steak Archives - A Byte of Life

Poblano Jalapeño Steak

We discovered the Elote Cafe in Sedona on an impromptu trip up there two years ago. We were visiting family just outside of Phoenix and we all decided to load up and head to Sedona- why you might ask? Because it’s amazing! What a lovely place- being in Sedona is the same feeling you get when you look at the stars in the middle of no where. There is a free, peaceful, liberated yet aware feeling that you get when looking at the wide open galaxy and that’s the same feeling you get when visiting the lovely town of Sedona.

We got there, settled in, swam in the pool (unlike Seattle, it was GORGEOUS weather in April!!) and then realized that we were starving. Thanks to a quick Yelp consultation, we found out that there was a highly rated restaurant up the street from our hotel and we decided to give it a try. Not only did they have amazing sangria and a patio to sip it on while we waited for our table (how is a restaurant PACKED in Sedona!?) but we discovered Elote which is the namesake dish of the restaurant. It’s made of fire roasted corn and spicy mayo and garnished with lime and Cotija cheese and it was absolutely stunning! We’ve made it at least 4-5 times each summer since we discovered it. You can find the recipe HERE.

The Arizona and subsequent Elote trip celebrated the birthday trip for both myself and the mister and believe it or not, we got a table visit from the wonderful Chef, Jeff Smedstad, who also signed my personal copy of the cookbook and took a picture with us at the table! Talk about an amazing birthday! Whenever I get a chance, I like to challenge myself and make a recipe and the mister asked me to make a recipe from the Elote cookbook so I told him to pick a few recipes and I would decide which one to cook. Thus, tonight’s Poblano Jalapeño Steak recipe came to life and let me tell you, it’s EPICLY good!!! Especially since I know that it will be a crock pot recipe next time and much less work!

Poblano Jalapeño Steak

2 tablespoons oil
2 cups diced onion
4 lb Stew Beef
1 tablespoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups chopped jalapeños (12-15 large jalapeños)
3 cups chopped raw poblano (9 large poblano peppers)
2 cups water
1 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons Maseca
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Chop the poblano,onion and jalapeños. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the grapeseed oil in a large heavy heated skillet and add two cups of the chopped poblano and the onion. Add the beef chunks and brown on all sides. Scrape browned beef and onions into an ovenproof casserole dish.

Add the remaining ingredients into a food processor and puree for 5-7 seconds. Pour over the steak and bake uncovered in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Serve with fresh cilantro garnish!

Notes for next time:

Next time this is going in the crock pot for SURE! I made double batch of the sauce so I have it in the freezer ready for next time!

Original recipe called for a 5 lb pork shoulder, cut 1-to-2 inch chunks but I had fresh, organic, grain fed free range beef in the freezer that I needed to use up and it was UH MAZING!!!!

Carne Asada Steak Tacos

Taco Tuesday is a long-standing tradition in our house. As we start to get the pockets of good weather in Seattle I get more and more excited about one of my favorite things, roof top grilling. Now, we are not just your casual everyday grill people. We’re Californian, which means we’re dedicated grillers; we grill in all-weather! Neither rain, nor sleet nor wind or snow shall keep us from the grill! True story, my dad’s been known to put on his boots and grill in the SNOW! Luckily Taco Tuesday was somewhat sunny so the grilling experience was more leisurely than it is when you’re all out fighting wind or snow.

As you may have seen from this weeks Mango Salsa post, I had some Carne Asada tacos at our local Farmers Market and that started the obsession fever. They were amazing tacos and I had to try my hand at replicating that amazing experience. I’m happy to report, this little recipe made it in the top 5 BEST MEALS EVER list from the mister! Even I was speechless after my first bite…and realized that my biggest problem in life at the moment was that I didn’t have a bigger stomach!

Carne Asada Steak Tacos with Pico De Gallo, Grilled Cabbage Slaw
(Various parts of recipe adapted from Food Network)

Flank Steak:

2 pounds flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat
1 large baking dish, to prepare
1 large ziplock bag, to marinate
1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows
Olive oil, for coating the grill
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mojo:
5 garlic cloves, minced*
1/2 jalapeno, minced
2 large handfuls fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 limes, juiced
1 orange, juiced
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

For Serving:
Tortillas (We ” Home-Style” flour tortillas)
Cilantro
Lime wedges
Cheese
Pico de Gallo, recipe here
Grilled Cabbage Slaw, recipe here
Mango Salsa, recipe here

*Conversions for garlic if you don’t have the fresh stuff: 1 clove = 1 teaspoon chopped garlic = 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic = 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder = 1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes = 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic = 1/2 teaspoon garlic juice

Directions
If you are using the Pico de Gallo, Cabbage Slaw, or Mango Salsa prepare all of the herbs and veggies at the same time before you prepare the meat. Getting all the chopping done at once makes the job easier and all of these dishes and side dishes are better when they’re left to marinate for a while!

