Tex-mex Style Tacos

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: TEX-MEX STYLE TACOS
Categories: Meats, Tex-mex, Usenet
Yield: 12 tacos

2 lb Ground beef,
-extra-lean
1 md Onion, chopped fine
1/2 ts Salt
4 tb Chile powder
-(or more to taste)
Vegetable oil
12 Corn tortillas (the
-thinner the better)
1/2 lb Cheddar cheese,
-sharp, grated
1 lg Tomato, chopped
3 c Shredded lettuce

Brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a large
skillet. There should be enough fat in the beef to
eliminate any need for extra oil and also to saute the
onions at the same time. While you are browning the
beef (it should be completely cooked with no pink or
red color left), be sure to break it up so that it is
granular in texture, as opposed to chunky, when
completely browned. Onions should be limp and
translucent but not brown.

Drain off as much fat as possible. Add salt and
chile powder and continue to saute until the chile is
completely incorporated into the meat mixture. Cover
skillet and leave on extremely low heat, just enough
to keep the meat hot.

Put about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a small
skillet, and heat it. Test the oil for proper
temperature by putting in a small piece of tortilla.
When the oil reaches the temperature where it
immediately begins to bubble frantically over the
tortilla as soon as it is put in the oil and the
tortilla piece becomes crisp quite quickly, you are
ready to cook the taco shells. This is important
because there is nothing worse than a soggy taco shell
(which results from the oil not being hot enough).

Using tongs, put the tortillas in the oil, one at a
time, and cook for 30-60 seconds until the underside
just starts to become crisp. With the tongs, turn the
tortilla over and, using a spatula, bend in half to
form the shell. Cook each side of the bent tortilla
until crisp, about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove the
shell from the oil and drain on a newspaper-covered
cookie sheet. The cooked shells can be kept warm in
the oven at very low heat.

To assemble, fill each shell about 2/3s full of the
meat and top with cheese, tomato and lettuce. We like
to add extra zap with a shot of Tabasco sauce.

NOTES:

* San Antonio, Texas style tacos -- My dad is from
east Texas and my mom from southern Oklahoma, but they
developed their definition of Tex-Mex from several
years in San Antonio. Since they now live in D.C.,
they feel extremely deprived, none of the chain
restaurants come anywhere near the taste they
developed in San Antonio.

Tex-Mex cooking is based on peasant-style dishes from
the areas of Mexico bordering Texas. The primary
ingredients of Tex-Mex cooking are corn tortillas (the
thinner the better), ground beef, pinto beans and hot
chile powder, sharp Cheddar cheese and onions. Yield:
1 dozen tacos.

* Don't try to use instant onion in this recipe. In
San Antonio, people consider that the best chile
powder is Gebhardt's or Eagle Brand.

: Difficulty: easy.
: Time: 20 minutes.
: Precision: measure the spices.

: Pamela McGarvey
: UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
: {ihnp4!sdcrdcf,ucbvax!ucla-cs,hao}!cepu!pam

: Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust

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