Originally published in Lake of the Woods Area News, Volume 54, Number 5, Winter 2024
My mom and I, along with my aunts and cousins, would often embark on a taco-making frenzy on a late winter afternoon, usually a weekend, when there wasn’t a whole lot else to do in my old hometown of Pine Falls, Manitoba. Many hilarious antics arose during all stages of the recipe preparation, cooking and devouring.
I am not Spanish and have only been to Mexico twice. The authentic recipe came to town with a Mexican woman who married a local. My mother recalls, “We were eating tacos before anyone else in Canada!” When I posted photos on Facebook as I prepared them one January evening, it unearthed a flood of comments—first from people from Pine Falls who didn’t have the “famous” recipe and second, from those who did have it and had their own fond memories of its partaking. And of course, I heard from many new friends who wanted the recipe too!
You can definitely alter the recipe for your taste and lifestyle. Lettuce and store-bought salsa work just fine, but the flour and cornmeal shells are what makes this recipe a showstopper.
Buen provecho!
Ingredients
Shells:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 3.5 cups water
Meat filling:
- 2 1/2 cups ground beef
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 tbsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili power (or more to taste)
- ½ tbsp garlic power or garlic cloves
- ½ tbsp basil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Sauce: (can substitute canned salsa)
- 2 cups stewed tomatoes
- Fresh basil, garlic powder, cilantro, hot sauce to taste
Suggested toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Shredded cabbage or lettuce
- Guacamole (that’s a recipe for another day)
- Hot peppers
- Sour cream
Instructions
Prepare the meat first. Brown beef, add onions, celery and spices (spices can all be to taste but cumin should be the most prominent flavour). Don’t overcook as you’ll be reheating. Remove meat mixture from heat and put it in a bowl to cool.
For the shells, mix all ingredients together to pancake batter consistency. Spread a thin layer of batter onto a lightly greased grill or large frying pan in the shapes of pancakes. They should be crepe consistency. I usually do two at a time. Flip once. Don’t overcook or use too much oil as you want to be able to fold and press these. When done, remove shells to a surface with wax paper. Pour two more shells (quickly now). Spread meat on half of still warm shells (don’t overfill). Pinch sides together, leaving top open (I dot water around the edges so it sticks better and to cool my fingers). Line folded tacos on a cookie sheet as you continue assembly.
Once all tacos are assembled, reheat at about 350 for 30 minutes (flip half way) to give them some crunch. You want them to be warmed but not overly crispy, so they don’t crack while eating.
This recipe is from the days before there was good salsa readily available to that is a fine substitute. If you don’t have salsa or want the traditional recipe, mix all the sauce ingredients and puree to chunky consistency (do not cook).
To serve, gently open the tacos and fill with cabbage or lettuce and sauce along with your choice of shredded cheese, sour cream, etc. Note that the cabbage adds a really nice extra “crunch”. Guacamole and hot peppers are also good toppers.
This is a large recipe (about 36 tacos) so you may want to freeze some. Wrap well on a cookie sheet (don’t reheat) and put in the freezer ovenight. Once frozen, remove from trays and put in freezer bags for storage.
