Tacos on Tuesday
The quantities in this recipe are so flexible. If you want to use all turkey instead of ground beef, go for it. If you want all beef instead of turkey, that’s good too. You like pinto beans instead of black beans? Cool. The only toppings you have on hand are wilted lettuce and jarred salsa? Fantastic. You want more cumin? Hurray! I tend to put out both flour and corn tortillas since I have a kiddo who should not eat gluten and other kiddos who are gluten lovers. For the corn tortillas, I heat up my cast iron skillet over medium-low, and set out a ramekin of olive oil with a brush. Those eating corn tortillas brush both sides with the olive oil and lightly brown the tortilla in the skillet for about a minute or two on each side. For the flour tortilla eaters, I point them toward the microwave for heating.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 smallish yellow onion, diced, about 1½ cups
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound ground white turkey meat
1 pound organic, grass-fed ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 10 cracks of a pepper grinder)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
Pinch or two of dried red pepper flakes
2 15-ounce cans black bean, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn kernels
½ cup water
Additional salt and pepper, if needed
Corn tortillas and flour tortillas
Toppings: Grated cheese, diced tomatoes, chopped romaine lettuce, salsa, sour cream, avocado slices, cilantro, and hot sauce
Heat your olive oil in a large skillet/pan. Add in your onions and sauté until soft and translucent about 6-8 minutes. Add your garlic and sauté one minute more. Next, stir in your turkey and ground beef and brown over medium heat. Use a spatula to break up the meat into smaller pieces. Stir often. (If using high-quality beef, you should not need to drain fat after browning but if necessary, drain fat before adding spices.) After breaking the meat into smaller bits, stir in your spices: salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Once the meat is fully browned, stir in your black beans, corn and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-30 minutes depending on how much time you have. If it appears the filling is getting dry but is not done simmering, add in more water. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, if necessary.
Using a slotted spoon, have people spoon the filling into their tortilla of choice, add on the toppings, and voilà, dinner is served. Enjoy!
