By Lisa Zaslow Segelman
When I’m not in my kitchen testing recipes for my food column, I’m substitute teaching somewhere in Atlantic County. Last week, while subbing as a reading specialist at Texas Avenue School in Atlantic City, I was also served a meal with deep roots in Mexico, Central and South America, as part of a combo celebration: Hispanic Heritage Month and a Staff and Teacher Appreciation Lunch.
Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation on Sept. 17, 1968. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush became the first president to declare the 31-day period from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The minute I stepped into the cafeteria I was handed a heavy duty paper plate and encouraged to sample some of the foods prepared by parents for the annual event. The foods of seven countries, many of which are countries of origin for Texas Avenue School students and their parents, were represented including Mexico, Honduras, Venezuela, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Columbia.
“Our school parents are so grateful for everything their teachers and staff do for their children,” said Hilda Llerena, Spanish teacher at school. “We combine celebrating them with celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. The result is the Teacher Appreciation Lunch.”
Llerena helped parents set up the food, label the dishes’ countries of origin, and keep the hot foods hot and the cold foods cold. As teachers, staff and administrators entered the cafeteria, the aroma and the overflowing buffet of delicacies from Mexico, Central and South America widened eyes.
The hosting parents graciously identified each dish for each new diner. The authenticity was spot-on, and the full flavors of each dish followed every bite. Tamales were wrapped in cornhusks and taquitos perfectly fried and presented with a choice of toppings. Arepas were filled with chicken salad that combined shredded chicken, a little chopped red onion, mayo and cilantro.
Pollo con mole (chicken in a mole sauce), sopes and a Peruvian cheese sauce called huancaina were among the favorites. A separate table displayed desserts with the star of the sweet table – creamy, sweet, perfect flan.
When asked to share a recipe, parent Ariana Cruz and her cooking partner, Florecita, were more than happy to share the recipe for taquitos below. If you make and serve this delicious recipe for taquitos, with every delicious bite, perhaps you can think about a Hispanic American who has contributed to the world.
Take a quick look around the school and you’ll find tributes to Lin-Manuel Miranda (playwright and composer), Sonia Sotomayor (Supreme Court justice), Rita Moreno (actress and dancer), Selena Quintanilla (singer), Jordan Chiles (gymnast), and Ellen Ochoa (astronaut), to name just a few.
Disfrute de su comida – enjoy your meal!
Taquitos a la Florecita
(Texas Avenue School mom)
Makes 20 taquitos
Ingredients:
Vegetable oil (corn oil or canola oil, your choice)
Veggies: tomatoes (Roma or your choice) onion and fresh garlic
Seasonings: ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt and ground black pepper
Shredded chicken: a rotisserie chicken works or you can make your own
Mexican crema: (sour cream is a fine substitution). You can also add a little water to sour cream to thin it out to be the consistency of Mexican crema.
Shredded cheese: use Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend or any shredded cheese you have.
Tortillas: corn tortillas are traditional, but flour tortillas are also delicious. Use whichever you prefer.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup oil (if frying, just some oil to brush if baking)
- ⅓ cup diced tomato
- ¼ cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 cup cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 ½ cups shredded cheese
- 1/4 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 ounce can diced green chiles, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 20 corn or flour tortillas
Deep Fry Method:
Pour about 3 inches of oil into a skillet and heat over medium heat.
In a large bowl combine cooked shredded chicken, green chiles, diced onion, cheddar cheese, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder together. Salt and pepper to taste.
Warm the corn or flour tortillas by wrapping them in a towel and placing them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
Spoon about 1½-2 tablespoons of the mixture into a line on the tortilla and tightly roll it up. Place fold-side down onto a baking sheet or use a toothpick to ensure it won’t unroll.
Deep-fry in the oil that is approximately 375 degrees for 3-4 minutes or until the exterior is more golden in color.
Remove and set on paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Let cool 1-2 minutes and enjoy!
Baking Method
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
In a large bowl combine cooked shredded chicken, green chiles, diced onion, cheddar cheese, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder together. Salt and pepper to taste.
Warm tortillas one at a time in a skillet sprayed with some oil over medium heat until flexible, about 10 seconds per side.
Spread about 1 heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture over half of a warmed tortilla. Roll tightly to form a taquito starting at the filled side of the tortilla. Place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden crisp and to your liking, about 15 to 20 minutes.
Air Fry:
Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees. Place the taquitos in a single layer, in the air fryer basket, seam-side down. Mist the outsides with cooking spray. Air fry for 4 minutes.
Flip the taquitos and lightly mist them with oil again, then air fry for 2 to 3 more minutes until crispy. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining taquitos.
Optional Toppings:
Prep a toppings bar for your family or guests with any or all of the add-ons below:
pico de gallo
Mexican crema or sour cream
guacamole
salsa ranchera, salsa verde, or restaurant-style salsa
cilantro
shredded lettuce
diced tomato
diced onion
crumbled Mexican cheese (cotija or queso fresco)
Store Leftovers: Taquitos are best served fresh. Once they’re stored, they begin to soften. However you can refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat: To reheat them, place them in the air fryer at 400 degrees for 2-3 minutes, for best results.
Freeze: For longer storage, prepare them and skip the frying. Place them in a freeze-friendly bag or container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw for 30 minutes before baking or frying as usual.
Prep-ahead: Roll the taquitos as usual but don’t fry them. Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days and fry right before serving or freeze.
Don’t overstuff: It’s tempting to add a lot of filling to your tortilla, but this will make them impossible to keep closed and fry.
Use toothpicks: Pin the taquitos closed with a toothpick if they’re opening up. This way you won’t have a taquito disaster once they hit the oil, with the filling falling out.
Spice them up: Want to add some heat? You can add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Choose your cheese: I like Oaxaca, Chihuahua, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend. However, you can use any shredded cheese you like.
Lisa is an advertising copywriter (think ‘Madmen’ without the men), journalist and columnist. Claim to fame: Lou’s waitress for four teenage summers. For column comments, story ideas, or to get on her “quote” list for future columns: redshoeslzs@gmail.com
