It’s Taco Tuesday!  Okay, it’s Wednesday, but it was Tuesday when I made the tacos so it still counts.  And really, who doesn’t love tacos?  I could probably eat them every day, if my wife wouldn’t object.  The Boulder area has some fantastic taco places, from Cyclhops in Longmont to Illegal Pete’s locations on the Hill and Pearl.

But I’m not going to sit here and tell you where to buy tacos.  I could go on for days, pages even!  No, better still I’m going to share with you my DIY taco smorgasbord made with mostly local ingredients pillaged (and paid for) from the Farmer’s Market.

So what are the key taco fixings in today’s offering?  Well some Spanish-ish rice with local corn, peas and carrots to start.  Refried black beans with some local onions.  Ground beef with spices and local chiles.  The finishing touch?  Haystack Mountain’s Green Chile Goat Jack.  A mouthful in so many ways.

Haystack makes some of my favorite cheese

For the rice, I prefer Basmati.  It’s got its own aromatic quality, which helps to elevate the spices you add to it.  To that we add some garlic powder, cumin, paprika and turmeric for color.  For basmati it’s usually a cup of rice for a cup and a half of water.  Add in your corn, shucked, rinsed and cut off the cob, diced carrots and peas to the whole mix and add just a touch of oil.  Bring it to a boil, then kill the heat and leave it covered.  It’ll steam without the risk of overcooking or scorching your pot.  See, who needs a rice cooker?

With that working, we can move onto the refried beans.  Saute some onions, garlic and chiles in a pot, add in your beans, salt and pepper with just enough water to cover.  Bring them to a boil until your beans are tender, then mash with a fork or run through a food processor.

So with rice and beans in the wings, what’s left?  Deliciously seasoned ground beef.  I like to add the chiles to mine, along with some finely minced onions.  A fattier grind, say 85/15, will yield a more savory dish.  Let’s face it, fat makes everything taste better.  We’ll just have to go hiking tomorrow to make up for it.

I ate two more of those after I cleared that plate…

When it’s time to serve, shred your cheese, dish out the guacamole and your favorite salsa and make sure those tortillas are warm.

Matt Maenpaa