THE LEGACY OF LEFTOVERS: Fried Steak Tacos

Last week, I made some really good Mexican style rib eye steaks on the barbecue. They were delicious but I made more than we can eat. This week, I'm using those leftovers to make a quick dinner here at home instead of going out to spend too much money on fast food.

I have about eight ounces of steak in this container. 

I'll chop it up into thin, small pieces.

That chopped steak will go into a skillet for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Just to warm it up, not so much to cook it anymore. That will be set aside for a minute when done.

I'll take 8 corn tortillas and warm them up in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. I'll put 1/8 of the steak into a tortilla, sprinkle on some shredded cheddar or jack (or better yet, a blend of the two), some hot salsa, and fold over.

In a 12" skillet, I'm putting in 3 tablespoons of olive oil and bringing up the heat to medium for about 4 minutes of preheating.  Two of the filled tortillas will go in. Hold the tortilla down with a wooden spoon to keep from unfolding for about a minute, until the cheese melts enough to glue it together.

About 2-3 minutes on each side, until slightly browned and crispy. Put on a paper towel on a plate and cover until all the tacos are done.

They're now delicious, crunchy, and ready to eat.

Darryl Musick
Copyright 2018 - All Rights Reserved

Something Offal Comes This Way...

Ready to get out of your comfort zone? Offal refers to the parts of the animal most people would rather not think about.  Kids remember having to choke down some of mom's liver or kidney.  Beyond that, it can get even scarier but it can be very tasty.

I had my epiphany with offal on a camping trip with my future wife and future inlaws when my brother-in-law's then girlfriend's (now his very lovely wife) dad set up a barbecue at our site.  He proceeded to unravel a large piece of cow intestine in a spiral on the grill.

"I'm not eating that," I whispered to Letty.

"At least try it," she insisted.

Quite a bit of back and forth later, I relented and told her I would try just a little bite. Screwing up my courage, I did and guess what?  It was terrific. I couldn't get enough.

I now search out a good tripas taco whenever we're someplace I'm likely to get some good Mexican food.

I've learned to not pass up on foods that might be off-putting to me. I've found some great foods and, yes, a few stinkers along the way trying things like pig's intestine soup, blood sausage, brains, heart, snails, and tripe (as in menudo).

Recently, we had this dish.  If you're ready to jump off the safe ledge, give it a shot.

Tacos de Cachete

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds cachete de res (beef cheeks, ask your butcher)
4 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 small onion (chopped)
1/2 pound cilantro (chopped)
Corn tortillas

In a stock pot, boil the cachete, garlic, salt, and pepper for three hours on low heat. It should be soft enough to easily chop up with a knife when done.

Heat up a comal (or a flat griddle) on medium heat.  Heat up some corn tortillas, about 30 seconds on each side. Place the tortillas folded up into a clean dish towel.

Chop up the meat, place a bit with the onion, cilantro, maybe a little guacamore, and your favorite salsa into a warm tortilla and eat as a taco.

Tuesdays with Letty: Osuna's Mexican Grill, Glendora, California

Back before Christmas, my doctor ordered me to take a Diabetes management class. It was a four-week regimen (cut down to 3 because the nurse instructor wanted to skip Christmas week) at our health plan's Glendora office.

Letty and Tim wanted to come with me (the 2 hours on Tuesday nights cured them of that and the last two classes I attended solo) so we went a little early so we could grab a bite to eat first.

The office is located in a small shopping center where the main tenant, Fresh and Easy Market, went under and the rest of the shops, if not empty, struggle to hold on.  Across the parking lot from the class were a couple of restaurants...Subway (not a favorite) and Osuna's.

We gave them a shot and were rewarded with delicious food that only raised my blood sugar by 40 points.

Fast forward to a couple of months later and my wife wants to pick up some items at Costco so I tell her we can do that on our Tuesday night out. On the way we're trying to decide where to eat first.  Driving along the 210 freeway, mentally mapping out what restaurants are at which exits, I remember that night at Osuna's at the Grand Avenue exit and say "why not there?"

Why not indeed? 

We have the place to ourselves, just the owner, the cook, and the owner's young son for company. When the boy comes up and asks us if we'd like to buy some cookies, I ask if he's selling them for school.

"I'm selling them for money!"

A young entreprenuer in the making.

It's an Ensenada themed place and since that Baja city is known for it's fish tacos, that's what Letty gets, along with a carne asada sope.  I opt for the Taco Tuesday special of two al pastor tacos along with a sope of my own.  They're all good and delicious, maybe an 8 out of 10 compared to the best we've had.

A solid place for a nice, casual dinner.

Osuna's is at 1311 S. Grand Avenue in Glendora, about two blocks south of the 210 freeway.

Darryl
Copyright 2016 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

This Week's Sunday Menu: Prime Rib Tacos and Chorizo and Eggs

Going Mexican this weekend with chorizo con huevos and prime rib tacos.

The breakfast is so easy I have to even call it a recipe. It's basically put chorizo in pan, cook, add eggs, and done.

The dinner takes a little more preparation but is still very easy. We're marinating some very good meat, carne asada style like they do in the carnecerias, and grilling on the barbecue.  I used the tiny tortillas (I bought to make chilaquiles with) so these are very much street style tacos but with prime rib instead of flank steak.

Two very tasty and very easy meals. Click on the links for the recipes

BREAKFAST: Chorizo con Huevos (Chorizo and Egg)
Almost too easy but very tasty and authentic.

DINNER: Prime Rib Tacos
Marinade is the key. After that, it's just grill, chop, and eat.

Darryl
Copyright 2015 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

Taco Time: Prime Rib Carne Asada Tacos

While carne asada tacos usually use marinated flank steak, I'm using a rib steak cut off of a prime rib...basically a bone-in rib eye.

Marination is the key to this one.  Also, chopping the meat into little pieces, like they do at the taco stand, makes this one steak extend to feed three people easily.

INGREDIENTS
1 rib steak, (or rib eye or New York steak) about 1 1/2 pounds
2 cups orange juice
1/2 onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 small, hot, red chile peppers
cilantro

First put the steak into a sealable plastic bowl just big enough to fit it in.  Sprinkle little kosher salt and pepper on each side.

In a blender, puree the orange juice, chiles, garlic, and 1/4 onion (save the other quarter for later).

Pour the resulting mixture over your meat, completely immersing it. Seal the bowl and put in the fridge. Marinate anywhere from 6 to 36 hours...the more the better.

Finely dice the remaining onion and add chopped cilantro.  Put into a small bowl.

On a grill, cook the meat to your preferred doneness...I like medium rare. (See our Rib Eye Steak Recipe for tips on cooking to the right degree of doneness)

On a cutting board, chop up the meat into small pieces, the smaller the better. Put into a bowl.

Heat up some corn tortillas, fill with some meat. Add the onions and cilantro mix. Put in your salsa and maybe even a little guacamole if you have some.

Darryl
Copyright 2015 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved