Brisket Tacos with Green Sauce

Ingredients:
3-4 lb brisket
1 large onion, sliced
1 lb tomatillos , quartered
6 cloves garlic
4 jalapenos, chopped
1/4 cup minced Italian parsley

juice and zest of one lime
1-2 tablespoons ground ancho chile pepper
1-2 tablespoons hot Mexican-style chili powder
1-2 tablespoons ground chipolte chile pepper

1-2 tablespoons ground cayenne
1-2 tablespoons hot paprika
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper



Ingredients:
Liberally sprinkle both sides of the brisket with the spices. Place the brisket in the bottom of a 6 quart slow cooker. Top the brisket with the remaining ingredients.

Cook for 8-10 hrs on low or until the meat is easily pulled apart with a fork. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked vegetables from the top of the brisket. Place in a blender. Add the parsley and pulse until fairly smooth.  Remove the brisket from the slow cooker. Drain and discard the juices from the bottom of the slow cooker. Scrape off any remaining fat off the brisket (as desired) and shred.

Return to the slow cooker and drizzle with sauce.

My thoughts:

Honestly, I like using my slow cooker more in the summer than the winter. I know I am in the minority here because one there is the faintest hint of the chill in the air, I get inundated by requests for slow cooker recipes. Which is fine, but let me tell you, I was grateful I developed all those recipes for my cookbook over one summer. Baltimore is hot!

Anyway, I came up with this recipe late last week when I was trapped here during a snow storm (Baltimore is also ill-equipped to deal with snow) and couldn't get to the store. I found a brisket I had frozen a while back and thought I'd turn it into...something. Actually, I was tempted to make corned beef again but we were hungry and trapped now! I didn't have over a week to wait for a sandwich. We had tortilla and some other modest taco fixings so, I made brisket tacos instead. And I am glad we did. They were so good! Now brisket is sort of fatty and I didn't want my meat to be super greasy so I did trim off some of the really, really thick chunks. Leave them on if you are more adventurous than I.

I love how the vegetables flavor the meat but can be lifted out to make a green sauce. And the meat is totally tender and non-greasy. My #1 slow cooker brisket triumph to date!

Matt's Breakfast Tacos

Ingredients:
6 pieces of bacon
4 eggs
2 green onions, green parts, chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle (divided use)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1/2 to 3/4 cup cooked, cubed Yukon gold potatoes
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
salt
pepper
6 small soft tortillas, warmed (I prefer fajita sized, but taco sized works too)
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

Fry bacon until crisp. Reserve the drippings and break up the bacon onto bite-sized pieces. Add 2 teaspoons of the bacon drippings to a small pan and saute onion, garlic and jalapenos over a medium heat. When the onion mixtures begins to brown, add the tomatoes, the potatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the chipotle powder, and a pinch of salt. Saute for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Remove from heat and cover. While sauteing the onion mixture, crack the eggs into a small bowl. Whisk in the green onions, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of chipotle powder, a dash of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the bacon drippings in a skillet and scramble the eggs.

Assembling the tacos: I suggest a sprinkle of cheese then topping with egg then top with the rest of the ingredients.

My thoughts:

For brief period during the dark years before he knew me my husband lived in Texas where he became quite opinionated about things like barbacoa and barbecue. He also became enamored with Tex-Mex breakfasts. Since we live in Baltimore, our hot & spicy breakfast taco/burrito options are pretty limited. So, Matt took matters into his own hands and made these yummy tacos. No more difficult than making a simple omelette (barely more than making just eggs and bacon) but so much more fun.

Smokin' Hot Pork Tacos

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb boneless pork rib roast
3 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1 jalapeno, seeded
7 oz chipotle chiles in adobo (1 small can)
juice of 1/2 lime
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon Mexican hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

assembly:
shredded cheddar
shredded red cabbage
halved grape tomatoes
cubed avocado
sour cream
salsa
corn or flour tortillas


Directions:
Place the spices, chiles, garlic, lime juice, oil and shallot into a food processor or blender (I used my Vita-Mix)and pulse until very smooth. Add the mixture to a marinating container or resealable bag. Add the pork and make sure it is fully submerged/coated in the mixture. Refrigerate overnight (about 14-16 hours is good). Add the pork and marinade into to a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook for about 8 hours. Shred the meat with a fork and toss to coat in the sauce.

My thoughts:

I hadn't made tacos in ages so when I finally did, I wanted them to be special. I was planning on grilling the meat but a forecast of six straight days of rain made me think of alternative cooking methods. I know some people swear by the dutch oven or I could have cubed it and cooked it in a pan but for me, the slow cooker is so easy! We were having a guest for dinnr and slow cooking meant that there was minimal hands-on cooking time when she was here. I prepped all of the toppings (except the avocado) before she arrived so we were ready to go when the the pork was ready. When you first put it in the slow cooker it looks sort of like there won't be enough sauce but there totally is, the pork gives off some liquid as it cooks and you end up with the perfect amount of sauce, enough to coat but not so much it drips out of the taco and onto your hands.

It is a spicy, smoky pork (it would have to be with all those chipotles!) but at the same time, very flavorful, not just hot. Matt really loved it and reports that the leftovers were very good with rice and a bit of cabbage the next day.

Mango Pork Tacos

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs pork loin cut into 1/2 " to 3/4" cubes
3 mangos cut into small cubes
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato-based salsa*
1/4 cup superfine flour (AKA Wondra or gravy flour)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon ground chipotle pepper
1/2 tablespoon New Mexican chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
juice of a lime
juice of an orange
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper,ground chipotle pepper, chili powder and oregano. Add the pork loin cubes and toss until the pork is evenly coated with the flour and spices. Heat the oil in a wide, tall sided pot. Brown the pork on all sides in a single layer; working in batches if needed. Remove the pork from the pan and saute the garlic and jalapenos for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the pork back to the pan along with the mango, lime and orange juice and the salsa. Stir the ingredients briefly and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally until the pork is fork tender and the mixture has thickened.

