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Chef Andrew Zimmern shares a fancy chef version of walking tacos, a regional special from the Midwest—one of his guilty pleasures.
He likes to use the Mexican Fiesta spice blend from his own line in the chili (which is available at Walmart, ShopRite and online at www.badiaspices.com) but you can also use whatever Mexican spice mix you have on hand or can find in your local supermarket.
Pro Tip: Mash an avocado into the salsa for a creamier take.
For another guilty pleasure of Andrew's, check out his recipe for Rice Krispie Chicken. And for more guilty pleasures from this episode, check out this Cheesy Salsa Dip, Rach's French Bread Pizza and this hilarious celeb food-fessions video. If you want a more basic recipe for Walking Tacos, we've got that here.
Be sure to catch Andrew in select episodes of "Family Dinner" streaming now on Discovery Plus, as part of the Magnolia Network Preview.
For the chili, in a large dutch oven, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until the fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate.
Season the pork with salt and pepper and add the pork to the casserole, cooking over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the poblanos, onion, chipotles and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened, about 7 minutes. Add the spice blend, chile powder, cumin, oregano and minced cilantro and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, beans, chicken stock, beer and cooked bacon and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the beans are just getting tender, about 2 hours.
Uncover the casserole and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are cooked, 30 to 45 minutes longer.
In a small bowl, whisk the corn flour with ¼ cup water until smooth. Slowly whisk the mixture into the chili until incorporated. Season the chili with salt to taste.
For the salsa, in a medium bowl, mix the onions with the kosher salt and let stand.
Roast the poblanos and jalapeño directly over a gas flame or under the broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, turning occasionally, until charred all over. Transfer the poblanos and jalapeños to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let steam for 10 minutes. Peel and seed the poblanos, then transfer to a blender.
Add the tomatillos, cilantro, mint, garlic and lime juice to the blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain the onions and stir into the bowl. Season the salsa with salt to taste.
To assemble the Walking Tacos, open a bag of corn chips, top with a ladle of chili and any of the desired toppings. Spoon in some salsa and serve immediately.