Swedish Taco Night Fridays: What to do with Leftover Tortillas

To the average European, this is the ONLY Tortilla available. A tortilla made with the main ingredient which is nothing more than wheat flour. My flavourite Tortilla however is made from Corn or Mais. Having said that, in any Friday Night Taco Feast, there are always left over Tortillas. So what do you do with them ?

by Jessica Harlan

Yahoo News had a great article and video the other day on November 6, 2012 with Jessica Harlan explaining uses for leftover Tortillas which most people will either throw away or put in plastic and shove away in the freezer. She's also written the book called "Tortillas to the Rescue Cookbook". For most folks who have been raised up on or around Mexican Foods, the tortilla may bring to mind countless Mexican dishes like Tacos, Taquitos, Quesadillas, Enchiladas, etc , etc, etc. But to a Swede, it's simply Tacos. Everything is Tacos. Okay, I'll post over the next several weeks more uses for Mexican ingredients recipes other than Tacos, but for now, what about the leftovers after a Friday Night Taco Feast ? Here's the Yahoo article link and video below:

http://shine.yahoo.com/at-home/unexpected-and-yummy-recipes-using-tortillas.html

And for a more detailed recipes ideas you can print out and follow, here is a page right off Jessica Harlan's website. 

Jessica Harlan's - Tortillas to the Rescue on Yahoo! Shine

This was a typical old time version of a Quesadillas you could order at a average Mexican Restaurant back in the 1950s & 60s. Most people would order one of these as an appetizer while they waited for their main course.

You can still make a plain old cheese quesadilla from your leftover flour tortillas and package of grated pizza cheese purchased from your local ICA, Willey's or Hemköp stores. It's so simple even a child can do this. Simply take a cookie baking sheet and depending on how big the Tortilla sizes are put one or two large tortillas on the sheet and sprinkle with grated pizza cheese and put in oven at moderate heat and bake until crispy, but not over done. Take out and let it cool. Serve at the table as a snack or watching your favourite Fußball team on TV. Okay so here's what I do now days instead. Take a long drooling look below.

Over the years times have changed and so have the preferences of those who love Mexican Quesadillas. You can literally do anything you want with them as a fun experiment. But below is a simple recipe I usually do.

I could have easily titled this post "Quesadillas". After a Friday's Taco Night however, there are usually a number of ingredients leftover for Saturday. Minced Beef, Minced Chicken (Kyckling), Onions, Salsa, Guacamole, etc, etc, etc. It's really simple and no real need to write down, because you basically can create what appeals to you. We often just take a large flour tortilla and put it into a large frying pan which is slight greased with butter or Canola Oil (same as Rapseed) to prevent sticking, put on a thing layer of shredded cheese(whatever flavour Cheese you wish) and then some minced beef or chicken, along with onions, bell peppers and sprinkle again with another thin layer of cheese. Then another tortilla on top of all of that. Put a lid on the pan and fry at a medium heat and check for burning, then flip to other side. The cheese melts, blends and actually makes a perfect cohesive component to the Quesadilla for it not to fall apart. Then set it off to the side and repeat as necessary. I have also done the above in a microwave using ingredients on only half the tortilla and folding over the other half which gives it an instant taco appearance. Works very fast and easy. Something like this final picture below. You can then when still hot, open it up and add the Salsa and Guacamole as an after addition. It's to messy to do all at once in the microwave, oven or frying pan.

Enjoy!

Swedish Taco Night Fridays: Tequila Chicken

Well here are the ingredients for Sweden

Obviously the chicken is the most important. The are a couple of brand names here. Clearly Bröstfile (breast file) are the most sought after and expensive of the chicken parts. You can purchase high end priced Guldfågeln as seen in the photo above right.

Or you can go for the cheapy brand label called Euro-Shopper which is sort of a spooky looking generic brand from the mainland continent I assume. And who knows what or where it comes from. I get a feeling of  Industrial Ag when I see it. Oh well, the Tequila marinate corrects any of the Industrial Ag health issues anyway right ? Just kidding! - *smile*

Next there is the Tequila for the main marinate. We had friends bring over this past July for us a bottle of Tequila. What we didn't expect was two bottles of X-Large El Jimador 100% Puro Agave. This is the sipping Tequila for those special occasions. Like slamming down shots followed by Budweiser ? Kidding! But seriously, the reason the pure 100% Agave is so expensive is that there is only so much actually agave growing plantations in all the world. Hence the cheaper versions which are watered down with common grain alcohol. I'm guessing something like Vodka is neutral.

