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Give your Taco Tuesday a makeover with unique East Coast twists

Versatile and delicious, these Mexican treats are always a hit

JESSICA GIACCONE SPECIAL TO SALTWIRE NETWORK

The phrase ‘Taco Tuesday’ feels like it’s been around almost as long as the food itself. Whether it's a promotion at a local restaurant or a reason to get the family together for dinner, it’s a classic family favourite for a reason.

It's been around long enough, though, that many Atlantic Canadians are growing tired of the standard ground beef, cheese, and El Paso seasoning. Maybe it's time to take advantage of the many distinct foods and flavours of the East Coast to create a unique Taco Tuesday supper at home.

HAVE HALIBUT

Wondering what halibut has to do with tacos?

While the traditional fish taco would typically use cod or tilapia as the main protein, Dartmouth chef, Andy Hay, has another take on the recipe. Through his partnership with Nova Scotia Seafood, the 2021 Master Chef Canada runner-up remastered his own version of the fish taco made with fresh Nova Scotian halibut alongside a chipotle crema and a tangy pineapple pico de gallo.

“There’s such a rich tradition of fishing and enjoying delicious seafood in both Nova Scotia and Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, where the fish taco is said to originate,” says Jenny Gammon, the seafood market development lead for Nova Scotia Seafood.

She adds that the Atlantic halibut tastes great in taco form because of the lean white meat and mildly sweet flavour of the fish.

MAKE IT AT HOME For the fish:

1 1/2 pound halibut loin

Dry halibut by patting with a paper towel. Heat a pan over medium high heat with 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil. Once pan is very hot, add halibut, skin down. You should hear a sizzle. Leave fish to cook without moving for four to six minutes. Carefully flip and add Tbsp of butter to the pan to give additional flavour and colour to the halibut. After five minutes, remove fish from pan and let rest skin side down to dry. Once cooled, use a fork to break the fish into small pieces.

Crema:

Juice of 1 lime

Pinch of salt

250ml full fat sour cream

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely chopped (will form a paste).

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup scallions, sliced

1 shallot or small red onion, diced In a medium bowl, mix together sour cream, chipotle peppers, half of the basil, scallions, garlic, shallot, and lime juice.

For pico de gallo:

1/2 cup fresh pineapple, finely diced 1 tomato, finely diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 a seeded jalapeno pepper, diced 1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup basil, chopped

10-12 corn tortillas Vegetable oil

Butter

Mix together pineapple, tomato, red onion, jalapeno, garlic, remaining basil, and lime juice.

For tortillas:

Turn BBQ on high and place the tortillas flat on to the hottest part of the grill. Keep a close eye on them as they burn fast, but you want to have some charred marks to heighten the flavour of the tacos.

Assemble by tossing halibut in 3 Tbsp of chipotle crema. Season to taste. Add halibut mixture to a grilled tortilla, top with a generous dollop of pico de gallo.

REINVENTING

THE CLASSIC BEEF TACO

If you prefer to keep your fish and tacos separate, you may consider executive chef Jesse MacDonald’s take on pan-seared beef tacos instead.

MacDonald is an executive chef at Wheelhouse in Georgetown, a chefowned restaurant in Prince Edward Island that focuses on Island-inspired cuisine.

“In this particular recipe, I marinate the flat-iron steak before grilling to ensure beef is well seasoned," he explains.

"The historic root of this taco is showcased in the spice blend for the marinade, which are all ingredients that can be foraged from our shores and forest in Prince Edward Island.”

What makes this recipe so unique is that a majority of the ingredients are sourced in P.E.I., he says.

When these individual flavours are brought together in this dish, he adds, it creates a unique burst of taste unlike any other.

MAKE IT AT HOME

P.E.I. flat iron steak tacos

18 oz flat iron steak, sliced (3 oz per taco)

6 six-inch flour tortillas, toasted

1 oz. maple remoulade

1 oz. dill chimichurri

1 oz. craft beer and bacon marmalade (see below)

2 oz. charred peach chutney (see below)

12 each pickled blueberries Take flour tortillas and grill off each side for around 15 seconds; set aside.

