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THE USEFUL TORTILLA

After college, a friend of mine, also a child of the Jersey Shore, took a job in Oklahoma, moaning as she left that it was so far from the sea and seafood. Decades later she returned to New Jersey, addicted to Tex-Mex food. I was an easy convert, but though I’ve included a few taco, fajita and enchilada recipes in my posts, I never felt knowledgeable enough to discuss the cuisine. 

I still don’t but during the past year I’ve learned a few things about the ‘street food’ category of it, I think worth sharing. Remote working has put an increased demand on the home kitchen, especially around lunchtime which often spills into dinner. In this situation the tortilla can become a super-hero, crossing cultures.

They’re great time and money savers when frequent shopping is less convenient. A pack of tortillas stores in less space and lasts longer than a loaf of fresh bread, making for easier pick-up meal planning and are useful additions to the pantry in other ways. Cut in wedges, sprayed with cooking oil sprinkled with lemon pepper or salt and pepper and paprika, baked at 325 degrees for about 8 min, they’re wonderful substitutes for crackers when serving dips, or just eaten as snacks. Of course the flour ones replace bread in sandwich wraps. You can also make your own taco shells by microwaving the corn tortillas, covered for 1 min, to soften them, then draping them over the wires of the oven shelf, and baking them as above. Or create a dessert by cutting them in wedges, sprinkling them with cinnamon and sugar, baking them, as above, dusting them with powdered sugar, and layering them at angles, drizzled with honey.

I’ve found lots of different uses for this ‘Mexican Sandwich Bread’.  For example, I spit  a hot dog, lay the halves on a tortilla, add the ‘fixens’, roll and microwave for 1-2 min.—Better than a bun. Other sandwich fillers can be similarly served, especially cheese combos-try cream cheese and jelly for a quick sweet treat or even a dessert. 

But the real value has been in presenting leftovers in appetizing ways and/or stretching the supplies on hand. Leftover chicken or meat? Slice in strips, add sliced fresh peppers and onions, or use frozen, and sauté, or microwave, in a little oil. Serve hot, with warmed tortillas and a selection of all/choice of sour cream, shredded cheese, salsa, mashed avocado and lettuce. Or roll meat and roasted vegetables in a tortilla, place in a pan with a little salsa, pour more over, top with cheese and bake. 

The beauty of these solutions is that the ingredients are always changing and the combinations always new. It doesn’t hurt that they are ready in minutes either.  That’s O.K. though because Tex-Mex is new and innovative itself. In fact, it’s claimed the ‘Fajita’ was just introduced in 1971.

However, for anyone not familiar with Tex-Mex, here are some basic tips and recipes. These are far easier than the ones in food magazines and they’re good practice, until you’re ready to begin to create your own. So I haven’t included any dishes like burritos or quesadillas that require additional frying, simply two enchilada recipes which are simply baked. There’s no reason to stick to the Tex-Mex theme either- for example a Ruben Taco or burrito would be fun and taste great.

RECIPES
There are two types of tortillas, the ancient Aztec made from corn meal and the more modern ones made from wheat flour. The corn ones have more flavor and texture, but break easily are smaller and used for recipes requiring less filling. The best way to work with them is dampened, usually with sauce. The larger flour tortillas bend easily, are sturdier and hold more fillings, but require shortening. Both should be warmed before serving, corn over the stove or a fire, flour in the microwave or oven. Uses are: Corn:  Tacos, tostadas, taquitos, enchiladas, chips
Flour: Tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, burritos, flautas, chips
These recipes illustrate types of fillings which can be used in different tortilla dishes. Burritos and quesadillas, while cooked differently use similar fillings. So do fajitas and taquitos. Tacos and Enchiladas, as you see, can swing either way. So remember the textural distinctions when devising your own creations. Tip-scrambled eggs are a favorite quick filling for any presentation.

