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Tex-mex Style Tacos

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      Title: TEX-MEX STYLE TACOS
 Categories: Meats, Tex-mex
      Yield: 12 Tacos
 
      2 lb Ground beef,
           -extra-lean
      1 md Onion, chopped fine
    1/2 ts Salt
      4 tb Chile powder
           -(or more to taste)
           Vegetable oil
     12    Corn tortillas (the
           -thinner the better)
    1/2 lb Cheddar cheese,
           -sharp, grated
      1 lg Tomato, chopped
      3 c  Shredded lettuce
 
  Brown the ground beef and chopped onion in a large skillet. There
  should be enough fat in the beef to eliminate any need for extra oil
  and also to saute the onions at the same time. While you are browning
  the beef (it should be completely cooked with no pink or red color
  left), be sure to break it up so that it is granular in texture, as
  opposed to chunky, when completely browned. Onions should be limp and
  translucent but not brown.
  
  Drain off as much fat as possible.  Add salt and chile powder and
  continue to saute until the chile is completely incorporated into the
  meat mixture. Cover skillet and leave on extremely low heat, just
  enough to keep the meat hot.
  
  Put about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a small skillet, and heat it.
  Test the oil for proper temperature by putting in a small piece of
  tortilla. When the oil reaches the temperature where it immediately
  begins to bubble frantically over the tortilla as soon as it is put
  in the oil and the tortilla piece becomes crisp quite quickly, you
  are ready to cook the taco shells.  This is important because there
  is nothing worse than a soggy taco shell (which results from the oil
  not being hot enough).
  
  Using tongs, put the tortillas in the oil, one at a time, and cook for
  30-60 seconds until the underside just starts to become crisp. With
  the tongs, turn the tortilla over and, using a spatula, bend in half
  to form the shell. Cook each side of the bent tortilla until crisp,
  about 30-45 seconds per side. Remove the shell from the oil and drain
  on a newspaper-covered cookie sheet. The cooked shells can be kept
  warm in the oven at very low heat.
  
  To assemble, fill each shell about 2/3s full of the meat and top with
  cheese, tomato and lettuce. We like to add extra zap with a shot of
  Tabasco sauce.
  
  NOTES:
  
  *  San Antonio, Texas style tacos -- My dad is from east Texas and my
  mom from southern Oklahoma, but they developed their definition of
  Tex-Mex from several years in San Antonio. Since they now live in
  D.C., they feel extremely deprived, none of the chain restaurants
  come anywhere near the taste they developed in San Antonio.
  
  Tex-Mex cooking is based on peasant-style dishes from the areas of
  Mexico bordering Texas.  The primary ingredients of Tex-Mex cooking
  are corn tortillas (the thinner the better), ground beef, pinto beans
  and hot chile powder, sharp Cheddar cheese and onions.  Yield:
        1    dozen tacos.
  
  *  Don't try to use instant onion in this recipe.  In San Antonio,
  people consider that the best chile powder is Gebhardt's or Eagle
  Brand.
  
  : Difficulty:  easy.
  : Time:  20 minutes.
  : Precision:  measure the spices.
  
  : Pamela McGarvey
  : UCLA Comprehensive Epilepsy Program
  : {ihnp4!sdcrdcf,ucbvax!ucla-cs,hao}!cepu!pam
  
  : Copyright (C) 1986 USENET Community Trust
 
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