What's a taco? Well, that's like asking, what's a sandwich?
Ayngelina Brogan is a culinary travel blogger who features the people and places behind the meals around the world. The Kentville, N.S. woman has travelled extensively in Mexico, backpacking many times from coast to coast, and spending months in different places. And through her travels, she's had her fair share of tacos.
The concept is simple enough: a tortilla, traditionally made from corn or maize - flour did not come to the Americas until much later - is filled with lots of regional ingredients, says Brogan.
Tacos can be cooked in several ways, including fried. And if you venture to places like San Antonio, Texas, where they have a large Mexican American population, you'll find innovations like the puffy taco.
Mexico had tacos before the Spanish arrived and tried to conquer the indigenous population, says Brogan. No one knows who invented them first but there are some names for the dish in the indigenous language that sound very similar to 'taco'.
The word taco is said to originally mean “half” or “in the middle”, adds Kerina Dykstra, a red seal chef and owner of Let’s Eat! personal chef services.
“I think this is the perfect definition and best way to think about tacos. Stuff some goodies in the middle and enjoy,” says Dykstra.
Tacos are a staple in Mexico. In fact, Brogan says in Mexico, every meal comes with a basket of tortillas. Her Mexican friends eat with a tortilla in one hand and food in the other - it's a carrier for food, she explains.
Easy for food fusion
When it comes to the restaurant business, everyone has tacos on the menu, says Mike Ross, a partner at Sugar Skull Cantina, a restaurant in Charlottetown, P.E.I. open seasonally from May to September that focuses on Latin American-inspired food.
"If you don’t have tacos, you’re missing an opportunity," he says.
Mexican cuisine is popular, but interest in tacos, in particular, has been big lately, says Ross, who adds that tacos are their best sellers.
“I think it’s because they are an easy option and with food fusion being big, you can play with the taco model,” he adds.
When it comes to creating the perfect taco, Ross says there is no secret.
"People’s expectations are all over the board when it comes to picking a taco off the menu," says Ross. "Some people think of a taco as a protein, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, and sauce."
At Sugar Skull Cantina, Ross says it’s the addition of different sauces, textures, and tastes that make tacos special.
"We want our tacos to be a combination of heat, chill, soft, crunch, spicy, and sweet," says Ross. "Pickled onions are becoming a mainstay."
And plant-based diets have become so big, Ross says they have tried to incorporate that into their menu as well.
"Tacos is literally a meal for everyone," he adds.
Go outside the box
Ross suggests finding different ways to brine or marinate your proteins or add unique ingredients to make special tacos at home. For example, last year the Sugar Skull Cantina did a watermelon and mango salsa that he says was a "crazy good" addition to their tacos. They have used chicken, pork belly, shredded beef, fish, lobster, mushroom, and lentil fillings.
"Don’t tie yourself to the same old cheeses, says Ross. And try making a taco all from scratch!
Dykstra says some of the best tacos don’t even have beef in them. Carnitas, for example, use slow-cooked pork shoulder instead, adding that queso-chorizo sausage, shrimp, fish, and turkey are all great options as well.
For vegetarians, use beans, legumes, or even tofu, suggests Dykstra.
In Mexico, says Brogan, it’s not uncommon to use offal, an animal’s entrails and internal organs, and tripe, from a cow’s stomach.
"They waste nothing," Brogan says.
“It has a distinct taste of being delicious. If no one told you it was offal you would never know."
Or, if you want to make your tacos a bit more Canadianized, Jenna Morton of Moncton, N.B. makes weekly tacos made from ground moose meat. She’s not even totally sure her children know what they are eating - in fact, she makes up a large portion of ground moose with taco seasoning early in the week to have on hand for her children to heat up when they are feeling picky about other meals.
“There is so much out there waiting to get into a taco,” says Ross. “It’s super busy in the taco world, so if you want to be noticed you have to get outside the box.”
Endless options
Believe it or not, Dykstra says there are lots of dessert tacos you can make, too. A little butter and cinnamon sugar transform a standard softshell into the perfect vessel for a tasty cheesecake filling topped with caramel or chocolate, she says, or try adding pastry cream with fresh berries or fruit compote.