Basic Beef Taco: Serves 4

1 lb. ground beef or chicken, pork, turkey
1 large garlic clove-minced
1 tsp. EACH dried oregano and cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. EACH chili powder and flour
½ cup broth
Saute beef, garlic and seasonings in a non-stick pan until no longer pink.  Add the remaining ingredients and cook, stirring until thickened, about 5 min. Serve in taco shells.
NOTE: This beef mixture can be used in burritos and quesadillas.

Fish Tacos: Serves 4
1 lb. meaty fish-shark, marlin, swordfish, tuna
1 clove minced garlic
2 medium limes-1 sliced, 1 in wedges
¼ cup oil
1/8 cup minced cilantro
Salt and pepper
2 small tomatoes-diced
1/8 cup minced cilantro
1/8 cup diced onion

1 jalapeno pepper-diced
2 Tbs. orange juice
¼ cup EACH mayonnaise and plain yogurt
1 ½ cups shredded Jack or cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups shredded cabbage
8 corn tortillas
Marinate fish in next 5 ingredients for 30 min. turning occasionally. Remove, plate and garnish with lime slices and a sprig of cilantro. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hr. Combine next 5 ingredients and allow flavors to meld making salsa. Stir together mayo and yogurt for sauce and chill until ready to cook fish. Broil or grill fish 10 min. per inch of thickness, turning once. Cut into ‘finger’ slices and place in warmed tortillas. Top with cheese, salsa, cabbage and mayo mix. Serve with lime wedges.

Classic Fajitas: Serves 4- From Dinners With Joy by Joy Wielland

2 cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 12 oz. beef for stir fry (see chart) cut in 2 inch strips     

1 red bell pepper julienne

1 green bell pepper julienne

2 medium onions halved and sliced thin

3 Tbs. cooking oil

1tsp coriander

1tsp cumin

Salt and pepper 

(8) 8” flour tortillas

(1) 8 oz. jar salsa

(1) 8 oz. container guacamole

1 cup sour cream

(1) 8 oz. pkg. “Mexican 4 Cheese Blend” – or shredded “Monterey Jack”              

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat.. Add onions peppers and spices, and if using, chicken. Cook about 8 min., until the chicken is done and its juices run clear, and the vegetables are crisp tender. If using beef, cook vegetables about 4 min and add beef the last 4 or 5 min, so that it browns but stays tender. 

Meanwhile, cover tortillas with a dish towel, place on a plate and warm in the microwave on high at least 1min—test to make sure they’re warmed through..

Place the toppings – salsa, guacamole, sour cream and cheese on the dining table. Add the warn tortillas, and bring the sizzling meat mixture to the table in the skillet—making sure that it’s on a board or trivet—and let everyone dig in.

NOTE: To eat a fajita—Lay a tortilla flat on your plate, and spoon the meat mixture in a line across the center of the tortilla parallel to you, leaving a 2inch margin on each end. The julienne cuts make this easy. Put on the toppings of your choice—I like them all—and fold those short sides over the filling squaring them off. Then roll the first long side, the one near you, over the filling, then roll the whole thing over on the other side to make a compact  bundle—–and enjoy ! ! !

Tortilla Strata Burger: Serves 4 for lunch-double recipe to serve 4 for dinner- From Dinners With Joy by Joy Wielland

8 oz. hamburger

¼ tsp ground cumin

(1) 16 oz. jar garden style salsa – level of spiciness optional – you’ll use a little over half

(6) 6 inch whole wheat tortillas

½ cup sour cream

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(1) 15 ½ oz. can black beans rinsed and well drained

(1) 4oz can green chilies

2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

8oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Non-stick cooking spray

Brown the beef in a skillet coated with non stick spray, allow to cool, and mix with the cumin. Spread 2 Tbs. of the salsa in the bottom of the casserole. Top with a tortilla then begin the layering with 2 Tbs. of salsa, 1/6^th of the sour cream, then 1/6^th each of the beans, beef, peppers, cilantro and cheese. Top with a tortilla and repeat the layering again starting with the salsa and ending with the cheese until all the ingredients are used, pressing down gently on each tortilla to keep the stack level. End with a tortilla.** Can be made a day ahead at this point, cover and refrigerate, then allow to warn a bit before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 15-20 min., until cheese melts and salsa bubbles. 

