63. Nectarine Rolled Tacos with Whipped Mascarpone Cheese and Balsamic Berry Salsa

If you have been following my recipes, you might have noticed that I finally branched out into the rolled taco category for one of my recent creations.  We enjoyed that one very much!  It was a chicken and black bean rolled taco based on one our favorite Mexican fast food splurges.  If you want to check it out, you can find it here!  :)

Anyway, once I had ventured over into the crispy-fried-rolled taco genre, my mind quickly explored the many possibilities!  Almost immediately, I thought that a delicious brunch taco, filled with fruit and topped with decadent sweetness, might be just the thing to make many people happy (including me and my husband)!

There's not much to say about this one.  It's rich.  It's delicious.  As written, it's not too sweet.  As you go, you can taste the various components and see if you want to add more sugar.  If you're having this as a brunch taco (and not as dessert), it might be a good idea to show some restraint.  At first.  Ha ha.

I found that these tacos were much easier than my last attempt at rolled tacos.  Since flour tortillas are more pliable than corn tortillas, I didn't have to "prep" them.  With the corn, I had to heat them up so they wouldn't break apart while I was rolling them.  I didn't think the flavor of corn tortillas would suit this recipe anyway, so I was able to eliminate a step!

These were fun.  Did I have a mess in the kitchen when I was done?  Well, kind of.  I've definitely seen worse.  It was worth it, though!  :)

The berry salsa and mascarpone cheese topping can be made slightly ahead of time if you wish.  Unlike some of my other brunch taco recipes, this one could be doubled to serve more people without much fuss.  And I could envision everyone eating at the same time.  Which is always a plus.  :)

Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Nectarine Rolled Tacos with Whipped Mascarpone Cheese and Balsamic Berry Salsa

Serves about 4 (8 tacos) 

Ingredients:

For the balsamic berry salsa:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup fresh blackberries

1 and 1/2 cup chopped strawberries
Additional brown sugar to taste

For the nectarine filling:

2 tbsp. butter
3 large nectarines, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
A squeeze or two of fresh lemon juice
A pinch of salt

For the whipped mascarpone cheese:

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur (optional; you can flavor it with a bit of vanilla extract if you wish)

8 small flour tortillas

Toothpicks

Canola oil for frying

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1.  Make the balsamic syrup:  Place the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat and reduce half to 2/3, or until a thick syrup forms.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.  (Watch carefully!  This can happen quickly once it gets going!)

2.  Make the nectarine filling:  Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  It's OK if it starts to brown a bit.  Add the sliced nectarines, sugar, allspice, lemon, and salt.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but not mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

3.  Finish the berry salsa:  While the nectarines are cooking, place the raspberries, blackberries, and balsamic syrup in a small bowl.  Mash gently with a potato masher.  Add the chopped strawberries and stir to combine.  Taste and add more brown sugar if needed.  (I added an additional heaping teaspoon.)  Cover and set aside.

4.  Make the whipped mascarpone cheese:  Place the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, brown sugar, and Grand Marnier in a medium bowl.  Whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.  (Mine was lumpy at first; just give it a minute or two and it will smooth out.)  Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate.

5.  Assemble the tacos:  For each taco, place a flour tortilla on a plate.  Top with several slices of the nectarine filling.  

Roll each taco as tightly as possible and secure with a toothpick.  Here are mine - I got eight tacos:  

6.  Fry the tacos:  Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.  Fill a deep medium skillet with canola oil until a depth of about  1 to 1 1/2 inches is reached.  Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches about 350 to 360 degrees.  

Fry the tacos, 2 to 3 at a time, until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side.

Remove from the hot oil with tongs and allow to drain on paper towels.  

When all of the tacos are cooked and drained, transfer to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.  

7.  When you are ready to serve the tacos, place two of them on a plate (for each serving).  Dust with powdered sugar.  Spoon some of the mascarpone cheese on the side and include a small dish of the salsa.  Include side dishes and beverages as desired!  (We always recommend bacon and mimosas for brunch!) :)    Enjoy!

One question one might ask would be, "Are these healthy?"  Well.  Look at the ingredients.  Look at the cooking instructions.  There's your answer.

If you're having one of those days, though . . . DO IT.  You know, one of those wtf days?  Yep.  These are for that kind of day.

   
They were undoubtedly delicious!  The tortilla had a nice texture - substantial, but tender.  The mascarpone cheese topping was rich, and the berry salsa (with a hint of balsamic) was a nice contrast.  I don't see how anyone could eat more than two of these.  If you're really hungry, this recipe might only serve three.  You be the judge.  :)

The only difficulty that I had was dealing with the balsamic syrup.  I reduced it just a bit too much and it started to turn into hard candy.  O.O  I just threw the hard bits into the salsa and it dissolved on its own.  If that happens, no worries.  It'll work out!  Next time, though, I wouldn't reduce it quite as much.

That's about it.  This is definitely a special occasion meal, but it's a great special occasion meal.  We would highly recommend it.  This is a solid addition to the taco repertoire I've been creating with my project!  :)

This would be a fun one to play around with.  Lots of different kinds of fruits would work for either the filling or the salsa.  Pineapple rolled tacos with banana and kiwi salsa?  Plum rolled tacos with cherry and mango salsa?  There are LOTS of great options!

We would both enthusiastically recommend these tacos.  They became the centerpiece of a fun, relaxing brunch!

Feel free to comment on this recipe!  Did you try them?  What did you think?  What other fruits would you include in brunch tacos?

Thanks for reading!  :)