[quattro]

I decided it is about time for a recipe on this blog. Now instead of me criticizing my restaurant choices, it’s your turn to try out my own culinary inventions and be the critic!

I started out with a really basic recipe that I sincerely hope all of you will try. This is my own, very unconventional version of street tacos. This makes it very evident that most of the food I make is either Mediterranean or Latin. I threw this together the other day, and was really very happy with the results- and it was so simple! I hope you will take this as an example of how a few ingredients can produce some pretty tasty results. Also a side note about the canned chipotle chilies: cans generally contain about 10-12 smoked chipotle chilies in a rich tomato sauce (adobo). So, unless you want to breath fire, you’re never going to use the whole can. Instead, a good way to save them is to use an ice tray. Put one chipotle and one tsp of adobo in each ice cube compartment. Be sure to spray the ice cube container with PAM first, this will prevent the deep red adobo from staining the tray and prevent it from permanently tasting like spicy adobo. Freeze, and use at your leisure.


Chipotle Street Tacos

Makes 2 servings.
On a spiciness scale of 1-10, 10 being hottest, this recipe is 3.
Pork tenderloin is my favorite cut of pork because it is so tender and so very lean, but loin roast can also be used. If using chicken I suggest breasts or tenders. I never cube meat because I think it is just inherently unnatural and gross. Also, I personally never eat the double tortillas when I do get street tacos, as is authentic; I peel off the bottom one because I think it makes for too dry of bite.

Marinade
2 canned chipotles in adobo + 2 tsp adobo*
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbs finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ lb Pork Tenderloin cut into ½” x 2” strips

For Serving
6 White Corn Tortillas
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup diced white onion

Optional
Shredded Cabbage
Sour Cream
Cotija Cheese
Tabasco

*More chipotles can be used for desired hotness.

Finely chop the chipotle chilies and garlic. In a medium bowl mix the first 6 ingredients, once combined mix in the meat. Let marinate for 20 minutes at the very least.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. No oil is needed as pork already has olive oil on it. Sautee pork until done, about 6-8 minutes.

Roughly chop the cilantro and onion, mix together. Heat corn tortillas on the open flame of your stove, although unconventional this method will make the tortillas crisp and charred. Simply put burner on medium high and move the tortilla around burner every 15 seconds or so, about 45 seconds per side. If you have an electric stove heat tortilla in a dry skillet over high heat, about 30 seconds per side.

To assemble tacos simple put meat on tortilla and top with cilantro and onion. Although very un-authentic, I bulk up these little tacos with some shredded cabbage, a dollop of sour cream, some crumbled Cotija cheese, and a lil’ chipotle Tabasco for an extra kick.