If you’re in or around Elmira on Tuesday afternoons and you haven’t already stopped by to enjoy the latest in downtown fare, be sure to come to 83 Arthur Street South soon for a fresh and tasty lunch. You can of course stop by any day for lunch, but every Tuesday is taco Tuesday!
One of our recent taco Tuesday treats was a chicken pineapple tostada on a white corn tortilla, with rice and black bean salad on the side. If you haven’t heard of tostadas before, they are similar to tacos. The word itself is Spanish for “toasted”, so often in Mexican and Latin American cooking, some element or ingredient in the tostada is toasted in its preparation.
The tostada helps to avoid waste if the tortillas are not fresh enough to be used for tacos, but they are still fresh enough to eat. Often with tostadas, the tortilla is fried in a bit of oil so it becomes golden, rigid, and crunchy. In traditional Mexican food, the tostada is an accompaniment to other dishes, such as seafood and stews. But we like to use ours for taco Tuesday!
Be sure to stop by soon for lunch (and perhaps leftovers for dinner!).
Chicken Tostada
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, pulled apart
1/4 red and green peppers, each julienned
1/8 red onion, sliced
3 tbsp. chopped parsley or cilantro
1 clove garlic
1 thumb ginger, grated
1/2 lemon, squeezed
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. sambal oelek
1/4 golden pineapple, diced
8 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cheddar
Corn or flour tortillas
Instructions
- In bowl place all ingredients and toss.
- Place corn tortillas on a cookie sheet and top with the chicken mixture; top with cheddar, bake in oven at 375˚F until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp. (This step can also be done on a BBQ set to low.)
- Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired.
