There is a journey to my over-involved and somewhat obsessive thought process in the dinner menu planning department: what starts on the foggy coast of Brittany, travels over the Moroccan desert, and dives through every wormhole in my brain, invariably leads me to tacos. It is an undisputed fact that I have never encountered a human who did not like tacos. Therefore, as the host, I'm pretty much setting myself up for total success by throwing a big, fat taco party.
I owe every ounce of my prowess in tacolandia to Karina Carrillo, my unfailing, hardworking, badass sous chef of the last two years. She is originally from Guadalajara, where her mother is an entrepreneur and also an ace in the kitchen. Karina's own razor sharp palate and quiet sensibility were my most precious asset and the collaboration dinners we did together were a romping good time. Now that I don't get to see her every day I have resorted to constant texting for recipes to the point where she may or may not accidentally lose my number.
The most valuable thing I learned from Karina is how to confidently make Mexican sauces. We're talking Salsa Verde (which we used to transform crispy polenta and poached eggs), Chilaquiles Sauce (god damn delicious), and fresh and roasted salsas of every creed. Here are recipes for a few of my favorites. In addition to fresh salsa, I always put out some type of slaw, roasted veggies and beef. Or pork...or lamb.
Mid Summer Taco Feast
Hibiscus Tequila Cocktail
The Best Guac & Roasted Tomato Salsa
{with plantain & corn chips}
Elote
{roasted corn, crema, chile, queso anejo, cilantro}
Lamb Barbacoa or Taqueria Style Chopped Beef
Red Cabbage Slaw
{apple, cilantro, lime}
Pot Beans
{or how I transform a can of beans into pure magic}
all recipes can be found here...
