Taco Salad in a Tortilla Bowl

Ingredients

• 4 flour tortillas, 10 inch
• 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 lb ground beef, 85/15
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 can pinto beans, 15 oz, drained
• 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Before you cook

• Shred the iceberg lettuce and keep it cold.
• Dice the tomatoes and thinly slice the red onion.
• Drain the pinto beans.
• Whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, lime juice, cilantro and cayenne into a dressing and refrigerate it.

Steps

1. Heat the frying oil in a wide deep pot to 350 degrees F.
2. Lower one tortilla into the oil and immediately press its center down with a small ladle so it takes on a bowl shape.
3. Fry the tortilla for 90 seconds, holding it in place, until it is golden and rigid.
4. Lift the shell out, drain it upside down on paper towels, and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
5. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7 minutes, crumbling it fine.
6. Pour off the excess fat, then add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and water.
7. Simmer the beef for 4 minutes until the liquid becomes a clinging sauce.
8. Stir the pinto beans into the beef and warm them through for 2 minutes.
9. Set each fried shell on a plate and fill the bottom with shredded lettuce.
10. Spoon the warm beef and beans over the lettuce and cover with cheddar so it softens.
11. Add tomato, red onion and avocado to each bowl.
12. Drizzle the buttermilk dressing over the top, scatter on the crushed chips, and serve while the shell is still crisp.