I’ve been on a little Arepa kick lately – I made these Shredded Chicken (Pollo Mechado) Arepas which were fabulous, then went on and revisited the other Arepas on my site, my Chicken Avocado Arepas. So of course, I needed to revise my post on how to make the actual Arepas, which are the little “buns”.
Shredded Chicken (Pollo Mechado) Arepas
How many of you guys have had Arepa? They’re little “buns” as best as I can describe them that originated in pre Columbian times in South America, but that doesn’t give much indication of what they taste like! They’re made out of a type of fine cornmeal, and they’re kind of like a Gordita and they’re warm and fragrant and can be filled with all kinds of things, stuffed with pretty much whatever your heart desires! Here’s my Classic Arepas, and check out this link for a list of classic fillings but fair warning; you’ll need to use your translator unless you read Spanish.
Chicken Avocado Arepas – Reina Pepiadais
I think there are two classes of people. Those who are wild crazy about the caramelly goodness that is Dulce de Leche and those who have never tried it! There’s no doubt, though, that it can be kind of pricey at the store, and so here’s your solution, my Homemade Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche.
Homemade Slow Cooker Dulce de Leche – I just want to dive in to this!
Did you know that Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) is primarily a holiday, unless you are from Puebla, Mexico, celebrated in the U.S.? The date is largely seen as a celebration of Mexican American culture stretching back to the 1800s in California.
Seriously, sometimes it seems there’s nothing more American than a taco! At least the versions with pressed shells and a packet – and truth be told, my kids inhaled those and I crave one every now and then. But if you’re looking to upgrade your taco game, check out these Picadillo tacos. They bring something that’s been lost to time in much of the US. They start with tradition.
Picadillo Tacos
Yep, tradition is the special ingredient here. While Picadillo evolved over centuries, rooted in Spanish and Mexican, and Latin American cuisine, these tacos will take about 30 minutes to make, and you’ll probably have most of the ingredients on hand.
Picadillo is a dish with many variations, so feel free to play with this recipe to suit your taste. This recipe isn’t hot as written, but I often jazz it up a bit, especially as my family is pretty much (Oh, I hope so! Crosses fingers…) finally grown. I seem to remember more a couple of years when my son looked at every food with suspicion, and I had to leave out the green olives or risk rebellion – a few dashes of the brine flew under his vegetable-hating radar.
These Picadillo Tacos are shown with a hard shell, freshly made, a bit crunchy, a bit chewy, there really is nothing like it! If you’ve only had the boxed variety of a hard shell, one made at home with a corn tortilla will blow you away. Use flour if you must.
Just a bit fussy, they are worth every single minute it takes to lovingly fry them. Best, of course, like anything fried, made at the last possible minute. Simple fried tostadas can be turned out very quickly if you’d rather shortcut, and these are wonderful in a simple soft tortilla, too. Directions are below for the hard shells.
Believe me, any way you make these, this Picadillo will be a huge hit! And isn’t it fun to have options to play with your food? With tacos, nothing is set in stone: you get to choose your shells, customize your filling, and best of all, add in all your favorite toppings!
If I have one on hand, I often add a bit of jalapeno or some red chili flakes to the Picadillo, or use a ground Chipotle powder instead of chili powder. Our favorite salsa? The Pico de Gallo on my Chipotle Chicken Copycat recipe.
Picadillo Tacos
A taste of Tradition, American style.
Add ground beef to skillet, breaking it up as it cooks. As soon as a bit of the fat melts and coats the skillet, add the onions and continue to cook until the meat is cooked through and the onions are softened. Drain the mixture, discarding fat.
Clear a bit of space in the center of the skillet and add garlic and spices, and allow to toast until fragrant, stir together. Sprinkle in flour and toast, stirring for a minute or two, then add potato, tomato, olives, and water or stock.
Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until mixture is thickened.
Hard Taco Shells:
Fill a small frying pan with oil to the depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat to about 350 degrees. Gently place tortilla in oil and leave it for about 10 to 15 seconds. Using a spatula and tongs, lift one side up and hold at an angle with the tongs while gently holding the side of the tortilla that is still in the oil down with the spatula.
Cook until the tortilla begins to crisp and lightly brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Carefully turn and repeat. Drain as much oil as possible off the taco and move the shell to a paper bag lined sheet tray. Best results are achieved when the shell is held in the “open” position to slightly cool before setting it down.
Did you know a potato masher makes short work of ground meats? And those scoops help perfectly portion?
