How Can I Efficiently Prep Ingredients for My Taco Ring?

[ahammons]

I'm making the taco ring for a show tonight, but I have some questions. I make this recipe all the time, but my kids and I don't eat tomatoes or onions and I usually buy pre-shredded lettuce. How do you all chop the onions and tomatoes and shred the lettuce?? I've tried onions in the food chopper before, and it didn't turn out to well - I think I'm too scared to try it at a show. Any suggestions?? Should I just chop them all with my utility knife?

 

[janetupnorth]

For onions, I slice them, then chop them in the chopper, it works great! (1-2 slices at a time)About 10-15 hits on the chopper should be perfect. Just don't stack half an onion in your chopper, then you may have issues.Consider demoing your mandoline to slice the onions and tomatoes first.I personally slice tomatoes then chop them with a knife because they get messy for me in the chopper.Lettuce - salad choppers work great, a knife, even putting the knife-cut lettuce in a batter bowl and chopping with kitchen shears...although that is a MUCH less-used method.Lots of tools -lots of options!

 

[cmdtrgd]

I would show the Ultimate Mandoline for slicing the tomatoes and then have a guest chop them up with a knife (use the tomato knife if you can). Then show the forged cutlery to shred the lettuce - it can get it very fine! I do onions with the chopper all the time. What was the problem you had? You might want to chop up most of the onions before the show and then have a guest finish by using the chopper. You could also have an early guest chop up all the onion and then tell how easy it was.

 

[ahammons]

Thanks! I was thinking about using the mandoline for the tomatoes, but it makes sense to use them for the onions before chopping them too!

With the food chopper, onions have always stuck together and get really watery... they don't get chopped very well.

The plan is for me to have one taco ring in the oven by the time guests get there, so at least I can start some of it before, then let guests help finish up.

 

[janetupnorth]

Thanks! I was thinking about using the mandoline for the tomatoes, but it makes sense to use them for the onions before chopping them too!

With the food chopper, onions have always stuck together and get really watery... they don't get chopped very well.

The plan is for me to have one taco ring in the oven by the time guests get there, so at least I can start some of it before, then let guests help finish up.

...just make sure your onion is fresh, cold, firm, not mushy and your blades of your chopper are clean, you don't overstack in the chopper and you don't "overchop" - that is when they get mushy and stuck.

10-15 hits should be more than enough - more and it'll get mushy.

 

[jrstephens]

I personally do not like doing tomatoes with the mandoline unless they are VERY firm. I normally just slice mine with the forged.

I use the chopper for onions. And I normally cut the onion in half and sometimes third depending on the size with the forged before chopping.

You could use the crinkle cutter on the lettuce too. And the salad spinner if you have it (I have one for sale if anyone needs it)