Tacos de canasta, or basket tacos, are a staple of Mexico City’s street food scene. Also known as tacos sudados (“sweaty tacos”), they are assembled by the dozen with a wide variety of toppings and kept warm and steaming in a towel- and plastic-lined basket. This easily transportable container makes these tacos a great option for picnics and parties. This recipe opts for potato and chorizo toppings, but you can use any of your favorite taco toppings (although drier options tend to fare better, as they don’t saturate the tortillas). If you don’t have a basket, a bamboo pot or steamer will do the trick.
Get ahead: Chili oil, potato topping, and chorizo topping can be prepared and refrigerated separately up to 2 days in advance.
Storage: Tacos are best when eaten immediately. Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium-high heat.
Or buy: Guajillo peppers and fresh corn tortillas can be found in well-stocked supermarkets and Latin grocery stores.
Ingredients
Servings: 6–12 (makes 24 tacos)
For the guajillo chili oil
For tacos and toppings
Directions
Active: 1 hour 15 minutes
|Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
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Step 1
Prepare the chili oil: cut the onion in half down to the root; peel and roughly chop one half and thinly slice the other half. Reserve the sliced onion; you will need it to prepare the tacos.
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2nd step
In a 10-inch high-sided skillet over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, chiles, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic begins to turn golden and the chiles become a brighter red, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
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Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a blender, add the salt and blend on high until almost smooth – a few chili pepper grains are enough. Strain the oil into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer. You can speed up the process by moving the solids with a spatula or spoon into the strainer, but don’t push them. The oil in the bowl should be a bright, light orange-red color. You should have about 1 cup.
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Step 4
Prepare the tacos and toppings: Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees. Wrap four stacks of 6 tortillas in foil and warm them in the oven for 30 minutes, using a large baking sheet for ease, if desired. Remove the batteries from the oven and turn off the heat, but keep the tortillas in the foil.
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Step 5
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, a generous amount of salt and enough cold water to cover about 2 inches. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, or lower if necessary, until the water simmers gently and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and reserve.
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Step 6
Return the pan to medium heat, add 1/4 cup guajillo chile oil and heat until shimmering. Return the potatoes to the pan, season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, roughly mashing them with a spatula or spoon, until the potatoes are almost smooth and the oil is fully incorporated. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm until ready to assemble.
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Step 7
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat canola oil or neutral oil until shimmering. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with a spoon, until the meat is almost crumbled, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from fire.
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Step 8
Line a large basket or pot with clean dish towels so there is a generous overhang all around. Next, cover it with a plastic bag – you can use a grocery bag, a small unscented trash bag, or a heat-proof cooking bag. Finally, cover with a few sheets of parchment paper so that the plastic is completely covered and there is a generous overhang all around.
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Step 9
Create a taco filling station with the tortillas, two fillings and the easily accessible lined basket or pot. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining 3/4 cup chili oil until shimmering. Take a tortilla from one of the stacks wrapped in foil (keep the other tortillas in the stack covered), fill it with 2 rounded tablespoons of potato filling, fold in half and place at the bottom of the basket. Repeat two more times with the potato filling on one side of the basket, then three more times with the chorizo filling on the other side of the basket. (It’s okay if the tacos overlap.) Once there are 6 tacos on the bottom, distribute a quarter of the remaining sliced onion on top. Carefully drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of chili oil on top and use a pastry brush or spoon to help distribute evenly.
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Step 10
Repeat filling and stacking with the remaining 3 tortilla stacks, finishing with a layer of onions and chili oil. (You should end up with 12 potato tacos and 12 chorizo tacos.) When finished, fold over the parchment paper overhang and seal the plastic bag tightly by tying the excess in a knot at the top or with a rubber band . Steam for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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Step 11
Open the bag and serve immediately, with your favorite toppings, such as salsa and pickled vegetables, if using.
Variants
To simplify the recipe, combine the potatoes and chorizo into one filling. When the potatoes drain into the colander, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons chili oil. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking it up with your spoon, until the meat is almost crumbled, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the potatoes to the pan, stirring and roughly mashing them with a spatula or spoon until almost smooth and fully mixed with the chorizo. Remove from heat, cover and keep warm until ready to assemble.
Remarks
If you are making only a potato filling, double the amount of potatoes; If you are making just a chorizo filling, double the amount of canola oil and chorizo.
