In the Mexican-American taco, a tortilla is typically filled with beef or chicken, beans, veggies, and maybe some guacamole or sour cream if you’re feelin’ fancy. With French tacos, though, anything goes. You can fill them up with meats (typically halal) and cheeses, or stuff them with French fries
Maybe you’re feeling adventurous and want to see what we have in store for you. I know I do! So here it is: “How to make french tacos.”
History of French Tacos
In the past, tacos are something that students have to buy and eat in class, but if you’d like to make your own, here are some tips on how to make a batch of French tacos.
1) Choose a nice firm tortilla (available at most grocery stores) and cut off a long piece. This can be used as the bottom of your taco or you can use it for sliding the tacos into the hot skillet.
2) In a bowl, combine all ingredients except for the salt and pepper. I usually cut up chicken and add it after cooking it so that it doesn’t get too dry.
3) Fill tortilla with your filling, roll it up tightly, and slice into taco shapes. You could even use a round cookie cutter to make them more individual-size 🙂
4) Place on a sheet pan in the oven at 400 degrees F until they are golden brown (about 10 minutes). Serve them with salsa and guacamole or sour cream!
Components of a French Taco
A French taco (known as a tortilla) is really more of an open-faced sandwich than a taco, but still includes all the various elements of a taco (i.e., beef and lettuce, beans and cheese). Just like in the US, there are lots of different ways to make French tacos. The most common way to make them is with halal meats, though if you’re feeling adventurous, you can do the same thing with other meats or veggies. I’ve made these with halal beef and halal chicken (and even once with halal tofu), but they are also very good with just beef and chicken. There are lots of different cheeses to choose from too!
And while French tacos can be served plain or topped, they can also be served with avocado and guacamole as well!
If you’ve been reading this blog for a while now, I’m sure you know that I love tacos! And who doesn’t? So when I found out that there are lots of different places in France where tacos are sold (like in Paris), I thought it would be fun to go around making some french tacos myself . If anyone knows of any other places in other cities where french tacos are sold (or at least where you can buy them), please let me know!
How to Make a French Taco at Home
If you’re planning to make tacos at home, you probably know that it’s pretty easy to do. The key is to fill a tortilla with meat mixture and then bake it in the oven. If you want to use French fries instead, simply add them after cooking.
One of our readers, Nicole, had a few questions about how she made French tacos at home:
i just bought a panini press and i was wondering how i could make a french taco like we do here in mexico with the grill…
In case you’re not familiar with a Mexican-American panini press , it’s basically a flat metal pan with grill-ready grates on top that you can use for anything from hamburgers to grilled cheese sandwiches. The principle is the same as the one behind any pressure cooker or slow cooker: you put your ingredients in there, turn it on high pressure and lock the lid, allowing them to cook all by themselves. You can also bake or roast them in there too. Once they’re done, take them out and serve as delicious meal for your family or take them back to work and eat late night snacks while working on your project (or just eat them if you want). It works great for whole meals too!
Here are some links that might help Nicole out: http://www.panini.com/en/products/presses/panini-presses/productID… http://www.crispyandfrenchtaco.com/products_overview_panin… http://www.zabaglobo.com/products_overview_panini_press/ Check it out!
Conclusion
French immigrants to North America have a reputation for being strict about what goes into their tacos. In fact, the French taco is one of the most hated foods in America. I’m not sure how else to describe it. It’s not exactly offensive; it’s just plain and simple bad.
But did you know that the French taco is actually a thing of beauty? It’s nothing like its American counterpart, but it certainly isn’t as bad looking. You can make your own or just order some from the deli section of your local grocery store. I prefer my tacos with no cheese (and no meat) — I don’t want any weird flavors going in there — but if you don’t have time for that kind of rigmarole, ground beef and onions will do nicely (get some good quality, please).
And speaking of tacos, here are some more delicious recipes:
These are so good and easy to make:
Makes about 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed 4 cups tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce) 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon brown sugar 4 teaspoons fresh chives or parsley Salt pepper Directions: In a large pot over medium heat add the beef and cook until browned. Drain off any excess fat from the beef and add it to your pot along with the onions and garlic. Add the rest of your ingredients and cook for about 15 minutes or until everything is heated through. Reduce heat to low and cover with a lid for another 10 minutes or so until done. Serve over rice or tortilla chips with a side of sour cream for dipping!