What we consider today to be Mexican cuisine is, in a basic sense, the fusion of Spanish and native central American techniques and ingredients followed by some European influences (especially meats, herbs, and spices). Tacos and nachos were my first tastes of Mexican food.
A taco is commonly a crispy firm corn tortilla with a filling of beef, pork, chicken, vegetables, beans, and/or cheese, even seafood. Generally eaten without utensils, a taco is often accompanied by garnishes such as salsa, avocado pieces or guacamole, plus coriander, tomato pieces, uncooked sliced onions, and/or shredded lettuce.
Nachos are triangular fried tortilla chips, topped with a filling similar to that used in tacos (and various Mexican wraps), and typically smothered in melted shredded cheese and then served with a salsa.
In various Mexican cuisines, the fillings are often similar; it’s the treatment/ presentation of the tortilla that distinguishes between nachos and tacos, as well as soft tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc.
FRUITY PORK TACOS
Tacos offer many flavour variations, often in buffet-style. For example, using the meat mixture as a base; you can add options like shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, salsa, grated cheese, sour cream, guacamole, chopped coriander, refried beans or Mexican-style black beans to your taco. These options are often presented in individual bowls.
What makes a taco different to many other Mexican-style meat dishes is that the filling is spooned into a crispy folded corn shell before the toppings are added. The crispy shell acts as a holder for your fillings.
I have added some dried fruit to the meat mixture for this taco. This gives the taco mince a bit of a sweet vibe.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 15-20 minutes
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1/2 tsp Mexican chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of ground cloves (optional)
- 500g minced pork
- 1 cup chicken (or beef) stock
- 1/2 cup finely chopped tinned tomatoes
- (or 1 tbsp tomato paste)
- A handful of raisin, chopped
- A dash of white wine vinegar
- Taco shells
METHOD
Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy based frypan over a medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion to the pan and sauté until the onion has softened.
Now stir the garlic, chilli powder, cinnamon, and ground cloves into the onion in the pan and continue to cook until the spices are fragrant. Add the pork mince to the spicy onion mixture in the pan and cook, breaking up any mince lumps with a spoon or fork. Continue to cook until the pork is no longer pink, this should take about five minutes.
Add the stock, tomatoes, raisins, and vinegar to the mince mixture. Stir well to combine. Continue to cook until the mixture has thickened, this should take about five to 10 minutes.
Spoon the fruity pork mixture into some warmed taco shells and add your choice of toppings.
HANDY HINTS
- You could use whatever mince you have on hand in these tacos.
- Substitute any type of dried fruit that you like in the mince mixture. For example, either some dried cranberries with lamb, a couple of finely chopped prunes with beef or dried apricot with chicken.
- You could make these tacos into a finger food platter using the mini taco shells that are available in most supermarkets these days.
- You could make a Mexican-style creamy topping for your tacos by adding about a tablespoon or so o mayonnaise to an equal amount of sour cream and mixing thoroughly. Perhaps add a spritz of lime juice as well if you have limes available.
LAYERED BEEF NACHOS
Whenever I make nachos, I can’t help thinking of my mum. Nachos were her go-to meal when we went out to lunch and she always ordered ‘nashos’. It was so wonderful. We would coach her through saying ‘nart-choes’ several times until she had our version of the enunciation perfected. Enter the waiter and it was straight back to an order of ‘nashos’. Knowing my mum’s huge sense of humour, I can’t help think we were having our legs pulled big time.
Nachos traditionally used tortillas cut into triangles and fried; however, corn chips have replaced the tortilla pieces these days.
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 10 minutes in oven or 2 - 3 minutes in microwave
SERVES: 4 generously
INGREDIENTS
- A small dash of vegetable oil
- 1 small onion, chopped finely
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp Mexican chilli powder
- A good pinch of dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
METHOD
Heat your oven to 400F/200C.
On your stove, heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat in a heavy based frypan. Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté until the onion has softened. Now stir in the garlic, chilli powder, oregano, and cumin. Continue to cook until the spices are fragrant.
Add the beef mince to the pan and cook, breaking up any mince lumps with a fork or spoon, until the mince is no longer pink. This should take about five minutes.
Spread half of the corn chips into the base of a medium sized baking dish. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese over the chips, then top evenly with half of the spicy beef mixture from the frypan. Lay some slices of jalapeño chillies (if using) over the mince. Repeat the layers with the remaining corn chips, cheese, and beef mixture.
Pop the baking dish into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and golden brown. When cooked, remove the baking dish from the oven and allow to cool slightly before adding a scattering of sliced green shallots over the top of the nachos.
You can now serve your beef nachos as they come, or serve them loaded with accompaniments.
HANDY HINTS
- You could add scoops of guacamole, salsa or sour cream (or all of them) to the top of your nachos.
- You could cook the nachos in the microwave for a couple of minutes as an alternative to cooking them in the oven. The finished texture of the tortilla chips will not be quite as crispy from the microwave as the oven.
- Try adding thin slices of jalapeño chillies to the nachos. These chillies are available in bottles in most supermarkets.
- Years ago, I’d run out of corn chips when my family had a serious nacho craving. So having taco shells in the pantry, I roughly cracked some taco shells into pieces and, voila, instant corn chips.
- Shredded (pulled) cooked beef is an alternative to beef mince; simply adjust your cooking time to reheat the meat in the frypan rather than re-cooking it.
