Tacos de Canasta Filled with Spicy Potatoes and Cheese
As a kid, during the summer, I remember riding with my Dad on day trips. Most of these trips were for hours at a time. I have the most vivid memory of us enjoying lunch out of his black Stanley lunch box. My Mom would pack homemade tacos, carefully stacked and wrapped in foil paper and a kitchen towel to keep them warm. The story behind the tacos de canasta, also known as tacos sudados, years back the women in Mexico, would prepare assorted tacos stacked in a basket that was lined with a plastic bag and paper, then covered to keep them warm. Many times they would have to travel for a distance before selling these wonderful homemade tacos. The tacos were usually filled with potatoes or beans, foods that could hold up at room temperature for long periods of time.
As a kid, during the summer, I remember riding with my Dad on day trips. Most of these trips were for hours at a time. I have the most vivid memory of us enjoying lunch out of his black Stanley lunch box. My Mom would pack homemade tacos, carefully stacked and wrapped in foil paper and a kitchen towel to keep them warm. The story behind the tacos de canasta, also known as tacos sudados, years back the women in Mexico, would prepare assorted tacos stacked in a basket that was lined with a plastic bag and paper, then covered to keep them warm. Many times they would have to travel for a distance before selling these wonderful homemade tacos. The tacos were usually filled with potatoes or beans, foods that could hold up at room temperature for long periods of time.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 4 guajillo peppers
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for brushing tortillas
- 2 large white potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup white onion diced
- 1 - 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 - 2 chipotles in adobo depending on heat level
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup jack cheese shredded
- 8 corn tortillas
- 2 roma tomatoes sliced or diced
- 4 cups lettuce shredded
- 1 cup your favorite salsa
- Carbohydrate 258.211459218063 g
- Cholesterol 1020.57 mg
- Fat 237.865077504495 g
- Fiber 41.6656845525734 g
- Protein 290.601005001686 g
- Saturated Fat 77.2537691673306 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (3949g)
- Sodium 1794.83300505393 mg
- Sugar 216.54577466549 g
- Trans Fat 19.0346830001605 g
- Calories 4336 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat broiler to high for 5 minutes. Add poblano pepper to baking sheet and cook under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes per side. Remove from broiler, cover with kitchen towel and let cool.
- In a large skillet, preheat the oil to medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook for a good 8 to 10 minutes, stirring as needed.
- While the potatoes cook, remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo peppers and tear them into smaller pieces. Transfer to a glass bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Cook on high in the microwave for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from microwave, cover with a plate and let the peppers steep and cool slightly.
- Add the onions and garlic to the potatoes and continue cooking for 3 minutes. Peel the blistered skin from poblano pepper, remove stem and seeds and dice. Add the poblano to potato mixture.
- Drain the guajillo peppers and transfer to the blender. Add chipotles, cumin, oregano, paprika, vinegar and chicken broth. Blend on high until smooth and pour into the potato mixture. Stir well to combine, taste for salt and continue cooking for another 6 to 8 minutes or until sauce reduces. Mash the potato mixer slightly with masher before adding to tacos.
- Once sauce reduces, preheat a large comal or skillet to medium heat. Brush the corn tortillas on one side with olive oil. lay them, oil side down onto hot comal. Fill one half with potato filling and some cheese. After a minute, fold tortilla close to form a taco. Continue cooking until both sides are lightly browned and crispy. Remove form heat and transfer to serving plate, cover with kitchen towel and let tacos rest for 10 minutes.
- Serve with tomato, cilantro, lettuce and salsa.
Resting the cooked tacos under a kitchen towel for ten minutes is the single action that transforms crisp tortillas into tender, pliable street-style tacos sudados. Without this trapped residual heat and moisture, the corn wrappers remain stiff and crack upon folding. Traditional vendors use lined baskets to retain this warmth, creating a gentle steam environment that softens the exterior while melting the interior jack cheese.
Balancing Peppers and Technique
Success relies heavily on how you handle the dried and fresh capsicums. Broiling the poblano pepper for five to six minutes per side until the skin blisters makes it possible to peel away the bitter outer layer easily. Meanwhile, microwaving the guajillo peppers in water for six to eight minutes rehydrates their tough flesh rapidly, ensuring the blender can pulverize them into a completely smooth braising liquid without fibrous chunks.
Using dried guajillos yields a concentrated, earthy background flavor with deep color, whereas fresh red chiles would introduce brighter, more vegetal notes and higher water content that extends the reduction time.
- If the potato mixture is too wet, the tortillas will tear during folding; reduce the sauce completely until no excess liquid pools in the pan.
- If the cheese fails to melt, cover the skillet with a lid for thirty seconds immediately after folding the tortillas to trap ambient heat.
- If tortillas crack when folded, they are either too cold or under-oiled; brush them thoroughly and ensure the comal is at medium heat.