Just like with savoury tacos, the possibilities for sweet ones are endless, says Dykstra.
As a fun way to serve tacos, Heather Crouse in East Margaretsville, N.S., sets up a taco bar, especially when her children’s friends are over. This way, she says, it is easy to please vegetarians and carnivores.
Simply line up all the ingredients and various shells, wraps, etc., and let everyone dig in. For her taco bars, Crouse uses refried beans, homemade guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, salsa, cheese, and taco meat. Everything is placed in separate bowls and everyone goes down the line to build their feast.
There are many interesting variations of tacos that don’t involve using the traditional shell. Crouse’s mother-in-law, Beth Crouse of Folly Lake, N.S., is well-known for her taco soup. Made with taco-seasoned beef and topped with corn chips, Crouse's children love it, and even better, it’s easy to whip up. She always makes a double batch and often freezes it to take camping.
The versatility of tacos is truly remarkable - you can even make a taco salad - so don’t be afraid to experiment, says Dykstra.
"Just remember to put something tasty in the middle and enjoy," she adds.
Make your own taco spice
By Kerina Dykstra
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsps chili powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsps cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 1/2 tsps hot smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsps kosher salt
Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Store spice mixture in an airtight container for up to one month.
Beth Crouse's Taco Soup
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. ground beef
- 1/4 C chopped onion
- 1 1/2 C water
- 1 16 oz can of stewed cut-up tomatoes
- 1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1 16 oz can of kidney beans
- 1/2 envelope or 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning mix
- Grated cheese
- Nacho chips
- Sour cream
Instructions: Brown hamburger and onion. Drain fat and pour into a large pot. Add water, cans of tomatoes, kidney beans, and tomato sauce. Do not drain. Add taco seasoning. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
To serve, crush nacho chips and sprinkle over the bowl. Top with grated cheese and a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 6
Ayngelina Brogan 's Instant Pot Carnitas
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 3/4 cup orange juice (not from concentrate)
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano, Mexican if possible
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 lbs pork shoulder roast, trimmed and cut into three-inch chunks
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 medium jalapeño, diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
Instructions:
In a bowl, combine chicken broth, orange juice, lime juice chili powder, paprika, Mexican oregano and cumin. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Season pork with salt and pepper. Push the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Once the display reads "on" add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil after 30 seconds and some of the pork.
Brown pork in batches. Do not crowd the bottom as it will steam rather than brown. Cook until pork is browned on all sides, two minutes per side. Set aside pork on plate as it is done
Add browned pork back to the pot and pour liquid mixture over top. Add lid and seal, making sure the steam release handle is positioned toward sealing.
Press the manual button and set the time to 30 minutes at high pressure. Once the cooking time is up, allow 20 minutes for the “natural release” of the steam inside the Instant Pot, then perform a quick release to vent any remaining steam.
Preheat oven broiler to high and line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Transfer pork to the baking sheet and gently shred with two forks.
Drizzle with 1/4 cup liquid from the Instant Pot. Add garlic, onion, and jalapeño and toss to combine before spreading into a thin, even layer.
Place pork 10 inches under broiler for five minutes. Remove from oven to toss meat and add anoter 1/4 cup liquid from Instant Pot. Place back under broiler for another five minutes or until the pork is crispy on the edges.
Remove from oven and serve immediately with fresh lime, cilantro and other garnishes.
Jenna Morton's Slow cooker chicken tacos
- 4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
- 1 can black beans
- 1 can corn
- 1 packet/a few tablespoons of seasoning (we’ve tried taco, fajita, BBQ spices, tandoori – use your imagination!)
- Tortilla wraps or taco shells
- Toppings like sour cream, salsa, cheese, avocado, red pepper, lime for garnishing, etc.
Instructions:
In the slow cooker, combine the beans, corn, chicken, and seasoning.
After a couple of hours, chop up the chicken (kitchen scissors right in the slow cooker is the easiest way; be careful not to scrape your pot).
Let it cook on low until you’re ready to eat. To serve, add your favourite toppings. Meat can be mixed with rice, scooped up with tortilla chips, or served in a taco shell.