23. Mediterranean Lamb Tacos with Bulgur, Tomato, and Olive Salad

This taco was my first celebration of free weeknight evenings!  Our college production of Footloose was a success, and I am glad to have a break - though I do miss the wonderful people I worked with!  :)

Monday night tacos . . . what a concept!  Since my last couple of tacos have been vegetarian, I decided I would make another carnivore recipe - especially since my husband was such a good sport about the sweet potatoes in the last ones!  Ha ha.

We like lamb quite a bit, and I realized that my last lamb taco was number seven!  I'm trying to vary the main ingredient of the filling as I go along.  I think it's alright to use lamb again at this point.  These have a different flavor than the last ones, too.

While putting this recipe together, I thought of a great combination that I made for a family get-together a year or two ago.  It was a lamb meatball recipe that used bulgur (cracked wheat) as the binding ingredient instead of bread crumbs.  I made a bulgur salad on the side that complemented the meatballs perfectly.  It had the deliciously tangy, fruity addition of pomegranate molasses.

Pomegranate molasses might be something you have to seek out.  A specialty grocery store might have it, or you could just get it on Amazon.  The recipe would still be delicious without it, but the flavor is so unique!  There really is no substitute!

I called these Mediterranean tacos.  Well . . . I had to call them something.  I think it works.  Feta, olives, tomato, lamb, bulgur wheat, pomegranate molasses . . . what's not Mediterranean about those things?

Here's the recipe - they were flavorful and delicious!  :)

Mediterranean Lamb Tacos with Bulgur, Tomato, and Olive Salad

Serves 3-4 (makes about 8 generous tacos)

Ingredients:

For the salad:

1/4 cup bulgur (I used Bob's Mill red bulgur)

1/2 cup water
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup chopped kalamata olives
1/3 cup chopped red onion
2 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the lamb filling:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup onion (any kind), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 lb. ground lamb
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

A few large leaves of green leaf lettuce, thinly sliced

A few ounces of crumbled feta cheese

8 to 16 corn tortillas (depending on whether you plan to double them up)

Instructions:

1. Make the salad:  Place the water and bulgur (along with a pinch of salt) in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 12 minutes.  Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork.  (If there is any excess liquid, drain it out.)  Spread out onto a plate to cool.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, olives, onions, parsley, and cilantro.  Toss in the cooled bulgur.  Drizzle on the oil, vinegar, and pomegranate molasses.  Add the salt and pepper and stir to mix thoroughly.  Set aside.

3.  Make the lamb filling:  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft and slightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika and stir, cooking for an additional minute or so until fragrant.  Add the lamb, salt, and pepper, and stir, breaking apart with a spatula until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.

4.  While the lamb is cooking, prepare the tortillas to your liking.  There are a few different ways you can do this.  When I am making tacos with soft corn tortillas, I heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  I place a large sheet of aluminum foil near the pan.  I heat each tortilla in the skillet for about 30 to 60 seconds or so on each side, or until it softens and begins to brown.

After each one is done, I place it on the foil and immediately start the next one.  I stack them on top of one another as I work.  When I'm done with the whole batch, I wrap them completely in the foil and place them in a 250 degree oven until I'm ready to assemble the tacos.  They always stay hot and soft!  (Since this is pretty much the last step, you may not need to keep them warm, though!)

5.  When all of the components are ready, assemble the tacos.  For each taco, place one or two tortillas on a plate.  If the tortillas are thin, as mine were, you should double them up.  Top with a small amount of the lamb filling.  Follow with some of the shredded lettuce.  Spoon on some of the salad.  Finish with some crumbled feta cheese.  Enjoy!  :)

These were great!  We would both recommend them.  I loved the unique flavor that the pomegranate molasses added to the salad!  The bulgur in the salad contributed a great nutty, chewy quality that was unexpected in a taco.  We dug it.

Another nice thing about this recipe is that it was not too involved to put together on a weeknight.  Don't get me wrong - it wasn't exactly Kraft macaroni and cheese, but it was doable in a short amount of time!  I LOVE to mess up my kitchen, but sometimes it's just not practical.  Ha ha.

