Taco Bell Chalupa

Ingredients

Queso Sauce

30g unsalted butter 

half yellow onion (finely diced)

1 poblano pepper (seeded & finely chopped)

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

Salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbsp AP flour

360ml whole milk

150g grated American cheese

225g cheddar cheese (grated)

Seasoned Beef

560g minced beef

110g minced smoky bacon

35g tomato paste

1.5 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp mushroom soup base powder

2 tsp smoked paprika

Black pepper & salt to taste

1 cup water 

Chalupa

375g AP flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp castor sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/240ml cup milk

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

Vegetable oil for frying

Toppings

1/2 Ice berg lettuce (shreaded)

1/2 jicama (shreaded)

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro (finely chopped)

200g monterey cheese (grated)

200g cheddar cheese (grated)

1 tomato (diced)

salt & pepper

Olive oil

Full fat sour cream

Method:

1. To make queso sauce, 
1. melt butter & fry onion, garlic & pepper for 3-5 mins to sweat. 
2. Then add flour, cook & stir for 1 minute, then add milk & stir until mix thickens.
3. Turn off the heat & mix in cheeses until melted.
4. Cover & leave on low flame to keep warm.
2. To make the minced beef,
1. dry fry the beef & bacon over high heat until brown & slightly crispy. 
2. Then reduce heat to medium & add tomato paste & saute for 1 min.
3. Add cumin powder, onion powder, mushroom powder, smoked paprika, salt & pepper & cook for 1 min before adding water & bringing to boil.
4. Reduce to simmer & stir until almost no liquid remains (10-15 mins).
5. Turn off heat & stir in raw minced garlic.
3. To make toppings,
1. mix together lettuce, jicama & cilantro.
2. mix together cheeses.
3. mix together tomato, salt, pepper & olive oil.
4. To make chalupa,
1. Mix flour, salt, sugar, baking powder together & add milk & vegetable oil & mix until rough dough forms. Knead for 2-4 mins until smooth. Cover & rest for 15 mins.
2. Heat frying oil to 180°C.
3. Divide dough into 8 pieces (67g each) & roll pieces into balls. Flatten with rolling pin into 6" discs. Poke holes throughout disc with a fork.
4. Gently fry dough for 15 secs, then remove & gently press dough into taco shape with thongs. Then continue to fry for 30 secs, using thongs to hold the taco shape. Then continue frying until golden brown (1-2 mins). 
5. Turn onto wire rack & season with salt to taste.

Recipe & video by Joshua Weissman