But I'd rather use Jose Quervo or another cheaper brand and quality as opposed to the expensive. Even though most Tequila brands are not 100% Agave but have a large measure of tasteless grain alcohol added to make the flavour go farther, it nevertheless has the Tequila taste and it's for a marinate anyway. If you've never been to an American Mexican Restaurant or even one in Mexico and had real Tequila marinate and grilled chicken, then you don't have a clue as to what you've been missing. 

Limes are also important as these components and flavours in combination will not only compliment one another but kill potentially any bacterial problem associated with our modern industrial Ag-Farm Industries. Besides, if you also want Margaritas, you can also make your own mix here as Margarita mix imported to Sweden is insanely priced at about $13.00 a bottle. Seriously, that's Svenskland!  

Cilantro - (Koriander) 

Okay here a new rule. As long as you Swedes are going to make Mexican Food on Fridays or any other night, start calling one of the primo herb ingredients to Mexican food - Cilantro & not Coriander. Coriander is a Mediterranean herb for Mediterranean food dishes. The common packaging for Cilantro here are the cute little Santa Maria live herb packages you see above located in every produce section. There truly is nothing like fresh cilantro. Sorry, Coriander. Start getting use to the Spanish word/term is you really want to get into the mood of Mexican cooking.

We often get these at ICA MAXI or Hemköp, but because I use so much in my cooking I quite often go over to the local Middle Eastern Immigrant Produce Store and purchase the much larger bunches of Cilantro as seen above and store it for a week in our fridge's produce bin. It's cheaper, more quantity and has generally a darker richer green colour than the usual Green House grown brands. I have no idea where they get it, but the Arab/Persian store owners have inside tracks outside of Sweden for getting better quality produce. Trust me, people who come from warmer climates know better when it comes to quality produce, what we like and are use to. Still though, the other brands are good, but - Just Say'n . . ! Okay here's one last word on Cilantro. Watch this video from Taco Bell (for you Euros this is a long time Mexican Fast Food chain started way back in the 1964 in the U.S.) But this video of theirs illustrates and educates the importance of Cilantro to Mexican Food. 

The Spices - Santa Maria

Okay no big secret here. I like the Santa Maria spice collection. It's true many recipes call for just the right measured individual ingredients and you can go the route. However I want quick and fast and they have actually done a terrific job with their various blends. The most popular one I use is indeed their original Taco Spice, but the Habanero is a often used flavourite for me. I don't know what it is about Habanero, but it seems to have a slight smokiness to it, without actually being smoked over wood fire. It's also inexplicably addictive. Seriously your mouth is on fire, you lay off the Habanero Salsa till the mouth cools off, but finally you find yourself craving more. Go figure!

The Recipe:

1/2 cup Gold Tequila

1 Lime

3 garlic cloves crushed in a handpress

2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup Canola Oil (for Euros - Rapseed) 

2 tablespoons reg Butter (Bregott)

2/3 packet of flavourite Santa Maria Spice

one small bunch (about 8 stems) Cilantro

3 Chicken Breasts (Kyckling Bröstfile)

Mixing and Marinate 

I like to do things quickly, but the marinating should be given enough time to do it's work of getting that main ingredient for which the dish is named after - Tequila - to do it's work of infusing that particular flavour into the chicken.  I like to slice the breast files length wise into long slender strips. Although if I choose to Bar-B-Q, I leave them whole. This recipe is one I did very quick last night. You can mix the ingredients into a plastic bag and marinate for an hour or so before cooking, but I like to put all the strips into an oval glass ovenware dish, add the Tequila all over the top of the chicken, squeezing one lime on top of that and then adding the Sea Salt & my choice of Santa Maria Taco Spice over the top of the chicken, then turning them over and doing the same to the other side. Cover dish and let it set at room temperature for an hour and then placing in a hot frying pan where the Canola Oil & butter already are. I first however mix in the finely pressed garlic gloves in the hot oil and often I'll throw in some sliced yellow onions for a change, but not always. My main purpose is for that Tequila flavour to win out above everything else. You can actually go too far with other ingredients and mask that flavour. The Cilantro I rinse with water and finely mince or chop on a cutting board and sprinkle evenly over the top of the chicken in the frying pan. I also have added prior to cooking in the marinate and so can you. Next cover with a lid and allow to slowly cook on low heat. Chicken like fish cooks very fast and cooking to fast can make it tough. The way I do it the chicken comes out delicate & tender which has the effect of melting in your mouth when you bite in. 

