Lentil Taco Cups —rsquo; The Closest Thing I Could Make to Him

December 2028. The first Christmas since Hector died. I drove to Las Cruces for a week. Mom is managing — not well, but managing, in the way that Marisol manages, which is the method of people who have been sustaining others for so long that they've forgotten to calculate the cost to themselves. I cooked for her. I sat with her in the evenings. I did the things around the house that Hector used to do. Some of those things I didn't know he'd been doing until they didn't happen.

The twins came for most of the week. Diego came for four days. Sofia for three. The house had people in it for Christmas the way it always has, and the chair was empty the way it will always be now, and the tree was lit and the tamales were made and the morning was the twins at six AM and it was all of it simultaneously: grief and love and tradition and the strange specific fact of continuity, which is that life keeps going in the shape the person shaped it, for a while, until new shapes form. He shaped this family and we are the shape he made.

I made the calabacitas from my notebook on Christmas Eve. Mom watched from the doorway. I did every step the way he showed me, with the cumin and the garlic timing and the late salting. She said nothing. She came to the stove and tasted it. She said, "He would say it's close." I said I knew. She said, "It's close." That is the recipe. That is the closest thing to him I can make. It will always be close. That is enough. Close is everything, when close is all that's left.

I didn’t plan to make anything else that week — the calabacitas were already more than enough to carry. But on Christmas Day, after Mom’s quiet verdict at the stove, I found myself wanting to keep my hands busy, to keep feeding people the way the kitchen had always fed us. These lentil taco cups are the kind of thing Hector would have grabbed three of before anyone sat down, standing at the counter, still talking. Spiced, warm, grounding — the sort of food that fills a room and makes it feel, just for a moment, like everyone is still there.

Lentil Taco Cups

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 12 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium white onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 24 small (3-inch) wonton wrappers
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup salsa or pico de gallo
• 1 avocado, diced
• Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook the lentils. Combine lentils and vegetable broth in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 18–20 minutes, until lentils are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain any excess liquid.
2. Sauté aromatics. While lentils cook, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Season the filling. Stir cooked lentils into the skillet with the onion and garlic. Add cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, and oregano. Stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.
4. Form the cups. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a standard 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press two overlapping wonton wrappers into each cup, forming a small bowl shape. Lightly spray the tops of the wrappers.
5. Bake the shells. Bake wonton cups 8–10 minutes, until edges are golden and crisp. Watch closely — they brown quickly. Remove from oven and let cool slightly in the tin.
6. Fill and top. Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of warm lentil filling into each cup. Top each with a pinch of shredded cheese, a small dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of salsa, and a few pieces of diced avocado.
7. Garnish and serve. Scatter fresh cilantro over the assembled cups. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. For best texture, fill cups just before serving so the shells stay crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 185 | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 310mg