*Our favorite? Mrs. Renfro's Habanero

My thoughts:

I was having a fit of food ennui so after some back and forth emails about technique my husband thankfully made this for dinner. It was so good! It is sort of riff on carnitas; cubed, browned pork with crispy edges but braised in a spicy fruity mango sauce instead of its own fat. It is so good and though thoroughly porky, not heavy or greasy. The best tacos I've had in ages, just the perfect match of fruity, spicy and meaty.

Indian Tacos

Ingredients:

for the taco meat
1 lb ground bison
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz pinto beans, drained
10 oz canned diced tomato with green chile
4 oz canned fire-roasted diced Hatch green chiles
1 tablespoon hot Mexican-style chili powder
2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground jalapeno

for the fry bread
2 cups water
2 packages dry yeast
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 cups flour

to serve:
shredded sharp cheddar
shredded iceburg lettuce
diced tomatoes
optional: sour cream and avocado

Directions:
for the fry bread:
Whisk the flour and yeast togehter in a large bowl. Place the sugar, salt, water and butter in a small sauce pan and heat until almost boiling. Allow to cool slightly. Pour over the flour and yeast and mix with a dough hook until a smooth, not too sticky ball of dough forms. If the dough is very sticky, slowly mix in additional flour. Cover and allow to rise 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the meat. Saute the meat, onions and garlic in a large skillet until the onions just soften. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir. Cook until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally.


Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a deep frying pan or skillet. Divide dough into about 15 pieces. On a clean, floured surface, roll dough into discs about 1/4 inch thick circles about 6 inches in diameter. Fry until golden brown on each side. Drain both sides on paper towel lined plates. If they puff up a lot during frying, press with a paper towel to deflate.

Place the meat on the center of the taco. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Fold in half to eat.

Serves 15.

My thoughts:

Indian tacos started out as a Najavo invention but quickly grew to become a popular contemporary powwow and festival treat served all over North America. Fry bread was named the official state bread of South Dakota back in 2005 and Indian tacos became the official state dish of Arizona in 1995. There is even a National Indian Taco Competition in Oklahoma. They are the perfect fair food: fried, spicy and portable. And they are surprisingly easy to make at home.

The fry bread comes together quickly and if cooked in hot oil and drained, much less greasy than you'd think. Some recipes call for baking soda instead of yeast but I find that a yeast dough yields a much more tender, tastier bread.

Often the beans in Indian tacos are served as a topping but adding them to the meat imbues them with flavor and eliminates the need to heat them separately. Bison is an extremely lean meat that works well with strong spices and isn't as "heavy" as ground beef-perfect for use in a dish like Indian tacos.


Note: you can also bake the dough for the fry bread at 450 for a few minutes to make a tasty flatbread.

Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
6 firm, white fish fillets
3 tablespoons tequila
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 small hot chiles, seeded and minced
salt
pepper
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 green onion, chopped

to serve:
corn tortillas (small size)
sour cream
additional lime juice
avocado
hot sauce (I used Tabasco brand chipotle pepper sauce)

finely shredded red cabbage

Directions:
Whisk together the tequila, lime juice, chiles, cumin and salt/pepper to taste. Pour into a resealable bag and add the fish. Marinate about 10-20 minutes or until you get bored and hungry and want to eat. Spray a nonstick pan with cooking oil or heat up 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook the fish until cooked through, about 5 minutes, flipping once. Meanwhile, mix the green onion and the tomato together. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and a tiny bit of lime juice. Set aside. When the fish is cooked through, remove it to a plate and cut into slices. Microwave the corn tortillas between damp paper towels for a few seconds or until they are slightly warm and soft. Place the fish in the middle of the tortilla. Sprinkle with additional lime juice if desired. Top with tomato/green onion mixture, avocado*, shredded red cabbage, hot sauce and sour cream. Serve.

Yield: about 6-8 tacos.


*which I didn't do, as avocados were $2 each at the store today, but that I think would taste really good.

My thoughts:

I wish I had a better name to call these besides fish tacos, but I have no idea what that would be. Fish taco sounds so prosaic for what is truly a taste sensation. Incredibly quick to make and really fresh tasting, perfect for a outdoor meal. I think this is one of my new favorite meals and this is from someone who (I am pretty sure) until today and never even had a fish taco.

Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
� medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup broth
15 oz Ro-Tel canned diced tomatoes and chilies*
2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed tangerine juice**
1 tablespoon tomato based salsa
2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon chile powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon Goya Sazon con Pimento seasoning (optional)
black pepper

Topping suggestions:
diced tomatoes
diced avocado
lettuce
salsa
hot sauce
cheddar cheese
sour cream


Directions:

In a large skillet, brown the meat. Then add onion and cook 5-10 minutes or until onion is soft. Drain the grease from the pan and add all of the spices, and canned tomatoes. Bring to boil and cook on medium-high heat 20-30 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and meat mixture is quite thick. Serve on hard or soft taco shells. Top with desired extras.

* if you don't have Ro-tel, sub 16 oz diced tomatoes and add a diced chile
** or sub lime or orange juice, we just had tangerines on hand.

My thoughts:

To be honest, the few times a year we make tacos, we generally rely on those little packets of "hot" taco seasoning and doctor them up. This time we were out and had to improvise. This tastes better and is almost as easy-you should already have most of the spices in your cabinet and it only takes a minute to shake them in. You could even make an extra batch of the spice mix to keep on hand for the next time the taco mood strikes you.