Steak Tacos

Growing up in a family of six, with a mom used to tight budgets meant that good cuts of beef were not often on the menu.  There were many times when I was tricked by the aroma of cooking beef which met me at the front door after soccer practice.  I could feel my mouth salivating, and my stomach gurgling, as I threw my stuff in a pile by the door, and raced into the kitchen to see what was cooking.  More often than not, I went from cloud nine to hell, as I discovered to my horror, that what was sizzling in the pan was calf liver and onions, not steak.  My mom insisted that liver was good for us, that it had lots of iron, and that it was delicious.

 I just couldn't eat it.  It instantly triggered my gag reflex.  I tried holding my breath while chewing, and then washing it down quickly.  I tried hiding it under other food on my plate.  I tried slipping it to the dog underneath the table, and I tried a combination of acting like I was eating it, then coughing it into a paper napkin and throwing it in the garbage.  I felt the same way about lima beans and canned mushrooms, but liver was always the biggest heartbreak.  How could something that smelled so good, leave me retching and gagging, and turn me into a subversive food waster?  I can't even remember how often I was left alone at the table, staring at the now cold liver on my plate, kitchen timer set, with the threat of no dessert and banishment to my room, if I didn't finish my meal by the time the buzzer went off.

Sometimes our tastes change as we become adults.  Brussel sprouts become tasty caramelized goodness when cooked right, fresh mushrooms become a prized ingredient, and lima beans can even be can even be consumed when not part of a frozen and reheated succotash.  The closest I have come to liking any form of liver, is when it is made into something else, like foie gras, or braunschweiger.  To this day, liver and onions is forbidden on my plate, in my home, and I walk past it in the market holding my breath like a kid passing a cemetery.  All this from the ghosts of liver dinners past.

The following recipe is for my mom, one that I wished she had had and utilized in my childhood.  It is made from an inexpensive cut of beef (the glorious SKIRT STEAK), has iron and other nutrients good for kids and concerned mothers, is easy to trim very lean, and is bursting with flavor.  I present skirt steak tacos:

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs skirt steak, depending on the desired number of servings
3 fresh tomatoes
1 head of lettuce
Tomatillo salsa
1 bunch fresh cilantro
2 limes
1 package Queso Fresco
Tortillas of your choosing
Salt
Pepper
Coriander, ground fine
Vegetable oil

Preparation:
Trim fat off the skirt steak to desired leanness.  Skirt steak is very easy to trim.  If your cut is too large for your skillet, cut it down to two manageable pieces.  Sprinkle both sides of steak with salt, pepper, and ground coriander, and rub in.
Heat a heavy bottomed or cast iron skillet over high heat.  Swirl in a few T of vegetable oil, and add steak to pan.  Sear on one side for two minutes, developing a nice crust, then turn and sear second side for two minutes.  If your cut is thin (1/2 " or less), you can remove it to a cutting board to rest for five minutes, and you will have a nice medium rare steak.  If your cut is thicker, turn down heat to medium low, cover and let cook an additional two minutes.
When meat has rested, slice it thinly against the grain with a carving knife and fork.  The grain is very noticeable.  Cutting against the grain delivers the most tender cut.  You can use the slices for your tacos as is, or you can chop the slices into smaller pieces.

Prepare your fresh toppings:

I like the simple ingredients of diced tomato, shredded lettuce, chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, a drizzle of tomatillo salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Clean your skillet, reheat over medium, and brush the pan lightly with vegetable oil.  Heat your tortillas on both sides, transfer to plate and build your taco.  Enjoy!

This is my favorite taco recipe.  The simple seasoning and fresh ingredients, allow the wonderful flavor of the beef shine through, without weighing it down.