Cooking Classes

19.11.09

My Month of Salads - Taco Salad

OMG!  This is so good!  It isn't totally fat free but at least you know what you are eating and it isn't nearly as high-cal as it would be if you ate out.  The dressing is so good.

Taco salad is nothing new but I don't have kids.  I don't eat taco salad!  But I found this great kit for making taco bowls at the grocer.  I have never actually looked for them so perhaps they are in all of the stores.  But I thought they were kinda neat.

Layered Taco Salad                         Serves 6
For dressing
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
For beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 to 2 fresh serrano chiles (including seeds), finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lb ground chuck
  • 1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For salad
  • 1 (1/2-lb) firm-ripe California avocado
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced (8 cups)
  • 1 large tomato (1/2 lb), chopped
  • 1/4 lb coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1 (15- to 19-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (6-oz) can sliced pitted California black olives, drained
  • taco shell bowls
Make dressing:
Whisk together lime juice, cilantro, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cook beef:
Cook onion, garlic, chiles to taste, chili powder, and cumin in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is well softened, about 6 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up lumps, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, then spoon off any excess fat from skillet.
Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to beef and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble salad:
Peel and pit avocado, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Spread lettuce over bottom taco bowl. Spoon beef mixture evenly over lettuce and continue making layers with tomatoes, cheese, beans, avocado, and olives. Drizzle dressing over salad. 

4 comments:

  1. My taco salad has a creamy dressing that I'm not too crazy about. This sounds wonderful!

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  2. Like I said, I have rarely eaten taco salad and never at home. But this dressing has made a convert of me, even if I don't feel like making the taco bowls.

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  3. Can't wait to see what you do for Thanksgiving.

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  4. You mean, as in, a salad! Well, I guess it will depend if I get an invite out. Then it will hopefully be turkey with salads! If not, I do have one idea. It will be a surprise! I'll make my Thanksgiving salad on a different day then so I can still make it.

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