HARD TACOS SHELL RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat about 1 inch of oil in a heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat to 365 degrees F (180 degrees C).n
• Use tongs to place one tortilla at a time into the oil. It should start to sizzle right away. Cook for about 15 seconds, then flip over and fold the shell in half, holding in place with the tongs until crispy, about 15 seconds. You may need a little practice at first. Drain on paper towels, and sprinkle with salt while still hot. Use for tacos right away, or they may become chewy. Leftovers may be heated in the oven for crisping.n

Steps:

• Start by rinsing and stemming 7-8 plum tomatoes.  Roast them in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.
• For the chicken, add the seasoning ingredients to a bowl:  2 tablespoons crushed New Mexican chile (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a dollop of oil.  Chop up two chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and combine well with the seasoning.
• For the rice, start by adding a dollop of oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add 1 cup of rice and saute until the rice is turning opaque and golden brown.   Meanwhile, add 1-2 of the roasted tomatoes to a blender along with 1/2 onion and a single garlic clove.  Combine well and add this puree to the rice, cooking for a few minutes.  Add 2 cups of stock and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed.  Set aside and cover, letting it sit its own steam for a few minutes.  Salt to taste.  (Note:  it's okay to pull the roasting tomatoes from the oven a bit early when you need them for the rice.)
• When the tomatoes are done roasting add six of them to a blender for the Salsa along with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 jalapeno, and a pinch of salt (optional).  Pulse blend, leaving it a bit chunky.  Taste for seasoning and for heat level.  You can always add more jalapeno if you want a more fiery Salsa.
• To cook the chicken, I usually saute 3-4 tablespoons of chopped onion in some oil until tender (over medium-high heat) and then add the seasoned chicken.  Form a single layer as much as possible and let the first side cook through all the way, then flipping and briefly cooking the second side.  When done, add the chicken to a bowl and cover with foil until serving. 
• For the guacamole, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, and the juice of 1 lime to a bowl.  Combine with the flesh of two ripe avocados.  Taste for seasoning.  I added another pinch of salt and another squeeze of lime to this batch.  (I usually crush the chopped onion with the back of fork to mimic a molcajete and release some additional oils.)
• I recommend half-assembling the tacos for your family and friends, i.e. crisping them up on a comal or skillet before serving.  First, put the chicken, guacamole, and salsa on the table in serving bowls.  Then add 4-5 corn tortillas to the comal or skillet over mediumish heat (or as many as you can fit).  Add a layer of refried beans, cheese, and rice to each tortilla.  Cook until the cheese is melted or the bottom of the tortilla is turning golden brown, approx. 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately and let your peeps add the chicken, guacamole, and salsa themselves.