You Can Put Anything in Tortillas

I grew up on sandwiches, mostly tuna but sometimes deviled ham.  My mother must have gotten sick of making them, but every school day morning there was a nicely prepared sandwich on white bread in a brown bag in the fridge.  Occasionally a dried-up carrot or other undesirable item would be there too—my father’s joke contribution.

My own children ate a fully cooked lunch at their English elementary school, overseen by ‘dinner ladies,’ women who served the food and made sure everything was eaten.  Sandwiches came later, after we moved back to the U.S.

More often than not, though, my kids asked for unknown-to-me dishes like tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas.  I learned soon enough how to make them but only recently did I start eating them myself.  My favorite at the moment is a simple Garlicky Potato Taco—a favorite way to use up leftover mashed potatoes.  Sometimes I’ll add a sliced sausage or some roasted vegetables, along with some salsa.  I haven’t bought sandwich bread in years. 

Garlicky Potato Tacos - serves 2 

1 cup mashed potatoes
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided use
6-8 medium mushrooms, cut into quarters
1 small onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 6-inch corn tortillas
Salsa, if using 

Combine the mashed potatoes, garlic, salt and black pepper. Stir thoroughly and aside. 

Begin heating 1 tablespoon canola oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the mushrooms, onion and cumin and stir-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. 

On a large cutting board or other flat surface, lay out the 4 tortillas.  Put 1/4 cup of the potato/garlic mixture on the right half of each tortilla, spreading it to cover half the tortilla.  Gently transfer 1/4 of the vegetable mixture onto the potatoes. 

Begin heating 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, fold the first tortilla in half and lay it into the hot oil in the pan.  Repeat with the second tortilla.  Cook the two tortillas until the parts touching the bottom of the pan turn golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Carefully turn the tortillas over and continue cooking until the underside is golden brown. 

Transfer to a plate and serve with salsa, if desired.  Repeat the process, adding another tablespoon canola oil to the frying pan, for the other two tortillas.

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