Well, it's now THURSDAY!  It took me three days to get this post together.  The good news it that it's actually my Friday, so now I have all weekend to make more tacos!  Awesome.  I'm going to shoot for a dinner taco tomorrow and a brunch taco on Sunday.  Then I can post number 26 on Monday (which is the three-month mark of my project) and I'll be perfectly on track to finish!

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try it?  What did you think?  Do you have any other great uses for pomegranate molasses?  I'm all ears!  :)

Thanks for reading!

22. Breakfast Tacos with Roasted Sweet Potato Hash, Eggs, and Queso Blanco Salsa

Since my evenings this past weekend were already spoken for (because it was production week for Footloose at the college), I decided it was a sign that I should make more breakfast tacos.  After all, tacos are good at any time of the day!  Also, I've already gotten a recipe or two behind because of the show, so I didn't want to miss an opportunity!

I decided to get trendy with this one.  Has anyone else noticed that sweet potato hash is a thing now?  Especially at hipster brunch places?  I thought it would make a great taco filling.  (I know, I know - I just made potato tacos.  I don't know what to say about that except that you can't really have too many root vegetables in your life.)  Since I had already established that I would be jumping on the food-trend bandwagon, I decided to top the tacos with an egg.  Doesn't everything have a fried or poached egg on it these days?

I still needed a sauce, though.  I wanted something that would add some spice, but complement the sweet potatoes.  I thought of a great queso blanco salsa that tops one of my favorite recipes from the Cafe Pasqual cookbook.  Cafe Pasqual is an amazing restaurant in Santa Fe.  I've only been there once, but I own and love both of their cookbooks.  I didn't copy the recipe exactly, but I used it as a reference.

When Steve found out that we were having sweet potato tacos topped with eggs, he was a bit skeptical.  Sweet potatoes are not his favorite vegetable (though he will eat them in the interest of food research), and he is super-picky about eggs.  He usually prefers them gently poached (runny), but said he really didn't think that would work in a taco.  I decided to try the eggs a couple of different ways.  I gently scrambled his.  I made mine over-medium, because poaching eggs just really annoys me!

Here's the recipe - read on to see how they turned out:  :)

Roasted Sweet Potato Hash Tacos with Eggs and Queso Blanco Salsa

Serves about 4 (at least 8 filling tacos)

Ingredients:

For the sweet potato hash:

2 red sweet potatoes/yams (about 20 to 24 oz.), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
One red bell pepper, cut in 1/2 to 3/4 inch dice
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch dice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro

For the queso blanco salsa:

2 tbsp. butter
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 Hatch or Anaheim green chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
One poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. cream cheese
1/4 tsp. smoked hot paprika

8 eggs and butter and/or oil as needed for cooking

8 to 16 corn tortillas (depending on whether you plan to double them up)

Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Additional hot smoked paprika, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Start the hash:  preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Toss the sweet potatoes, red pepper, and onion in a medium bowl.  Add all of the other ingredients except the cilantro and toss to combine.  Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast, stirring a time or two, until all of the vegetables are cooked through and slightly browned, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pan and turn the oven on broil.  Set the vegetables aside.

2. While the hash is cooking, make the salsa:  Melt the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and chiles.  Cook for an additional 6 to 8 minutes, or until most of the liquid from the vegetables has evaporated.  Add the salt, pepper to taste and heavy cream.  Return to a simmer.  Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add to the mixture, along with the paprika.  Cook, stirring often, until the cream cheese is melted and the mixture is hot and bubbling.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Set aside and cover to keep warm.

3.  While the hash and salsa are cooking, prepare the tortillas to your liking.  There are a few different ways you can do this.  When I am making tacos with soft corn tortillas, I heat a dry cast iron skillet over medium high heat.  I place a large sheet of aluminum foil near the pan.  I heat each tortilla in the skillet for about 30 to 60 seconds or so on each side, or until it softens and begins to brown.

After each one is done, I place it on the foil and immediately start the next one.  I stack them on top of one another as I work.  When I'm done with the whole batch, I wrap them completely in the foil and place them in a 250 degree oven until I'm ready to assemble the tacos.  They always stay hot and soft!  I would only heat as many tortillas as you are planning on eating.  You can always heat more tortillas tomorrow for leftovers!

4.  Prepare the eggs to your liking:  Scramble, fry, or poach 8 eggs until they are just the way you like them!  I'm not going to include instructions for this as eggs tend to be a personal preference thing!

