soft taco

Do you like meat? Do you like tortillas? What about lettuce, tomato, sour cream, or most importantly, that giver of life that is cheese?

If you can answer yes to at least the first two questions, than have I got a recipe for you. However, I'm going to assume the following:

• You have a packet of taco seasoning, or, if you're fancy like that, you can make your own.
• You don't mind tortillas breaking while you eat and getting sour cream all over you in a very delicious way.
• You have other people who are willing to eat this too.

Let's get started then, shall we?

Ingredients

• 1 lb. (.45 kg) ground beef¹
• About 1/2 oz. (14 mL) of taco seasoning (or whatever is the proper proportion for 1 lb. of meat)
• Flour Tortillas (enough for however many you're serving, and unfried. These are soft tacos, remember?)

The following are optional, and basically to taste:

• Tomatoes (finely diced is best)
• Lettuce (shredded)
• Sour cream
• Cheese (sharp cheddar is good, and clearly a mexican shredded blend is more than apt)

Step one: The Fry-en-ing

Heat up that skillet of yours (cast iron works wonders) and get ready to brown up some ground beef. This is pretty standard cooking, but the basic synopsis is to make the pan very hot, add an oil, butter, or non-stick semi-liquid equivalent, then toss in the meat. Be careful that it doesn't stick by watching it and stirring it about every so often, until it's a nice meaty brown color. It's quite possible you'll screw this up the first time as I did; however, you will get the hang of it quickly.

Step dos: Season to tasty

Bring down the heat of the burner your pan is on so you don't fry your meat to a crisp. Take your taco seasoning and spread it all over the meat in the pan, then stir and fold your mixture to make sure everything is all taco-y. Then taste it once it's had a little time to cook into the meat. If there isn't enough, add more if you've got it. If it's overpowering, then the only advice I can offer is to mask it well in step four.

Step drei: Tortilla Origami

Lower the heat once more so the burner is at the lowest setting. This way the meat will stay warm for as long as you wish, but won't be all icky and black. Take a tortilla, and lay it on a plate. Then, put the meat in a small little rectangle on one side of the tortilla.

Mysterious step four: Extra stuff

Just so you know, this is the part of the program where you add those tomatoes, those shreds of lettuce, that sour cream, or that handful of cheese to the mix. Just place it right on top of the meat.

Awkward segue back into step drei

This next part is tricky, so I've brought along Mr. ASCII to help us. Just follow these last few steps and you will know the joy of taco.

 _____________
/     ###     \
|     ###      |
|              |
|              |
|              |
\_____________/

### -> Meat

First fold is left side over center, so you end up with the following:

_________
|++\     \ 
|+++|     |
|   |     |
|   |     |
|   |     |
|__/_____/

+++ -> Meat with tortilla over it

Next fold is the same, but with the right over center.

_____
|/++|
|+++|
|   |
|   |
|   |
|\__|

Finally, fold the bottom up to meet the top.

_____
|+++|
|+++|
|___|

Voila! You now have your very own soft taco, just like I continue to make. Enjoy the fruits (meats?) of your labour.

¹Really, you can use the ground animal or animal substitute of your choice. I find that turkey tacos are great too, and La Petite Mort suggests a vegetable chili in the substitute section.