I’m in love with these chorizo and potato tacos. There are many reasons for the infatuation, the first being the fact that I loved the taste of the tacos, of course. The flavor is offbeat enough from regular ground beef tacos to make things really interesting. I couldn’t eat them fast enough. John and I both enjoyed the heck out of this quick and easy meal.
But even more intriguing than their savoriness is the technique used to make them. See, I love chorizo. I love it’s interesting combination of spices and ingredients. It’s like a wake up call to my mouth after a week of business travel full of quick salads and make shift dinners. Meals like this one seem to say to me “Hey, don’t forget, you love food!” But, sadly I’ve been avoiding chorizo because of all the additives and generally unhealthy stuff in the chorizo I can get at my local market. This one recipe solves that problem. In this recipe you make your own fresh chorizo! And it’s super easy! Not to mention super inexpensive! See how excited I am?
It takes no longer to make a fresh version of chorizo than it does to cook up a skillet of ground beef. The secret is all in the seasonings of course. This recipe has a bonus ingredient – Yukon Gold potatoes – added to the pork. Genius. The buttery flavor and smooth texture of those little chunks of potatoes are perfect with the smoky and spicy chorizo. It may sound a little offbeat at first but I’m here to tell you it’s wonderful. This is subtly spicy, but it does have a little kick. We all thought it was perfect, including my two year old, but feel free to add more or less of the herbs and spices to suit your taste.
Chorizo and Potato Tacos
serves 4 – 6
2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds ground pork
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon sweet paprika
2 small chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil (you can use less but you won’t get a really nice crust)
12 corn tortillas (use flour if you prefer)
condiments: Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa, lime wedges. I highly recommend the lime wedges.
Place potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with 4-5 inches of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain potatoes and mash with a potato masher, leaving medium sized chunks. **You can do this part the night before to save time during the week. Just cover and refrigerate.*
Place the pork, salt, garlic, paprika, chipotles, coriander, oregano, and vinegar in a large bowl. Mix together lightly using your hands. Add the potatoes and gently fold them in using your hands.
Heat half of the oil in a 12″ skillet over medium high heat. Place half of the pork mixture to pan and press lightly into a single layer. Cook without stirring, until a crust begins to form on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the pork over in sections, do not stir. Cook until a crust forms on the second side. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Repeat steps with remaining pork.
Serve warm with your choice of tortillas and condiments. These tacos are perfect with Grilled Corn with Cilantro and Lime.
Recipe slightly adapted from Food and Wine Magazine.
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