Grill off flat-iron steaks on high heat for six to eight minutes per side, rotating steaks every few minutes. Allow steaks to rest one to two minutes and slice into one-ounce strips.

Spread maple remoulade and dill chimichurri inside each of the toasted tortillas. Place three one-oz strips of steak atop the spread.

Top beef with room temperature charred peach chutney and warm beer and bacon marmalade.

Finish with 12 individual quick pickled blueberries per taco.

Bacon Marmalade

3 lbs. Bacon, chopped 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 4 roma tomatoes

3/4 cup brown sugar 250 ml craft beer Salt and pepper to taste

In a pot, render down fat from bacon like you would bacon bits. Once cooked, add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes or until well combined. Season with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

Peach Chutney

10 cups peaches, medium, diced

1/2 cup fine chopped red onion

1 1/2 cups diced red pepper

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon ginger powder 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning

1/2 tablespoon ground corinander

1/2 tablespoon siracha

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon salt

Sweat off onion and peppers together until soft and translucent. Set aside.

Combine all remaining ingredients except lime juice and parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30-40 minutes on low heat until ingredients combine, and liquid is “au sec” (nearly dry).

Remove from heat and add parsley and lime juice.

Low-fat taco alternatives

Taco salads have become increasingly popular in recent years in an effort to incorporate healthier alternatives to the classic dish.

Barry Parsons is a food blogger and father of two based in St. John’s, N.L. His recipe for a low-fat taco salad with chunky avocado tomato salsa is a surefire way to approach a leaner version of the classic taco.

What makes this recipe a leaner option, he explains, is the use of extra lean beef and low-fat topping.

MAKE IT AT HOME

For the seasoning, mix together:

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dry oregano

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or more for a spicier seasoning

For the seasoned beef:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pound extra lean ground beef, or chicken

2 cloves minced garlic season with salt and pepper

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp molasses seasoning from above (minus 1 teaspoon)

For the salad bowls

Four whole wheat, seven-inch tortillas olive oil

For the salsa:

2 small tomatoes

1 small red pepper

1 avocado finely grated zest of one lime juice of one lime

1/2 small red onion

1 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro season with salt and pepper 1 teaspoon reserved seasoning

Toppings:

Shredded romaine lettuce

Low fat cheddar cheese, grated Low fat sour cream, optional Instructions

Mix a lll of the seasoning ingredients together well.

In a large skillet, heat the 2 tbsp olive oil. Add and brown the ground beef with the garlic salt and pepper.

When the beef is browned, add the tomato paste, molasses and seasoning mix (minus 1 tsp)

For the salsa, coarsely chop the tomatoes, peppers, onions and avocado before tossing with the rest of the salsa ingredients and the reserved seasoning.

To prepare:

Very lightly brush or spray both sides of the tortillas with olive oil and fit into small oven safe bowls. Bake at 300 Degrees F for about 15-20 minutes until crisp.

Fill the crispy tortilla bowl with shredded romaine lettuce. Top with seasoned ground beef, then add lowfat shredded cheese and salsa. Top with a little sour cream and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Cooked red kidney beans make a nice addition to this salad, too, if you prefer.

The secret ingredient

A common theme is that there's no true limit to what can be used in a taco. As long as it has a tortilla base of some sort, MacDonald points out that the sky’s the limit.

“It is my belief that creativity when it comes to food is a must," he explains.

"People may say there are certain ‘rules’ when it comes to food, but my belief is that as long as you respect and understand its origin, a modern take on a new classic could be the next big thing in the food world.”

Spicing up your Taco Tuesday can be as simple as using a different kind of cheese or as adventurous as using a new protein — this classic Mexican dish is the perfect example of the versatility the culinary world has to offer, so get cooking!

ATLANTIC LIFE

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2022-10-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-10-04T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281788517948063

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