5. While the eggs are cooking, pop the vegetables under the broiler for a couple of minutes to heat them back up and brown them a bit.  Watch them carefully!

6.  When all of the components are ready, assemble the tacos.  For each taco, place one or two tortillas on a plate.  If the tortillas are thin, as mine were, you should double them up.  Top with a small amount of the sweet potato hash.  Carefully add an egg.  Top with some of the queso blanco salsa and some green onions.  Sprinkle on some additional hot paprika if you wish.  Enjoy!  :)

Well, I have to say that I agree with Steve about the eggs.  A liquid yolk may not have been the best choice for this taco.  As you can see in the photos above, I tried it both ways.  The flavor was good, but my over-medium egg was just too messy for a taco.  Ha ha.  I accidentally broke one of my yolks when I cooked my eggs and that one was OK.  The yolk was cooked a little more, so it didn't fall out all over the place.

Unless you love poached eggs and know what you're getting into, I would recommend scrambled eggs or fried eggs with mostly-cooked yolks.

Steve pointed out that each taco probably did not need an entire egg.  You could probably get away with 5 or 6 scrambled eggs divided between 8 tacos - it just depends on your desired egg-to-sweet potato ratio.

I really liked these.  I knew going in that Steve was going to have to be open-minded about these.  He said they were good, and that someone who liked sweet potatoes and eggs would probably love them.  He wasn't crazy about them, but that didn't surprise me.  I thought they were delicious.  If you like the ingredients, go for it!

The queso blanco salsa is luscious and amazing.  You will want to eat it on EVERYTHING!

We both agreed that a splash of your favorite hot sauce would be a nice addition, too!  It would be a great contrast to the richness of the eggs and sauce and the sweetness of the hash.

This recipe does require some multi-tasking and also produces quite a few dirty dishes.  It seems like my breakfast and brunch tacos are always like that!  Ha ha.  Oh well.

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try it?  What did you think?  Would you go for the trendy poached egg?  I'm all ears!  :)

Thanks for reading!

Golden Tote #1 Review - October 2015

Golden Tote Review - October 2015

Note:  This point contains affiliate links to support my blogging addiction!  :)

I'm having entirely too much fun with my closet these days.  Since I joined Stitch Fix in January of last year, I've been slowly but surely collecting lots of cute clothes.  If I get a compliment on an outfit that I'm wearing, chances are it came from Stitch Fix!

Here are some links to my previous Stitch Fix reviews if you want to check them out:

October 2015 - #12

September 2015 - #11

Stitch Fix Keepers

September 2015 - #10

August 2015 - #9

Golden Tote is another service that I've heard a lot about lately.  Like Stitch Fix, you receive new clothes for purchase through the mail, but it's different in several ways.

When you sign up for Stitch Fix, you fill out an online style profile when you join.  You do the same thing with Golden Tote - however, I didn't find it nearly as detailed as the one on Stitch Fix's website.

This is not a subscription service - you never get a tote sent to you automatically.  You have to log in and buy it.  You can choose a small or large tote.  The small tote is $49 and includes 1 item that you choose and another "surprise" item.  The large tote is $149 and includes 2 items that you choose and 3 to 4 surprise items.  There is also an option to add on additional pieces from their online boutique for a reduced price.

The big catch is that it's an all or nothing deal.  You can keep the whole tote or send the whole thing back for a full refund (though you do have to pay for return shipping).  You don't get a prepaid envelope.  Basically you have to box it all back up yourself and ship it back with the packing slip.

I wasn't crazy about the last part, but I thought, "Why not?  Let's check it out!"

I went for the large tote.  (WHY???  I just kept my entire last box from Stitch Fix!)  I don't know.  I really don't.  I also added on a shirt.  Sigh.  With the shirt add-on, I paid $184 for the whole box of seven items.

So  . . . here's what I got!

1.  Vintage Havana Zipped Up Blazer (chosen item)

This blazer was one of my two chosen items.  I liked the zipper on the back - a little bit of edge for a basic piece.  I have very little of this kind of thing.  I've never been great at layering and I'm trying to expand my horizons.  This seemed like it would be useful and versatile.  According to Golden Tote's sizing chart, I'm a medium in tops.  The medium wasn't available in this blazer, so I went for a large.  I figured it would be OK since it's supposed to fit over other things.  

