Sunday, August 12, 2007

Fajita taco enchiladas

I'm on this kick lately of trying to use leftovers creatively--or at least, to consume them in a different way than I did before they were left over and were something resembling a meal. I made buffalo tacos on Thursday along with a pot of peppers and onions, which I like having alongside whatever. But peppers and onions make rather horrible leftovers, and the buffalo, on the second night, just didn't look appealing. So I layered them with some cheese between soft taco shells, and now I'm pretty well convinced I'm a genius. I should market this as a hangover cureall, because I think it'd do the trick for people who get hungry hangovers like I do.

I like the buffalo taco recipe in and of itself, it's thick and better than the packaged stuff, and it could, honestly be spicier if I had less fear of red pepper. It's pretty basic, once again courtesy oc Cooking Light:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 small)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground buffalo
1/3 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups water

Fry up the onion, garlic, and buffalo in the oil. Once the meat has browned, add tomato paste and spices; stir to combine. Add water; bring to a boil; simmer 20 minutes or until thickened. The first time I had this on soft corn shells with crunchy boston lettuce, tomatos, cheese, black olives, and sour cream, as the recipe advises. I had the peppers and onions--one red, one orange, one green, and about two sweet onions, cooked over medium low heat in a Dutch oven coated with olive oil and cooking spray for as long as it takes to get them cooked down to the right color and consistency for your taste--on the side. And then the other night, I tried this:

1. Spray a small pan with cooking spray. Lay in a soft flour shell. Spoon out buffalo:
Buffalo layer
2. Cheese it.
Buffalo + cheese
3. Spoon over buffalo peppers and onions:
Three layers
4. Cheese it, again.
Inside layers
5. Press it down with something heavy; this is the colander part of my steaming pot weighted with the first two jars I put my hands on, one of sliced beets (mm), one of olives.
Two cans, one pan
6. Place pan over medium heat:
See the bubble?
7. When the sizzle gets good and snappy, tip the pan away from you and flip with your favorite flat spatula:
Not a pancake.
8. Press again under weighting device. Perhaps figure out how to use your camera before the burning part:

9. Slop on plate:
fajita taco enchilada
10. Masticate with great delight.

You might not HAVE to get drunk before you have these, but... why not anyway?