Tag: main course
Tacos Vampiro
Tacos Vampiro
Tacos vampiro originates from the Mexican state of Sinaloa. The corn tortillas get a browned cheese crust on the top. The tacos are then served with a protein, usually carne asada, cilantro, onion, and a salsa. They can be eaten open-faced, like a tostada, or like a regular taco.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or lard
- 1 cup shredded cheese mozzarella or Monterrey jack
- 4 corn tortillas
- 1 cup protein of your liking; cooked
- white onion finely chopped
- cilantro finely chopped
- hot sauce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil or lard in a large nonstick sauté pan or griddle over medium low heat. Add in 4 mounds, a 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
- Place a corn tortilla over each mound. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the cheese creates a crust.
- Flip the tortillas cheese side up.
- Add the protein and cook for a minute. Remove from the pan.
- Top the tacos with onion, cilantro, and hot sauce of your liking. Serve with lime wedges.
Pork Belly Carnitas
Pork Belly Carnitas
Recently, I’ve been eating a lot of pork belly in taco form. Instead of just browning it until crispy, I wanted to prepare it like carnitas. Typically, carnitas is pork shoulder simmered with lard, then browned. Since there is a lot of fat in pork belly, I omitted the lard. Most of the fat rendered out of the belly, allowing it to brown in its own fat. The belly was nice and crispy, but still tender.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pork belly cut into small cubes
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Tacos
- vegetable oil
- corn tortillas
- white onion finely chopped
- cilantro chopped
- hot sauce
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Bring the water and pork belly to a boil in a sauté pan. Simmer for 1 hour on low.
- Increase the heat. Cook off all the water. Season with salt.
- Turn the heat to medium low and brown the pork belly until crispy; about 10-15 minutes. Drain any excess fat.
Greek Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Greek Marinated Grilled Shrimp
This is a pretty standard Greek marinade for shrimp. Since the marinade has lemon zest, you will only want to marinate the shrimp for no more than 15 minutes or the acidity of the zest will start to cook the shrimp. This marinade is also great on most types of fish and seafood, as well as chicken.
Equipment
- metal skewers
- charcoal
- chimney starter
- charcoal grill
Ingredients
- 1 lb 16/20 ct. shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 lemon zested
- 1 tsp Greek oregano
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- Mix together the marinade ingredients and toss with the shrimp. Marinate for 15 minutes.
- Skewer up the shrimp.
- Let your charcoal turn gray in your chimney starter. Pour in the grill in a single layer and place on the grill grate. Place the shrimp directly over the charcoal.
- Grill the shrimp for 3 minutes a side.
