| My ex reminded me last week that the holiday that | | | | ingredients. We don't want the mixture to be too |
| "my people" celebrate was coming up.My people. He | | | | wet.Too wet. I just made that term up.Get out two |
| was, of course, being facetious, but I smacked him | | | | frying pans. Get them out of where? That's rather up |
| anyway. Well, he's a thousand miles away, so I | | | | to you. Depends on where you keep yours. Put a |
| virtually smacked him. Same effect.My people. Like I | | | | nice half inch layer or so of oil in one, and just heat |
| even speak Spanish. My father wouldn't teach us | | | | the other. (Almost had a typo there. Almost said eat |
| when we were growing up because he didn't want | | | | the other, which would be wrong. That is no way to |
| us to be stigmatized. Only the last name gave us | | | | get more iron in your diet.) Heat the oil now or later, |
| away as it was.Still, I do like to celebrate Cinco de | | | | depending on if you're going to cook them now or |
| Mayo. The Fifth of Mayonnaise. I love mayonnaise.For | | | | later. I usually fry them as I go.Heat the tortillas one |
| this Cinco de Condiment, my love wanted to make | | | | at a time in the hot skillet. When hot and pliable, and |
| turkey taquitos for his office party. So I am, even | | | | therefore easily bendable, take out of the pan, put a |
| now, roasting turkey parts for said taquitos. Have | | | | good heaping tablespoon of turkey mixture on the |
| you ever had turkey taquitos? Around here we have | | | | tortilla, and roll it tightly. Secure with a toothpick. (Did |
| them after major holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving . . | | | | you think we bought the toothpicks just for fun?) |
| . because that's usually when there's leftover turkey. | | | | Sometimes tortillas aren't as bendable as we might |
| Turkey is a primary ingredient in turkey taquitos, as | | | | wish. This is too bad. Heat them longer.Put the |
| you may, or may not, have gathered from the name. | | | | secured taquito in the hot oil. Let it sit there and |
| I dunno. Some of you are probably quicker than | | | | brown. Of course, while it's doing this, roll up another |
| others about these things.There is no mayonnaise in | | | | one and stick that in there too. Watch taquitos |
| turkey taquitos. A recipe featuring mayonnaise will be | | | | carefully. We want them crispy but not lethal. Turn |
| arriving shortly, but this isn't it.This is a recipe for | | | | them over while they cook. We're not deep frying |
| turkey taquitos. Keep in mind that I can barely read | | | | them after all, it just seems that way. The oil should |
| directions, much less give them, so this may be a bit | | | | not cover the taquitos fully, only about halfway. |
| haphazard.First step: Go to the store. Any store. Well, | | | | That's why you turn them over.When the first |
| not just any store. A store that sells what you need. | | | | taquito is crispy but not overdone (and this is rather |
| We went to Central Market because I wanted to | | | | subjective - mine are at times a bit chewy just |
| show Bruno (my boyfriend's alias) what a fun place it | | | | because I like 'em that way), remove it gently and |
| is. He stuck his finger in one of the crab tanks and | | | | put it on a plate with a paper towel to soak up the |
| irritated a crab, who tried to grab his finger and run | | | | oil. Do not use your fingers for this procedure, |
| off with it. The crab, fortunately, was unsuccessful in | | | | except to handle the tongs. This is hot oil, after all. |
| this endeavor. Whew. Close call. Anyway, Central | | | | Repeat this procedure for the several dozen taquitos |
| Market has lots of cool stuff. Live food. Dead food. | | | | to follow. You can make a whole buncha taquitos |
| The mess of octopus on ice was something I could | | | | before you know it.Growing up, I was often the |
| have done without. Organic food. Free range chicken. | | | | victim of burnt fingers because my stepmother |
| Bulk herbs. Skullsplitter ale, which I wanted just | | | | would make me stand over the stove for hours |
| because of the name. A deli section where one could | | | | heating tortillas to her specifications. For years I |
| just do all their shopping, thereby making the rest of | | | | suffered from post-taquito stress syndrome. Just the |
| the store redundant.Anyway. Go to the store. We | | | | thought of making taquitos was enough to make my |
| looked at turkeys. Then we looked at the turkey | | | | fingertips itch. Do not overdo it. You can cook them |
| breasts next to the turkey. And we went for the | | | | in batches. You can cook some now and some later. |
| turkey breasts. Three of 'em. Saves me the trouble | | | | This is not a marathon to see how much damage |
| of wrestling with a turkey. I am nothing if not lazy. | | | | one can do to oneself. Once, when my hand was |
| Also buy tortillas, and bend them to make sure | | | | sprained, she made me take off the wrap that was |
| they're fresh and pliable. And either fresh salsa, or | | | | holding it together so I could bake cookies for her, |
| make your own. And vegetable oil. And toothpicks. | | | | the kind you had to roll in your hand. She was mean. |
| Some dark sweet beverage, if you're feeling like | | | | Besides, she always overcooked hers. Both taquitos |
| it.Method of cooking turkey: See, this all depends on | | | | and cookies.Serve the taquitos with guacamole and |
| what one plans on doing with the turkey. For | | | | sour cream. Okay, some of you don't like sour cream. |
| enchiladas, stewed chicken works best. For taquitos, | | | | That's why I only bought a small sour cream - I can |
| roasted turkey works best. Something about the | | | | eat the stuff straight, but other people have a |
| dryness or lack thereof of the meat. I roast my | | | | problem with it. I don't know why.These can be |
| turkey in a turkey roaster, but I suppose you could | | | | eaten either hot or cold. Technically, everyone thinks |
| also use an oven. The recipe for how to roast a | | | | they're supposed to be hot, but it ain't so. If made |
| turkey will be out later this year, when it's time to | | | | properly, and drained properly, they're quite good any |
| take those things seriously. For now, I'm sure you | | | | time at all.Enjoy the holiday. I hear it won't come |
| can stumble through it.Roast the turkey.Chop the | | | | around again until next year.Monique Young is adept |
| turkey into chunks and shreds. Add the fresh salsa or | | | | at certain things, but cooking is not one of them. She |
| the salsa you made yourself using the fresh | | | | can be reached at most days of the week. |