Queso Taco Pockets Recipes

BEEF BIRRIA QUESO TACOS WITH CONSOMé

Steps:

• Stir reserved beef birria sauce, chicken broth, carrots, celery, and cabbage together in a saucepan over high heat; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, occasionally brushing the caramelized bits (side fond) off the side with the hot liquid, until vegetables are nice and tender and consomé has reached desired consistency, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep hot while you prepare the tacos.
• Heat some reserved beef fat in a large skillet over medium heat until melted. Add 2 tortillas and toss with a spatula until generously coated in fat. Toast briefly until golden brown, then cover with Monterey Jack cheese and some shredded beef. Drizzle each taco with about 1 tablespoon consomé liquid, then top with white onion and cilantro.
• Fold tacos in half and press gently. Continue to cook, flipping back and forth, until browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and repeat to make remaining tacos, adding more fat if necessary.
• Ladle consomé into a bowl and garnish with remaining white onions and cilantro. Squeeze lime wedges into consomé and serve with tacos.

TACO POCKETS

Steps:

• Combine ground meat with onion, garlic, spices, and salt and form 4 patties. Pan fry patties in 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat for 7 minutes on each side.
• To make a taco pocket, blister a flour tortilla on a hot griddle pan for 30 seconds on each side. Place tortilla on dinner plate and spread surface with 1 /4 cup mild taco sauce. Pile shredded lettuce, tomatoes and a handful of cheese in center of tortilla. Top veggies and cheese with cooked taco burger patty and wrap tortilla up and over patty on all four sides. Turn square pouch over and cut from corner to corner, making 2 taco pockets that will not crumble and drip like traditional tacos.
• Serve taco pockets with cut fresh seasonal veggies, assorted tortilla chips and mild salsa for dipping.
• Heat a small saucepan over moderate heat and add oil, onions, peppers, and garlic. Season vegetables with cumin, salt, and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables are just tender.
• Remove the pan from heat and add canned tomatoes. Stir salsa to combine and transfer to a small serving bowl. Serve salsa at room temperature or chilled with veggies and assorted corn tortillas for dipping.

TACO POCKETS

Steps:

• Combine the chicken and salsa in a medium bowl and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Generously spray a baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside.
• Combine the chickpeas, taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and smash about half of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon; set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the peppers and onions, season with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often and lowering the heat if needed so the vegetables don't brown, until softened, about 6 minutes.
• Transfer the vegetable mixture to a plate and return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the heat and fold in the cheese and half the vegetable mixture. Fold the remaining vegetable mixture into the chickpeas along with the cilantro, jalapeños and avocado. Taste both mixtures and season with more salt if needed.
• Combine the flour and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl to create a paste that is the same consistency as glue, adding more water if needed. Halve the tortillas and cover them with a damp towel. Using the back of a spoon, spread a line of the flour mixture on the cut edge of a tortilla half. Fold the opposite ends of the tortilla half up and over, overlapping slightly to form a cone. Pinch gently to seal. Cover with a damp cloth and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
• Fill a cone with 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. Spread some of the flour mixture along the inside edge of the top of the cone, then pinch the two sides together to seal the pocket. Place on the prepared baking sheet seam-side down and repeat with the remaining cones, chicken mixture and chickpea mixture. (You should have 6 of each filling.)
• Spray the pockets lightly with cooking spray. Bake, flipping the pockets once about halfway through, until golden and heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the pockets with sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, lime wedges and more salsa.