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) 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, 1/6th of the sour cream, then 1/6th 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.