As it turns out, the large was perfect.  This is the softest, stretchiest blazer I've ever put on.  I love it.  I wasn't sure about the ruched sleeves when I first saw them, but I ended up loving them.  

If I send the tote back, I will be sad to lose the blazer.

2.  THML Mix It Up Top (chosen item)

This top was the second item that I chose for this tote.  For some reason, it looked too big when I took it out of the package, but it fits perfectly.  I love the pattern and colors.  It's right up my alley in every way.  It needs to be ironed, but that's easily fixable.  :)

3.  Esley Sahara Top (add-on item)

I almost felt silly adding on a top when I already knew I would get about 6 items anyway, but I'm glad I did.  I paid an extra $35 to have this added to my tote.  This soft knit top is a little different than my usual style.  I usually dig boho style, but this has a strong Southwest vibe to it.  I do live in Arizona, don't get me wrong, but I'm not into Southwest EVERYTHING.  I love it, though.  It's a bit short, but it's short enough to show the zipper detail on my skinny jeans, so that's a plus!  I love this outfit.  I'm starting to think that I can't possibly send back this tote!

4.  Pink Owl Printed Wrap Dress (secret item)

Well, I finally found a "miss".  I like the pattern and overall style of this dress, but it just doesn't fit right.  The waist feels way too high - it's above my natural waist. (I'm 5'9" with a long torso.)  The arms are a little snug.  It's very low cut - I'd probably have to wear something under it.  Somebody would love this dress - it is cute; it just doesn't work for me!

5. Peach Love Printed Tunic (secret item)

This top.  Sigh.  It's so close!  I love the colors and pattern.  There are a couple of weird things about it, though.  It looks like it fits pretty well, but it has a very slim cut.  It hugs the hips of my jeans a bit more than I would like.  I don't think it would work with anything but skinny pants/jeans or leggings.  It's also a bit tight in the shoulders.  It would be uncomfortable in a situation that required a lot of movement.  The fabric has no stretch to it at all.  It was difficult to get on and off.

It's also cut a bit low and has a tendency to hang open.  One side of the v-neck seems to fall down quite easily.  I think I would need to wear a camisole with it.  If I were judging this item on its own, it would be a regretful "no".  However, when I balance this against the other three items that I like, I'm a bit torn.  

6. Illa Illa Open Cardigan (secret item)

I feel kind of neutral about this cardigan.  (It's really wrinkled; I didn't want to iron it or anything if I'm not sure about keeping it!)  It fits perfectly, but I'm not sure it's my style.  I think the problem is the color.  I prefer bold colors - I just don't have a lot of tops to wear underneath this dusty blue cardigan.  It seems pretty neutral, but didn't seem to go with a lot in my closet.  Maybe I just don't know how to match clothing.  That could very well be . . .

So far, I have 3 items that I'd like to keep and 3 items that I'd send back if I could.  Hmmm.

7. Oddi Suede Trimmed Washed Denim Pullover (secret item)

No.  No, no, no.  This was my least favorite item in the box!  The sleeves are too short (I rolled them up) and the fit is a little strange.  It's loose in the neck and tight in the arms.  Plus, it's just not my style at all.  I don't like the pattern or the suede.

Even if I keep the tote, this shirt will definitely be getting a new home.  Ha ha.

So . . . now I don't know what to do!  I have three items that I really like.  Do I keep the tote or do I send it back?

I have tried to join the Golden Tote trading group on Facebook, but it's been three days and my request is still "pending".  Once it gets approved, I hope to try and trade or sell the items I don't want.  I have 14 days to decide, but I'm thinking I'll keep the tote and see how the trading goes.  If it turns out to be a major hassle, Golden Tote might not be a service that I'll use frequently!  (UPDATE - My request was promptly approved on Monday morning.  Maybe they just do weekdays - fair enough!  I've already traded the denim pullover for something I think I will like much better!)

Overall, I had fun with this experience, though at this point, I still prefer Stitch Fix.  Golden Tote is a great value when compared to Stitch Fix.  I would estimate that my Stitch Fix items have averaged about $50 per item.  This Golden Tote box was about $26 per item.  However, Stitch Fix definitely feels more personalized.  I like having the same stylist for every fix.  She actually looks at my reviews and I love that!  :)

There doesn't seem to be a great way to leave feedback for Golden Tote.  This box was kind of hit-and-miss.  How do I make sure they don't send me another top like the one above?  Ha ha.  Just kidding - it's cute enough; it's just not me!  We'll see . . . I had enough fun to try it again, though I may opt for the small tote next time.

