Blue Mediterranean Turkey Tacos and Orzo Fideo Soup

Blue Mediterranean Turkey Tacos Orzo Fideo Soup Cucumber Pico de Gallo

1 cup of Tacchino Arrosto turkey breast

(cubed)

1 cup Creamette orzo pasta

2 serrano peppers (stemmed, seeded & diced)

1 tbsp. Nielsen-Massey lemon paste

1 tomato (quartered)

1/2 onion diced

2 tbsp. Ellyndale pumpkin seed oil

1/2 onion (quartered) 1 tomato (seeded, diced)

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

1/2 cucumber (peeled, seeded & diced)

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup chicken stock

1 tbsp. cilantro (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. tomato paste

1 lime (juiced)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. salt

1 avocado (sliced)

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 cup of queso fresco (crumbled)

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 sprig of mint leaves (garnish)

Blue Corn Tortillas Tzatsiki Sauce

1 cup blue cornmeal

1 cup Greek yogurt

1 cup of warm water

1/4 cucumber (peeled, seeded & grated)

1 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. dill (leaves only)

1 tbsp. Italian parsley (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp. lemon zest

1 clove garlic (peeled & finely chopped)

Directions:

In a cup, mix lemon paste, balsamic vinegar, oil. Add salt and pepper. Cube Greenridge turkey breast and place in a Ziploc bag. Add contents of cup over cubed turkey. Let marinade for no less than 30 minutes.

While turkey is marinating, chop onion, tomato, serrano peppers, cilantro and cucumber. Combine in a bowl and add the juice of the lime. Stir. Add salt and pepper. Pico de gallo taste better when you let the flavor of all the components marry over time. At least 30 minutes.

For the tzatziki sauce, I used the food processor, but you can also do it in a bowl. Mix the Greek yogurt, the grated cucumber (drain the excess water from the cucumber if you prefer a thicker sauce, I do - just place it in a kitchen towel and wring the moisture out), add the dill and parsley and keep mixing until well incorporated. The sauce should be smooth in texture.

Blend the quartered onion, tomato and garlic until liquefied. In a deep pan add olive oil over high heat and orzo pasta to flash fry it (we're not cooking it yet). Stir for 1-2 minutes, then add contents from blender, add tomato paste, salt and pepper. When it starts to bubble/boil, add the chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium, then cook the pasta covered in a simmer for 20-35 minutes depending on preference. I like mine soft, so I go for 35.

For the blue corn tortillas, there's several options: yellow corn, blue corn, white corn, store-bought, homemade. I made mine since I have the tortilla press (gift passed on from generation to generation - thanks suegra). In a bowl, add warm water to the center of the blue cornmeal and salt mixture. Do it in stages. A little drip at a time. It has been my experience that it is not always the same measure of water every time. So, keep adding while kneading it and you reach the consistency of smooth clay. No clumps and not sticky to the touch. Blue corn tortillas have a deeper corn flavor and have a better visual appeal in my opinion.

Make cornmeal balls slightly bigger than the size of a golf ball. Cut the sides and "handles" of a clean plastic grocery bag and place in the tortilla press to prevent the cornmeal from sticking. If you do not have a press, sprinkle some AP flour on your board and rolling pin and roll the tortillas. Cook in a griddle over medium-high heat. When you see bubbles build up, flip tortilla with a spatula (about 1-2 minutes). Then cook tortilla on the other side for the same time. The thicker you make the tortilla, the longer it will take to cook.

In a pan on medium heat, add a little drizzle of mild/tasting olive oil. While it heats up, drain the turkey for excess marinade. Add turkey to pan, and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stir occasionally.

To serve:

Place two tortillas on a wide plate (or if you have a taco specialty tray, use it). Add turkey and pico de gallo first, then tzatziki sauce and avocado over it. Then top off with queso fresco (I used "enchilado" which means spicy) and a couple of cilantro leaves. On a bowl serve the orzo fideo, and top off with a dollop of tzatziki and mint leaves for garnish

Recipes are published just as they were submitted to the judges