Taco Night Giveaway

Do you remember when Pure Luck first opened and they had an appetizer that consisted of two whole avocados, maybe stuffed with something (?), and battered and fried?  I never got around to trying them, and that lost opportunity (and their loving embrace of sheer excess) has left me thinking of fried avocado all too often in the ensuing years.  

So when the Avocados from Mexico people contacted me about hosting this giveaway it seemed it was high time to do something about that longing and fry myself up some avocados.  We wrapped them in fresh corn tortillas and topped them with shredded cabbage and that mayonnaise-y white sauce and salsa just like they came from a Baja taco stand.  

Here's the recipe.  And in just a second it will be your turn.  Leave a description or recipe or link to your favorite taco in the comments for a chance to win an iCard for a hundred bucks.  Rad, right?  Plus we're working together to create a data base of vegan taco recipes.  Everyone wins.  At the end of the month a winner will picked at random from everyone that submitted a taco.  So get cookin'.    

Baja Avocado Tacos
Before you run away in horror, keep in mind that you're not frying the tortilla, so I like to think that the fat content sort of evens out.  Am I rationalizing?  Mmm, fried avocado.  

Beer-battered avocado:

• 2 ripe avocados
• mild oil for frying 
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 cup Mexican lager (that's a half a beer)

The sauce:

• 1/2 cup vegenaise 
• 2 tablespoons nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cabbage
12 taco size fresh corn tortillas 
hot sauce and lime wedges

Sauce: Whisk ingredients together and pop it in the fridge until you're ready for tacos.

Avocados: Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  (If you want more help frying, here's a primer on deep frying.  Contrary to that advice however, I tend to use an 8-inch cast iron skillet with 2-inch sides.  I put about an inch of oil in the pan.  So it's not particularly deep frying.  But according to a lot that I just read, it's also not particularly safe.  And I don't want to be responsible for an oil fire in your kitchen.  So what I'm saying is, if you've never fried in a lot of oil before, just do a little more reading before you get started.  Okay, thanks.)  

While the oil gets good and hot, whisk together the flour and seasonings for your batter.  Whisk in the beer until smooth.  

Cut the avocado into slices.  Dip in batter.  And ease into the hot oil.  Don't crowd the pan.  (That will bring down the temperature of the oil resulting in more oil absorption.)  When the avocados are golden brown all over (you may need to turn them if they're not completely submerged in oil) remove to a cooling rack set over a sheet pan.  Store in a warm oven until all the avocados are cooked.  

Just before serving, heat the tortillas on a hot cast-iron griddle or wrap in a damp towel and heat in the microwave for about a minute or until steamy.   

To assemble a taco: Place a couple pieces of fried avocado on top of a hot tortilla.  Top with shredded cabbage, sauce, hot sauce or salsa, and a squeeze of lime.  

Serves 4. 

Fine print:

• I am running this sweepstakes at the request of Avocados from Mexico, for which I will receive $100 gift card in appreciation.
• Official Rules
• Contest closes on October 30, 2010.
• Also, there's a Twitter promotion every Thursday.  You can tweet a photo of your “Taco Night” to @Guacgrl. The first 5 tweets each Thursday will receive at $25 iCard!
• I sort of use Twitter, a little.  The people tell me it would be super-rad if you spread the word and use the hashtag, #taconightand.
• Have I mentioned lately that you're the coolest?  

Comments are closed and Kim's Fish (sigh) Tacos (comment #16) have been chosen by random.org as the winner.  Thank you so much to everybody that submitted a recipe!