Vampire Tacos

Happy Taco Tuesday! Today we have another teaser recipe from Jason Wyrick’s upcoming cookbook Vegan Tacos: Authentic & Inspired Recipes for Mexico’s Favorite Street FoodJason first saw these tacos at a taco truck parked in a dirt lot in Tucson, and he instantly had to find out what they were. It turned out that this particular taco truck didn’t have anything vegan, but he got to watch them make their tacos vampiros and see how the corn tortilla edges folded up on the grill. This is supposedly the origin of the name, because the edges look like bat wings. It’s sort of a cross between a tostada and a taco. Traditionally, they are made with carne asada (thin-sliced beef), but Jason makes his with charred beans.

 

Makes 8 Tacos

Heat Level: 5

 

Ingredients:

The Filling (choose either the beans or seitan strips)

  • 
2 cups cooked, rinsed pinto beans or 2 cups seitan strips
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 
1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups your favorite white melting vegan cheese
  • 2 serrano chiles, sliced very thin

 

The Tortillas

  • 8 (5 to 6-inch) corn tortillas

 

The Garnish

  • Minced white onion
  • Minced cilantro
  • 
Your favorite tomato salsa
  • Guacamole or chopped avocado

 

Preparation:

  1. Light your grill. Toss the beans or seitan strips with the oil and salt and transfer to a well-oiled grill pan. Place the grill pan on the grill and slowly stir while they grill until blackened. This should only take a few minutes. Remove from the grill and set aside.
  2. Place the tortillas on the grill. When the edges start to curl from the heat, sprinkle the cheese on the tortillas, leaving a rim around the edge. When the tortillas are hard and crunchy, remove them from the grill. Top the tortillas with the beans or seitan strips, followed by the onion, cilantro, salsa, and guacamole.

 

Make In The Oven:

Dress your beans or seitan the same way, but place them in a baking dish and leave them uncovered. Roast them at 400°F for 15 minutes, opening the oven to stir them every 5 minutes. While they are baking, place your tortillas in the oven on the lower rack. When they begin to curl, slide the lower rack out, dress them with the cheese, and return them to the oven. Once the cheese melts, remove them from the oven and set them aside. Dress them just as you would above.

 

Vegan Tacos SmallFrom Vegan Tacos by Jason Wyrick. ©2014 Jason Wyrick. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.