LITTLE AMIGO TAQUITOS

LITTLE AMIGO TAQUITOS

Pan fried Corn Tortillas stuffed with Shredded beef and Red Pepper Sauce

I was 5 or 6 years old when I first tried Mexican food.  My parents took me to this little restaurant in Brisbane and I remember salivating at the incredibly wild and exotic smells coming from the kitchen. My parents ordered this dish for me… and I LOVED IT!

I don’t know if this is exactly the same as it comes from a memory over 30 years old but I hope it makes as big an impact on your kids as it did on me! Please feel free to omit the chilies in this recipe if your children don’t like then, I have tried to keep it mild but I liked hot food from a young age!

Shredded Beef

 500 g Chuck Steak Trimmed and Cubed

1 litre Beef Stock

1 Tin Whole Peeled Tomatoes

4 Diced Red Chilies

Pinch Cinnamon

1 Roughly Chopped Onion

1 ½ Tbsp Cumin

Water if you need it

Salt & Pepper

Red Pepper Sauce

2 Red Capsicums

1 Long Red Chili

5 Cloves Garlic

¼ Red Onion

1 tin Tomato

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

Splash White Vinegar 

2 Handfuls chopped lettuce

1 packet Old El Paso Corn Tortillas

Make Shredded Beef

1. Heat Griddle pan and add the garlic. Roast the garlic till the skin blackens and they soften then remove and skin.
2. Okay two ways to go here… Pressure Cooker or Old School in a pot… one is quick, one is slow… both taste goooood!
3. In the large pot or the pressure cooker add onions, red chillies, garlic, beef and brown.
4. Add the beef stock, tomatoes, Cinnamon & Cumin then add enough water to ensure meat is covered.
5. If using a pressure cooker place lid on and cook to manufacturer’s advice…  (Every pressure cooker is different, mine normally takes 30 minutes)
6. If you are using a pot on the stove, cook covered on low simmer for 1 hour the remove lid and cook for approx 2-3 hours
7. Once meat is tender transfer to large flat pan and cook off excess liquid. Meat should be shredded and juicy.

Make Red Pepper Sauce

1. Okay heat the griddle pan again till smokin’ hot, add Capsicum, Chillies and the garlic and blacken on all sides. Once Capsicum & Chillies are cooked place into plastic bag and sweat them, just like an old man in a steam room. Remove skins and chop roughly.
2. Rough chop onions… no need for anything fancy here!
3. Get out your blender and add Capsicum, Chillies, Garlic, Onion and tin of tomatoes and blend for approx 20 seconds. Make sure it is all pureed; scrape the sides of the blender if it is not.
4. Pour puree into fine mesh Sieve and push through with plastic spatula.
5. Heat a pan till pretty hot and add puree. Add sugar, salt and vinegar to taste… remember I am not eating this so take your time to balance!
6. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat and reserve

Make the Taquitos

7. Heat Oven to 180 and wrap the tortillas in foil and heat for about 10 minutes
8. Carefully peel of one of the tortillas and spoon in some of the meat mixture.
9. Roll the tortilla around the meat until you have a little tube and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until you have desired amount of toquitos
10. Heat a pan to medium heat with enough oil to shallow fry and carefully play in the taquitos.
11. Cook until golden then remove and drain on paper towels and remove the toothpick.
12. Chop some lettuce and place Taquitos on top. Drizzle with Red Pepper sauce and serve… promise these wont last long!