Chorizo Tacos with a Middle Eastern Touch
Chorizo is a signature meat when it comes to Mexican cuisine. And of course, being from San Diego, we love Mexican food. However, the fact that I am half Persian, I can't help but want to throw in a Middle Eastern twist. So I figured I could combine two of my favorite flavors into one delicious recipe. We created these Chorizo tacos with a love for savory and spicy with a special hint of sweet. We hope you enjoy these tacos that may seem a bit unusual, but will not disappoint your belly!
The Basics
From Prep to Completion 25 minutes
Temperature 165F degrees for all ground meats
Servings 4 servings of 3 street tacos per person
WhenIt Is Done The meat will be browned, the peas are bright green, and the dish is aromatic with a hint of sweet cinnamon
Pair With
Variations Instead of raisins try prunes or dates. Use the chorizo as an empanada filling. Swap out the peas for carrots, and you can even add beans or potatoes. Also, if you enjoy an extra kick, sauté a Serrano pepper with your onion.
A Little Bit About: Chorizo Tacos
Tacos are a beautiful thing because you can do so many things with them. Yet when I think of a taco, I always think of a little street taco from a food cart in Tijuana, Mexico. Though it may not be everyones first place to visit, it does have a special place in my heart.
As a child I spent about 6 months of my life living there and getting to enjoy the beauty of its culture and cuisine. And of course, on just about every corner there is a taco cart dishing out unlimited tacos. So, in keeping with tradition we decided to cook up some delicious street size tacos - with a Middle Eastern twist. Its how my mom cooked all the time, she added a little bit of her own influence with that of my dads.
This is where the raisins and cinnamon come in! I love to take a rich tasting food that is absolutely savory in all aspects and add a hint of sweetness to it because it just makes it bold. We are always adding in dried apricots and prunes into meat sauces and I thought the savory of the Chorizo would be complimented beautifully by a little sweet. Give it a try or throw in some prunes and dates and see what happens.
Mixing culture and cuisine is just one way we hope that you can enjoy this recipe and not just eat, but thrive in the kitchen!
Teaching Moment
How to Prepare your Tortillas
In a large skillet or frying pan, wipe the surface with oil, then turn your stove to medium-high heat.
Once the skillet or pan is hot, add your tortillas to begin warming. You want to keep on eye out for browning and charring on the surface.
You will know when the tortillas are correctly prepared because they will have superficial browning and charring, but more importantly, they should start to rise with large air bubbles inside. These will deflate once removed from the heat as they are ready to be eaten. (I encourage the tortillas to inflate by pressing down on them with my fingertips and turning clockwise at the same time.)
Making the Time
Choosing to step out of your comfort zone and try new flavors can be daunting. However, with the simplicity of this recipe, the ability to adapt, and its absolutely delicious flavors - these Chorizo Tacos are a no brainer. Make your list and get to the grocery store. Your family will love every bite and you can once again enjoy those you love most back around your table! Make the effort to make the time!
Mise en Place:
Read the recipe first | Lay out your ingredients | Prepare your tools | Start cooking
Chorizo Tacos with a Middle Eastern Touch
Chorizo Tacos with a Middle Eastern Touch
servings: 4 time: 25min difficulty: easy
Serve these Chorizo Tacos the next time you are hosting and you want to impress. The flavors are fantastic, the cuisine and combination of culture are wonderful talking points. Bonus, the filling can be doubled and made a day earlier. Do not hesitate, add this recipe to your weekly menu and get to eating!
Filling
1 pound of chorizo
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup of peas, frozen
12 corn tortillas, street size (4.5 inches)
black pepper to taste
top with cilantro, quest fresco, Pico de Gallo salsa and serve with a side of beans
Heat a pan over medium-high heat, once your pan is hot add in your chorizo. Using a slotted wooden spoon, keep breaking it apart until it has cooked all the way through. Remove the chorizo from the pan onto a plate, set aside.
Your pan will have residual oil (about 1/2 tbsp) on it form the chorizo, use that to sauté your onions. Bring your heat down to medium and place your onions in the pan, sauté for about 4-6 minutes, until cooked all the way through till soft and translucent. (If you find that your pan is smoking and your onions aren't cooking as fast, add in some canola oil, you might not have had enough oil from the chorizo).
Next, add in the salt, cinnamon, raisins, and stir for about a minute till it becomes aromatic. Return your chorizo into the pan and add your peas, a few cracks of black pepper and stir. Turn off the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit while you are warming up your tortillas.
Tortillas: Using a cast iron pan, warm it over medium-high heat. You'll know when its ready by adding a few drops of water to the pan, it should immediately sizzle. Add a small amount of canola oil, use a paper towel to rub it all over the pan and remove any excess (You really only want to lightly coat it).
Place in your tortillas and do not flip too soon. I like to wait till one side has browned a bit before turning them over. After turning them over, place some pressure on each tortilla with your finger tips and turn clockwise, this will encourage your tortilla to puff up (so will the correct heat of your pan). When they are done, wrap them in a clean dish towel until you have warmed all the tortillas.
To serve: Use one to two tortillas and place about 2 tbsp of chorizo filling per taco. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, crumbled quest fresco and some Pico de Gallo. Serve with some limes and a side of beans. Enjoy!!
What to Consider
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Cast Iron pans are so incredibly versatile, I am trying to slowly add to my collection as I can. Use them for frying, searing, roasting, and even baking. We use the Lodge 10.25in Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-seasoned. Give it a try and see that you too will fall in love with it!