tres Leches Cupcakes
A delightful dessert of Indian/Mexican fusion

To make a Chai spice mix, combine 2 Tbsp each of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and fennel and 1 Tbsp of cardamom in a small food processor or clean coffee grinder and pulverize the hell out of it. Grind until smooth and store in an airtight container at room temp. I suggest you make a decent sized batch of this, as it is highly addictive. Use it in pancakes, lattes, hot chocolate, oatmeal, pumpkin pie (or bread, muffins, anything pumpkin), or oatmeal cookies. 

For the cake: (lazy girl substitute - white cake mix with a little extra vanilla and Chai spice added)

1/2 cup unsalted butter (at room temp)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs (at room temp)

1 Tbsp vanilla extract 

3 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp Chai spice

1 1/4 c buttermilk (I use buttermilk powder mix since I never have buttermilk in my house. You add water to it and viola! Buttermilk for baking) 

To pour into the cupcakes:

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup whipping cream

Frosting:

4 oz mascarpone cheese
2 1/2 cups of heavy cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Fresh mango for garnish

Cream oil, butter and sugar with a mixer until very creamy and then add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition. Add vanilla. 

In a separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add Chai spice. Alternate adding buttermilk and flour mixture to your original mixture as you continue to mix. Don't overmix, but make sure the ingredients are well combined and smooth. 

Pour into cupcake liners in a cupcake pan and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, until done. Let the cupcakes cool completely. 

Whisk together 1 cup each of whipping cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. At this point, you will probably need to either A) remove the cupcake liner and place the cupcake into a small ramekin or cup, or B) leave it in it's liner, but add a second liner, preferably a silver or gold foil one to hold up to the moisture. Poke about 12-15 holes in each cupcake with a wooden skewer. Be careful not to poke all the way through to the bottom of the cupcake and vary the depth of your pokes or all of the milky goodness with sink directly to the bottom of the cupcake. 

Pour the milk mixture into a plastic squeeze bottle (usually you can find these at your local supermarket for a couple of bucks) and squirt a bit of the milk mixture down into the holes that you have just poked in the cakes. Yes, this is tedious, but well worth it. Your goal is to infuse 1 - 2 tablespoons into each cake. Refrigerate the cupcakes in an airtight container for at least 4 hours, but overnight if possible prior to frosting and eating.

Frosting:
Whip the cream with vanilla and sugar until stiff peaks form. Add mascarpone cheese and blend in until smooth. Chill prior to frosting.  Garnish with a bit of mango and a sprinkle of toasted chai spice (optional).  Refrigerate any that aren't eaten immediately.