March 16, 2024

STEAK TACOS, FOR THE GIRLS

Serves 4 to  6

Years ago my best girlfriends and I took a trip to Mexico to celebrate our 30th birthdays.  Amidst bathing in the sun and drinking far too many micheladas, we had a taco…THE taco…that has haunted us ever since.  We'd text each other regularly afterwards to remind each other of its greatness, until I eventually decided to try recreating it myself.   Mixing Mexican and Mediterranean elements, this taco celebrates flavor, combining a simple tzatziki-style sauce with grilled pineapple, smoky salsa and fresh herbs.  Trust me, don’t skip the mint…it adds something special!

Taco Ingredients

3                 Limes, juiced

½ Cup                 Olive Oil

1 tsp                 Ground Cumin

1 tsp                 Ground Coriander

½ tsp                 Chili Powder

4                  Garlic Cloves, smashed

1 ½  lbs         Flank Steak

1 Cup             Labneh or Greek Yogurt

2                 Persian Cucumbers

1                 Pineapple

½                  Red Onion

12                 Flour Tortillas (4-5”), warmed

                 Mint Leaves, for garnish

Salsa  Ingredients

4           Roma Tomatoes, halved

1           White Onion, halved

4           Garlic Cloves, smashed

2           Guajillo Chilis, stemmed + seeded

3           Chipotle Chilis,  stemmed + seeded

½ Cup           Hot water

¼ Cup           Apple Cider Vinegar

4 Tbsp            Vegetable oil, divided

1 tsp           Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate the Steak

Combine the juice of 3 limes, ½ cup of olive oil, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander,  ½ tsp chili powder, 4 garlic, 2 tsp of salt and a few cracks of pepper in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.  Place the steak in a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over it. Gently shake to ensure all parts of the steak are covered.  Place in the fridge and let rest for 1 to 4 hours, flipping the bag halfway through.

Make the Salsa

Preheat the broiler.  Place the halved onion and tomatoes cut side down on a sheet pan and roast until slightly charred, about 10 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes, then add 2 guajillo chilis and 3 chipotle chilis and saute for 1-2 minutes more.  Do not let them burn.

Transfer the chilis and garlic to a blender.  Add ½ cup of hot water and ¼ cup of apple cider vinegar.  Let sit for 5 minutes to soften.

Blend until smooth and then add the additional 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, tomato, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt and blend until smooth again.  Set aside.

Make the Yogurt Sauce

Cut 2 persian cucumbers into quarters lengthwise then slice about ¼” thick.  Combine the cucumbers with 1 cup of labneh or greek yogurt in a medium bowl and salt to taste.

Prepare the Tacos

Thinly slice the red onion and set in cold water for 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Cut off the top and the bottom of the pineapple and then set upright and slice downward to remove skin.  Rotate and repeat until all the skin is removed.  Slice downward again, removing the soft flesh from the core.  Cut the soft flesh into ½” thick slices.  

Heat the grill to medium high and add the steaks and pineapple.  Cook undisturbed for 7 minutes, flip and cook for another 5-7 minutes.  Remove the steaks and pineapple from the grill and rest for 5-10 minutes.  Slice steaks against the grain.  Chop further if desired.

To assemble, smear the tortilla with a generous amount of yogurt sauce, top with steak, a slice of grilled pineapple, salsa, red onion and mint.

NOTES:

• The salsa recipe is for a full batch, which is more than you will need for the tacos.  I recommend serving it alongside a bowl of tortilla chips!