|
|
|
|
|
Cinco de Mayo Recipe
My ex reminded me last week that the holiday that "my people" celebrate was coming up. My people. He was, of course, being facetious, but I smacked him anyway. Well, he's a thousand miles away, so I virtually smacked him. Same effect. My people. Like I even speak Spanish. My father wouldn't teach us when we were growing up because he didn't want us to be stigmatized. Only the last name gave us away as it was. Still, I do like to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The Fifth of Mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise. For this Cinco de Condiment, my love wanted to make turkey taquitos for his office party. So I am, even now, roasting turkey parts for said taquitos. Have you ever had turkey taquitos? Around here we have them after major holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving . . . because that's usually when there's leftover turkey. Turkey is a primary ingredient in turkey taquitos, as you may, or may not, have gathered from the name. I dunno. Some of you are probably quicker than others about these things. There is no mayonnaise in turkey taquitos. A recipe featuring mayonnaise will be arriving shortly, but this isn't it. This is a recipe for turkey taquitos. Keep in mind that I can barely read directions, much less give them, so this may be a bit haphazard. First step: Go to the store. Any store. Well, not just any store. A store that sells what you need. We went to Central Market because I wanted to show Bruno (my boyfriend's alias) what a fun place it is. He stuck his finger in one of the crab tanks and irritated a crab, who tried to grab his finger and run off with it. The crab, fortunately, was unsuccessful in this endeavor. Whew. Close call. Anyway, Central Market has lots of cool stuff. Live food. Dead food. The mess of octopus on ice was something I could have done without. Organic food. Free range chicken. Bulk herbs. Skullsplitter ale, which I wanted just because of the name. A deli section where one could just do all their shopping, thereby making the rest of the store redundant. Anyway. Go to the store. We looked at turkeys. Then we looked at the turkey breasts next to the turkey. And we went for the turkey breasts. Three of 'em. Saves me the trouble of wrestling with a turkey. I am nothing if not lazy. Also buy tortillas, and bend them to make sure they're fresh and pliable. And either fresh salsa, or make your own. And vegetable oil. And toothpicks. Some dark sweet beverage, if you're feeling like it. Method of cooking turkey: See, this all depends on what one plans on doing with the turkey. For enchiladas, stewed chicken works best. For taquitos, roasted turkey works best. Something about the dryness or lack thereof of the meat. I roast my turkey in a turkey roaster, but I suppose you could also use an oven. The recipe for how to roast a turkey will be out later this year, when it's time to take those things seriously. For now, I'm sure you can stumble through it. Roast the turkey. Chop the turkey into chunks and shreds. Add the fresh salsa or the salsa you made yourself using the fresh ingredients. We don't want the mixture to be too wet. Too wet. I just made that term up. Get out two frying pans. Get them out of where? That's rather up to you. Depends on where you keep yours. Put a nice half inch layer or so of oil in one, and just heat the other. (Almost had a typo there. Almost said eat the other, which would be wrong. That is no way to get more iron in your diet.) Heat the oil now or later, depending on if you're going to cook them now or later. I usually fry them as I go. Heat the tortillas one at a time in the hot skillet. When hot and pliable, and therefore easily bendable, take out of the pan, put a good heaping tablespoon of turkey mixture on the tortilla, and roll it tightly. Secure with a toothpick. (Did you think we bought the toothpicks just for fun?) Sometimes tortillas aren't as bendable as we might wish. This is too bad. Heat them longer. Put the secured taquito in the hot oil. Let it sit there and brown. Of course, while it's doing this, roll up another one and stick that in there too. Watch taquitos carefully. We want them crispy but not lethal. Turn them over while they cook. We're not deep frying them after all, it just seems that way. The oil should not cover the taquitos fully, only about halfway. That's why you turn them over. When the first taquito is crispy but not overdone (and this is rather subjective - mine are at times a bit chewy just because I like 'em that way), remove it gently and put it on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the oil. Do not use your fingers for this procedure, except to handle the tongs. This is hot oil, after all. Repeat this procedure for the several dozen taquitos to follow. You can make a whole buncha taquitos before you know it. Growing up, I was often the victim of burnt fingers because my stepmother would make me stand over the stove for hours heating tortillas to her specifications. For years I suffered from post-taquito stress syndrome. Just the thought of making taquitos was enough to make my fingertips itch. Do not overdo it. You can cook them in batches. You can cook some now and some later. This is not a marathon to see how much damage one can do to oneself. Once, when my hand was sprained, she made me take off the wrap that was holding it together so I could bake cookies for her, the kind you had to roll in your hand. She was mean. Besides, she always overcooked hers. Both taquitos and cookies. Serve the taquitos with guacamole and sour cream. Okay, some of you don't like sour cream. That's why I only bought a small sour cream - I can eat the stuff straight, but other people have a problem with it. I don't know why. These can be eaten either hot or cold. Technically, everyone thinks they're supposed to be hot, but it ain't so. If made properly, and drained properly, they're quite good any time at all. Enjoy the holiday. I hear it won't come around again until next year. Monique Young is adept at certain things, but cooking is not one of them. She can be reached at monique@moniquewrites.com most days of the week.
