Showing posts with label Tex Mex. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tex Mex. Show all posts
I have a really delicious recipe to share with you today. It is a Mexican barbacoa recipe for some beef barbacoa tacos made with leftover cooked roast beef.
I tried doing a pot roast in my Instant Pot/Electric Pressure Cooker at the weekend. It was okay, but I had to cook it twice as long as the recipe suggested. I think maybe it was because I used a rolled brisket.
Perhaps I will try it again another time, but with a different cut of beef I might also cut it into smaller pieces instead of leaving it whole. It was tender but not as tender as I wanted it to be.
I found myself with a fair quantity of leftover cooked roast that I needed to use up. More often than no I will make a hash of it, but to be honest we didn't really feel like hash or a pie, etc.
This recipe is a combination of several recipes which I discovered online. The Beef filling is an adaptation of one I found on the Betty Crocker site.
I don't really have a difficult time adapting recipes for my own use. I am fairly knowledgeable in the art of switching out ingredients, substituting, etc. That's probably because I have been cooking now for a very long time.
Their recipe was for a beef taco filling created in an Instant Pot using stewing beef. I adapted it for cooking in a saucepan or large skillet, using leftover cooked beef.
If you don't have leftover roast beef, you could also use ground beef in its place, browning it along with the onions.
The Pickled Onions are adapted from a recipe I found on David Lebovitz, which he adapted from Ms Glaze and Simply Recipes.
This wealth of sharing is one thing I love about the online cooking community. We learn from and inspire each other. Its a beautiful thing.
He had served them with Carnitas. I loved the look and sound of them.
I thought they would go well with these tacos. I was right. They were fabulous.
They are incredibly tasty with an eye-popping pink colour that is oh so, so, so pretty!
The filling is very tasty also. Not too spicy, just enough to wake up your tasty buds and say "¡Arriba, Arriba! ¡Ándale, Ándale!"
I like to heat my tortillas over the open flame of a gas burner. I read about doing that a year or so ago and it was a life-changer for me.
I have never done them any other way since. They end up wow! I just love them!
Lightly toasted, charred a bit, and beautifully soft for folding in something like tacos. Seriously if you have never done this before, you need to try it!
Just take a pair of tongs and hold them over the open flame, first on one side and then the other. It only takes about 10 seconds per side.
Once you have done this, you will never want to enjoy them any other way. Trust me on this.
In addition to the filling, pickled onions and tortillas I served grated cheese, salsa and sour cream.
These were totally fabulous! We both ate three! I thought I would only eat two, but I just could not resist one more!
Yield: 4 - 6
Beef Barbacoa Tacos with Sweet Pickled Onions
Something I came up with to use up leftover cooked roast beef. These are delicious to say the least! You can make the onions up the day before if you wish. They will keep for quite a while. If you don't have any leftover roast beef, you can use ground beef and just cook as below.
ingredients:
- 1 TBS vegetable oil
- 1 pound leftover roast beef, cut into cubes
- 1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 240ml beef stock (1 cup)
- 1 TBS minced Chipotle chiles in adobe sauce
- 2 small cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 packet of taco seasoning mix
- pinch salt
For the pickled onions:
- 180ml white vinegar (3/4 cup)
- 3 TBS caster sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 bay leaf, broken in half
- 5 whole allspice berries, bruised
- 5 whole cloves, bruised
- a pinch of dried chili flakes
- 1 large red onion, peeled, cut in half
- and then into half moons
To serve:
- 6-inch plain tortillas
- Dairy sour cream
- grated cheese (cheddar or jack)
- tomato salsa or picante sauce
instructions:
- First make the pickled onions. Place the vinegar, salt, sugar, spices, bay leaf and chili into a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Add the onion slices. Stir to completely submerge. Remove from the heat and set aside. Allow to cool completely before transferring all to a jar and refrigerating until ready to use.
- To make the taco filling, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped beef and onion. Cook and stir until the beef has begun to brown and the onions have softened without colouring. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes. Shred the meat with two forks.
- Heat the tortillas according to your favourite method. Serve immediately with the hot meat filling, pickled onions and any accompaniments you enjoy.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I really hope that you will give these a go the next time you have leftover roast beef that you are wanting to use up. If you are a fan of Tex Mex, you will quite simply adore these. I love using up leftovers in an interesting and delicious way. Its a good thing, not to coin a phrase from Martha or anything. Delicious, colourful and no waste here!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
Not having a hob/cooker to use for the last half week or so has certainly been a challenge for me. I really hope that when the Engineer comes tomorrow, it is an easy fix!
