White corn tortillas: From the day before, 3 tortillas per person
Oil for frying
Turkey: 270g, pullled, preferably leg
Skewers: 60, small wooden ones, as small as possible
Cranberry jelly
Chicken stock: Use a 50/50 proportion of stock to cranberry sauce
Chilli: 4 pcs, arbol chilli with seeds but without stem
Chilli: 8 pcs, pasilla chili with seeds but without stem
Peanuts: 60g
Cabbage leaves: 300g, finely-sliced pointed
Red cabbage: 250g, pickled
Avocado: 18 pcs, (optional)
Crème fraîche: 250g
A recipe for festive leftover tacos dorados by chef Santiago Lastra, from the award-winning restaurant Kol, in London
Why not transform festive leftovers into a lively and delicious Mexican meal? These are like Mexican flautas (flutes), but deep-fried, allowing a crispy layer on the outside with moist meat in the filling. Taco dorado is a traditional Mexican taco made of corn tortilla, usually filled with potatoes, chicken and chorizo, then deep-fried until nicely golden. This version uses turkey meat, and a rich and flavourful salsa is created using turkey stock, cranberry sauce and chillis to spice things up.
How to make tacos dorados with festive leftovers
Heat the oil to 190°C. Pass the tortillas through the oil for a few seconds, just to get them flexible, and reserve in a tray with absorbing paper.
Deep-fry the peanuts and chillis until they are golden and blend into the cranberry sauce – if it is too thick you can adjust the consistency with fresh cranberry juice until you have a thick double cream (reserve at room temperature).
Lay the tortillas that you fried in advance on a clean surface, and fill with the finely-pulled turkey. Roll and use a toothpick to help fasten them down, making sure that the filling is secure.
Deep-fry the rolls until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Take the tacos out of the oil into a tray with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Serve the tacos with all the garnishes on top and a salsa on the side.
This article was last updated on 04/04/2025.
