Will Levitt/Staff Writer

It is time now, my dear readers, to answer an eternal question. What is a taco?

A taco can be a lot more than just ground beef, jarred salsa, and pre-shredded cheese in a shell. Think what you will, but I have thoroughly enjoyed a corn tortilla stuffed with lemon mayonnaise, sauteed eggplant, and spinach.

And yes, I have enjoyed tacos with carne asada, hot sauce, chicken, and salsa. I’m not trying to be unreasonable here. I’m just sayin’ that traditional tacos aren’t the only thing out there. There’s a whole world out there.

So, what is a taco?

A taco should be playful. What you put on top should not be limited to salsa and lettuce. Bright flavors can really take your taco to new places. I like thinly-shredded red cabbage mixed with a little oil and vinegar. I like pickled carrots and slices of fresh red bell pepper. I like grilled corn, sliced cucumber, avocado, fresh tomato salsa, cilantro, lemon juice, and fresh chili peppers.

Tacos should be meaty. But chill out vegetarians—there are plenty of ways to make a vegetarian taco meaty, and I don’t mean with tempeh. For you meat lovers, a grilled flank steak or some spicy shredded chicken always does the trick. For the pescatarians out there, shrimp (see below) or seared tilapia fillets work great. For the true vegetarians, your options are numerous. Try sauteed eggplant, grilled portobello mushroom caps, chickpeas, or potatoes sauteed like home fries, which are seriously scrumptious in tacos.

Tacos should also be saucy. If you put a mayonnaise-based “special sauce” at the bottom of your taco, it will be better. Try mixing it with sriracha and lime juice or lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper. You could use sour cream or creme fraiche here as well.

Make sure to keep your tacos fresh. I mean this in both senses. Always use the freshest ingredients, especially because the flavor of each ingredient comes through so prominently in a taco. And make sure that they have a saucy attitude.

Tacos with chili mayo, rice and beans, spicy cucumber salsa and greens

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
-8 small flour or corn tortillas
-1 cup mayo
-1 tsp. chili (hot) sauce, such as sriracha
-2 cups cooked white or brown rice
-2 tbs. vegetable oil
-1/2 yellow onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1 can black beans
-1 large cucumber
-1/2 tsp. chili flakes or chili powder
-1 tsp. lemon juice
-1 tbs. cilantro or parsley, chopped
-1 cup fresh greens (lettuce, spinach, etc)
-lime wedges (optional)

1.To prepare the chili mayo, mix mayo and chili sauce in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 tbs. vegetable oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add beans, with some of their liquid, and allow to simmer for 15-30 minutes. Season with plenty of salt and pepper.

3. To prepare the cucumber salsa, dice the cucumber into 1/2 inch cubes. Mix with 1 tbs. vegetable oil, chili flakes, lemon juice, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to sit for a few minutes to absorb the flavor.

4. To prepare the tacos, heat the tortillas in a saute pan over medium high heat for 1 minute on each side, until lightly browned. Remove, and spread on some of the chili mayo, top with some rice, beans, cucumber salsa, and greens. Serve at once with lime wedges on the side.

Will blogs on food, cooking, and college at www.dormroomdinner.com