NOTE: This dish does tend to lean a bit. One way to keep it straight is to put a bamboo skewer down through the center before baking. I once saw a friend make the skewer into a decoration by putting a cherry tomato on it before serving. A healthy, fun burger for the family to share but if serving 4 for dinner, the recipe

Enchiladas: Serves 4 -From Dinners With Joy by Joy Wielland

(8) 8 inch flour or corn tortillas

8 oz Ricotta cheese

(1) 4oz can green chilies

½ lb. ground turkey or beef or 1 cup sliced, cooked chicken, leftovers or from the Deli

6 scallions chopped

½ cup chopped green bell pepper- use remainder from Recipe # 4

1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

½ tsp. red pepper

Cooking spray

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

(1) 20 oz jar of salsa

If using raw, ground meat, spray a skillet with the cooking spray and sauté the meat over

medium heat until no longer pink. If using the chicken, cut it in thin strips about 2 inches

x1 inch. In a bowl, stir to combine, Ricotta, scallions, ¾ of the green chilies (Add the rest

to the salsa), the green pepper, the red pepper, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and the

meat. Spread half the salsa in the bottom of a 12 x 8 inch ovenproof pan. If using corn

tortillas, wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave for 1 min., or until pliable. This step is

not necessary with flour ones. Dip the tortillas in the salsa in the pan to soften them to the

point that they can be rolled. Spoon the filling down the center of the tortillas in equal

amounts, about 3 Tbs. per tortilla and roll it up. Place the rolled tortillas, seam side down,

on the salsa in the pan. Pour the rest of the salsa over them, and top with the rest of the

Monterey Jack cheese and half the cilantro. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree

oven 20 min. Uncover and bake 10 min more. Serve from the pan, and pass the rest of the

fresh cilantro to garnish.

Vegetarian Enchiladas: Serves 4
1 Tbs. butter
¼ lb. mushrooms
½ cup EACH corn, diced sweet potatoes and diced onions
¼ diced bell pepper
1 zucchini –diced
½ tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. EACH garlic powder and dried oregano
½ cup tortilla chips-crushed
5 oz. grated cheese
3 Tbs. minced cilantro
Salt and pepper
3 cups tomato sauce
8 corn tortillas

Saute onions in butter until browning, add remaining vegetables and seasonings. Cook vegetables to crisp-tender, cool then add 2 Tbs. cilantro, chips, most of the cheese and correct seasoning. To prepare tortillas see directions in above recipe. Slightly warm tomato sauce and smear ¼ cup in bottom of a baking pan which will comfortably hold the enchiladas. Dip on side of each tortilla in the sauce, place sauced side up on a plate add ¼ cup oc the filling, roll up and lay in baking dish. When dish is filled, spoon over remaining sauce and top with reserved cheese and cilantro. Bake 30 min. in  350 deg oven until bubbling. Optionally  garnish with sour cream.
NOTE: This dish can be made in smaller pans, foil covered, frozen, thawed and baked at a later date.

FOOD FACTS FOR MILLENNIALS

Now, well into our second year of social distancing, but with relaxing restrictions, it’s wonderful to think about gathering again for those occasions associated with spring, which mean so much, graduations, weddings, even Memorial Day. However, chances are we will still have to cope with limitations and for some family and friends, unsure how far to plan ahead, digital gifting is the best option.

The simplest digital gift is a book. A book is always a great gift, because it’s personalized without being personal, and digital is a great substitute for a material gift whether or not it’s presented in person. Food Facts for Millennials is a perfect gift selection for those planning to start out on their own.

