Lulu Chapa, Challenge 3
I prepared Street Tacos al Pastor with dry mushrooms strings served with a side of cilantro lime popcorn.
Tacos al Pastor is a synonym for home, family and friends to me. Juicy red meat with onion, cilantro, pineapple and salsa on a small corn tortilla is engraved in my memory from the street corner taqueria in Northern Mexico. It was with no doubt that I wanted to recreate those memories using Al Pastor Pork Slices from Grecian Delight. And the popcorn is representing the Mexican Street corn on the cob.
I was not entirely sure if I wanted to make Tacos al Pastor because it was too obvious. But I went ahead with the challenge because I wanted to show how to make and prepare an authentic taco. I decided to use the mushroom strings to add texture and a hint of earthiness to the dish.
The salsa in the taco plays a fundamental role. I saw an opportunity to make a salsa that goes well with the tacos using Gillerson's Grubbery Homemade Ketchup. The ketchup had a hint of chipotle already, but I added morita and ancho pepper to enhance the taste of the meat.
My family loved the tacos and my version of Mexican street corn on the cob using popcorn.
The tacos tasted just like I remember. They tested like home, and the cilantro lime popcorn was a great addition to complete the dish.