Black Pudding Tacos

Black pudding tacos being showcased today!!!  It’s been a minute since we did tacos on the page.  So here is my latest offering in collaboration with Clonakilty Black Pudding.  Perfect time to read up, get to the shops and be armed and ready for next week's taco tuesday!!

Keeping it pretty classic and simple with the toppings for these ones and letting the glory that is black pudding sing.  Warmed tortillas, some simple shredded red cabbage, charred corn, coriander and the all important crispy black pudding.  Well, they wouldn’t be black pudding tacos now would they without it!!

TOPPINGS/FILLINGS

Tortilla

Well aside from the obvious they wouldn’t be tacos without a tortilla would they? There are 3 types of tortillas you can buy (or make) in stores these days

1. Flour tortillas - simply put is a soft tortilla made from wheat flour.  Used more in north Mexican cuisine than traditional Mexican food. You will often find them being used for quesadillas.  These guys are very popular and common in supermarkets these days.

2. Corn tortillas - like flour tortillas these guys are simply made from corn flour.  Now don’t just think you can grind up some corn into “flour” and make tacos.  It’s not as simple as that.  Firstly, the corn is soaked in an alkaline solution and then ground to form what’s called masa to make corn dough.  These guys are firmer and a little chewier than flour tortillas and will have a more robust flavour.

3. 1/2 & 1/2 - once again it’s in the name.  These babies are made using well 1/2 corn and 1/2 wheat flour.  By using the wheat flour they are still soft and easy to roll but you also get a delicious toasty corn flavour too.

From this there are also many variations such as

blue corn - simply just made from blue corn.  Often found in tortilla chips for nachos too.
nopal - a little healthier than the avg tortilla.  These are made using the cactus plant which is very popular in Mexican cuisine.
beet - yep, you are reading correct.  Beets!  These guys give your tacos a bright red colour and offer a a little sweetness to taste
hoja santa - a leafy herb used in Mexican cooking.  Makes a bright green masa and in turn a green taco!  It's also very aromatic so not your average flour tortilla!

Red Cabbage

A staple in many tacos.  Fresh, crunchy and vibrant it adds great colour and texture to any taco.  What’s even better is it goes a long way so you can make all the more for you and the fam!!  Benefits include being high in Vitamin C, packed with nutrients and an excellent source of Vitamin K.

Coriander or Cilantro

It wouldn’t be a taco without a sprinkling of coriander on top.  It’s defo the most loved and hated herb out there but chopped up in a salsa or sprinkled on top to finish a crispy fish taco and you can’t go wrong.  Benefits include an excellent source of dietary fiber, iron, magnesium and it also helps in lowering cholesterol.

Corn

My latest favourite topping in a taco. Charred to add a little smokiness corn is crunchy, fresh & sweet.  Works great with nearly all fish and meat it’s the PERFECT addition!  Benefits include - a rich source of vitamins & minerals, helps in weight loss and the insoluble fiber helps feed good bacteria to your gut.

Aioli or Mayo

In my opinion a necessity! Even if you have some salsa aioli is a great binder for all the ingredients.   Whether is chipotle, lime, aleppo, sriracha or chili you can’t beat a drizzle of the stuff.  Benefits include - just being damn tasty!!!

Jalapenos

Because it wouldn't be Mexican cuisine without them.  Plain and simple.  These fiery little fellas with Scoville heat of 3,500 - 8,000 are the perfect addition to any and every taco.  If you are feeling "extra fancy" then why not pickle them?

Black Pudding

The main ingredient in these bad boys!  It’s no surprise to anyone reading my page how much I love black pudding - especially Clonakilty pudding.  Being from Scotland and growing up in Ireland meant haggis & black pudding were a staple in our home.  It may not be to everyone’s taste but chopped up and fried until crispy it’s a DREAM inside a tortilla with some charred corn.  Benefits include - high in iron, protein and low in carbohydrates it defo should be a staple in your diet!

MAKING THE PERFECT TACO!

It's not rocket science to make tacos but to make good tacos requires a little thought and planning.  Firstly, as in most cooking you need to find a good balance of spice, saltiness, freshness and texture.  That's why things like coriander & cabbage is used.  To add texture to these tacos cook up the black pudding so they are nice and crispy on the outside.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing in my opinion when making tacos is organisation.  Have all your ingredients laid out ready to go.  Truthfully, unless you are a contestant on Masterchef or Top Chef it's best to apply this philosophy everytime you cook.  How many times have you had a dinner party or gone to a dinner party and it looks like a hurricane hit the kitchen.  A surgeon wouldn't start surgery without his or her tools so why should you start trying to cook without all yours being ready?

BLACK PUDDING FANS

If like me you are a black pudding fan and want to see more than just black pudding tacos then check out these other recipes of mine.  Also hit up the Clonakilty Ireland page and check out more info on this delicious product!

My twist on an Irish brekkie

Black pudding stuffed capsicums

Chorizo, prawn and black pudding skewers

Lamb & black pudding (naked) sausages

Well, that's all the ramblings for me this week - don't forget to subscribe and check me out on instagram too.

Happy Cooking and Happy Eating Friends!!