For the graduate, newlywed or anyone opening a new page and setting up housekeeping, organizing the kitchen and food supply can be a problem with a major time impact on a busy schedule. The supermarket can be a scary place, wondering what to choose, how to use it, how much to buy, which brand is the right one for you and the prospect of ‘register shock’ or worse budget deficit looming over your head. This book will help you calculate your needs before you start to market, and go with you on your cell to answer your questions while shopping. It makes food preparation in general, easier and fun for both newbies and old hands.

Even though I had years of experience in managing a home, I was terrified when I opened my chef service. I had to satisfy my clients, virtual strangers, to make my business work. The largest group of customers seeking a chef service consists of working parents who want to maintain a traditional lifestyle. The second largest are people dealing with special diets due to allergies or medical restrictions. My first few clients were in the second group.

Having relatives with regimented diets, I knew the chief ‘red flags’ are easily isolated and examined in the baking category, dairy products, sugar and recently flour, so I began making notes on substitutions, new items from ethnic cuisines and product options for reference. When my paper pad became bothersome to carry, I switched to digital notes. Showing them to a friend, her newlywed daughter asked for a copy, which led to Baking Basics and Options, and then she added a request, with prices rising, for a book on meats to find optional cuts. That resulted in books on poultry and seafood.

One day at the gym, I heard a woman explaining a new low-carb diet which banned all white foods, including onions, because they are high in carbohydrates. I realized that poor carbs were still getting a ‘dirty rap’ and wrote another book explaining that carbs are the body’s fuel and all foods have them, with the exception of oils and some shellfish. It’s understanding that there are two types of carbohydrates, simple and complex, which function differently, that separates the ‘good carbs’ from the ‘bad’ ones and should determine our choice in consuming them.

By now I had five books on my web site and Kindle, and it seemed natural to write a sixth on sauces and gravies, tying them all together as they do foods on a plate, especially with the current popularity of pan sauces and/or gravies. First, there is a difference between the two. Second, like carbs, there is a general misunderstanding about them. They do not all have a high fat content, that depends on the base and the ingredients used. A ROUX base begins with melted butter, and then the thickening agent and liquid are added. A SLURRY base consists of the thickening agent dissolved in a bit of fluid, then stirred into the main liquid, which could be a skimmed broth or juice. The book also examines the five Mother sauces of classic French cuisine and the derivation of their ‘offspring’ for three generations as well as listing the different grades of sauces, gravies and soups.

Although the six books are available separately on the site’s Bookshelf and Kindle, I decided they would be more convenient for quick reference gathered in one volume. I called the book Food Facts for Millennials, obviously because it’s about food facts and for Millennials partly because they are the ones now starting out on their own and partly because they are true ‘foodies’. They want high quality, fresh ingredients and are willing to pay more for less to have them. They’re interested in exploring different cuisines, creating new taste experiences and maintaining nutritional balance.

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However, the book is a handy reference guide even for us old hands in the kitchen, who need to check facts now and then. It’s even available in mobi, so you can take it to market with you on your phone.

Here is a list of the six digital books, with a summary of the contents of each and prices as listed on this blog and kindle.

1) BAKING BASICS AND OPTIONS

Have you ever been confronted by a baking recipe and wondered which product to choose? Ever needed to cook for people with allergies to gluten, wheat, eggs or perhaps are diabetic or have another medical condition? Maybe you wanted to bake something to please a guest from another culture, or just felt like trying a recipe from another cuisine. This book answers any questions about regular ingredients used in baking, helps you understand unfamiliar ones and choose the right options if necessary. It also offers various uses for different ingredients and suggests ways to use the remainder of any exotic ones you may buy for a special purpose before expiration. ($2.99)

