Tomorrow is D-Day. The day when hordes of tourists descend upon our river shores and city with ferocity. Of course I’m referring to the Kentucky Derby, but let us not forget this chaos will be quickly followed Sunday with Cinco De Mayo. With that in mind, I am making a last-minute painless and easy suggestion for any post-derby gatherings – a taco bar. And in the spirit of ease, I’m sharing the “Taco Time” Easy Entertaining column from our Fall 2018 printed magazine by Tim and Lori Laird.
In the spirit of fun, I’m going to recommend picking up some Prepara taco serving sets. These brightly colored serving trays, taco holders and spoons really added a cheerful vibe to my last taco night when I tried them out. I never thought of seeking out something better than spoons to move ingredients into my tacos before, but the taco serving spoons made a real difference. The soft taco holders proved invaluable for my KETO cheese-based tacos, which can be difficult to fold over and lay on a plate, and I noted how durable the melamine accessories are.
Tacos are reason enough for a party, but everyone really loved the fun colors and patterns on these, and they transformed a regular weeknight dinner into a party-definitely a fun addition to your dishware fo summer. Thanks to Amazon Prime’s quick shipping, you’ll even have them in time for Cinco De Mayo if you order them today. (You can also put together your own sets piece by piece from their listings.)
Or, if you really want it easy, you could celebrate with lunch or dinner at acclaimed Taco Luchador for tacos (or maybe breakfast at the downtown location) or at Sol Aztecas, Los Aztecas, or Mi Casita for authentic Mexican cuisine.
With their unending popularity, tacos are always a safe bet. Now, if only some of you would share some safe bets with me for the Derby.
Al Pastor Tacos from El Taco Luchador
(Makes 12 Tacos)
2 pounds pork loin, cut into ½-inch cubes
Guajillo chili marinade (recipe below)
1 ½ cups fresh pineapple, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn tortilla
Marinate pork cubes for one hour. Remove the pork from the marinade. Preheat a pan over medium high heat, and add the vegetable oil. Add all the pork, ½ cup of the diced pineapple and half of the onion. Cook until the onion has caramelized and the pork is cooked through. Season well with salt and pepper.
For the guajillo chili marinade:
4 dried guajillo chilis
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium size onion, diced
4 tablespoons achiote paste
1 teaspoon ground oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white vinegar
In a large pan with water, rehydrate the chilies with chopped garlic over medium heat until softened. Remove chilies and garlic from water with a sieve and drain. Blend drained chilies and garlic will all the other ingredients in a blender until a smooth paste forms.
To Build the Tacos:
Start with two hot corn tortillas, and then add the pork mixture. Top with the remaining raw fresh onions and pineapple. Finally, add the chopped cilantro.
