Enjoy some taco time this summer - whatever the weather

John Mulgrew

Ribeye tacos with red pepper sauce, corn salsa and guacamole

April 21 2022 07:44 PM

The sun is now shining — albeit for brief and unpredictable swathes.

And while there’s much culinary enjoyment to be had in getting the barbecue back out to grill a few burgers and bangers, it can also be used to elevate your spring and early summer dining and socialising, bringing forth some much-need smoke, char and bold flavours.

Tacos have a made an impression on the Northern Ireland food scene over the last few years, thanks in part to a couple of early additions to the scene — La Taqueria and Taquitos. There’s even a taco spot in my hometown of Ballymoney.

The humble corn, or flour, tortilla can boost your barbecue game considerably — helping meat and vegetables cooked over the coals go significantly further. You’ll impress further still if you make your own.

That’s a significantly less daunting task than it may sound. It’ll likely be the easiest dough you’ve ever made.

For traditional corn tortillas you’ll need to get your hands on some masa, which you may be able to find in a good specialist food store, while it’s also readily available online. It’s roughly two parts masa to 1.5 parts water, but you may need to tweak slightly.

Mix well by hand in a bowl until well-formed, then cover and set aside from 30 minutes. Then roll into balls about two inches in diameter.

A tortilla press will make your life much easier (making uniform and even tortillas) but putting down a couple of pieces of cling film or sandwich bags and pressing with a heavy pan is an approximation.

Heat a skillet or heavy pan to a medium to high heat. I wipe a touch of olive oil around the pan for each tortilla, but others cook dry. A couple of minutes each side and you’re done.

In terms of what goes in your taco, I’m rarely tied to recipes or anything set in stone.

However, Lily Ramirez-Foran’s new book Tacos is a good place to start if you’re after something more concrete.

For a solid backbone sauce, try roasting whole red peppers, garlic, tomatoes and shallots on the barbecue.

When cooked and a bit charred, blitz with olive oil, lemon juice, smoked paprika, a touch of honey and season well with salt and pepper.

Protein-wise, marinade chicken thighs in orange and lime juice, and zest, with olive oil and a pinch of cumin. Lamb works well with a heavier flavouring, so try cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and a touch of instant coffee.

Another trick is making a couple of decent ribeye steaks go much further. Two well-seared and seasoned on the barbecue will easily feed four or five.

For some freshness, roast whole corn rubbed in olive oil on the barbecue, letting it get browned and mottled. Slice off the corn and mix with finely sliced tomatoes, shallots, lime juice, olive oil, fresh parsley and coriander, and season well.

Some fresh herbs or pickled vegetables will also cut through the savoury richness.

A decent guacamole will also do wonders to nibble on pre-tacos while queso fresco (a fresh cheese which you can make at home) provides some clean dairy and a touch of salt. I’ve used feta in the past as an alternative but it has a much stronger flavour and too much can overpower.