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'Wich of the Week: Navajo Taco

YumSugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:00:04 -0800

Countless sandwiches are native to America, but the Navajo Taco is a Native American sandwich in the strictest sense of the word. Made by piling New Mexican taco fixings onto traditional Navajo frybread, this scrumptious sandwich is a specialty of Arizona, so on a recent trip to Phoenix, I stopped by The Fry Bread House to do some firsthand research.

My first question, of course, is why a Navajo Taco - also called an Indian Taco - is considered a sandwich rather than a taco. The crucial distinction is that tacos are made with tortillas and sandwiches are made with bread - in this case, Navajo fry bread, which tastes like a cross between a thick fried pita and funnel cake without the sugar. Indian tacos are typically filled with beans, ground beef, or a combination of both; I opted for refried beans, flavored with strips of New Mexico green chiles. Salivating yet? For the juicy details and a recipe, read more.

The taco arrives swaddled in paper, tidily tied up at the top. But undo the paper, and the enormous sandwich spills open to reveal a bouncy cushion of fry bread about the size of a frisbee, coated with smooth red salsa, beans and onions, iceberg lettuce, and shredded cheddar cheese.

I thought about eating it with a knife and fork, but I'm glad I didn't, because the fry bread only gets tastier when folded around the filling, deliciously deflated of air as it soaks up the saucy mess. In this case, the toppings weren't anything special: I kind of wished the cheddar cheese were melted, and I added a healthy helping of hot sauce.

But the main selling point is the fresh-from-the-pan fry bread, and it did not disappoint. I devoured the whole enormous lunch in spite of my promise to myself that I wouldn't.

Tewa Tacos (aka Indian Tacos)
Modified From Food Network

Ingredients

For the tacos:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 cup refried beans
6 round fry bread pieces, recipe follows
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
1 head lettuce, shredded
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Salsa, optional
1 (3-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
For the fry bread:
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry milk solids
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons lard, cut into 1/2-inch bits, plus 1 pound lard, for deep frying

Directions

Make the fry bread: Combine the flour, dry milk solids, baking powder, and salt, and sift them into a deep bowl.
Add the lard bits and, with your fingertips, rub the flour and fat together until the mixture resembles flakes of coarse meal.
Pour in the water and toss the ingredients together until the dough can be gathered into a ball. Drape the bowl with a kitchen towel and then let the dough sit at room temperature for about 2 hours.
After sitting, tear the dough into 6 equal pieces. Then, on a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a circle about 4 inches in diameter and 1/4-inch thick. With a small knife, cut 2 (4- to 5-inch) long parallel slits completely through the dough, down the center of each rolled piece, spacing the slits about 1-inch apart.
In a heavy, 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the remaining pound of lard over moderate heat until it is very hot but not smoking. The melted fat should be about 1-inch deep; add more lard if necessary.
Fry the rolled dough, 1 at a time, for about 2 minutes on each side, turning them once with tongs. The bread will puff slightly and become crisp and brown.
Drain the Navajo fry bread on paper towels and serve warm.
To make the tacos: Brown the ground beef in a saute pan. At the end, add refried beans to heat.
Divide equally onto 6 fry bread rounds. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, green chiles, onions, and salsa, if desired.

Makes 6 4-inch round tacos.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Rolls

partysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:15:24 -0700

Serving fish lightly fried is a great way to introduce nonfish lovers to the pleasures of the sea. The technique is familiar - who hasn't had fried chicken?! - and the texture is ideal because it's both crunchy and soft.

This recipe takes fried catfish fillets and makes them even more accessible by slathering them with a quick Russian dressing and sticking them in between two pieces of toasted bread. It's a crisp and filling sandwich that makes a well-rounded meal. To check out the recipe, read more.

Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish Rolls
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1-1/2 lb. catfish fillets
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 tsp. Cajun or blackening seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 baby sweet peppers or 1/4 of a large sweet pepper
1 stalk celery
1/4 of a small red or sweet onion (optional)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. ketchup
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. bottled hot pepper sauce (optional)
8 cocktail-size rolls, split and toasted

Directions

Rinse fish; pat dry. Cut in 8 pieces.
In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and 1-1/2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning; coat fish with cornmeal mixture.
In 12-inch skillet cook fish in hot oil over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and fish flakes when tested with fork.
Meanwhile, thinly slice peppers, celery, and onion and combine in medium bowl.
In small bowl combine mayonnaise, ketchup, remaining 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, and hot pepper sauce. Add 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture to pepper-celery mixture.
Spread some of remaining mayonnaise mixture on cut sides of rolls. Place catfish pieces on roll bottoms. Top with celery mixture and roll tops. Pass any remaining mayonnaise mixture.

