POTATO AND CHORIZO TACOS

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

Tender potatoes and highly seasoned fresh Mexican chorizo are the keys to these classic tacos. We started by toasting ancho chile powder, paprika, and other spices in oil to intensify their flavors, and then we mixed ground pork into the spiced oil. We added parboiled diced potatoes to absorb all that flavor as they finished cooking. Mashing some of the potatoes and mixing them into the filling made it more cohesive. A bright yet creamy puree of tomatillos, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños complemented the richness of the filling. If you can purchase good-quality Mexican-style chorizo, skip step 2 and cook the chorizo as directed in step 3. The sharp, crunchy raw onion is an excellent counterpoint to the soft, rich taco filling, so we do not recommend omitting it. For a spicier sauce, use two jalapeño chiles. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

SERVES: 4

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

FILLING

• • 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Pinch ground allspice
  • 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1½ teaspoons sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 8 ounces ground pork

SAUCE

• • 8 ounces tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well, dried, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1–2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

TACOS

• • 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
  • Finely chopped white onion
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. For the filling: Bring 1 quart water to boil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are just tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with little resistance, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
2. Combine oil, chile powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in now-empty skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling and fragrant. Off heat, carefully stir in vinegar, sugar, and garlic (mixture will sputter). Let sit until steam subsides and skillet cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Add pork to skillet. Mash and mix with rubber spatula until spice mixture is evenly incorporated into pork.
3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook, mashing and stirring until pork has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until potatoes are fully softened and have soaked up most of pork juices, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Off heat, using spatula, mash approximately one-eighth of potatoes. Stir mixture until mashed potatoes are evenly distributed. Cover and keep warm.
5. For the sauce: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to serving bowl.
6. For the tacos: Spoon filling into center of each tortilla and serve, passing sauce, onion, cilantro, and lime wedges separately.