I'm also really curious to see how the trading pans out.  I would trade that dusty blue cardigan for a bold print cardigan in a heartbeat.  If that works out, this could be a fun thing!

By the way, if my blog post has inspired you to try Golden Tote, please use my referral link to sign up.  If you do, I'll get a small credit.  (I decided to try this service on my own; I was not compensated by Golden Tote in any way for this post.)

Please comment?  What do you think about the items I received?  Have you received any of these items?  What did you think?  Which do you prefer - Golden Tote or Stitch Fix?  Thanks again for reading!

21. Potato Tacos with Indian Spices, Red Lentil Sauce, and Fresh Vegetable Slaw

Well, here I am with taco recipe number twenty-one!  I think this is the longest it has ever taken me to get a post up after making tacos.  I made these on Sunday evening.  It's now Friday, so I've had plenty of time to reflect on my blog post.  Actually . . . that's a lie.  This has been dress rehearsal and performance week for Footloose - as a result, normal life has been non-existent!  We open tonight and it's going to be a great show.  It's been an exciting week, but not very conducive to blogging.  I'm planning breakfast tacos for tomorrow, and then next week will be back to normal.  I think I've done all right, though.  I'm only a recipe or two behind, and I should be able to make those up once I have my evenings free again.  I'm not giving up on my crazy project!

Since I'm also training for the Sedona Marathon, I've been compelled to reflect on the marathons that I've run in the past.  I've noticed a few parallels between running long distances and completing a long-term writing project.  How do you finish a marathon?  You don't quit.

How do you write 100 taco recipes in a year?  Same answer.  You don't quit.

So . . . tacos!  I decided to do a potato taco - something I haven't done yet.  I also wanted to incorporate some Indian flavors.  I love Indian food!  Indian cuisine does not shy away from carbs!  It's totally fine to eat potatoes, rice, and bread in the same meal.  Ha ha - I love that!

Obviously, if you are trying to reduce carbs in your diet, this is not the recipe for you.  If not, please consider trying these comforting, carbalicious potato tacos!  :)

Potato Tacos with Indian Spices, Red Lentil Sauce, and Fresh Vegetable Slaw

Serves 4 (about 8 generous tacos) with extra sauce

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 tbsp. canola oil
Half of an onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chopped fresh ginger
1/2 cup red lentils
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

For the slaw:

1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 small carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of one lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the potatoes:

1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 small bay leaf
5 whole cloves
A 1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 medium potatoes, about 1 1/4 lb. total, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chopped spinach

8 small flour tortillas

Plain yogurt, for garnish

Paprika, for garnish

Cholula hot sauce (optional), for garnish

Instructions:

1. Toast the spices for the potatoes:  Place the first 5 ingredients in a small, dry skillet.  Heat over medium heat until fragrant but not burned, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Watch carefully!

Set aside to cool.  When the spices are cooled completely, grind them in a coffee or spice grinder.

2. Make the slaw:  Grate the cucumber with a box grater.  Toss with a pinch or two of salt and place in a strainer.  Allow to rest for several minutes so that some of the moisture can drain out.  Squeeze out as much excess liquid as possible and place in a small bowl.  Add the cabbage, carrot, and cilantro.  Toss to combine.  Season with lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Make the lentils:  Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion, reduce the heat a bit, and cook until soft and browned, about 10-12 minutes.  Add the garlic and ginger and cook for an additional minute.  Add the lentils and water.  Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover.  Cook until the lentils have broken down, about 20 minutes.  Add the salt, cayenne pepper, and cream.  Simmer gently for another couple of minutes.  Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.  You could also use a hand blender for this, but I wanted to make sure the lentils got very smooth so that they would be more sauce-like.  Add liquid if the mixture is too thick.  Return to the pan.

4. Make the potatoes:  Heat  the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.   Add the onions, reduce the heat a bit, and cook until soft and browned, about 10 to 12 minutes.  Add the garlic and ground spices and cook for another minute or so.  Add the potatoes, water, and salt.  Bring the mixture to a simmer.  Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.  Add the spinach, replace the cover, and remove from the heat.