Serves 4.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Tofu Parmigiana

partysugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:00:31 -0700

Sick of eggplant parmesan? Well get excited, this recipe is for you. It replaces the purple vegetable with tofu steaks. Instead of deep-frying them, the tofu is coated with bread crumbs and cooked in just one tablespoon of oil.

Store-bought marinara is enhanced with sauteed mushrooms and onions. Using part-skim mozzarella reduces the fat content of this Italian classic. To make it for your family tonight, get the recipe and read more.

Tofu Parmigiana
From Eating Well

Ingredients

1/4 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 14-ounce package firm or extra-firm water-packed tofu, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup prepared marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

Combine breadcrumbs and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish.
Cut tofu lengthwise into 4 steaks and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides of the tofu with garlic powder and salt and then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and begin to brown, 4 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add the tofu steaks and cook until browned on one side, about 3 minutes.
Turn over and sprinkle with Parmesan. Spoon the mushroom mixture over the tofu, pour marinara over the mushrooms and scatter mozzarella on top. Cover and cook until the sauce is hot and the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Serves 4.

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Would You Eat This Taiwanese Fried Bread Sandwich?

YumSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:00:28 -0700

Earlier this week, a new study found that different generations have distinct ideas of foods they consider to be comforting. The same goes for various cultures. In Taiwan, this fried-bread-on-fried-bread sandwich, known as sao bing you tiao, isn't just a popular breakfast item - it's also considered the ultimate in comfort food. You tiao (literally, "oil sticks" which resemble long, savory doughnuts) are sandwiched between sao bing, a flaky, sesame seed flatbread. Together, the two make a craveworthy, if greasy sandwich with a carb content that rivals Domino's Bread Bowl Pastas. In Taiwan, they're favored with a great, big warm bowl of Chinese soymilk. Would you try one?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Crispy Shrimp With Red-Cabbage Slaw

YumSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 07:50:55 -0700

If Summer has you jonesing for seafood-shack-style fried fish but you don't feel like hovering over hot oil in the heat, perhaps I can tempt you with this healthier, oven-baked makeover of classic fried shrimp.

Served alongside tartar sauce and a quick and easy red slaw, this finger food evokes the best beachside eats. Better yet, the shrimp can be breaded ahead of time and stored in the fridge, so when you get home from work, you just pop them in the oven. Add it to your week when you read more

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 09:30:53 -0700

Shrimp and chorizo skewers put a whole new spin on surf and turf.
Six items we absolutely must have this month!
Celebrate National Farmers Market Week -- visit one of America's top farmers markets.
Would you eat this Taiwanese fried bread sandwich?
Say "Bon Appetit!" with one of Julia Child's classic French recipes.
Quiz: Can you sort the M&M's myths from the facts?
Play Who's the Better Chef?" for a chance to win $1,000.

North Korea Opens First Fast-Food Burger Joint - Well, Sort Of

YumSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:50:00 -0700

North Korea doesn't merely have beef with the US government - it's also taken issue with America's most iconic food: the hamburger. Although the communist regime and its authoritarian leader, Kim Jong-Il, have long banned any cultural influences considered to be "US imperialist," the country opened its first-ever fast-food restaurant last month. The only thing that won't be served? Burgers.

At the Samtaeseong restaurant in Pyongyang, customers can get a "minced beef with bread sandwich," an order that bears an unmistakable resemblance to the American favorite. The item, which is priced at $1.70 - more than half the average North Korean's daily income - comes with kimchee, or spicy fermented cabbage. Diners can also order sandwiches made of minced fish or vegetables, waffles, and draft beer. In addition, the restaurant will soon serve hot dogs and croissants that have been given Korean names.

My guess is that opening night at Pyongyang's inaugural fast-food joint was probably the talk of the town, although - with the addition of unintentionally of-the-moment kimchee-topped hot dogs to the menu, I'm pretty sure the menu would draw just as much attention in a major US city. What do you make of the situation? Does the renaming of the hamburger seem reminiscent of the "freedom fries" controversy from several years ago? What do you think of North Korea making mincemeat of the hamburger?

