Taco de Papa from The Taco Revolution

Do you remember the first time you had a taco that wasn’t school cafeteria style? You know, with the crunchy shell, crumbly beef (well, hopefully it was beef), orange cheese and iceberg lettuce? I loved taco day as much as the next kid, but there is something about biting into your first street taco that changes you forever.

If you haven’t noticed yet, things are getting kind of crazy with the taco; crazy in a very good way. Around here you can get just about every type of ethnic cuisine in the form of a taco.

Tacos are fun, easy to make, easier to eat and come to think of it, I should probably be making my own more often. That rings even truer after I made the Taco de Papa (Potato Tacos) from the new cookbook, The Taco Revolution by Brandon Schultz.

The book holds 100 taco recipes to experiment with in your kitchen. Some are familiar, some you will likely have never had as a taco. I know I hadn’t. There are also some great ideas for condiments and creating homemade tortillas and baked crispy taco shells.  The recipes are also simple and straightforward so if quick weeknight meals are what you need, this book will deliver.

I went for a classic because I love tacos with potatoes and I’d never made a version at home before. They were delicious! With so many seasonal ingredients it could almost be called the garden taco. With or without a tortilla, this recipe has quickly become a favorite. Just a note, I noticed that after removing the hot pepper from the skillet, the recipe doesn’t suggest when to add it back in. Either adding it to the filling mix or using it as a garnish works fine. Oh, and for a taco like this, definitely use fresh corn if you can get it. It adds such a delicious flavor and pleasant texture.

Makes 4 tacos.

1 small hot pepper (as hot as you like it), seeded

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cups red potato, peeled and diced in ½-inch cubes

½ cup green pepper, diced

½ cup fresh corn kernels (canned whole kernels, well drained, will work)

4 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Juice of 1 small lime

½ cup sour cream

1 small avocado, cubed

½ cup torn cilantro

Tortillas

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Slice hot pepper and sear, cut-side down, about 4 minutes. Remove to cutting board to cool.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add olive oil to skillet. When hot, add potatoes and cook until golden brown and starting to blacken, about 10-12 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to dry.

3. If skillet is completely dry, add a teaspoon of olive oil. Otherwise, simply add green pepper, corn, garlic, salt, pepper, and lime juice to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes, until corn begins to blacken and peppers become slightly tender.

4. Add a teaspoon of sour cream to the center of a tortilla and pat down gently. Top with potato and vegetable mixture. Top with avocado and garnish with cilantro.