Sunday, September 11, 2011

New Mexico



We continue through the "New" states today with New Mexico. Like so many of the places we've already covered, the state's history and ethnic diversity provide a wealth of choices. We went with the classic fusion food: Navajo Tacos.

Basically, you get all of the goodness of a taco with the added bonus of fry bread, one of life's rich treats. Marc made a basic dough with white flour, lard and water (remember, I said this is a treat, not everyday bread!). This was our first time working with lard, and I can see why it is a favorite of pie crust enthusiasts everywhere. The lard is soft and blends into the flour more easily than butter and it has a rich, savory flavor--unlike vegetable shortening which tends to result in a flavorless final product.

The dough rested for about 30 minutes before Marc rolled it into small circles, about 6 inches in diameter.


The circles were fried in canola oil until they were golden brown on both sides. The dough will puff up in the hot oil, it helps to press it gently into the oil so that it browns evenly.


The result was crisp, golden-brown and delicious!


For the filling, we made a basic ground beef taco mix with sauteed onions and garlic, chili powder and beef stock. We also served shredded lettuce, cheese, refried beans and cilantro on the side. Marc also made a quick pickle with thinly sliced red onion and jalapeno marinated in lime juice, salt and cilantro.

Everyone liked these, though no one could eat too much they're so rich and filling! We had lots of leftovers for the week. The work involved in making the fry bread was enough that this will probably not be a regular meal for us, but it was a fun Friday night, late-summer meal.

Next stop: New Hampshire

1 comment:

  1. there is something so enticing about food photos - loved that first one especially with all the shapes and colors.
    I don't think I've ever eaten fry bread. I used to make pie crusts as a kid in 4H and of course, back then, Crisco was "the ticket". It is easier to work with for sure, but as you say ...not everyday food.

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