We did purchase a portable hot plate, but with only two small burners on it, it doesn't really lend itself much to cooking gourmet meals It is however, fab for browning things and heating things up, like soup. I haven't actually cooked any pasta on it yet, but I did cook carrots on it the other day.
It required a bit of difference in planning as I am used to the instant heat of gas. This electric hot plate takes much longer to heat up and it doesn't cool down instantly either, so I keep having to warn Todd that the burner was just on as it is not really obvious by looking at it, but if you set something on it, you would sure know in a hurry, especially if it was your hand or something plastic!
Today (Sunday as I write this) I used it to make our favourite Mexi-Melts, working with it in tandem with our Microwave. Tandem cooking! It works well! We are huge fans of Tex Mex food! I heard rumours that we are supposed to be getting a Taco Bell in Chester, but that was months ago and there isn't one yet, although there is supposedly one in Liverpool. I can't wait!
This is a riff on their Mexi-Melt sandwich, which is kind of like a burrito/wrap. I did make a few changes, so technically they are not identical, but I don't think anyone will really mind. They are fabulously delicious!
We try not to eat a lot of red meat here, so I used ground turkey instead of beef. You can use ground turkey thighs, but I like the turkey breast meat.
This gets simply browned in a skillet. Because I am using turkey breast which is ultra low fat, I add a bit of oil to help keep it from sticking. We like ground turkey so this really works for us. If you are not a fan of ground turkey, you can use ground beef, but do try to use an extra lean one.
Once you get the turkey browned and seasoned (I give my homemade taco seasoning recipe below) you simply layer the meat and two kinds of cheese in a flour tortilla, along with some tomato salsa. How spicy you choose to use, is up to you! I like the mild one myself.
Once you get all of the tortillas filled and rolled, you wrap them up in some damp paper towelling and then nuke them in the microwave for a minute. This is just long enough to heat everything through nicely and melt the cheese.
I make my own Chipotle mayo dip for serving with them. Its a really simple to make also. If you are not fond of mayo, you can use sour cream.
Taco Seasoning Mix
prep time: cook time: total time:
This is better than any packaged mix. No preservatives or chemicals.
ingredients:
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBS mild chili powder (American style)
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
instructions:
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a jar to combine well. Use as needed. Store, tightly covered in a dark place for up to 6 months.
Created using The Recipes Generator
These are oh so delicious, especially when you serve them with the mayo which adds a touch more flavour and a hint of creaminess. I like to sprinkle the dip with black olives and spring onions for even more flavour.
Yield: 8
Turkey Mexi-Melts
Quick, easy and satisfying. I have added an optional dip which adds even more taste. Serve with a salad for a light supper, or without for a quick lunch. You can also put together, wrap up tightly and freeze. When you are ready to eat, just thaw at room temperature for an hour or so and then warm as in the recipe instructions.
ingredients:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 envelope of taco seasoning mix
- 225g grated strong cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
- 225g grated Jack cheese (8 ounces)
- 8 to 10 flour tortillas (8 inch)
- 200g tomato salsa (1 generous cup)
- For the Dip: (optional)
- 220g good quality mayonnaise
- 1 TBS lime juice
- 1 tsp chipotle chili paste
- finely chopped black olives and spring onions
instructions:
- Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the ground turkey and brown thoroughly, until no more pink juices remain. Stir in the taco seasoning and heat through.
- Lay out your tortillas. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese down the middle of the tortillas, dividing it equally amongst each. Divide the seasoned turkey equally amongst the tortillas, placing it on top of the cheddar cheese. Spoon a portion of the tomato salsa over top of the turkey in each tortilla, dividing it equally amongst them. Finally sprinkle the Jack cheese over top of the salsa. Roll each tortilla up to enclose the filling. Wrap each in a piece of damp kitchen paper towelling. Microwave 2 at a time for 1 minute on high. Let sit while you microwave them all.
- To make the dip. whisk together the mayo, lime juice and the chipotle paste in a bowl. Top with the chopped olives and onions.
