Carne Asada Tacos

To most Americans, a taco is a corn tortilla that is bent in half to form u-shape, fried crisp, and stuffed with a ground beef mixture topped with cheese. But in Mexico, tacos are made with fresh, hot soft tortillas that are rolled around meat, beans, or even fish. Consumed daily by millions south of the border, they are usually eaten as a snack, as a light meal with a bowl of soup, or as an appetizer. Nothing could be simpler than this carne asada taco which is filled with a marinated skirt steak that has been grilled and served with hot, soft corn tortillas and your choice of condiments.

Ingredients

For the Marinade:

• ½ cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

• 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh preferred

• 1 tablespoon ground chile de arbol, or substitute New Mexican red chile powder

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

For the Tacos:

• One 1.5 pounds skirt steak, trimmed of fat and the white membrane

• 6 bulb onions

• Vegetable oil

• 12 small corn tortillas

For the Garnishes:

• Pico de gallo salsa or your favorite tomato based salsa

• Guacamole

• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Put all the ingredients for the marinade in blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Cover the steak with the marinade and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature, or 4 hours or more in the refrigerator.

Prepare a charcoal grill and when the coals are medium hot, brush the onions with the oil and place over the coals to roast, turning frequently so they don’t burn. Add the steak and grill to the desired doneness. For a steak that is 1 ½ to 2-inches thick, about 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare.

Wrap the tortillas in a damp towel and place in a microwave safe container. Microwave at 50% for 4 minutes and let sit, covered for a couple of minutes.

Carve the steak across the grain into long thin pieces. Arrange the meat on a platter and serve along the hot tortillas and the garnishes.