Beef Soft Tacos With Garlic Avocado Cream And Roasted Asparagus Salsa Food

ASPARAGUS TACOS

Steps:

• Toss 1 pound asparagus (trimmed and halved crosswise) with 2 sliced poblano peppers, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 3/4 teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander; season with salt. Spread on a baking sheet and broil, stirring, until charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve in warm tortillas with cotija cheese and salsa verde.

BEEF TACOS WITH SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with the cumin, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add to the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.
• Transfer the meat to a 6-quart slow cooker, then add the salsa, onion and garlic. Cover and cook on high, 6 hours.
• Remove the meat to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks, discarding the excess fat. Return the meat to the slow cooker and stir in the cilantro.
• Serve the meat in tortillas and top as desired. Serve with lime wedges.

BEEF SOFT TACOS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine the beef with the flour, salt, minced onion, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder Use your hands to mix evenly.
• Heat skillet to med/low heat.
• Add beef mixture and water to the pan.
• Brown the beef, breaking it up as it cooks.
• Heat the tortillas in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels.
• Spread meat into tortillas, top with cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream.

SOFT BEEF TACOS WITH SALSA

Steps:

• Place eggplant slices on 2 baking sheets. Lightly salt eggplant on both sides. Let stand 1 hour. Drain on paper towels, pat eggplant dry, wiping off salt.
• Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté half of beef until brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to bowl. Sauté remaining beef until brown, about 3 minutes. Return all beef to pot. Add salsa, broth, garlic, sugar and soy sauce; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until beef is tender, stirring often, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Uncover pot and simmer stew until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Mix in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm before continuing.)
• Heat tortillas 1 at a time on stove burner, about 10 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Cover with towel to keep warm.
• Serve stew with tortillas, allowing diners to assemble tacos.

BARBACOA BEEF TACOS WITH PICKLED WATERMELON & AVOCADO SAUCE

Steps:

• The day before, make the marinade. Put the red onion, tomatoes and garlic cloves in a dry non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry, shaking the pan occasionally, until blackened - this will add flavour. Tip into a blender. Return the pan to the heat, add the chillies, toast until fragrant, then tip into the blender as well, along with 3 tbsp spice mix, 75ml oil and the juice of 1 lemon. Blitz until smooth.
• Pour a little of the leftover oil into the frying pan over a medium-high heat. Season, then brown the beef in batches until each piece has a nice dark brown crust. Tip the beef into a large, ovenproof dish with a lid, then pour over the marinade. Toss to coat, cover and chill in the fridge overnight.
• Heat oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Take the dish out the fridge. Pour in the stock, add the bay leaves, then mix together. Pop on the lid and cook for 3½ hrs, removing the lid for the last hour, until the meat falls apart when prodded. Remove the beef from the dish and set aside, then put the dish back on the heat and bubble until the sauce has reduced by half. Shred the beef with two forks and add back to the sauce.
• Meanwhile, put the avocados, soured cream and coriander stalks in a blender. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon. Blitz until smooth, then season and add more lemon juice to taste. Set aside in the fridge.
• For the pickled watermelon, whisk the vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp spice mix together in a bowl. Add the watermelon and toss to coat. Cover and chill for 1 hr, tossing occasionally, to lightly pickle.
• To serve, warm the tortillas in a frying pan. Spread some of the avocado cream on each one, top with a pile of beef, a few cubes of watermelon and some coriander.