A child of the Sonoran dessert, I can’t help having a burning love for the flavors of the Southwest. But since moving out from under the Tucson sun, I’ve lived in cold lands sadly devoid of quality tacos, beans, and tortillas. Luckily, I’ve been able to reproduce a few of my childhood favorites to help ease some of the homesickness.

These tacos are not your run of the mill carne asada. A 24 hour spicy citrus marinade and quality strip steaks elevate these tacos to fancy fare, but don’t worry, this meal is definitely easy enough to prepare. Don’t be tempted to skimp and get skirt or flank steak. The tender strip steak almost melts as you bite into it, preventing the tacos from falling apart and allowing you to enjoy all the beautiful flavors in harmony.

The best part is that these tacos are bursting with flavor and nutrients. Cooked in a sous vide or on the grill, the meat is lean and full of the iron that all of us mamas out there need. Cilantro lime coleslaw is loaded with fiber, vitamins K and C, and folate.* Without the mayonnaise of its classic predecessor, this coleslaw is also lighter and more versatile. I love to serve it with BBQ ribs or brisket, roasted chicken, burgers, and tacos of all kinds. If you have leftovers, toss the slaw with some arugula, crumbled feta, and some toasted pumpkin seeds, and you have a beautiful entree salad.

My favorite way to cook the steaks is with the sous vide and to finish them with a blow torch for a perfect medium rare every time. However, you can grill, sear, or bake them also if you don’t have a sous vide. Just be sure to dry your steaks well after removing them from the marinade, so they can develop a nice, crispy, brown crust. Also, I have used the marinade for fantastic chicken tacos. Simply replace the steaks with boneless, skinless chicken breasts, marinate, and sous vide at 150ºF for two hours before finishing on a hot grill (or just cook using your preferred method until the internal temperature is 165ºF). Finally, I use jalapeno garlic infused olive oil for the marinade recipe, but you can substitute regular olive oil and a minced fresh jalapeno if you’d prefer.

Carne Asada Tacos

Equipment:

• Sous vide, vacuum sealer, blow torch (all optional)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs quality strip steaks

• 1 small yellow onion, diced

• 2 large cloves of garlic, pressed or minced

• 1 bunch green onions, trimmed and sliced

• 1/4 cup orange juice

• 1 TBS. salt

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

• Juice of 2 limes

• 2 TBS. white vinegar

• 1/4 cup jalapeno garlic infused olive oil or 1/4 cup olive oil + 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

• Corn Tortillas (12-18)

• Cilantro lime coleslaw (recipe follows)

• Chopped onion, cilantro, salsa, avocado, lime, and sliced radish for garnish

Method:

1. Make the marinade. Combine the onion, garlic, green onion, orange juice, salt, pepper, lime juice, vinegar, and olive oil in a gallon plastic bag or a large lidded container and mix.

2. Wash and dry the steaks. Place them in the marinade and store in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours. Turn the steaks over half way through marinating.

3. Fill a large container with warm water, fit with a sous vide, and heat to 129ºF. Remove the steaks from the marinade and dry with a paper towel. Seal with a vacuum sealer or seal in a large plastic bag. Cook for 2 hours. Remove the steak from the water and the bag(s) and pat dry completely.

4. Use a blow torch, grill heated on high, or very hot pan with a little oil to sear the steaks on both sides and their edges. Slice and serve in soft corn tortillas with cilantro lime coleslaw and your favorite taco garnishes.

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Equipment:

• Food processor with grater and slicer attachments

Ingredients:

• 1/2 large head of cabbage (or 1 small), cleaned and core removed

• 2 large carrots, peeled and trimmed

• 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, stems removed

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 TBS. olive oil

• 2 TBS. cider vinegar

• Black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Place the cilantro leaves in the food processor with the regular blade attached. Pulse several times until finely chopped. Pour the leaves into a large bowl, and fit the food processor with the grater attachment.

2. Grate the carrots and half of the cabbage. Pour these into the large bowl with the cilantro, and fit the food processor with the slicer attachment.

3. Slice the remaining cabbage and pour it into the bowl along with all of the remaining ingredients. Mix well and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve with carne asada tacos or as a side to all your favorite BBQ fare.

Carne Asada recipe adapted from Sous Vide Everything

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw adapted from Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook

*Nutrition information