PUFFY TACOS WITH BISON CHILI

Steps:

• TO MAKE THE BISON CHILI: Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Sauté the onion until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the bison, along with the poblano and jalapeño chiles, cumin, coriander, ground chiles, chili powder, the 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper and cook until the meat is lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, beer, and tequila, bring to a simmer still over medium heat, and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small heavy-bottomed skillet set over medium heat, stir together the fish fry seasoning or corn flour and butter and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Stir the butter mixture into the chili and cook for about 5 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• TO MAKE THE PUFFY TACOS: Combine the masa mix, the 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the 2 1/4 cups warm water in a large bowl; mix with your hands until a smooth dough forms. Roll hunks of dough into balls about the size of ping-pong balls. If using a tortilla press, first line it with plastic-slit both sides (but not the bottom) of a quart-size plastic sandwich bag to create a large rectangle. Cover the bottom of the tortilla press with half of the plastic rectangle (seam toward the hinge of the press) and set a dough ball on top. Fold the other half of the rectangle over the dough and close the press with firm pressure. (The tortilla should be about 1/8 inch thick.) If you don't have a tortilla press, cut a plastic bag as above, lay a dough ball on one side of the cut plastic bag, cover it with the other, and use a heavy skillet to press out tortillas.
• Heat 2 inches of oil in a large, deep skillet or saucepan until it reaches 350°F on a deep-fat thermometer. Using kitchen tongs, set tortillas, 1 at a time, in the hot oil. Use a long-handled spatula to ladle hot oil over the top of the tortilla as it puffs up. (It should take about 10 seconds.) Once the tortilla has puffed, flip it over. With tongs, push it to the side of the pan and wedge it gently in place. At the same time, using the edge of a spatula to press lightly in the tortilla's center, make an indentation that will allow you to fold it into a taco shape. With tongs, remove the fried tortilla and set it on paper towels to drain and cool slightly. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. (If shaping the tortillas into tacos seems like too much hullabaloo, just leave them flat, cover them with toppings, and eat them that way.)
• TO ASSEMBLE AND SERVE THE PUFFY TACOS: As soon as the folded tacos are cool enough to handle, fill with a spoonful of bison chili and top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Eat immediately with both hands. Forks and knives work, too, but it's not nearly as much fun or as messy. No matter what, make sure you've got plenty of napkins on hand.
• Puffy tacos are not just for meat eaters. Cook up a batch of refried black beans, without the bacon, of course (page 161), for vegetarians and fill the tacos with the bean mixture, topping with desired garnishes. Others can eat the beans as a side. Other side dish possibilities include Rosa's Mexican Rice (page 161).
• The chili can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 weeks. The masa dough can be made 24 hours in advance, rolled into balls, wrapped, and refrigerated. Shaping and frying the tortillas is best done at the last minute: when puffy tacos are stone cold and old, you probably won't want to eat them.
• Keep an eye on the oil's temperature as you fry the tortillas. If it gets too hot they'll burn and likely splatter enough to burn you, too. If the oil gets too cool, it produces soggy, greasy tacos. Periodically check the temperature with a deep-fat thermometer and adjust the heat as needed.