BAR-B-Q Files

There are of course countless ways to cook, bake, broil or you can BAR-B-Q this chicken marinate, but this is the quick-easy approach for me. You can serve it with a rice dish or even beans. I have to admit as far as Mexican Cooking here in Sweden, Frijoles (W/ Pinto Beans) has not exactly caught on here. But we're working on that as I've done them from scratch before when I've had guests over for a meal. Okay, this was simple, not complicated. Anyone can do this. Wow, when I did it last night and took the cover off the pan mid-way through the cooking, the aroma was killer. Just remember one thing - It's called Cilantro, not Koriander!

Silkeborg Dänemark & a Mexican Restaurant

My wife and I took a trip for only the second time to a city in the center of Dänemark called Silkeborg. To me the area is unique for a number of positive reasons. First, it's one of the last holdouts for viewing Danish Forests in their natural state. Like most of Europe, most of Dänemark has been cleared of it's forest trees, with the odd exception of pockets of woods here and there and of course the wooded riparian habitats along all of it's waterways. Various forms of Agricultural Enterprizes for the most part have taken the place of the once beautiful forest woodlands. 

Silkeborg on the other has an abundance of forests around it and a peaceful quietness about it despite the annual Riverboat Jazz Festival which we just happened to hit at just the right time --> both times we stayed. Actually, our first trip was spent outside of Silkeborg in the town of Bryrup at a Bed & Breakfast (Rum och Frukost) next to the old train station. Our next morning there, I got up early at around 5:00am and took a walk along the old railway tracks which run tourist steam train excursions through the forests then opening up running along side a large lake. The lake was like clear undisturbed glass and the only sound was that of a European Cookoo across the lake making it's presence known. Along with a pair of gliding Swans on the lake making a slight ripple in the water behind them, the scene was a restful & beautiful one. I could have sat in a chair by that spot on the lake and drank coffee all morning taking in & soaking up that whole experience for another 2 hours or so.

One of the first things you'll notice on the way traveling there are the dominent flower called Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)  in the large meadows and farm fields.

There were of course crowds there for the Riverboat Jazz Festival. I like the various Jazz Musics and such like, but so many people in and around those tents, it was hard to find a place to sit or stand. We heard one Latin Jazz Band  and we wanted to listen, but again the crowds were overwhelming and when my wife had some woman spill wine on her shoe, so oh well it was time to move along.  

 Below are some pictures along the river walk pathway and the numerous private boats by which a great number of people choose to visit and participate in the traditional Jazz Festival. My wife also spent much of her growing up in Sweden with her family during every summer on these boats where one can travel the waterways meandering through various water courses along with hundreds of others and all living life on the water. Bar-B-Qs are everywhere. I don't think anyone hardly uses a conventional stove or range on their boats.

Silkeborg's River Walk Pathway with private boats lining the banks

A large number of folks without boats pay for the beautiful steam riverboat excursions which have a lot of food, drink and of course a live Jazz Band on board

Across the water looking towards old town city center were where the numerous tents and Jazz celebrations were going on. The private boats were lined up 5 -6 rows deep in various inlet harbours with folks having their own private family Bar-B-Qs or getting to know their new neighbours from places elsewhere.

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One of the highlights for me was in the old city center of town where there is a place so familiar to me that once inside, you'd think you were at Casa Guadalajara in old town San Diego California. Well, maybe not that clourful, but close. On our first trip there 5 years ago we were walking around the town looking for a place to place to eat. It was early and all we were really doing was just lookie-Looing around anyway. We walked along by these old quaint Danish buildings and I past by a window and for whatever reason just happened to look inside. To my surprise and pleasant astonishment, their interior decor I saw inside of this Danish Building below here looked authentically like being somewhere in Southwest or Mexico.

First of all I have to explain something here about Scandinavian restaurants in general. No matter what the theme of the restaurant (Greek, Spanish, whatever) , the decor (chairs, tables, etc) is almost always IKEA. Seriously, what's up with that ? I've never experienced such a generic lack of artistic character or imagination when it comes to most restaurant themes here in northern Europe (Scandinavia). So this was out of the typical norm and I didn't even have to look at the signage above my head to know what the theme of this restaurant was all about. For me personally, the idea of going to a restaurant is atmosphere and finding a potal to another place. For a brief moment leaving the insane world outside behind and experiencing an escape. That's why you don't mind paying a little more for the food. I don't care if there is good Mexican food, I can have good Mexican food at home. But I want good food with great atmosphere. Here are some more pics of the place and later a bit of history behind this place and it's owner who clearly has worked so hard to pull it all together.

Front entrance to La Casita 

Mexican Food with Cerveza Corona ?

