Tacos de Canasta

The Tacos de Canasta, also known as Sudados, are typically served in Mexico when celebrating something or for special occasions. The first recipe in English has one filing, but the Spanish version below it has five different pre-cooked filings,  all these different taco flavours found in the basket can be an overwhelming task for just an ordinary family meal. Use your imagination for the fillings,go meatless, vegetarian, all meat, spicy or not, the sky is the limit!

Non-Filing Ingredients

5 sheets of Parchment Paper

8 dried Guajillo Chiles, stems and seeds removed, rinsed

1 garlic Clove

1/2 white Onion

1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon seasoning Salt

2 tablespoons Vegetable (Olive)  Oil

25 corn Tortillas

1 Plastic or Wicker Basket

Filling Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil (We only use Olive)

5 cups Potatoes, peeled and chopped in small cubes

2 Roma Tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup White Onion, chopped

1 serrano Chile, seeded and chopped

1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped

1/2 teaspoon sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon coarse ground Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground Cumin

1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder

 

Line basket with 3 sheets of parchment paper, leaving approximately a 6-inch overhang, enough to cover tacos.

In a large stock pot, boil dried chiles with enough water to last for 10 minutes, covered. Remove from heat, set aside and cool.

In a blender, place boiled Chile skins, garlic clove, 1/2 onion, cilantro, salt and 1 1/2 cups of water where the chiles were boiled. Blend until smooth.

Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Pour mixture into sauté pan and fry for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.   Remove from heat and cover.

 

 

For The Filling:

Heat oil in a large sauté pan.

Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, onion, serrano Chile and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and garlic powder.

Stir, cover and cook until potatoes are tender; approximately 10 minutes.

Uncover and cook for 2-5 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.

 

 

Now Let’s Put Them Together:

Return sauce to medium heat for 2 minutes until the sauce begins to boil. Decrease heat to low.

Dip tortillas, one at a time, in sauce covering both sides.

Transfer dipped tortillas to a large plate and fill with potato mixture. Fold and place taco in basket. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Cover basket with overhang and 2 sheets of parchment paper and a plastic bag or wrap.

Let tacos rest and steam in basket for 1 hour before serving. Serve with your usual Mexican Condiments.

 

 

A Spanish Version from “Yo Amo La Comida”

Tacos de Canasta

 

Ingredientes:

50 Tortillas Taqueras

100 g de Chile Cascabel

1 Diente de Ajo

½ de Cebolla

2 Cucharadas de Aceite Vegetal

2 Ramas de Cilantro

Sal al gusto

 

 

 

Para el Relleno

Chicharrón en Salsa Roja

Mole Verde con Pollo

Frijoles Refritos

Papas con Chorizo

Carne en Adobo

 

Preparación

1 En una canasta tejida o de mimbre coloca papel estraza en el interior hasta que se cubra completamente, como si la forraras, haz un par de capas con alrededor de 100 gramos de papel, posteriormente cubre con un pedazo de tela un poco más grande que la canasta.

Finalmente reviste el interior de la cantasta con una pieza de plástico muy delgado que sea lo bastante grande para recubrir la canasta llena de tacos.

2 Lava los chiles cascabel y cuécelos junto con el ajo y la cebolla. Una vez que se hayan enfriado un poco, muélelos con un par de cucharadas del agua con la cual se cocieron. Agrega una pizca de sal y sazónala en una olla con un poco de aceite.

3 Coloca la salsa en un recipiente mediano y aún caliente, remoja las tortillas pasándolas rápidamente por la salsa y posteriormente, relléna 10 tortillas con un guisado respectivamente.

4 Cuando prepares los tacos únicamente dóblalos por la mitad y acomódalos por guisados en columnas dentro de la canasta, uno sobre otro, hasta que se llene la canasta.

5 Es importante que los prepares alrededor de una hora antes de consumirse, ya que éste es el tiempo que se dejarán ‘sudar’ depués de haberlos cubierto con el resto de la tela y el plástico.

6 Sírvelos calientitos y acompáñalos con cilantro y cebolla finamente picados. Además, puedes agregarles salsa ranchera…