Puffy Tacos – Part Three of the Taco Trilogy

When it comes to things like fast food, fair food, and street food, I’ve never been a big fan of recreating it at home. The only place you’re supposed to eat deep-fried butter is at the Iowa State Fair, and nowhere else. 

However, I will make an exception if I can’t find that certain something nearby, and this puffy taco is that something. I just don’t get to San Antonio, home of the puffy taco, as much as I’d like. 

I’ve actually only been there once, and as far as I know there are no puffy taco stands in San Francisco, so I decided to try them at home. This fast and simple to make taco shell is an addictive hybrid between your soft corn tortilla, and the crunchy, hard shell variety, preferred by America’s youth.

As long as you can find masa harina, which you can, the recipe and procedure are pretty simple. For the best results, make the dough, and use it right way. I’ve tried to make it ahead of time, but the tortillas didn’t seem to puff up nearly as much.

The same goes for serving. Get your meats and fixings ready ahead of time, so all you have to do is fry-and-fill. These only take a minute to cook, and you can use a larger pan to do two or three at once. I really hope you give this fun, puffy taco shell recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 small puffy taco shells:

1 cup masa harina
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

canola oil for frying

- Deep-fry at 350 F for about 90 seconds, or shallow-fry in a small pan until the tortilla is puffed and cooked through.

Beurre Blanc – This French Butter Sauce was Spot On

I can’t believe after all these years of posting videos, I hadn’t done a proper beurre blanc! Well, I guess I still haven’t, if you take into account bit of cream we sneak in, as beurre blanc purists do not approve. That’s okay; we’ll just distract them by pronouncing it wrong.

They consider it “cheating,” since adding cream helps you create a more stable base for emulsifying in cold cubes of butter. I don’t get how that’s a problem, unless the cream somehow ruined the taste of the sauce, but it doesn’t, and you could argue it actually enhances it. I also think it makes for an even more beautiful color.

Cream, or no, the technique is not at all difficult. Once your wine/acid mixture has reduced by about 75%, turn your heat to low, and whisk in the butter a few cubes at a time. That’s really it. By the way, feel free to use a saucepan for this. I used a sauté pan because it’s easier to film in, but it does make the process a little riskier.

You can switch up the type of vinegar, or go with lemon juice; and the shallots can be switched out for garlic, or finely minced onion. Chives are nice in this, but many other herbs will work, such as tarragon; or chervil, if you’re sexy. No matter how you pronounce it, or what ingredients you use in it, I really hope you give this easy sauce recipe a try soon. Enjoy!

Note: Yes, I can see there’s a spot of sauce splattered on the lens during the final scenes. These things will happen. Just pretend it’s not there. Thank you.

Ingredients for 4 portions Beurre Blanc:

1/2 cup of white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice, or white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, herb-infused white vinegar, etc.

2 teaspoons very finely minced shallots

2 tablespoons heavy cream

4 ounces of cold unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 1 stick), cut in one-inch cubes

Pecan Sour Cream Coffee Cake – Now with More Crumbs

I’m sure I’ve said it here before, but I’m not a big cake guy. I’ll take a few bites at a wedding for appearances, and of course on a birthday, since that’s what you do, but besides that, cake is none of my business. However, one big exception would be the crumby goodness that is pecan sour cream coffee cake. 

As I mention in the video, the best part of a coffee cake is the crispy, crunchy, buttery crumbs; so we significantly upped the amounts used. I’m not sure why everyone doesn’t do this…maybe their health? Regardless, it creates what I think is the “ultimate” coffee cake experience.

One tip for placing on the second layer of batter: You can use a piping bag to squeeze an even layer, and then touch it up with a spatula. Having said that, as you saw in the clip, even if you spread by hand, and mix in a few nuts, it still comes out beautifully.

This recipe is really foolproof, but mind your baking time. I used an 8” x 12” cast iron casserole dish, and it took about 35 minutes, but times will vary for glass dishes, as well as for slightly larger dishes, like the classic 9” x 13.” I’d start checking around 30 minutes, and go from there. I really hope you give this extra crumby coffee cake a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 8 to 12 portions:

For the crumb:

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped

3 tablespoons melted butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

For the cake:

1/2 cup room temperature butter

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1 7/8 cups all-purpose flour (Almost 2 cups. Do not pack cups. Spoon in gently.)

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

- Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

New & Improved Chicken Parmesan – This is No April Fools Joke!

On those rare occasions I find myself dining in one of America’s casual restaurant chains, chicken parm is one of my go-to meals. I love chicken parm, especially when it’s made with fresh mozzarella, which it almost never is. 

It usually features the same bland, rubbery stuff you find on cheap pizza, and even though I know this going in, I’ll order it anyway.That’s how much I love chicken parm. Of course, at home we can use the real stuff, which is much more flavorful, and significantly less rubbery, but it can be pricey, and not everyone has access, so I decided to try something new. Instead of mozzarella, I made a cheese spread using ricotta, fortified with sharp cheddar.

The creamy ricotta made a great base into which you could add any melting cheese. I really enjoyed the cheddar, but I’d like to try this with other options, such as provolone, fontina, or even gruyere. And of course, if you prefer the tender meat of baby cows, this technique will work just the same with veal.

So, if you love chicken parm as much as I do, but aren’t crazy about the typical bland-but-bouncy mozzeralla topping, I really do hope you give this a try soon. Also, this is my last video, as I’m retiring at the end of the day. Thanks for everything, and as always, enjoy!

For 2 portions New & Improved Chicken Parmesan:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup flour

1 beaten egg

3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

olive oil for frying

For the cheese spread:

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano for the top

- Serve with hot marinara sauce, and chopped Italian parsley.