2) THE POULTRY PLACE

This book discusses modern changes in breeding methods; why we’re assured of tender birds and the “stewing” chicken and capon are obsolete. It explains the differences in terms between generic, brand-name birds as found in the supermarket, free-range and organically raised. There is complete information ion Salmonella and how to avoid it. This advice extends to a section on the safe handling and use of eggs, and another section on reasons to clean and brine all poultry. There are detailed instructions on preparing all types of birds for cooking. Listed are descriptions of all domestic fowl and the most universal of game birds, along with several recipes for each. Also included are time and temperature charts for general knowledge and detailed instructions for carving and serving each type of bird. Nothing is left to chance. ($3.99)

3) SAVVY SAUCES and GRAVIES

This book is a “Cliff Notes” on sauces and gravies. It starts by defining the differences between the two and goes on to explain the various ways to thicken them for serving, examining the different ingredients that can be used and giving recipes and directions to do so . It describes the different types of gravy and gives directions on how to make each from scratch as well as shortcuts. Outlined are ALL the different types of sauces and their uses from salads to meats to desserts and gives step-by-step advice on how to make and use each. Special attention is given to the 5 Classic French “Mother” sauces—the ones found on menus not in packages. Each is described in detail and instructions given for making and using them, as well as for the many varied second and third generation sauces they inspire.

As the way sauces evolve is explained, it becomes clear they can be adapted to fit dietary requirements, be they medical, religious or cosmetic. This leads to explaining how simple it is to create shortcuts for the inexperienced or rushed as well as how easy it is to individualize them. Recipes illustrating the different types and applications of sauces are included along the way and tips to DIY sauces at will. ($3.99)

4) HOW TO CONTROL CARBOHYDRATES – SO THEY DON’T GO TO WAIST

Take the “Black Hat” off carbohydrates and learn how to use them to your advantage. In this book you will learn the difference between simple and complex carbohydrates, how each works and why complex ones are so important to a healthy diet. You will see that it’s virtually impossible to cut carbs out of your diet completely, because they exist to some degree in almost all foods. The trick in avoiding the damage they can do to your waistline is in knowing which ones, and how many you need daily. The major source groups are explained in detail and broken down into types as are the “hidden” groups so often overlooked. It’s important to know which is which and how to combine them to your advantage. For example, a baked potato with sour cream constitutes a balanced meal, do you know why? There are cooking tips and some suggestions for uses and recipes included as well. ($2.99)

5) ALL ABOUT SEAFOOD

As seafood becomes increasingly valued as a healthy food source, and thanks to the growth of aqua farming and improved transport, ever more varieties are available to and being consumed by an increasing number of people. Questions naturally arise concerning the buying, prepping, storing and cooking of the different types of seafood and actually as to the types and classifications of the items themselves. This book addresses many of those questions by explaining the general rules for safe handling fish and other forms of seafood; cleaning, skinning, shelling or shucking; proper storage until cooking. There are definitions of each classification of seafood in general and descriptions of the members of each category and specifically of the species within each one listed. There are guidelines as to proportions to buy and suggestions as to substitutions within species. Included is also a section on the serving of canned fish. ($2.99)

6) THE MEAT STOP

Years ago the family neighborhood butcher knew the customers’ preferences and often anticipated their needs. Now we’re on our own and have to be a lot better informed as to what we’re buying in every way. Anyone who has peered into the supermarket meat counters realize there are decisions to be made over and above which meat to choose. We have to know the cut or cuts to use for the dishes we plan, how to pick the right one and which is the best buy. We need to judge color, grain, fat dispersion, often bone mass and general appearance. Moreover, we have to know what to substitute if we can’t find what we want. For this we have to know how to prepare and cook different cuts, even different meats. This book contains charts on beef, pork, lamb and veal advising which cuts are more tender, which are tougher, which are fattier and why. Then there are additional charts telling how to cook, carve and serve them. The book is a great guide to learning about meats and a great kitchen aid. ($3.99)

FOOD FACTS FOR MILLENNIALS – The collection ($ 17.94) in both epub and mobi.
A collection of all 6 books for handy reference.