Taco Time

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Tune Up Your Tacos

Take taco Tuesday up a notch with new and whimsical ingredients and ideas.

BY KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON

Is there any street food more beloved than the taco, packing so much fl avor into every bit of those tiny tortillas? With roots dating back to pre-Columbian Mexico, you’ll fi nd di erent tacos in various regions—from Lebanese-infl uenced al pastor in Mexico City to Japanese-infl uenced fi sh tacos in Ensenada—plus pastrami tacos in Los Angeles and brisket tacos in Texas. But they’re not limited to taquerias or trucks. Why not make your own tacos at home with some of your favorite ingredients? You might even create your own signature combos.

PHOTOS BY CHRISTINE DONG • FOOD STYLING BY ASHLEY MARTI

SPICE UP YOUR FILLINGS

The fi lling is the heart and soul of the taco. Usual suspects might include crumbled chorizo, grilled carne asada, tender stewed beef barbacoa, or slowcooker chicken tinga or carnitas. Top them with chopped onions, cilantro, lime juice, and salsa, from tangy tomatillo to creamy avocado. The sky’s the limit. “Anything can be a taco,” writes chef Gabriela Camara in her cookbook, My Mexico City Kitchen. “There are no rules [except it must] be wrapped in a tortilla and eaten with your hands.”

Jalisco-born chef Luna Contreras, owner of the pop-up Chelo in Portland, Oregon, recommends swapping out traditional meat choices for something unusual, like duck instead of pork carnitas, amped up with plum chutney. Veggie lovers, fi ll your tacos with roasted asparagus and mushrooms. Top them with a chipotle aioli or avocado salsa, and garnish them with toasty sesame seeds and pepitas. Sincere Justice, the chef behind Oakland pop-up Tacos Sincero, blends his Chinese-Vietnamese heritage with his Los Angeles upbringing. His signature tacos include sriracha chicken tinga, roasted sweet potato with salsa verde, and braised beef with black and white pepper, chile oil, and two kinds of Sichuan peppercorns.

TOP IT OFF

Toppings o er endless opportunities for personalization. Experiment with fruit, like pomegranate seeds or mango chunks. No taco is complete without a veggie garnish, says Contreras, who likes to pair stir-fried green beans or Chinese greens with duck. For a tangy addition, Justice loves turmeric- or hibiscus-pickled onions. He also adds elements of crunch, from crushed spicy Kashmiri snack mix (you could also try potato chips or Japanese rice crackers) to crispy chickpeas to shredded purple cabbage. If making your own salsa is too time consuming, jazz up your favorite storebought brand with fresh herbs.

SET THE MOOD

Mix up large-batch cocktails in pitchers and let your guests serve themselves. Portland bartender Adriana Alvarez recommends adding a little heat to your margaritas by infusing a chile pepper of your choice in tequila for 1–3 days in the fridge. Or play with fruit—fresh strawberry and rhubarb-infused Campari makes a great spritz or Negroni.

Craft the perfect playlist ahead of time. “A taco is comfort food,” says Justice. Accordingly, he plays feel-good music, from A Tribe Called Quest to Whitney Houston. Contreras favors a mix of pop-punk, dance, indie, and Mexican music, including Natalia Lafourcade, Julieta Venegas, Jawbreaker, Prince, and Lizzo.

MUSIC TO EAT TACOS BY

SCAN THESE CODES TO START THE PARTY!

Windermere's Backyard BBQ

Spotify

This is Natalia Lafourcade

Spotify

De Fiesta

Apple Music

MOVE OVER, CHOCO TACO

Tacos for dessert? Yes, please. Fry up flour tortillas and sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, then set out a few flavors of ice cream—chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, and toasted almond make good choices. Offer hot fudge, fresh fruit or berry compote, plus crunchy, nutty toppings like candied pepitas or peanut brittle—and don’t forget the whipped cream.

READ UP: MUST-HAVE COOKBOOKS FOR TACO INSPIRATION

My Mexico City Kitchen by Gabriela Camara

Camara guides you on essentials like salsas and pickled vegetables, plus dishes from chocofl an to cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish.

L.A. Mexicano by Bill Esparza

This unique read is half cookbook and half homage to 40 chefs, bakers, and makers shaping the landscape of L.A.’s regional Mexican cuisine.

Nopalito by Gonzalo Guzmán

While only a couple taco recipes (including fi sh al pastor) are included from the famous San Francisco restaurant, this book contains over a dozen salsa recipes, plus small and large plates.

Provecho by Edgar Castrejón

The author lovingly crafts vegan versions of Mexican classics, from sweet potato and kale tacos to caulifl ower ceviche.

SCROLL ON! For more recipes, tips, and ideas, check out blogs like Mexico In My Kitchen (mexicoinmykitchen.com) and Pati Jinich (patijinich.com).