Campechano Tacos with Street Style Salsa

Makes 8 Tacos  

    INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds flank steak, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 white onion
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound longaniza, casings removed, chopped (or substitute Mexican chorizo)
• 1/2 pound pork chicharrón, crumbled or chopped into small pieces
• 8 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade
• 1 cup finely chopped white onion, for garnish
• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish
• Salsa Callejera

TO PREPARE

• Place the meat, garlic, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, and a teaspoon of salt in a large casserole or pot. Cover generously with water and place over high heat. Once it comes to a simmer, reduce heat to medium low, remove any foam that may have risen to the top, cover, and cook for an hour and a half until the meat is completely tender and falling apart. Turn off heat and set aside.

• Once cool enough to handle, remove the meat with a slotted spoon and chop into small pieces. Set aside.

• Set a large saute pan over medium-high heat, once hot add a tablespoon of oil. Add the longaniza or chorizo and brown, crumbling into smaller pieces with a couple wooden spoons or spatulas as it cooks, for about 5 minutes until crisp and brown. Add the chopped meat, stir, and cook for a couple minutes until it starts to brown as well. Incorporate the chicharrón, mix it all up and turn off the heat.

• Preheat a comal or skillet over medium-low heat. Heat the tortillas for about a minute per side until completely hot with brown specks on both sides. Assemble the tacos, or let people assemble their own, by adding some of the meat mix and topping with chopped onion, cilantro, and salsa callejera.

Salsa Callejera

Makes 3 generous cups

    INGREDIENTS

• 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed, or more to taste
• 1 1/2 pound about 5 or 6 ripe Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 pound about 4 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, or to taste
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, leaves and upper stems
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

TO PREPARE

• Preheat a comal or small saute pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, toast chiles de árbol for about a minute until toasted and fragrant. Remove from the heat.

• Place the tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and set over medium-high heat, simmer for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes and tomatillos are cooked and mushy and the jalapeños have softened and changed their color.

• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes, tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic to blender. Incorporate the chiles de árbol, onion, cilantro, cumin, and salt and puree until smooth.

• Set a medium saucepan over medium heat, once hot add the oil. Once the oil is hot, pour in the salsa and be ready to partially cover with the lid as it will jump. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until thickened and seasoned and color has deepened.

Shrimp, Bacon and Crispy Chickpea Tacos with Smooth Guacamole

Makes approximately 8 - 10 tacos

    INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces bacon, about 8 thick slices, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed, drained, patted dry
• 3/4 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, divided
• 1 guajillo chile, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, rinsed, shelled and cleaned
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Corn tortillas
• Smooth Guacamole

TO PREPARE

• In a large saute pan or casserole set over medium-high heat, fry the bacon for a couple minutes, until it starts rendering its fat. Add the chickpeas and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook until lightly browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Incorporate the guajillo chile and almonds, stir, cook for a minute, and scrape into a bowl.

• Add the oil and butter to that same pan and once it melts and bubbles, add the shrimp and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for about a minute and once the shrimp begin to brown, add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Turn off the heat. Incorporate the bacon and chickpea mix and taste for salt.

• Heat the corn tortillas on a preheated comal or skillet set over medium-low heat. Tuck the shrimp mixture into the heated tortillas and top with the smooth guacamole.

Smooth Guacamole

Makes approximately 2 cups

    INGREDIENTS

• 2 large avocados, halved, pitted, meat scooped out and chopped
• 1 tomatillo, husked, rinsed and quartered
• 1 to 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, stemmed, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, or more to taste
• 2 to 3 ice cubes

TO PREPARE

• Place all ingredients in the jar of the blender and pulse until completely smooth. You may add a chile at a time to taste for your desired heat level.