Savory Sight: Finnish Delights

YumSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:00:32 -0700

Be it Eritrean cooking or Colombian cuisine, I'm obsessed with trying new foods from around the world. I'm sad to say I haven't made it to any Scandinavian countries yet - but thanks to FinnLover, I'm dying to go now. During a recent trip to visit her husband's family in Finland, she ate her way through a number of Finnish specialties, like Ruisleipä, or black rye bread, shown above. To get a glimpse of her palatable pictures, read more.

Karjalanpiirakka, also known as Karelian pies, are filled with a rice mixture and are commonly served with egg butter. Her favorite is topped with egg salad.

Finland's version of fast food: a deep-fried pie filled with meat and rice is served with sausages, onions, relish, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.

Finn's favorite: potato and salmon casserole with onions, dill, and cream.

In Finland, Mämmi - made of water, rye flour, and powdered rye malt - is a traditional Easter dessert. Apparently, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

Mämmi is traditionally served with vanilla cream and sugar.

Ruisleipä, or black rye bread, is topped here with a spread and rhubarb compote.

Have you tried any of these droolworthy Finnish specialties?

'Wich of the Week: Pittsburgh's All-in-One Sandwiches

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:00:35 -0800

I've never been to Pittsburgh, home of the Super Bowl champion Steelers. But I have been to Giordano Brothers, the West Coast version of Pittsburgh's famous Primanti Brothers sandwich chain. Founded in the 1930s, Primanti Brothers originally catered to truckers on the go with sandwiches encompassing a side of french fries and coleslaw between two slices of bread.

Rumored to be a fave of Mario Batali, the legendary Steeler city sandwich requires a champion appetite. Hungry with curiosity, I ventured to San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood, where some Pittsburgh natives founded Giordano Brothers to serve similar all-in-one sandwiches to unsuspecting Californians. For the hot, gooey details, read more.

At Giordano Brothers, the sandwiches are served on thick-cut slices of freshly baked Italian loaf. The bread is left untoasted, so it's easier to squish over the pile of fixin's, which include provolone cheese, seasoned fries, and oil and vinegar coleslaw.

Most of the menu focuses on Italian meats, cooked hot on the griddle, though vegetarians can opt for fried egg. I went for hot coppa, which (as the FAQ sign explains) is sort of like prosciutto. Either way, the combination of warm, crispy-on-the-outside fries and grilled protein makes the cheese melt perfectly, even on untoasted bread. The result is nothing if not hearty, best served with a few dashes of the tableside hot sauce.

Though the sandwich looks daunting, it all actually squashes down quite comfortably, though I can't really say the same for how it sits in your stomach. Still, I'd definitely eat another one. Would you dare to try it?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Eggplant and Portobello Schnitzel

partysugar — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 07:45:25 -0800

In German, schnitzel is the word for "cutlet" and the culinary technique usually refers to an ingredient that has been breaded. In this vegetarian variation, thick eggplant slices and meaty portobello mushrooms are dipped in egg and breadcrumbs. Instead of the usual fatty pan-frying, the veggies are baked until brown and crisp in the oven. A delightfully simple lemon-caper butter sauce makes this dish elegant enough for entertaining.

Look at the recipe when you read more.

Eggplant and Portobello Schnitzel
From Vegetarian Times

Ingredients

Schnitzel
1 cup nonfat milk
1 large egg
2 cups Italian-seasoned dried breadcrumbs
8 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed
2 medium-sized eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
Lemon-Caper Sauce
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. olive oil
3 tsp. capers
3 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
Lemon slices and parsley sprigs for garnish, optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
To make Schnitzel: whisk together milk and egg in wide bowl. Spread breadcrumbs on large plate.
Dip mushrooms and eggplant slices into milk mixture, then coat slices with breadcrumbs. Shake off excess crumbs, and set on prepared baking sheet.
Spray vegetables with cooking spray, and bake 10 minutes. Flip vegetables, spray with cooking spray, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, or until vegetables are tender and breadcrumbs are dark golden brown. Set aside.
Meanwhile, make Lemon-Caper Sauce: melt butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until butter begins to brown. Stir in oil and capers, and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat, and add lemon juice and parsley.
To serve: Stack 1 mushroom and several eggplant rounds on each plate; drizzle with Lemon-Caper Sauce, and garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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