To make the mojo, wash and chop all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Lay steak out in a large baking dish and lightly coat with black pepper then pour the mojo over the steak making sure to spread out the clumps of cilantro and garlic. Fold the top of your plastic bag over itself twice, to keep any juices from interfering with the zip lock seal. Fold the meat over itself in quarters, with the mojo on the inside, and place in the plastic bag. Pour remaining mojo juices over the meat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 1- 8 hours. I prefer a longer marinate time so the juices really soak into the meat, but don’t marinate longer than 8 hours as the citrus in the mojo will break down the delicate cut of meat and render it mushy.

Once you’re ready to cook the meat, pre-heat the grill and start a pan on the stove to cook the cabbage slaw. (You can also broil the meat, but we prefer to grill if that option is available). Brush the grill with olive oil to keep the meat from sticking. Grill (or broil) the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. (At once you do the first turn, you can get out the toppings and have them ready.) Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice meat, heat up tortillas over open flame on the stove and assemble a masterpiece!

Grilled Cabbage Slaw

In our house there are two forms of “to do lists”, there’s a “his” and a “hers”. “His” consist of various house chores and interior renovation tasks such as sanding, painting, scrubbing grout, fixing and rearranging various wires and boxes and electrical “this and that’s”. Tasks on that list are actually being completed while I curl up in the corner, typing away on the dining room table which is against the living room wall with boxes to the right of me, boxes to the left of me, boxes in front of me… ten points and a big golds star to any of you that know that Little Rascals quote. We’re in the middle of redecorating the little perch and I’m actually quite thankful to report that I have a very dashing handyman that LOVES this type of work. Or, at least enjoys it more than I do! He’s been slaving away and I’ll post before and after pictures once we have the new carpet in.

Let me proceed to the “her” version of the to do list: banana bread, morning muffins (which I made this weekend and posted here), blueberry muffins with crumbles on top, stir fry, fajita’s… this is just a sample of the meals that are on my list. And I must say, to quote the great Ron Burgundy, “I’m not even mad.” Settling up my part of the redecoration manual labor with some good homemade meals is quite fine with me! After brand new paint in the bedroom and a gorgeous new living room painted the perfect shade of meringue yellow which at the moment is shining brightly in the rare spring Seattle sunshine, my handyman deserved a good hearty meal. I decided to follow the coupon clipping and headed to Metropolitan Market to get some steak for our fajita’s. Up to the counter I bounded, with WAY more than I went in for and happily presented my coupon with a sense of great accomplishment at a few dollars well saved, only to realize that I apparently can’t read dates and the coupon wasn’t good for another 3 days! We already had our hearts set on steak fajita’s so I put back the second of the “buy-one-get-one-free” coupon that was no more, and juggled my groceries to the car.

As all wonderful recipes transpire, parts of this meal are NOT what I originally intended and I have to say that they actually turned out much better! I meant to marinate the meat, and didn’t, yet it was more perfect that I could hope! About an hour before I was going to prep the meal I was still trying to think of a recipe enhancement. While taking a mental inventory of the fridge I stopped on the middle right shelf where 1 1/2 heads of green cabbage still lived as remnant from the post St. Patty’s Day sale at the market. SLAW! I’d never in my life made slaw and wasn’t even sure if it would go with steak fajita’s but it was going to be made and tested to world, watch out! I have to say, the slaw turned out INCREDIBLE! So incredible, in fact, that I make a brand new batch when we enjoyed our next day leftovers. The key to this slaw is fresh ingredients, an entire Anaheim pepper for kick, fresh lime juice and the Creme de la Creme finishing touch is that I pan grilled it! That deep charred taste completed the entire meal. I’ll never again eat another raw slaw… to the grill with that side!

Grilled Southwest Cabbage “Slaw”

3 c. cabbage, chopped
1 ear corn, uncooked
1 medium Anaheim pepper, sliced and diced very thin with seeds
1 good handful cilantro, rinsed and chopped
1/2 Lime, juiced
1 spoon full minced garlic and juice
Cracked Salt & Pepper to taste
Cayenne Pepper to taste

In a large bowl, mixing all ingredients and set aside uncovered, to let the flavors mix (you can set this aside for however long you’d like which makes this a great prep ahead of time part of a meal, but let it set at least 20 minutes
Heat a non-stick pan over high heat and grill the cabbage until it’s charred, turning every few minutes (approx. 10 minutes)

Grilled Cabbage Slaw Salad with Seared Flank Steak and Galaxy Rice Cheese

Seared Steak Fajitas with Grilled Cabbage Slaw and Avocado