Public Toilette with Mexican Theme 

The day before, we had recommended this restaurant to a large group of friends from Sweden who were with us at a convention there and they ALL gave it two thumbs up. 😍 They were also impressed by the bathrooms with their decor. This picture to the right  is the restroom wash basin. The his and her toilettes are behind this scene and have the similar authentic  coloured Mexican theme and created from Mexican tiles the owner imported. The owner really thought of everything when it came to decor for her place and her guest's experience. The funny thing is that the Salsa was mild, but there was a hotter version (it actually wasn't to me) which most of our friends couldn't take, with the exception of one of them who was from India. What can I say, most northern Europeans burn their lips on Katsup, go figure 😲. The place has expanded from when I was there before. They have a back patio area and another indoor dining area. Below is that back dining room and the outdoor porch area and seating along with a Jazz Band playing for guest entertainment. Also one shot of the actual owner hard at work as always over the Bar-B-Q grill.

Owner Sanne Jensen

I didn't have a chance to speak much with the owner Sanne Jensen as we could before because their business at that moment was so intense with numerous guests coming and going. But I remember the first time I visited 5 years ago & I was impressed by not only the decor choices and selection on the menu but also the authentic flavourings of the dish recipes themselves. This particular time they only had a shortened abbreviated menu for the crowd coming in from the Jazz Festival. Made perfect sense to me. Otherwise any other visit would have been the full Menu selection. My wife and I both had the all you could eat chicken & carne asada fajitas with all the rice, beans, guacamole, 2 kinds of salsa, sour cream, grated cheddar, etc you eat.

Image from La Casita website

The name La Casita means "small home" and this describes this  cozy little Mexican restaurant in Silkeborg. The restaurant owner Sanne Jensen opened her restaurant 1997 after traveling in the Southern USA, but in particular San Antonio, Texas, where she experienced lots of good tasting Mexican food. She said it wasn't just about opening a Mexican restaurant, but also providing a good atmosphere where families and business people would always want to come back and visit. The decor is kept in warm, autumn colors and contains a wealth of Mexican handicrafts and antiques. The food is classic delicious Mexican dishes such as burritos, tostadas and enchiladas. La Casitas' specialty is fajitas where you get served a number of small Mexican specialties that you combine to create your own tortilla meal. Fajitas would be unusual for most Scandinavians who think Mexican food is only about Tacos. So that explained the authentic taste and appeal of the food. He background also explained her taste in dining decor for the overall theme of the restaurant with many of the items actually imported from Mexico. The photo above left shows some of the collected southwest items arranged along a shelf all along the walls close to the ceiling. Even still, it was a pleasant surprise to actually find an authentic Mexican Food restaurant with escapism atmosphere in Europe period.

Image - haciendagrill

For those in Scandinavia who have no clue as to what fajitas looking like, the example on the right is a combination of grilled hot carne asada, chicken, chiles, onions, etc served on a cast iron grill plate. Along with that you can get either flour or corn tortillas, guacamole, different salsas, cheeses, beans, etc. You seriously can NOT get this kind of superior Mexican Dining and atmosphere anywhere else in all of Europe. There are some good tacos stand like a mobile La Taqueria trailer stand that sets up at Saluhallen in Gothenburg. He is a Swede and is girl friend from Mexico. Not even in Spain, even in our favourite place the Canary Islands. I know because I looked. The closest thing we ever found was in Puerta de La Cruz , Tenerfie and it looked authentic enough in the sense of an out of the way Cantina in a small in the middle of nowhere Pueblo in Sonora, Mexico where Pancho Villa & his Banditos would have probably hung out on occasion. But there was no comparison to the food at La Casita and the immaculately clean atmosphere was lacking in Tenerife. If anyone in Europe or from anywhere else wishes to experience authentic Mexico, it's food and it's culture without the expense of traveling to the United States or Mexico, then La Casita in Silkeborg, Dänemark is the closest you'll come to the original. 

Here is a link to the restaurant's website:

La Casita MexiCantina

Our Guest House

We actually stayed at a private upstairs guest house loft which was very roomy and very comfortable. You could ask for a squeaky cleaner place that the one we rented. Around the neighbourhood there were a number of walking trails through the forests. We walked quite a bit and passed through what are some private garden summer houses on small lots. This is common in Scandinavia where land is scare and expensive where you find it. But I'll have more on that later in a comparison of several such communities in another future post.

Silkeborg has alot more to offer for those looking for a relaxed summer atmosphere. You can rent a room almost anywhere or even a complete house if you wish. But I would go there over the more well known Dänemark capitol of Copenhagen any day.