CSSI Staff Post - August 6, 2020



What have you been watching lately?



Quarantine brought my love for traveling to a standstill, so I find myself watching shows and movies that remind me of traveling again. As I ride this quarantine out, I am making a wish list of all the places I want to visit once this is over. I recently began watching the show Street Food: Latin America on Netflix. I do not like to spoil a good show, but the reason I fell in love with it is because it reminds me of my summer vacations in Mexico as a kid. It brings back memories of the food at the mercados (food halls) and the street vendors where my parents would take me to eat.



At that time, terms like “locally resourced,” “organically grown,” or “seasonal ingredients” were not common, but that street food was already checking the boxes. I just knew the food tasted good and made me feel happy. As I watch Street Food: Latin America, I am proud and grateful to be part of a culture that cooks with love and passion. The recipe I share with you was inspired by this show: a steak taco seasoned in a Tampiqueña marinade, garnished with onion and cilantro relish topped with a tomatillo salsa “taquero style.” Close your eyes and walk with me through the streets of Puerto Vallarta.



Ingredients - Yields 12 tacos


1 lb – Skirt Steak



Tampiqueña Marinade

1/2 cup – Fresh Orange Juice

1/4 cup – Fresh Lime Juice

1/4 cup – Light Mexican Beer

3 Tbsp­ – Olive oil

1 each – Garlic Clove, chopped

1 each – Green Onion, chopped

2 each ­–Cilantro sprigs, chopped

2 Tbsp ­– Lawry’s Seasoning Salt (Dad’s secret ingredient)

1 tsp – Black Pepper



Tomatillo Salsa “Taquero Style”

3 each ­­– Tomatillos

1 each ­­– Jalapeño

1 each – Medium Avocado (1/4 of one avocado)

2 tsp ­­– Cilantro, chopped

1 each ­– Garlic Clove

2 Tbsp – Onion, chopped

1 Tbsp – Sour Cream

1 Tbsp ­– Fresh Lime Juice

To taste – Chicken Bullion Powder Seasoning (Mom’s secret ingredient)



Cilantro and Onion Relish

1/2 cup ­– Cilantro, minced

1/2 cup ­– Sweet Onion, minced

To taste ­– Lime and Salt



Tortillas - Street Taco Size

1 1/2 cups – Maseca Instant Tortilla Flour

1 Cup – Warm Water

1 Pinch – Salt

Directions



Marinade and Steak

 

1. Add all marinade ingredients together into a ziplock bag, seal and shake to combine. Place the skirt steak into the bag and let it marinate overnight in your fridge. 
2. Warm up your grill and let it rip! Cook steak to medium, take it off the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes.
3. Cut into bite-size squares and finish cooking in a saucepan, searing the meat prior to assembling the tacos.

 

Tomatillo Salsa “Taquero Style”

 

1. In a saucepan, bring tomatillos and jalapeño pepper to a boil. Boil about 5 minutes, then take the saucepan off the heat, cover with a lid and let cool. Tomatillos will become bitter if you over-boil them, and this will change the flavor of your sauce. This is my mom’s secret to making a great tomatillo salsa.
2. Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Control the thickness of your sauce by adding a bit of liquid if needed.

 

Relish

 

1. Finely chop the onion and cilantro and mix together.
2. Season with lime juice and salt to taste. 

 

Tortillas*

 

1. In a mixing bowl, add the tortilla instant flour, salt and warm water. Mix until combined. Feel the texture of the tortilla masa with your hands—it must be soft and smooth without cracks. The mixture should hold a ball shape.
2. Split the dough evenly into 12 1-ounce balls.
3. Heat up your griddle to medium heat and cook evenly on both sides. It should take approximately 3 minutes on each side.

 

*You can also buy ready-made tortillas from the grocery store. Try Mission Street Taco Tortillas.



Taco Build 

 

• 1 Tortilla, warmed (2 if using store-bought tortillas)
• 1 ounce Prepared Skirt Steak 
• 1 Tbsp Tomatillo Salsa
• 1 tsp Cilantro and Onion Relish