I am a sucker for pie; even for things that just look like pie. I always have been. and make no excuses. I am also a big fan of eggs, and cheese, and peppers, and beef and salsa, and Tex Mex seasonings. OK, the truth is, I just like to eat. I feel better now, having confessed to you guys.
Philosophically, we all know that man (I'm using "man" here as a general term for all of humanity) cannot live by bread alone. Occasionally he might get a Jones for some sort of taco like food. A few weeks back, I found myself in a Taco dish kind of mood and this is what I used to solve my craving.
Some culinary sources suggest the frittata may have come into Italy and Spain from ancient Persia. I do know most Mediterranean countries have similar egg based, omelet-like dishes, containing eggs, meat, vegetables, and possibly cheese. For me, the frittata is a dish I make when I want pie but don't feel like making a pie crust. Maybe it is quiche, without a bottom crust. Of course, real men don't eat quiche. Evidently, they eat Frittata. Is this dish Persian? Italian? Duh! It's a rip off dish, made using Taco stuff, the international food that we like to think of as Mexican.
Anyhow, it's good stuff, and a great dish to eat on a dreary overcast night while watching Jeopardy, Wheel, or Family Feud and sipping on a Schlitzwiser or Diet Dr. Pepper.
Here is what I came up with the night I wanted a Taco but had none of those corn shells that break when you take a bite and dump your filling down the front of your shirt.
Taco Frittata
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, or maybe chuck or sirloin
1
medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup
red bell pepper, diced
1 Jalapeno pepper, diced, after removal of
white membrane and seeds
1 small Mexican Calabaza zucchini squash,
julienned
1/4 cup Salsa (Your brand)
4 eggs
4 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1/2 cup
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1
teaspoon salt
Seasoning Mix
1 Tablespoon Lawry's garlic salt
2
teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 Tablespoons
cumin
2 teaspoons oregano
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon
parsley flakes
1 Tablespoon chili powder
I like to cook this dish in a pie pan
and eat it sliced like a thin wedge of pie
The taco meat mixture is intended to be
fairly dry, with a bit a (mild/medium/hot) salsa as the only wet ingredient before adding the
egg and heavy cream.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Julienne calabaza squash (I just like the way it tastes) and cook in
microwave (lightly salted) for 3 minutes. Precooking the calabaza squash forces some of the liquid out.
Prep onion and peppers.
Cook beef in skillet until crumbled
(I usually add some salt while cooking).
Gather together seasonings and stir
into to ground beef.
Add precooked Calabaza Squash
Then stir in the diced onion and peppers and cook for a minute or two, maybe five.
Stir in salsa and continue cooking a bit longer.
Transfer this mixture
to a pie pan that has been sprayed lightly with Pam spray
Mix eggs
and heavy creamAnd pour over the mixture in the pie panTop with
cheeses
Bake in oven at 350 f until the egg mixture is cooked and the topping is melted – maybe 20-30
minutesAllow to cool a few minutes, then cut a slice and eat. I guess you could do salad if you wanted some and were more industrious than I was. The wife may have had salad with her's. I can't remember, but the photos seem to indicate I didn't. They also seem to miss the second slice I had that night.
All in all, a nice meal.
Thanks for looking at my recipe post.
God Bless You.
10 comments:
Just use a pack of taco seasoning to season the meat. Much easier.
It is a Moorish creation and travelled with them to Spain. Then it travelled the globe with the Spanish and Portuguese until you have the dish appearing in both Manila and Mexico City, but with distinctly different flavors. Similar with Menudo, Adobo, Empanada, etc., existing everywhere the Spanish conquered.
9:21, the difference between you and the Bear is that you are a cook and he is a chef.
Everything I like. Looks delicious.
Try the Shepherds pie from Costco. They are made fresh at the store. Ground beef, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots in a flaky crust. Good comfort food.
This looks SO good. Thanks for sharing.
That looks delicious. Yum Yum! My meals are from the Microwave only! Going to Taco Bell and get me one.
Thanks, Bear! You never disappoint!
ZeroBear PolyBear should open a restaurant or at least become a guest chef in one already open.
I always enjoy a freshly ground hamburger patty with double sharp cheddar.
ZeroBear PolyBear should open a restaurant or at least become a guest chef in one already open.
He's been in the kitchen at the Krystal for years at the corner of County Line and Ole Canton.
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