420 Tacos

The great taco controversy - are they crispy ("duro") or floppy (more authentic)? I was raised on the crispy kind and like the textural contrast, but try to avoid deep frying, so what's a chef to do?

I figured out a compromise that will give you some crunch, but without the grease.

First, heat your oven to 420 degrees. Maybe you were thinking of some other 420 reference? Feel free to experiment with ingredients of your choice; there's nothing written in stone about what goes into a taco, especially a variant version like this.

Prepare your fillings - here's what I like:

• heat up some refried beans or black beans
• chopped jalapenos and onions
• shredded cheese
• leftover barbecued chicken, turkey, or beef (always make some extra when you BBQ!) - firm cooked fish or tofu will work fine too
• chopped cilantro

Get a large baking sheet - I like the "quarter sheet" aluminum kind. Lazy guy that I am, I hate the cleanup part, so I lay down some parchment paper (my best friend) or aluminum foil.

Lightly spray it with some "nonfat" cooking spray.

Now for the tortillas - I like 6 inch yellow corn - and they have to be corn, flour won't work. The problem with non-fried ones is they will likely crack when you fold them, so here's the trick - get six at a time, wrap loosely in a paper towel, and microwave for about a minute. You don't want them soggy, so don't do it too long; if you do it just right, they will be warm and limp enough to fold.

Put a heated tortilla on the breadboard, and smear it with beans (I use a rubber scraper for this). Sprinkle the remaining ingredients on top. Don't put too much on, or they will get soggy. Fold the tortilla over, and place it on the prepared baking sheet.

Continue with the above step. Don't put too many on the sheet; ideally they will be just touching each other. I can usually fit a dozen on a large sheet, and will use a second sheet for a large gathering. Put them too close together and they will get soggy, and you don't want a soggy taco!

Now put the sheet in your hot oven, and heat for 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. When you get them just right, they will be slightly crispy and hold together well. Put on a warm serving plate, and throw away the parchment paper - instant cleanup!

If you want them extra crispy, try putting a wire cooling rack on the baking sheet, so there is a little air space under the tacos.