Not to be overshadowed by Hispanic Heritage Month, today is an amazing day in its own regard. Taco Tuesday and National Taco Day are on the same day this year (mind explosion)! I hope you all are taking appropriate measures to celebrate this momentous occasion. I went all out and made some delicious marinated grilled steak tacos and even paired it up with a zesty salsa, all courtesy of Rick Bayless. Proud of my work, I paired it with a well-deserved Modelo Especial. Get in the kitchen and get cooking, or, at a minimum, go support your local taqueria.
Grilled Steak and Poblano Tacos with Roasted Vegetable Salsa
adapted from Mexico One Plate at a Time, Rick Bayless
Marinade
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
½ tsp ground cumin
~1 lb skirt steak (flank is a good substitute, if necessary)
Tacos
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced ~½ inch thick
Corn Tortillas
Lime, sliced
Roasted Veggie Salsa
1 lb ripe tomatoes
2 jalapeño peppers
3 cloves garlic, in peel
Shallot
Cilantro
Lime
6-8 hours prior to serving, blend together the marinade ingredients, along with a pinch of salt, and combine with the meat in a platter, ensuring coverage all over. Place in the refrigerator and flip halfway through.
When ready to cook, preheat the grill to medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Turn one burner to low. Brush the sliced onion with oil and place on top of the cooler grate, and place the poblanos over the higher heat. The poblanos will be ready in about 6 minutes and the onions will take 10. Be sure to flip the veggies half-way through. Remove the veggies and turn the burners to high and allow to come to temp for about 10 minutes.
While the vegetables grill, prepare the salsa by placing the tomatoes on a baking sheet under the broiler and cook for about 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Also, place the jalapeños and garlic in a dry skillet and cook over high heat. The peppers will be ready in about 6 minutes, the garlic in 10. Set everything aside to cool slightly.
Remove the steak from the marinade, and season with Kosher salt and black pepper. Grill for 5 minutes, covered, flipping halfway through. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes or so before slicing. To slice, cut the steak into rough 3-inch-long portions along the grain, then slice the meat thinly, with a very sharp knife, across the grain.
While the meat rests, remove the grilled poblano skins; seed and slice. Slice the onions in half and add both to a platter and keep warm in an oven.
Then, prepare the salsa by chopping the roasted jalapeños, keeping some seeds for heat, and garlic (removing the burnt papery skin) and mashing it together in a molcajete. Alternatively, pulse in a food processor. Then remove the burned skin from the tomatoes and core. Add the tomatoes, one-at-a-time, and continue to mash in the molcajete. Stir in some minced shallot, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice and sea salt.
Serve everything with grilled or warmed corn tortillas and lime wedges. ______________________________ Copyright 2022, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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