5.  While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the tortillas:  Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, one by one, until browned but still soft, about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.

As they are done, stack them on a sheet of foil.  When you have as many as you want, wrap in the foil and set aside.  You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven if you wish.  Since this was basically my last step, I didn't need to do that.

6.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a tortilla on a plate.  Top with a small amount of the potato mixture.  Spoon on some of the lentil sauce.  Top with a small amount of the slaw.  Add a dollop of yogurt, a sprinkle of paprika, and some Cholula (if you wish).  Enjoy!

It's time for another verdict.  Well, as I said before, if you don't have a problem with carbs, these are awesome!  :)  Steve and I were split on the Cholula addition.  I loved it!  He didn't think the tacos needed it.  Try a bit and see if you like it before you add it to the whole taco.

These were VERY filling.  We each had two and I don't think I could have eaten any more.  This would be plenty for four, with two tacos each.

Though these were delicious, I might tinker with the sauce if I had more time!  It was very thick.  I had to add more liquid than I planned.  I did update the recipe to reflect this.  It was still pretty thick, though.  It was less like a sauce and more like another layer.  Nothing wrong with that - but just different than I had expected.  In the future, I might experiment with less lentils and more liquid.  Also, I'm not sure how important the heavy cream was.  It was good - the lentils were luscious!  However, there is so much flavor in the dish that I don't think it would be missed if additional water or stock was used instead.  The small dollop of yogurt provided enough creaminess, I think!

If the cream were omitted and a yogurt or sour cream substitute was used for garnish, these could easily be vegan, which is always a plus!

I would like to make another Indian-ish taco with homemade flatbread for shells!  I wanted to do it this time, but I got a late start and it just didn't happen.  We always seem to have leftover tortillas hanging around these days, so I just went with basic flour tortillas.  With 79 recipes to go, I'm sure I'll revisit Indian cuisine once again.  Next time!  :)

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try it?  What did you think?  What other cuisines should I try and tacquify?  (I think I just made that word up.  It works!)  :)

Thanks for reading!

20. Smoked Ahi Tacos with Romesco Sauce, Lightly Dressed Spinach, and Parsley Aioli

Well, I'm back with another taco recipe!  I skipped last weekend because it was my birthday.  My wonderful husband took me on a short weekend getaway (complete with a lovely spa package), so I did not do any cooking at all.  Also, this past week was tech week for Footloose, so weekday tacos were pretty much an impossibility!  It's OK, though.  I'm catching up.  I'm making one more recipe tomorrow, so I'm still in decent shape to finish my project!

I finally decided to introduce one of my favorite cooking helpers:  the stovetop smoker!  If you don't have one, don't worry - you can still make this!  You can just add a few drops of liquid smoke to the tuna marinade and cook it some other way.

I would highly recommend getting a stovetop smoker, though.  As far as I know, Cameron makes the most popular one.  We love ours!  We use it regularly - probably at least a couple of times a month.  It's awesome!  You can even cook vegetables in it.  You'd be amazed at how much flavor a smoked onion can add to your favorite soup recipe.  Seriously!

Here's a link to buy it from Amazon:



Read the reviews - it's well worth the price!  It's very easy to use, too.

We love ours and I just wanted to share it!  :)

Well . . . back to the recipe!

I'll be honest - at first, I wasn't feeling particularly inspired about this one!  I was tired after a very busy week, and I just decided to pick something and go with it.  We had some ahi tuna steaks in the freezer that I wanted to use, so the main ingredient seemed obvious!  What to do with them, though?

It would have been really easy to take the tuna in an Asian direction, but I decided against it.  For some reason, I happened to think about how amazing canned tuna from Spain is, so I chose to incorporate Spanish flavors in this taco recipe.  After that, things pretty much fell into place.  I am thrilled with this recipe!  My husband says it's absolutely the best taco he's ever had.  :)

Here it is:

Smoked Ahi Tacos with Romesco Sauce, Lightly Dressed Spinach, and Parsley Aioli

Serves 3 to 4 (about 12 small tacos) with extra sauce and aioli

Ingredients:

For the tuna:

About 1 lb. ahi tuna steaks (I used two 1/2 lb. steaks)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. hot smoked paprika
3 tbsp. olive oil

For the aioli:

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

For the Romesco sauce:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup whole raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 red bell pepper, roasted, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. bread crumbs
1 tbsp. sherry vinegar
1/2 tsp. hot smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the dressed spinach:

3 cups chopped spinach leaves

1/2 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tbsp. sherry vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

12 street taco-size corn tortillas

Instructions:

1. Marinate the tuna:  Combine the garlic, shallot, salt, pepper, paprika, and olive oil in a medium bowl.  Add the tuna and coat with the mixture.  Cover and refrigerate while you complete the next few steps.

