Fail... kinda.

Did someone mention tacos in an earlier post? I think I remember seeing something about them. As you know (if you've been keeping up), the New York Times ran a piece titled The Simple Appeal of Tacos under its City Kitchen column while I just happened to be on the west coast in search of the perfect one (taco, that is). How serendipitous is that? City Kitchen is a reliable source of inspiration for home cooks. I've copied dozens of their recipes, but no one - not even the Times - bats 1.000. While still pretty tasty, this dish just missed the mark, falling way behind in the taco standings. My challenge was to figure out why.

Sizzling Pork Tacos - adapted from the NY Times

1½ lb pork shoulder, cut into ½" strips Salt & pepper 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2½ tsp Ancho chili powder 1 tsp ground cumin 3 Tbsp vegetable oil or good quality lard 2 doz small corn tortillas Tomatillo sauce, for serving Salsa cruda, for serving

Season pork generously with salt and pepper. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin, and mix well, massaging the seasoning into the meat with your fingers. Let meat marinate for at least an hour, or refrigerate overnight.

Heat oil on a cast iron skillet or grill over medium heat. When the oil looks wavy, add the meat and let it sizzle, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and cooked through, 5 - 7 minutes. Turn off heat and keep the meat warm.

Tomatillo Sauce - NY Times recipe

12 tomatillos, husked and quartered 2 cups roughly chopped cilantro 1 or 2 Serrano chilies, split lengthwise and chopped ½ tsp salt

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor with ½ cup ice water. The salsa is best the day it's made, but will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Salsa Cruda - NY Times recipe

1 medium white onion, finely diced 1 cup finely diced firm tomatoes, drained 1 Serrano chili, minced 1 Tbsp roughly chopped parsley 1 Tbsp roughly chopped cilantro

Stir together all ingredients 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

To build the tacos, heat the tortillas on an ungreased hot griddle or cast iron pan. Turn them once or twice until hot and slightly puffed. As they come off the griddle, stack them on a cloth napkin to steam, with another napkin on top. Stack 2 hot tortillas on a plate. Spoon on a little sizzling pork, then top with a spoonful of tomatillo salsa and another of salsa cruda.

After following all instructions, I looked down at my assembled plate and thought to myself, "hmmm... needs more glockenspiel." And then I quoted another famous artist: "Gromit, that's it! Cheese! We'll go somewhere where there's cheese!" So I did. Just a smattering of crumbled queso fresco, and my eye feasted.

Decent tacos though they were, the spice mix was slightly off, and I have a preference for roasted, or slow-cooked pork. I'll play with the Times recipe another day, and report back to you, my gentle readers. But I've concluded that in the long run, the search for the perfect taco is defined, at least in part, by having someone else make it for you. Wouldn't you agree?

Thanks for taking the time - Blog O. Food