Apparently I haven’t conquered the fear of failure. I also do not want to waste food, or disappoint my kids when they expect the reliable, usual flavors of the Tostada Salad they know and love.

But I bought the roast. Went into the store for a few items and spent/got much more than I anticipated (this happens to me every time), so I may as well give this a shot. Making the Masters Family Tostada Salad more authentic, giving it a new spin, using the ingredients avialable now that weren’t avialable in Van Nuys circa 1950 when my family first tasted it at a neighborhood restaurant.

First things first, here is the original recipe. I will be honest, it is totally gringo/gringa Mexican food. My family is Welsh and English. I’ve heard we have Sioux blood running through our veins, but I am so white that I am pink, have brown hair that turns red in the summer (when I dare go into the hot sun), and blue, blue eyes. But bangers and mash, fish and chips with malt vinegar, and kidney pie leave me  - and my family members who live in So Cal - wanting something more exotic. So the lure of chili peppers, fresh corn tortillas and tostadas, refried beans and spiced up tomato based Mexican dishes has been satisfying our appetites for almost six decades now. I’m a third-generation Californian, a foodie, and known on occasion to be perseverant, especially when recipe tinkering.

I’m gonna do this, or hide my head in shame at a Long John Silver’s like I deserve.

TOSTADA SALAD (MY DADDY’S VERSION)
3 heads iceberg lettuce, chopped
tomatoes, chopped
1 4 oz. canned sliced black olives, drained
1 8 oz. package Mexican blend shredded cheese
3 12.5 oz. cans roasted bef in gravy, strained
1 cup Best Foods mayo
2 tbsp. Catalina or Bernstein’s Italian dressing
refried beans, cooked to manufacturer’s instructions
tortillas
tortilla chips

Combine mayo and dressing.
Add roast beef, shred or pull apart by mashing with fork.
Add lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and cheese.
Stir well.

Serve like this, on plate, in this order!:
1) tortilla chips
2) refried beans
3) salad

Alternatively, you could wrap salad up in a tortilla.

I am slow cooking a roast, as aforementioned, not buying it canned. Also, I will be making a adobo/pickled jalapeno/vinegar sauce rather than using Catalina dressing. I will not deviate from mayo because it will cool this dish down (hello, I’m a gringa) but I plan to integrate Crema Mexicana instead of using only mayo. Furthermore, I bought real tostadas caseras rather than Tostitos, and will be using El Guapo Chile California in the slow cooker with the roast. Lastly, I’ll be using Romaine instead of iceberg lettuce. It holds up just as well, same crunch appeal.

Wish me luck and check back in for the new version…