Those chips are so corny
Today is national corn Chip day. But, How did we get here? American lore has it that a certain Charles Elmer Doolin fell in love with a simple Mexican street food in Southern Texas. It was fried strips of corn tortillas. He bought the rights to the recipe and improved the crispiness and consistency with his own breed of corn. In 1932, he launched the Frito Chip, and worked on mass production and advertising. By the 1950’s his Fritos were in Disneyland, and a became a household word. Many of you may remember the Frito bandito. Today, the Frito Bandito seems pretty racist and, even then, a little corny. But, Those chips are so corny, so it kind of fits.
So, what is the difference between a corn chip and tortilla chips? If you compare them side by side, corn chips are traditionally scoops or strips, while tortillas are generally triangles. But, they can come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Corn chips tend to be thicker and have more bite. And, they are usually saltier. But, you can alter your recipe (unlike Fritos). The true difference between tortilla and corn chips is that corn chips use straight corn meal while the corn meal used in tortillas is usually masa harina which is a corn meal that goes through a process called Nixtamalization. This is a process where the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater. This makes the corn easier to grind, flavor and aroma increase, and removes toxins. It also makes nutrients more available. So, it is technically healthier.
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Whether it’s Tortilla or Frito, Those chips are so corny
We know that Frito entered the US market in the 1930’s and reached the height of popularity in the 1950’s. But, what about it’s cousin the tortilla chip? Obviously, corn strips influenced Doolin to market his Frito chips. So, a form of tortilla chip was around for a long time. But, credit for the creation of the Tortilla chip goes to Rebecca Webb Carranza. She and her husband owned the El Zarape Tortilla factory in California in the 1940’s. From time to time, misshapen tortillas would come off the line. She took the rejects, cut them into triangles, and fried them. People enjoyed them as snacks. Seeing a money making and waste reducing opportunity, she sold them for 10 cents per bag. Now they are everywhere.
While Frito or other corn chips are an easy snack eaten on their own, Tortillas almost always call for an accompaniment. With the Superbowl around the corner, we’re going to see a lot of guacamole and salsa served with tortilla chips. But, Frito has its regional recipe too. In Texas and some parts of the southwest, Frito pie is a thing: Frito chips mixed with chili and topped with melted cheese. Some people even just toss chili in a bag of fritos and call that a dish. You may think, that sounds like a trashy version of Nachos. And, you wouldn’t be too far from the truth.
What about Nachos?
While Frito “pie” may have a small base of fans, Nachos are popular all across the country. And, they date back to the 1940’s. But, unlike the tortilla chip we know, Nachos hail from Mexico. In 1943, Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya owned a restaurant in Piedras Negras. He made a dish of fried tortillas with melted cheese. It’s a simple dish that lends itself well to all kinds of toppings like meats, salsas, guacamole, sour cream, and pickled Jalapenos. Basically, the Frito pie and Nachos are attempts to make a meal out of a snack. And, it all starts with some ground corn.
So, this makes the task of celebrating National Corn Chip day that much easier. You have options. It’s not just open a bag of chips and then regret all the salt and fat you just ingested. In fact, you can even make a corn chip or tortilla dessert. How about chopping up corn chips, rolling ice cream in it, and frying the ice cream? Or you can make a tortilla pie with caramelized fruit in syrup on a bed of tortilla chips with cinnamon sugar, top with ice, whipped, or pastry cream. You can have chips all day. How about Breakfast nachos? Just add eggs, bacon and potatoes? Those chips are so corny, but oh so good. And, if you’re worried about the fat from frying, you can make baked corn chips or use an air fryer. So, break out the tequila and let’s eat some chips.
Those chips are so corny: full of Corny goodness.
Which brings us to the recipe portion of the day. We are all quick to buy a bag of corn chips or tortilla chips at a store or restaurant because it seems like this really exotic and hard thing to make. But, it’s actually pretty simple. It’s basically three ingredients: Corn meal (or masa Harina), water, and salt. Roll out the dough; or, use a tortilla press. Cut shapes, and fry or bake. Pretty easy. Then comes the hard part: what to do with them. As we said above: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, snack. The possibilities are seemingly endless. You could even do a little East meets west by making a coconut curry sauce with vegetables and protein and serving that topped with corn or tortilla chips for a sort of Thai or Indian nacho.
While that may not excite everyone, it’s worth a try. Remember, America is a melting pot. Both Tortilla and corn chips developed in the United States. But, we have plenty of other ethnic groups in this country. So, why not combine cultural influences? How about Sushi grade tuna on a tortilla chip with a ginger mango salsa? Or, Maine Lobster with Chipotle Newburgh sauce and Tortilla Crust for Northeast meets Southwest. We’ve got all directions covered.
We’ll leave the additions to you. Since corn chips and tortillas are such fun food, we give you license to play with your food. So, here’s your start. We have a couple recipes starting with corn tortillas and building from there. Remember, the difference between tortillas and corn chips is the type of corn flour. So, if you don’t have masa harina, use corn meal and make corn chips.
Corriander Lime Tortilla Chips
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Masa Harina (may substitute a fine corn meal or corn flour)
- 1 to 2 Cup Hot Water
- 2 Tbsp Lime Juice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp ground Cumin (optional)
- 1/4 tsp Ground Coriander (optional)
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro (optional)
- Oil for Frying
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dissolve the salt in hot water, mix well. Put the Masa Harina or corn flour in a mixing bowl. Mix in the spices and cilantro. Stir in the lime juice (if using). Add in some of the water and mix until a dough forms. Keep adding water until it is not crumbly. If it gets too wet, add more flour. If too dry, add more water. When the dough is right, cover with a wet towel and/or plastic wrap, and let it rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Divide the dough evenly into 16 balls. Roll them into the ball shape and press in a parchment or wax paper lined tortilla press. If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a rolling pin or your hands. You want the dough as thin as possible.
- Cook the tortillas on a griddle or pan for about a minute per side. Then Cut them into triangles.
- Heat a neutral oil in a deep pan and fry the tortilla chips until crisp. Dry on paper towels. Allow to cool, and then serve.
Notes
Avocado Pico de gaillo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup diced sweet onion
- 1 T chopped fresh garlic
- 1/2 cup diced fresh sweet peppers
- 1 T fine diced jalapeno
- 1 cups diced fresh tomato
- 2 cups diced fresh avocado
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 T avocado oil
- 2 T chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 t chili powder
- 1/2 t cumin
- Sea Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix. For a slightly sweeter version, try sauteing the onion and garlic. You can adjust the quantities to your taste. Some like more avocado and less tomato. Some reverse. If you don’t have peppers, leave them out. If you don’t have jalapeno, increase the amount of chili powder. The amount of spice is really up to you. . Some mild.
- Serve with Tortilla chips and rout for your team!
- Go Sportsball!