- Serve the hot wraps with the mayo for dipping.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Authentic or not, these are really delicious. Simple ingredients. Easy method. Quick to throw together. These are big winners all round, especially if you are a fan of Tex Mex!! Bon Appetit!
He tolerates the soft things, but doesn't like hard things at all, like nachos and the like. He likes Enchiladas and Chili, especially if they are spicy. He likes a bit of heat in his food.
Supposedly they are opening a Taco Bell in Chester soon. I am really looking forward to that. Our Spanish friends have been to the one in Liverpool and quite liked it.
We used to have a Taco Bell back home and I always enjoyed eating there myself. I hope that when the branch in Chester opens it is as good as I remember it being!
I had some leftover cooked chicken to use today and so I decided to make an Enchilada casserole. I used to make chicken and sometimes turkey enchiladas all the time for my family when they were growing up.
They were a real family favourite, especially after the holidays when we had a lot of turkey to use up!
I know my oldest son still makes them for his family. I am not sure about the others. In any case today I made a chicken enchilada casserole using leftover cooked chicken from the weekend.
It is a simple and quick recipe to make, which involves layering chicken, cheese, and enchilada sauce between layers of corn tortillas, along with some onion and green chilies.
I like to make my own enchilada sauce, but feel free to use tinned or bottled.
You can use a ready made four cheese blend, or you can make your own four cheese. I like to mix mild and strong cheddar, some Gruyere and if I have it a Jack.
If you really like it spicy you can use a spicy Mexican cheese. I think (personally) there is enough spice in the sauce, etc.
We like ours topped with sour cream, lettuce and some chopped spring onions and tomatoes . . . and black olives.
You can top it with whatever you like or with nothing. Its your choice.
The leftovers freeze beautifully, if you have any, and I am predicting you won't!
This casserole is perfect for using up rotisserie chicken or leftover roast chicken.
You can also use leftover roast beef or pork if you like. All work very well.
I have used fresh jalapeno peppers because we can't get the roasted ones in tins over here.
You can roast your own of course, which I often do and then freeze, or you can also just mince fresh ones, but don't use the seeds if you don't want too much heat!
Yield: 4
Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
prep time: 10 minscook time: 40 minstotal time: 50 mins
A very family friendly delicious casserole that is very easy to make. A great mid-week dinner idea!
ingredients:
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
240g Enchilada sauce (1 cup)
(See recipe below)
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken diced
1 small red onion, peeled and finely minced
2 TBS chopped green jalapeno chili peppers
240g four blend cheese mix (2 cups)
To garnish:
shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, chopped tomatoes
sliced spring onions, sour cream (any or all, optional)
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F gas mark 4. Butter a shallow rectangular casserole dish. (Mine is 7 by 11 inches)
Place
3 tortillas in the baking dish, overlapping them to cover the bottom.
Cover with 1/3th of the enchilada sauce. Sprinkle on half the chicken,
half the onion and 1 TBS of the chopped jalapeno pepper. Top with 1/3
of the cheese blend. Top with another 3 tortillas as before. Spoon
over another 1/3 of the enchilada sauce, the remaining chicken, onion
and jalapeno pepper. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese blend. Top with
the remaining 3 tortillas as before. Spoon over the remaining enchilada
sauce and sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.
3 tortillas in the baking dish, overlapping them to cover the bottom.
Cover with 1/3th of the enchilada sauce. Sprinkle on half the chicken,
half the onion and 1 TBS of the chopped jalapeno pepper. Top with 1/3
of the cheese blend. Top with another 3 tortillas as before. Spoon
over another 1/3 of the enchilada sauce, the remaining chicken, onion
and jalapeno pepper. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese blend. Top with
the remaining 3 tortillas as before. Spoon over the remaining enchilada
sauce and sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.
in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until well heated through.
Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with the
optional ingredients if desired.
