Day 9: Chorizo and Potato Tacos with Black Bean Salsa

Today's updated classic was prepared by executive editor Sarah Humphreys, who edits the entire magazine (meaning she reads each story at least twice, and sometimes three times). She makes sure that all the articles in an issue fit well together and that everything is well-planned out.

 

As soon as football season starts, I get a craving for tacos. Hard-shell tacos—the kind my mom used to make straight from an Old El Paso kit and topped with chopped dill pickles (uh huh). Crunchy, spicy, creamy, no-frills delicious. Place plate on coffee table and eat while watching game.

 

And so when it came time to pick my Month of Dinners dinner, there was really no option. It had to be the Chorizo and Potato Tacos with Black Bean Salsa. Could this Real Simple recipe satisfy those same base cravings—in an admittedly more sophisticated (and less trans-fatty) way?

 

 

The ingredients: You know it's a good recipe when everything you need to buy is fresh and perishable…except for the taco shells. In my mind, precisely what makes taco shells delicious is that they come from a yellow box that's been sitting on a grocery-store shelf for who-knows-how-long.

 

 

The prep and cooking: I made the black bean and radish salsa that afternoon and stuck it in the refrigerator. As for cooking the potatoes and chorizo, I could actually conduct a conversation while I was doing it and not mess it up. Which means it was EASY. I did manage to get distracted by football and Mexican beer while I was assembling the tacos and so forgot the avocado slices. Rookie mistake. But they still looked pretty (even though they seem scarily gargantuan in the photo).

 

 

The outcome: I think the picture below says it all, don't you? The chorizo was nice and spicy, the radishes in the salsa lent that same satisfying crunch as my beloved dill pickles. My delightful dinner companion remarked he'd like these just as much wrapped into a soft tortilla (to each his own). As for me, I was already looking forward to the following night, when I'd use the leftover chorizo, potatoes, and salsa on nachos.

 

 

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how you liked it in the comments, and share your photos by following @RealSimpleFood on Twitter and using the hashtag #OctDinner.