Fun Taco Salad

Layered Taco Salad

In Mexico, the word taco is a generic term like the English word sandwich. A taco is simply a tortilla wrapped around a filling. Like a sandwich, the filling can be made with almost anything and prepared in many different ways. Anything that you can wrap in a tortilla can be a taco. Although taco salad is not wrapped in a tortilla it still has the flavor of a taco. The taco salad is a Mexican inspired dish consisting of the contents of a taco on a bed of lettuce instead of a tortilla. Some forms of taco salad are served in an edible tortilla shell bowl. The Taco salad first appeared in America in the 1960s. Mexican cuisine descended from that of the Native Americans who lived in the region now called Mexico. When Spanish explorers arrived in the 1500’s, the cuisine of the native people was gradually affected by the introduction of different foods, which the Spaniards brought. Later the dietary influence of other European cultures also touched the minds and hands of native Mexican cooks, bringing together old and newer culinary foodways. Eventually an offshoot of the Spanish/Mexican cuisine, Tex-Mex, also developed. Here try our own version of a taco salad.
Makes 6 Servings
Ingredients
For dressing
1/4-cup fresh limejuice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-teaspoon sugar
1-tablespoon chili powder
1/4-teaspoon ground cumin
1/2-teaspoon salt
1/4-teaspoon black pepper
1/2-cup olive oil
For beef
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 to 2 fresh Serrano chiles (including seeds), finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For salad
1 (1/2-lb) firm-ripe California avocado
1 head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced (8 cups)
1 large tomato (1/2 lb), chopped
1/4 lb coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (1 1/2 cups)
1 (15- to 19-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (6-oz) can sliced pitted California black olives, drained
Accompaniment: tortilla chips
Preparation
Make dressing:
Whisk together lime juice, cilantro, sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.
Cook beef:
Cook onion, garlic, chiles to taste, chili powder, and cumin in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is well softened, about 6 minutes. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up lumps, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes, and then spoon off any excess fat from skillet.
Add tomato sauce, salt, and pepper to beef and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Assemble salad:
Peel and pit avocado, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Spread lettuce over bottom of a shallow 4-quart dish. Spoon beef mixture evenly over lettuce and continue making layers with tomatoes, cheese, beans, avocado, and olives. Drizzle dressing over salad.