TACONITE! (for patient Evans)
The ones in my previous entry were made with very lean ground turkey. Last night, I made the more traditional ground beef version. This recipe will serve 4-6 normals, or 2-3 BFFs.
Again, I don't measure, so I'm guesstimating the quantities I used. I took 2 shortcuts, using:
- Pre-peeled garlic (see photo below). Big time-saver if you like a lot or garlic! (Do not, however, use minced garlic in oil - as it has a funky aftertaste)
- Pre-grated cheese
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 large onions, diced
- 10-12 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 c. olive oil - or enough to cover surface of large pan
- 4-5 stalks organic celery (optional). I like for texture, fiber - even though I rarely eat it straight-up. Organic tastes much better, not too pricey.
- 2-3 jalapenos - diced
- 2 T. tomato paste
- 1-2 tomatoes (vine-ripened ones), chopped
- 3-4 orange habaneros, minced with seeds (they're tiny); deseeded if you like less spicy
- 4 T. ancho chile pepper powder (see photo)
- 1- 1 1/2T. cumin seeds (powder is fine too)
- 1 T. smoked paprika (regular paprika is okay)
- 1 or 2 pinches red pepper powder (in photo)
- 1-2 t. cinnamon powder (sounds weird, I know - optional)
- 1/4 c. Red Hot (in lieu of the vinegar most recipes specify)
- 1-3 T. turbinado sugar ("sugar in the raw") You can substitute regular white sugar (shudder).
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 2 ripe Haas avocados, diced
- lots of cilantro, probably half a cup's worth
- extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar, sliced or grated (No mild! Mild=no flavor, ergo blecchh!)
- pepper jack cheese - sliced or grated
- soft taco shells, grilled until semi-crisp (or hard taco shells, if you prefer)
- chopped/julienned Romaine or frisee (anything but Iceberg. Iceberg=no flavor)
- extra jalapenos, sliced, or pickled (optional); extra cilantro (NOT optional)
- sour cream? (meh - I can live w/o; he hates)
Top beef mixture with the second block of ingredients (from jalapenos to salt & pepper). Continue sauteeing until meat is cooked through and liquid has mostly evaporated.
Drain beef using metal colander (see photo) and spatula (pressing down on the, um, meat pile). Set aside to drain further. I put mine in the above-range microwave (see photo) only so Noodle couldn't get her paws on it. You will save yourself many calories and much saturated fat by doing this.
On medium-low griddle, heat tacos (no oil needed), flip over and fill with cheese, until melted - or assemble at table. I don't like nuking the tortillas, as they get too soft and then - quite soon after - too hard to eat.
I top my tacos with diced avocado, mixed with fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Spouse hates avocados, so he tops his with more slices of jalapenos instead.
NOTES:
- If you're really pressed for time: I think an acceptable substitution is a good-quality salsa and Adobo (with cumin and garlic) in place of the onions/fresh tomatoes/tomato paste.
- Turkey tacos turn out more aesthetically pleasing and appetizing than ground-beef tacos. The turkey maintains texture better. (See the pic to the right of the blurry one.)
- Ancho chile pepper and smoked paprika powder were expensive ($9.00 and $6.50, respectively, for two tiny jars) - but maybe you can find cheaper.
- You can make a big batch and eat over several days and nights!! I had one today for breakfast!
- Noodle prefers taco meat to her kibble. I put them side by side, and she ate the taco meat first, before polishing the plate clean. Goyang-ee, maddeningly fussy, refused to try. Noodle's tummy did not like; she threw up about five hours later, all over the living room rug. Poor, stupid, gluttonous Noodle. . .
