Tacos de guisado (picadillo and rajas con crema)
Tacos de guisado: doubled soft tortillas filled from pots of beef picadillo and creamy poblano rajas
MexicanFrom about nine in the morning, guisado stalls set up on corners near offices and markets all over Mexico City, from the famous counters on Calle Ámsterdam in the Condesa to the stands outside the Mercado de Medellín. Clay pots line the counter, each with a different home-style stew: chicharrón in salsa verde, potato with chorizo, mole and many more. You point, and they spoon it into two warm tortillas. This home version makes two of the favourites, a tomatoey beef picadillo with potato and carrot, and smoky poblano strips with corn in cream. Chef's tip: always double the tortillas, as the stalls do; one tortilla tears under a juicy stew.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the picadillo
- 1 ⅛ lb beef mince
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 white onionfinely chopped
- 14 oz ripe tomatoes
- 10 ½ oz potatoespeeled, 1 cm dice
- 4 oz carrot1 cm dice
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 ½ tsp salt
For the rajas con crema
- 1 white onionsliced
- 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels
To serve
- ¾ cup salsa verde
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Char 4 poblano chillies directly over a gas flame or under a hot grill, turning, for 8–10 minutes, until blackened and blistered all over. Seal in a bowl under a plate for 10 minutes.
20 minStep 2: Blend 14 oz ripe tomatoes, 2 garlic cloves and 1 serrano chilli until smooth.
2 minStep 3: Heat 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a wide pan over a high heat. Add 1 ⅛ lb beef mince and fry for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned with no pink left.
8 minStep 4: Add 1 white onion, 10 ½ oz potatoes, 4 oz carrot, ½ tsp ground cumin and 1 ⅛ tsp salt and stir for 2 minutes, then pour in the tomato sauce. Cover and simmer on a low heat for 25 minutes, until the potato is tender and the sauce is thick enough to cling. The mince must reach 160°F.
27 minStep 5: Rub the skins off the poblanos, discard stems and seeds and cut into strips. Do not rinse them; you would wash away the smoky flavour.
5 minStep 6: Heat the rest of 3 tbsp vegetable oil in another pan over a medium heat and soften 1 white onion for 5 minutes. Add the poblano strips and 5 ½ oz sweetcorn kernels and cook for 4 minutes.
9 minStep 7: Stir in ¾ cup Mexican crema or soured cream and the rest of 1 ½ tsp salt and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the cream thickens and coats the strips.
3 minStep 8: Warm 24 small corn tortillas on a dry griddle for 30 seconds a side, until soft and spotted, and stack them in a clean tea towel. Common mistake: serving them straight from the packet; cold tortillas crack.
10 minStep 9: Lay two tortillas together, spoon on a guisado, top with ¾ cup salsa verde and fold. Serve two or three tacos per person, one of each filling.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tacos de guisado (picadillo and rajas con crema) take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ripe tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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