Cheesy Taco Loaf

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Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • Loaf
    • 2 tbsp butter
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 1 poblano pepper, chopped
    • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
    • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
    • 2 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 4 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
    • 2 loaves bread (12 oz. each)
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
  • Mexican Ranch
    • 2 cups sour cream
    • 1 cup crema
      • 1/2 cup sour cream
      • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
      • 1/2 tsp salt
      • 1 1/2 tsp lime juice
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
    • 2 tsp dill
    • 6 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

Directions

  1. Make the crema 2-6 hours in advance.  Mix the ingredients and let stand at room temperature.
  2. Use the butter to sauté the onions, poblano, and chopped jalapeno in a frying pan.  Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink.
  3. Add the taco seasoning and 1/4 cup of water.  Stir together and simmer until the water has evaporated.  Remove from the heat.
  4. Add 1 cup shredded cheese to the meat and mix until it has melted together.
  5. Slice the bread lengthwise in half, with the bottom half being thicker than the top half.
  6. In the bottom half, pull out some of the bread by hand and discard.  Don't go all the way down to the crust... just enough to make some room.
    • Found found this easiest to do by using a paring knife along the edges and then pulling out big chunks of bread down the center.
  7. Layer about 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on the bottom in the hole you just created.  Fill with meat.  Top with another 1/2 cup of cheese.
  8. Spread the mayonnaise on the top slice of the bread. Set on top of the meat.
  9. Repeat steps #4 - #7 for the second loaf.
  10. Wrap both loaves in aluminum foil and bake at 400° for 15 minutes.
  11. For the ranch dressing, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
  12. Remove the loaf from the oven and unwrap from the foil.  Top with the sliced jalapeno and remaining cheese.  Put back in the oven for about five minutes unwrapped to melt the cheese.
  13. Cut each loaf in half.  Hot with the dressing on the side.

Adapted from Recipe Champions an NYT Cooking.
















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