who you calling GRINGO ?

I was going to start this blog with a happy cinco de mayo joke being that it's not even close to the 5th of May, but I didn't even take Spanish in highschool and honestly had to look up how to spell "cinco de mayo". Now if you want to throw down with some Bastille Day jokes/references...I'm all over that. Sadly it's nowhere near the 14th of July, and I'm not cooking French food...merde !

Oh, well...even if I didn't study the culture and language...I'm rockin' the cuisine. You may be thinking...what an ass...he can't go bigger than a taco when talking about Mexican cuisine. I mean there are mole sauces, ox tail soups, and braised and roasted pork dishes that are far more interesting and complex that are staples to the regional cuisine. Well...this ain't no ordinary taco. This is beef shoulder braised in a stew of crushed tomatoes and stock with Ancho chile powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin laid out on home fried white corn tortillas topped with fresh shredded cabbage and handmade guacamole. How do yo say BOO-YAH in Spanish ?

I actually made this dish for the first time about a month or so ago for a picnic turned indoor lunch gathering due to inclement weather. It knocked socks off...I mean literally, our living room was littered with socks. Mostly because people took their shoes off to sit on blankets we laid out on the floor...but socks were EVERYWHERE !!! In all seriousness, the tacos garnished a lot of compliments and the flavor even took me by surprise. These things are moist and delicious and it melts in your mouth, the beef is so tender, with a little snap of cabbage and fresh corn tortilla finished with the velvety goodness that is guacamole. I didn't get a chance to shoot it or blog about it last time and as I was headed down to the butcher's this morning...it popped in my head and I knew how my evening was playing out. Here's the recap :

Braised Beef Tacos

2lbs. beef shoulder (really any tough cut with nice marbling will work)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic smashed

1 onion sliced

1 can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano)

1 cans worth of beef stock (or water)

1 tbsp. Ancho chile powder

1 tbsp. cayenne pepper

1 tbsp. cumin

3 bay leaves

salt and pepper

Directions

In a large dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat olive oil over high heat. You want it HOT. Add the garlic and the beef shoulder. Season the shoulder on all sides, liberally, with salt and pepper. Sear the shoulder on all sides, 4-5 minutes a side, allow a crust to develop on the outside to really lock in the flavor. Add the onions and allow to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth (just fill the empty tomato can with broth), spices, bay leaves and season liberally with salt and pepper. Bring liquid to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and let cook for 3 hours. After 3 hours, turn off heat and allow to cool in liquid. Shred with a fork and serve.

Guacamole

3 ripe haas avocados

2 limes

2 cloves of garlic diced

1 tomato diced

1 half an onion diced

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp cumin

handful of fresh cilantro

salt and pepper

splash of olive oil

Directions

Split and de-pit the avocados. Scoop out pulp and place in mixing bowl. Add juice from one lime and toss to coat. This is critical in keeping the avocado from oxidizing AKA turning brown. Mash with a potato masher or fork. Add tomato, onion, and garlic and stir to combine. Add cayenne pepper and cumin, toss to combine, then add juice from other lime, chopped cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine, splash with olive oil and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in fridge for an hour or so to meld flavors.

Tortillas

1 packet of store bought white corn tortillas

oil to fry (vegetable or canola)

Directions

Heat oil to 350 degrees in a pot large enough to submerge tortillas. Place tortillas, one at a time, in the oil and allow to fry for 30 secs. then take a wooden spoon and press down in the middle of the tortilla. The tortilla will curl upwards around the spoon. Submerge in the oil until it sets. Not long. Remove to a tray lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt while still hot.

Assemble tacos on fried tortilla with shredded cabbage, braised beef, and a dollop of guacamole. Enjoy.

Now, again, it is a 3 hour cook time...but it's a pot sitting on your stove simmering away. It only takes 15 min. to get to that point and your good to get back to the kids, facebook, or whatever else it is you'd rather be doing. The guacamole is a piece of cake to put together and you can always substitute pre-made taco shells or go the burrito route and not deal with that at all. If you've got a food processor, shredding the cabbage is a cinch, or by a bag of it preshredded at the grocery store and voila! (more French) you've got an outstanding Mexican feast. So HA!...i've defeated your every excuse for not trying these puppies at home, and believe you me...when you try them...you won't regret it. And just think of all the money you'll save on gas from not driving to taco bell...gringo !

Mangia et statti zitto...

cheers...

dunkin