Last spring break, part II

Tacos are another meal that's popular with everyone in the family, especially Cassie. With two vegetarians around, I usually make them with fake meat that has a long, complicated ingredient list. But with Dylan home, I had an excuse to make tacos with real beef (just one ingredient!) for us (and fake meat for Brad and Cassie). And if we're using real beef, we may as well season it with real ingredients, too, not the prepackaged seasoning we usually use as a shortcut. This was easy to make and tasty, especially with fresh, local Ula corn tortillas, which I buy at the City Market (when it's open) or at Whole Foods. But it made good nachos, too, which I think Dylan liked even better than the tacos (though he ate plenty of tacos.)

Beef for Tacos or Nachos

Inspired by the Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (2011)

Time from start to finish: 25 minutes

You can use 1 tablespoon + 2¼ teaspoons Homemade Taco Seasoning Blend in place of the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne.

~2 tablespoons olive, canola, or sunflower oil

1 small onion, chopped small

1 tablespoon chili powder 

1 teaspoon ground cumin 

½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1 pound lean ground beef

⅓ cup water

freshly ground black pepper

    1. Heat enough oil to coat the bottom of a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until softened and just starting to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. While the onion is cooking, mix the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne, together in a ramekin or small bowl. When the onion is ready, add another teaspoon or two of oil to the skillet, then stir in the spice mixture and garlic until they are fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer (~medium-low). Cook, stirring occasionally and continuing to break up the meat, until the liquid is reduced to a thick sauce, about 10 minutes; you don’t want the pan to be completely dry. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.

    2. Serve on flour or corn tortillas, taco shells, or tortilla chips with whatever fixings you like. We usually go with some combination of: cheddar and/or Monterey Jack cheese; shredded lettuce; diced avocado or guacamole; chopped tomatoes; salsa or Tomatillo Salsa; and Sriracha (for those of us who like a little extra heat). If you use tortilla chips to make nachos, you might want to nuke them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese a little bit.