MEXICAN STREET TACOS
Source of Recipe
The Tony Danza Show
Recipe Introduction
Prepared on the show by Chef Tyler Florence – 5/5/05
Serves 4
The open-air market in Oaxaca is an eye-popping place. At one stall, a woman makes tacos like these, grilling the tortillas on what looks like half of an oil drum, cut out, with a fire underneath it. When they are hot, she fills them with stewed chicken in mole sauce, zucchini flowers, soft Mexican cheese, or grilled steak. If you could make a flavor out of putting your face in the sun and feeling the warmth on your cheek, this would be it.
List of Ingredients
2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
Mojo (recipe follows)
Olive oil, for coating the grill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 (7-inch) corn tortillas
Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
Chopped onion
Crumbled queso fresco or grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 recipe Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
2 limes, cut into wedges
Recipe
Lay the flank steak in a large baking dish and pour the mojo over it. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, so the flavors can sink into the meat. (Don’t marinate the steak for more than 8 hours or the fibers will break down too much and the meat will get mushy.)
Preheat an outdoor grill or a ridged grill pan over a medium-high flame (you can also use your broiler). Take a few paper towels and fold them several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the towels, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates to make a nonstick grilling surface. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Slice thin on an angle, across the grain.
While the steak is resting, warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. To serve, put two of the warm tortillas on your work surface. Lay about an eighth of the beef down the center of each, and sprinkle with lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top with a spoonful of pico de gallo and garnish with lime wedges. Repeat to make 6 more tacos.
MOJO
Makes about 1-1⁄4 cups
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 jalapeños, minced
1 large handful of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation:
With a mortar and pestle, mash together the garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put it in a glass jar. Add the lime and orange juices, the vinegar, and the oil and shake it up to combine.
PICO DE GALLO
20 minutes
Makes 2 cups
Pico de gallo gets its light, bright flavor from the crisp texture of the vegetables, so you want to make sure they are evenly chopped and super-fresh. Don’t stir the salsa too much when you’re mixing it together. It should be the consistency of a relish, not mushy.
Ingredients:
8 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 small red onions, chopped
4 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
3 serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 4 limes
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin (toasted, if you have it; see Note below)
Preparation:
Put all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir it all together. Let sit for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.
Note: To make toasted ground cumin, put a few tablespoons of whole cumin seeds in a skillet and toast for a few minutes over medium heat, shaking the pan every now and then, until the cumin is fragrant and beginning to turn a golden brown color. Dump it into a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder and grind to a powder.
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