MORE RESOURCES:
Recipes - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
In Grandmas Kitchen (Part I) One of my fondest childhood memories is being in the kitchen with my Hungarian grandmother. I loved watching her chopping vegetables, kneading dough, and leaning over bubbling pots in a kitchen that was always filled with wonderful aromas. Easy-Cheesy Casserole I have always loved mac-n-cheese, and this variation is one of my favorites!1 pound of browned hamburger1 1/2 cups of grated cheddar cheese2 cups cooked macaroni (or egg noodles; I prefer to use egg noodles myself)Parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top1 can cream of mushroom soupCombine hamburger and macaroni (or egg noodles) in a large baking dish.Add cream of mushroom soup and mix well. The World According To Penne Penne pasta is a product of Naples, Italy. The pasta was createdto remind the clever Neapolitans of the days when their ancestorsdipped feather quilled pens into bottles of ink in order tocommunicate the written word. Ediths Cake That Thrilled the French Twenty-three chefs who cooked for world royalty and heads of state (The Club des Chefs des Chefs) were, during their 1987 visit to the U.S. Mouth Watering Memphis Style Pork Ribs The Memphis Style pork rib is one of the most popular and mouth watering styles of rib preparation. One of the reasons for the popularity with the Memphis Style rib is its unique blend of barbeque tradition and flavorful seasonings. Chicken Recipes That Everyone Enjoys! Chicken recipes are a stable in many people's diets. Many of them are recipes we have made time and time again and others, are special recipes, maybe a favorite Christmas recipe or even a special fondue recipe using chicken. Easy to Make Guacamole Dip You can make guacamole that people will rave about! It's easy, and you don't need any fancy kitchen utensils or appliances.What You'll Need To Have ReadyAssemble the following kitchen items:Cutting boardSharp knifeA shallow-lipped dish or bowl, preferably with a flat bottomA potato masher, hand-held is better than an electric whipperIngredients (for one batch, feeds 2-4 people as a side dish or dip for chips):2 Haas avocados*Fresh cilantro (usually comes in a small bunch or plastic bag in the produce area)2 Roma tomatoes2 fresh limes (not lime juice)Sour Cream (fat-free is OK)1 package of Guacamole seasoning (Schilling, McCormick, or Lawry)Cumin (a spice)Your favorite salsa (homemade or favorite brand)Favorite tortilla chips* Do not use green-skinned "Chilean" avocados. How to Make a Tantalizing White Lightening Chili Chili cooks always want to discover that award-winning chili recipe that will be tantalizing for their family and friends and maybe even impress a few chili contest judges. Wouldn't it be exciting to UNLEASH your chili and rock your family and friends' worlds, save money and have a great time preparing it?In my interviews with outstanding chili cooks, I have developed some tantalizing chili recipes that are easy, time and money saving and make your body tingle from the first taste right down to your toes. Vegetarian Gourmet----Meatless Makeovers Three years ago I decided to go "meatless." It wasn't a difficult decision as I wasn't a voracious carnivore to begin with, however there were a few dishes that I missed that contained meat and wondered how I was going to live without these favorites. Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate Serendipity frozen hot chocolate is a signature dish at the Serendipity 3, nestled in the heart of the upper east side of New York. The place is a general store and restaurant combined with a coffeehouse and soda fountain and serves the most famous dessert in New York. Stuffed Shrimp Recipes Stuffed shrimp recipes will help you celebrate any special occasion like a raise, a promotion or even an anniversary. These dishes are very elegant and very delectable. Low Fat French Toast French toast was one of my favorite breakfast foods when I was little. Dieting can be hard, especially when you can not enjoy many of the foods that you love. Mexican Recipes - World Class Dishes In Your Kitchen! Here are two **Must Try** Mexican recipes! They are HOT, tasty and so easy!Chiles Rellenos Meatballs12 small potatoes, or 2 large baking potatoes2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 pound ground beef1/2 pound Anaheim chili peppers1/2 cup yellow onions -- minced4 eggs1/2 teaspoon saltblack pepper -- to tastegarlic salt -- to taste*Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled and diced.Peel and boil potatoes until just tender. Weight Loss Recipe: Whole Fish In Ginger Sauce Lean protein is your diet is essential to weight loss and weight maintenance. Fish is an excellent source of lean protein as it is lower in fat that red meats. Frugal Microwave Cooking Microwave cooking can save you time and energyall year long. But it is especially nice insummer because it enables you to cook hot mealswithout heating up your home. Campfire Cooking (Some Yummy Recipes) It's almost picnic and camping time across most of North America. For that next trip into the woods or at the park, consider these treats-especially for the kids. Home Made Ice Cream Recipe for Coffee Can Ice Cream The very best thing about having birthday cake is the ice cream that goes along with it. This delicious home made ice cream recipe can be made with a few simple ingredients and a couple of coffee cans. Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes You will need:1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mixFrostingSprinkles or other decorations of your choiceDirections:Prepare cake mix batter according to directions, or make any standard cake recipe batter (i. Wild Watercress Soupt (Nasturtium officinale) Wild Watercress soup is a delicious and nutritious recipe with the leaves available in spring and early summer. Watercress is rich in Vitamins A and C, iron, iodine and phosphorus. Rockfish Bessie Ingredients 5-6 lbs. Whole Rockfish1 Onion1 Lemon1 LimeCilantroCorn HusksOlive OilSalt and PepperPreheat over to 375F.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
