Abuela’s authentic, flavourful taquitos.
The delicacy behind Abuela's homemade Taquitos
Cultivated from the exotic, rich land of Mexico, my Abuela’s infamous, taquito recipe has been passed down in our family for generations, with each new age adding a new flare to this crispy, tangy dish. My Abuela’s secret? Nothing quite matched her delicious blend of gooey, creamy Monterey Jack cheeses oozing out of her crispy, golden brown tortillas. Even as kids, we understood the fresh scent of chopped onions and tomatoes meant a mouth-watering salsa was gently being prepared to top off Abuela’s tasty taquitos. Now as an adult and family man, Abuela’s legacy continues to live on in my hometown of Alberta growing famously in popularity throughout the years.
The rich (and delicious) history of taquitos.
My Abuela used to tell me the humble beginnings of taquitos originated from the simple need to repurpose Mexican ingredients. Disposing of delicious, leftover meats and tortillas was out of the question, so came the ingenious method of rolling, filling and frying them to create the dish we now love to eat, tasty taquitos. Finding its way from the early days of railroad station vendors to an ever-adapting dish. Taquitos have not only grown, but also adapted to satisfy delicate finger food, large family meals and on-the-go snacks. This dish has found itself growing in popularity all throughout Canada and it’s a recipe I am proud to share with my family here in Alberta.
Taquitos for snacks or meals: The perfect dish
The delicious beauty of taquitos is that they’re one size fits all! A few are enough to snack on, or you can have a full platter no matter where you are or are going. In my experience, no family road trip is complete without a to-go pack of taquitos. Unlike their Mexican burrito or taco counterparts, taquitos are portable. No matter how much you shake them they will stay strong and compact making them the perfect on-the-go snack. If you are not looking for anything fancy, you can eat them as they come, but if you are looking to kick it up a notch, just do what my family does: You can pack a tasty chipotle sauce, guacamole or even use the savoury meats cultivated in our very own Alberta.
How to get the perfect crispiness
To get that golden-brown fantastic crunch you must first ask yourself: Baked or fried? Both will guarantee optimal taste through different, respected methods. For baked taquitos, the important step is to brush them lightly with oil beforehand, this will ensure the outer tortilla reaches that perfect, crispy texture. Now fried taquitos (my childhood favourite) are their own separate beasts, the secret here is ensuring the skillet is set to a nice medium-high heat, this will allow the oil to gradually brown the taquitos until they are golden on all sides. Keeping a close eye during the cooking method is essential to a perfectly constructed tortilla shell. Now lastly, you can kick it up a notch by partnering your tasty taquitos with a delicious chipotle sauce or the perfect guacamole dip. A dish perfect enough to it’s last bite.