2. Make the aioli:  Place all of the aioli ingredients in a pint-size glass liquid measuring cup.  Blend with a hand blender until smooth.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Alternately, you can use a regular blender or food processor.

3. Make the Romesco sauce:  Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the almonds and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.  Sprinkle with salt to taste and allow to cool.

4. Return the skillet to the heat.  There will still be almond sediment in the remaining oil, but that's OK as long as the heat is not too high.  Add the garlic and cook for about a minute.  Add all of the remaining Romesco sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for a couple of minutes until the ingredients are heated through and thoroughly combined.

5. Transfer to a small bowl or liquid measuring cup and add half of the almonds (Set the other half aside for garnish.) and blend with a hand blender until fairly smooth.  Alternately, you can use a regular blender or food processor.  The sauce will be thick and a little grainy from the almonds.  You can add a little bit of water if it seems too thick.  Cover and set aside.

6. Cook the tuna:  Remove the tuna from the marinade and cook in a stovetop smoker over medium low heat for about 10 minutes (start counting when the smoker starts smoking) or until the tuna has reached desired doneness.  We like ours medium-rare, but you can cook it through if you wish.  If you do this, I would keep an eye on it and cook it until just barely done!  Overcooked tuna is no good!  Alternately, you can grill the tuna or sear it in a hot pan.  If you do this, your cooking time may vary.

7.  While the tuna is cooking, prepare the tortillas:  Heat the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, one by one, until browned but still soft, about 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.

As they are done, stack them on a sheet of foil.  When you have as many as you want, wrap in the foil and set aside.  Depending on your tuna cooking method (and how many tortillas you plan to heat), you may want to do this BEFORE you cook the tuna. You can keep them warm in a 200 degree oven if you wish.  For me, it worked out just fine to cook both simultaneously.

8. Remove the tuna from the smoker and place on a plate.

Cut the tuna into strips.

9. Prepare the spinach:  Place the chopped spinach in a medium bowl.  Toss with the oil and vinegar and add salt and pepper to taste.  After this step, you may want to reheat the Romesco sauce and/or tuna very gently in the microwave.

10.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a tortilla on a plate.  Top with a few strips of tuna.  Spoon on some of the Romesco sauce.  Add a small amount of spinach.  Drizzle some of the aioli over all and garnish with the reserved almonds.  Enjoy!

As I said before, Steve thought these were the best tacos ever!  He said he's not sure I can ever top these.  Well . . . that's great, but I have 80 recipes left to go, so I really hope he's wrong!  Ha ha.

After one dinner (for two), there was some extra Romesco sauce and aioli.  It wasn't a problem for us at all!  So . . . while we're at it, I have a confession.  Sometimes, we don't actually eat the leftovers as tacos!  Earlier today, we had some AWESOME tuna sandwiches made with the leftover tuna and some of the aioli on toasted wheat bread.  Then, I used the rest of the Romesco sauce and combined it with some other things to make a tasty pasta dish for dinner.  I'm getting pretty good at reinventing taco ingredients.  It's out of necessity, truly!  :)

If you actually served three or four people instead of two, you probably wouldn't have very much sauce or aioli leftover.  Seriously, though - you could put the aioli on anything!  Right now, I'm having a vision of a delicious artichoke with the parsley aioli as a dipping sauce!  :)  I could also see having the leftover Romesco with crostini!  Sometimes, I would rather not have leftover ingredients.  However, I think the leftovers, in this case, would be a bonus!

Well, I think I'll leave it there.  I have to think of something else to make for tomorrow.  Oh, the possiblities . . .

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try it?  What did you think?  Do you have any more ideas for me?  I'm open-minded!  :)

Thanks for reading!