Tacos Al Pastor with Homemade Small Tortillas

Tacos Al Pastor with Homemade Small Tortillas

So I was watching the Sandwich King show one day, and Jeff Mauro made some tacos al pastor, which I believe is one or the most popular tacos in Mexico. Pork and pineapple, how could you go wrong? I also made the corn tortillas at home which were fairly easy. I wanted to have tiny ones, and you just can't buy those in the store from what I've seen. I also didn't have a tortilla press, so I was pressing balls of dough with a plate.

ingredients:

pork - any cheap cut of pork will do, as you'll be cutting it up into smaller pieces
pineapple (or pineapple juice)
red onion
chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or cayenne)

cumin
garlic
salt
lime
cilantro

masa flour
water
salt

directions:

1. If you are going to make your own tortillas, you'll want to make them ahead of time. The number of ingredients really isn't a lot, and they aren't too complicated to make. Though maybe hard to master, and make them perfect. If you have a tortilla press, great! If not, like me, just press them with a plate.

2. On the back of your masa flour (corn flour) there are probably directions. Basically combine masa flour with water and salt. Then form them into little balls. Press them with a plate wrapped in saran wrap so that they won't stick. While you are working, you might want to cover the tortillas or dough with a wet paper towel to keep them from drying out.

3. In a frying pan, or cast iron pan, cook the tortillas. About 1-2 minutes each side. They will bubble and turn brown a little bit. That's when you know they are done.

4. To make the pork. Cut your pork into small pieces. If you can, marinate the pork overnight for optimal flavour. While your pork is marinating, you can dice up some red onions, and chop some cilantro to top on your tacos.

5. Grilled or fry some sliced pineapple, or use pine apple juice. Put it in a food processor with some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or use cayenne pepper if you don't have any), garlic, cumin, salt and blend. Mix the sauce with the pork, and put in a freezer bag to marinate. Set some pineapple aside if possible, and cube it to top on your tacos.

6. Pull out freezer bag, and in a cast iron pan or frying pan. Cook the pork in some oil. Turn and flip it around to make sure all sides get cooked.

7. When the pork is cooked. Spoon over your tortillas, and add some cubed grilled pineapple, diced red onions, and chopped cilantro. Put some limes on the side that you can squeeze on before eating.

Kung Pao Chicken Pizza

Kung Pao Chicken Pizza

This pizza is at least a little out of the ordinary from the typical fare you can get at pizza places. This photo I took won a Food Network Cooking Club Challenge for a month based on this pizza that was on an episode of You Gotta Eat Here.

ingredients:

dough
chicken
red pepper
pineapple
mozzarella cheese
red onion
green onion
tomato sauce

directions:

pizza dough:

1. Fill a mixing bowl with 1-1 and 1/4 cups of warm water in a bowl.

2. Add 1 tbsp of active dry yeast. Add 1 tbsp of brown sugar, or white sugar if you feel the yeast is old. It will help activate the yeast and give it something to "eat". Let stand for about 10 minutes until white frothy bubbles are on top. Add in 1 tbsp of oil (though probably optional) and 1/2-1 tsp of salt.

3. Mix in 3 cups of flour. You can add more flour if its too sticky. Kneed dough on a flat surface covered with flour. Add more flour to the surface as needed. Maybe kneed for at least 10-15 minutes. Until the dough no longer sticks together on your hand.

4. Form the dough into a ball and coat with olive oil. Put in a covered container in a warm place. Warm is key. I sometimes run the oven for a little while, and then turn the oven off and put it in a pot. Let it sit for at least one hour. Two hours works too. The Longer the better. The dough should double in size.

5. Punch the dough, and cut in half. This pizza recipe will make two pizzas.

6. Oil a pizza pan with butter or margarine. And dust it with cornmeal. The cornmeal will adhere to the grease. And then spread out the dough on the pan.

7. Layer pizza sauce (or you could take tomato paste, add some water, salt, herbs if you want). Top with mozzarella cheese. Then add diced red pepper, red onion, pineapple, and the kung pao chicken (recipe bellow)

8. Cook pizza in the oven at 400 F for 20-30 minutes. Whenever the pizza starts to get that golden brown colour.

kung pao chicken:

Take any cut of deboned chicken and marinate in something spicy (cayenne, or sriracha sauce), soy sauce, garlic, white wine or rice vinegar. About 1 tbsp each. After marinating cook chicken in a frying pan. You can add cornstarch to the sauce to think it a little and help it adhere to the chicken.

Warm Chicken and Pineapple Salad

Warm Chicken and Pineapple Salad

This was inspired by a Michael Smith recipe. It was delicious. I cooked all the elements in a cast iron pan, as I don't have a grill. Chicken breast, pineapple, orange bell pepper, red onion, snap peas, cilantro... with some oil and a bit of salt. Fantastic. All that great caramelized flavour is what it's all about.

ingredients:

chicken breast (or thigh would work)
fresh pineapple (sliced)
orange peppers
red onion

cilantro

directions:

1. Cut a whole pineapple in slices, or buy pineapple sliced into rings. Chop your pepper into fairly sizable chunks, as we will grill or fry it, and de-seed. Cut red onion into thick slices, maybe 1 inch thick.

2. Take the chicken, pineapple, peppers, and red onion and grill all at the same time. Or do them in a cast iron pan if you don't have a grill. Flip them all so they cook on both sides. They will all cook at different rates. The onion and peppers should get done first. While the pineapple and chicken will take longer.

3. Once everything is off, and a little cooled down, chop them into smaller bit size pieces. Almost like a stir-fry. And mix together in a bowl. Add in some chopped cilantro and toss. This recipe doesn't even need any dressing because the juices from everything should be enough. You could add a little salt or pepper maybe if you choose. But I like the freshness of just these grilled veggies and fruit complemented with the chicken.

Carrot Cake

An all time favourite! My siblings and I always requested this on our birthdays.