It has been a while since I've done a really good Faux Gourmet recipe, and by good, I mean instructions for making food that are so simple, you wonder why I get to call it a recipe. Well, because I made it up and you didn't. But if you want to make up some 'recipes' of your own & post them below, more power to you. The Faux Gourmet supports people power, especially on the first Tuesday of November.
My friend J swears by tortilla snacks and I like to think I am responsible. I extol the virtues of tortilla eating only lightly less regularly than I extol the virtues of celery eating, which is often. They're so wonderful. You can keep them indefinitely in the freezer, which makes them a great "I'm not sure if I'm really going to cook anything" investment. They're cheap. Even "Tumaro's Tortillas," which Men's Health Magazine voted the best gourmet tortillas in America (um, men vote on that?) are about 35 cents a tortilla. Bite the bullet, baby.
Best of all, tortillas can be eaten so many ways: open faced like a pizza, rolled up, folded in half, or stacked . . . and they're great with anything, from Hormel pepperoni slices with Kraft shredded cheese to cinnamon and sugar with butter (J's specialties). Tortillas are like that trusty song that works on every playlist, the song to which you never seem to stop listening, but, magically, of which you never tire.
They're also great food for lazy people. Keep a pack in the fridge, top a tortilla with your topping du jour (read: whatever leftovers are in easy reach in the fridge) and slap on a frying pan or in a toaster oven for a few minutes to crispify the project. Or, pop in the microwave for about 40 seconds, covered with another plate to keep the tortilla soft. Either way, bam, you've got breakfast, lunch, dessert, snack . . . whatever you want, in no time at all.
Try the two 'recipes' below & add one of your own!
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Do it Yourself 1: In true Faux Gourmet spirit, I recommend the following deceptively delicious combination: Grilled Pears with Prosciutto and Gruyere. I know, "grilled pears" makes it sound all fancy, but trust me on this one. Here's what you do:
Slice a pear up and put slices over medium heat in a small pan with a teaspoon of sugar.
Meanwhile, put a tortilla in another pan over low heat and top with a slice or two of prosciutto and shredded cheese. Swiss or pecorino are also delicious if you don't have gruyere. Heck, if you don't have swiss or pecorino, experiment with whatever cheese you have. If you don't have any cheese, there is something wrong with you.
Flip the pear slices as they start to soften. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the top. When the pear slices are browned and gooey, add to the (now-melted cheesey) tortilla.
Remove from heat, fold in half, and enjoy.
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Do it Yourself 2: Another favorite makes a great breakfast (or dessert, if calling food with chocolate in it 'dessert' makes you feel better): Faux Crepes.
Spread some combination of the following tasty spreads down the middle of a tortilla: jam, peanut butter, nutella, hershey's syrup, honey.
Slice a banana and layer pieces on the tortilla.
Cover with a plate and microwave forty seconds.
Roll up and enjoy!
I am a big fan of nutella + banana or a PB + honey + banana, or PBJ + banana, but the whole point of the exercise is to get wild & crazy & make up your own variations.
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Note: These options also look amazing but take a little more actual cooking.
Tortilla Pie, from My Husband Hates Veggies
Flour Tortilla Pizzas, from Wine With Life Please
Picnic Tortilla, from BBC Good Food
Please post a comment & share your favorite tortilla fillings!
3 comments:
Tortillas was one of my all time favorite dishes from Argentina! My host families made it and I loved it! I'll have to try it, now that I have a recipe. I also read your deglazing article on the Airfield Estates homepage and am impressed! How has it been received? More hits to your website? Way to go!
i like to make breakfast burritos - crack an egg into a microwaveable bowl. nuke for 1 minute. nuke tortilla for 20-30 seconds. top with salsa. you can also include some black beans for extra protein power.
i also like to keep tortillas in my freezer.
Carl: Cool, looking forward to hearing about it. Thanks for the comments on the Airfields article! I think it has increased traffic, and people say they like the recipe (which itself is pretty simple!) Look for an update around Thanksgiving!
Sarah: Mmm, microwaving eggs. Such a genius trick.
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