Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Okay everyone, I need you to put on your thinking caps!

The host of one of the events I'm catering this weekend wants "simple, unpretentious food."

Here's my menu (all apps):

* Pimentón grilled shrimp/flat iron steak skewers with chimichurri sauce

* Smoked chicken tacos in a pasilla-guajillo adobo with roasted tomato salsa, avocado crème fraîche and roasted pepitas

* Hazelnut profiteroles with mascarpone/blue cheese and fig compote

* Yuzu ice cream with port macerated cherries

I'm really having a hard time thinking about how to make the taco shells. I'm making my own and want a two-inch circle with a flat bottom, then coming up on the sides like a traditional shell, which I deep fry. If I had more time Andy could make me a mesh mold, but I don't.

Ideas?

Amy

Cut the rounds from a corn tortilla.
Fold with tongs and dip in hot oil.
Press the bottom on a flat surface until it holds its shape.
Think tuiles- shaping whilst warm.

Do I have to?!?

I like to pretend I've got teflon fingers, but it doesn't always work!

You're probably right, that's the best way in lieu of a mold...sigh.

Amy

Can you made a quick mold out of some heavy screen that would hold it's shape?

Or you could just use a mini muffin tin. Brush the tortilla with oil and bake until crisp.

Edited

Amy,


why can't you do soft tacos?

Josh,

Because hard tacos will make for a prettier presentation, and I want the textural contrast.

Amy

Amy,

Well, I don't know that you need a full mesh mold. You should be able to make a holder for those out of just some 16-gauge steel wire, and some steel grilling skewers or other thin steel rods -- you're just talking about bending them at two right angles. The problem is going to be that if you bend them before frying, they'll tend to crack.

One approach you might take is to find some kind of channel which is about the right size for the bottom of them, which does the two right angles ... something like aluminum edging, or a baguette pan hammered flat. Then you fry the tortilla and while still hot, flop it into the channel, and then clamp it down with some steel rods. That would allow you to do the "shaping hot" thing with them, without getting your hands near them.

Amy,

Hey, I just thought of something which might be exactly the right size and shape. Big box office supply stores sell little steel mesh business card holders, which might be exactly the right size for shaping the tacos (you might need to use two and overlap them). I don't know that you can deep-fry the mesh -- generally it's plastic-coated -- but you could do post-fryer shaping.

Man...do we ever have a difference in the definition of the world simple. When I retire I'm moving next door to you so I can be your taste tester.