Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos

Man, I feel like I've been making a lot of tacos lately.  This was pointed out to me when Ron (the bf) told me that every time he is hanging out with one of his friends, and he leaves to come home and have dinner, he says we are having tacos, and his friend says, "didn't you just have tacos the other day?"  That doesn't bother me though for 3 reasons: a) tacos are delicious 2) they are oh so versatile and d) I do what I want!!!!

This recipe once again comes from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday!  As you can obviously tell from the title, it combines chorizo sausage, potatoes and mushrooms, and was quite yummy and extremely easy to make, although next time I make I will be making some modifications which I will tell you about in the notes after the recipe.

Chorizo, Potato and Mushroom Tacos
Tacos de Chorizo con Papas y Hongos
Serves 4


Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casings removed
About 1 tbsp vegetable oil, if needed
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces mushrooms (i.e. shiitake or oyster), stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 medium (12 ounces total) red-skin boiling or Yukon Gold potatoes, grated through large holes
Salt
1/2 cup cilantro (loosely packed), chopped
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Roasted tomatillo salsa, guacamole, or bottled hot sauce for serving


Directions:
1. Heat a large preferably nonstick pan over medium heat, and add chorizo.  As it cooks, break it into smaller pieces.  Cook it until about halfway done, about 4 minutes.
2. Increase the heat to medium high (or not, depending on whether you have uncooperative burners like mine).  Check to see whether any fat has rendered from the cooking chorizo.  If it has, awesome!  If it hasn't, add a tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan.  Add the onion and mushrooms and cook about 3 minutes, until they begin to soften.  Stir occasionally.
3. Add the shredded potato and cook about 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, stirring often.  If the potatoes are browning too quickly, lower heat.  Taste mixture, and season with salt if needed.
4. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl, and add cilantro.  Serve with tortillas, salsa and/or guacamole.

Source: Mexican Everyday


Notes:

• Once again not having a nonstick skillet has been a little frustrating.  The food turned out good, but the fact that it stuck to the bottom of my pan was a little annoying.  I don't think it altered the flavor, but it'll be a pain to clean.
• I used russet potatoes instead of red or Yukon Gold, and I have a feeling that those potatoes would have fared better in this dish.  The russets were okay, but they were a little mushy/starchy.  I'll have to try the actual potatoes he called for and see what difference it makes.  
• I also used cremini mushrooms instead of shiitake or oyster, and while you could tell they were there, they didn't stand out in any way, or add any real flavor that I could tell.  Maybe a different or more flavorful mushroom would have fared better.
• Next time I make this I would make a few alterations- more chorizo, less potato, and I might just omit the mushrooms.  They really didn't seem to do anything for the dish in all honesty.  They weren't bad- they were just there, and because I love mushrooms, this was a little disappointing to me.  I'd rather use them in a dish they actually stand out in. 
• I think maybe cubed potatoes would be a good substitution for the shredded potatoes as well, and maybe make the filling less mushy, and more on the crispy side.