MASA Makes Old-Fashion Tortillas

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It’s pretty easy to get excited about tacos. They’re handheld pockets of deliciousness that hit all the flavor bases. But tragically, too often the tortilla is an afterthought, merely a vessel for savory, sweet, spicy and saucy. We prep the taco fixings with care, sourcing the best local ingredients to impress our palates, and then rip the plastic off a stack of tortillas and toss them in the microwave. So what happens when we treat the tortilla with equal care, taking them out of the factory-produced, store-bought realm? Vicky Salgado and Karla Valladares will tell you it turns something tasty into something transcendent.

For these two Hondureñas handmade tortillas are not just a delicious addition to dinner, it’s a cultural tie they were not about to give up. Salgado has fond memories of tortilla makers selling product door-to-door in her hometown of Morolica, taking orders the night before and showing up with fresh tortillas just in time for breakfast.

 

Pressing each tortilla by hand, Vicky uses dough made from 100% non-GMO Masa – the special flour to which the brand owes its name. Masa is the result of a specific variety of field corn broken down through a natural nixtamalization process and then milled into flour.

Since launching the business with her Tia Vicky, Karla has pledged a new-found allegiance to the non-GMO brand.

“I will never go back to Maseca,” Valladares say referring to the leading conventional brand. “Seriously [non-GMO Masa] has a better taste, it’s not so bland. Just the smell! You can actually smell the corn when it’s cooking.”

In addition to tacos, the hand-made tortillas can be used as a delicious side for any dinner particularly those including beans. Or try them in the morning with avocado, central-american style crema, eggs and hot sauce.

They will keep in your fridge for up to six days kept in a tupperware or plastic bag. Heat them up in a saucepan and add a pinch of salt, butter, or oil for extra flavor.

The result is a delicious, moist, savory, earthy alternative to the gummy, chewy mass-produced store bought stacks of tortilla.

Tortillas are made the day of the market and sold in packs of 5 for $5. See the video below for a quick peak into this labor of love. Scroll further down for Market Tacos recipe and give tortillas the attention they deserve!

Masa makes the tortillas​ from Audubon Market on Vimeo.

 

Market Recipe!

Market Tacos Recipe including Vendors

  • 1 lb Grass-fed Beef / Goat – Orlando Meats $10
  • Veggie Option – $5 eggplant from R & B Organics, $5 Microgreens from Natural Goodness.
  • Squash – R & B Organics $3.50
  • Gouda Cheese – My Yard Farm $6.50
  • Fleet Greens – Fleet Farming $4
  • Chimichurri Rojo – Isle of Salsa $5
  • (2) packets of Non-GMO HandMade Corn Tortillas $10 – Masa

 

To start: sauté ground beef or goat for 10 minutes. If using goat, a leaner, high-protein red meat, curry and/or cumin is a fantastic complement. Add curry/cumin to meat an hour prior to cooking. On Medium-high heat, brown the meat for a minute or two.

turn to Medium-low and cover. If you wish to add onion, throw them in just before the switch to lower heat.

Dress summer squash in a little olive oil with a sprinkle of kosher salt and perhaps a dash of garam masala. Toss in with meat with 8 minutes remaining.

Make sure all the pink is gone from the ground beef/goat. If you have a meat thermometer, you want it to reach 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

When done cooking remove from heat.

For a veggie alternative, oven-bake R&B organics eggplant and squash.

Cut eggplant into ½-inch cubes, dress in Isle of Salsa Chimichurri (Green or Red). Roast at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes. Cut squash into ½-inch cubes dress in olive oil and salt, bake for 25 minutes.

Heat up tortillas in a covered saucepan just above the warm setting, or throw in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for no more than two minutes. If you have it, drizzle just a little bit of coconut oil and sprinkle salt over and under tortillas for added scrumptiousness.

Wash off the the freshly harvested fleet greens (they were in Audubon Park soil not more than 48 hours prior) and put them in salad spinner or shake in colander for a bit. Place greens in bowl and dress in chimichurri rojo.

If using the veggie option, top with Natural Goodness Microgreens for extra protein.

Now, take out those delicious, warm non-GMO corn tortillas and get ready to enjoy a delicious meal made from items produced by your neighbors. Better for your body, the environment, and your tastebuds!

Instagram the finished product and tag us @audubonmarket