Yield: Makes 480ml (2 cups)
Enchilada Sauce
prep time: 5 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 20 mins
This is a delicious enchilada sauce. You will never want to use store bought again. You can double the recipe and freeze it for future use if you wish. Make sure you have all the ingredients assembled prior to making and it goes together really quickly.
ingredients:
3 TBS light olive oil
3 TBS flour (whole wheat works well, as does a gluten free flour blend)
1 TBS ground mild chili powder (North American style)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano, rubbed
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground cinnamon
2 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 TBS flour (whole wheat works well, as does a gluten free flour blend)
1 TBS ground mild chili powder (North American style)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried oregano, rubbed
1/4 tsp salt
pinch ground cinnamon
2 TBS tomato puree (tomato paste)
480ml hot vegetable stock
1 tsp apple cider vinegarfreshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
Whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. Heat the olive
oil in a saucepan. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Cook, stirring, for
several minutes, until quite fragrant and deep in colour. Whisk in the
tomato puree and then slowly whisk in the vegetable stock. Bring to the
boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to low and simmer for about 7 or 8
minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in the vinegar. Taste and adjust
seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
oil in a saucepan. Whisk in the dry ingredients. Cook, stirring, for
several minutes, until quite fragrant and deep in colour. Whisk in the
tomato puree and then slowly whisk in the vegetable stock. Bring to the
boil, whisking constantly. Reduce to low and simmer for about 7 or 8
minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in the vinegar. Taste and adjust
seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I really hope you will want to make your own sauce for these. It doesn't take long and I swear by its deliciousness. You will never want to use jarred sauce again! Bon Appetit!
When I first moved over here to the UK, the idea of ever being able to enjoy Tex Mex delights seemed to be but a distant dream.
These types of ingredients were few and far between and very hard to come by. There are still some things which are really hard to find, but happily there are quite a few ingredients which are a lot easier to find. Yay.
I think we can owe a lot of credit for that to Tomasina Miers who won Master Chef
in 2005 and whose main speciality has always been Mexican Cuisine! Greatly influenced by her frequent trips to Mexico, she is the co-owner of the Wahaca Chain of Restaurants.
This recipe I am sharing with you today is one which I first saw on the Betty Crocker site and have adapted to what is available here in the UK.
It looked really delicious and really simple to make. I also was able to halve the recipe quite successfully for just we two Tex Mex food lovers.
So what I do is roast fresh green jalapenos and then chop them up and use them.
Put
the beans, chilies, and salsa into a blender or food processor. Blitz
until smooth. Pour into a pie tin. Take your tortillas one at a time
and dip into the bean sauce to coat. (I leave it flat in the dish to do
the following) Sprinkle 2 TBS of the cheese blend over half of the
tortilla and fold over to a half moon, fold in half and then in half
again. You should have a triangular shape. Place into the baking dish.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Spoon any remaining sauce over top
along with any remaining cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot
with your favourite toppings!
Just wash them and roast them in a hot oven (225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7) until blistered, take them out, pop them into a plastic bag, let sweat, peel and chop up. You can discard the seeds if you want less heat.
I blitzed the beans, salsa, and peppers in my CookHouse Kitchen mini food processor. It works a charm. Dip flour tortillas in the result, fill with cheese, fold and fold again.
Placed into a baking dish, with the remaining sauce spooned over and additional cheese and baked, these are such a doddle to make and very quick as well.
You can have them on the table in about half an hour tops, and that is stretching it!
Top with sour cream and your favourite taco/nacho/enchilada toppings to serve.
I used sour cream, some salsa and a kind of fresh salsa that I made by chopping together fresh parsley, red onions, and green and black cured olives.
Normally I would have used spring onions, but I was lacking them, and I have to say what I did use was really, really delicious! YUMMY even!
*Enfrijoladas Bake*
Serves 5
What can I say . . . refried beans, green chilis, tortillas, salsa, cheese, delicious!
1 (435g) tin of refried beans (16 oz.)
1 can (4.5oz) tin of chopped green chilies
(I used 4 fresh jalapenos, roasted and chopped)
240ml thick and chunky salsa, any strength (1 cup)
240g 4-cheese blend (2 cups)
1 package (6 inch) flour tortillas for soft tacos and fahitas
To serve (Just some suggestions):
chopped spring onions or red onions
dairy sour cream
chopped black olives
grated cheese
chopped coriander
more salsa
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 13 by 9 inch baking dish. Set aside.
I really hope you give these a go! They are simple and quick to make and I think your family will really love them. Mexican food is one of those things that doesn't really look overly appealing, but the flavours are really delicious. I used corn and wheat tortillas which is what I had and they worked beautifully. Provecheeto!!
All of the content you see here on this page, both photography and written, are the sole property of The English Kitchen, Marie Rayner. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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