The Culinary Connoisseur
Mex it Up
02
Aug
Aug
Summertime grilling lends itself to a variety of exciting
flavors by just changing up the seasonings and spices used in your marinade. Bright
Mexican chicken and beef dishes are easy to recreate on your barbecue with
condiments you already have in your pantry. Nowadays you can even serve them
parve “sour cream” just like authentic Mexican cuisine.
flavors by just changing up the seasonings and spices used in your marinade. Bright
Mexican chicken and beef dishes are easy to recreate on your barbecue with
condiments you already have in your pantry. Nowadays you can even serve them
parve “sour cream” just like authentic Mexican cuisine.
For the chicken:
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
2 pounds chicken breasts
For the Pico de Gallo:
6 plum tomatoes, finely
diced
diced
1 jalapeno, seeded or
not, diced fine
not, diced fine
1/2 bunch cilantro or
parsley leaves, checked and chopped
parsley leaves, checked and chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon kosher
salt
salt
For assembly
Warm tortillas or wraps
Diced avocado
3 tablespoons cilantro or parsley checked and chopped
Hot sauce
Parve sour cream like Wayfare, optional
Combine salt and spices with the oil and juice in a
Ziploc bag for the marinade. Marinate
chicken in mixture for at least 2 hours.
Ziploc bag for the marinade. Marinate
chicken in mixture for at least 2 hours.
To make the pico de gallo, combine the other half of the
onion with the tomato, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and salt.
Stir it together and set it aside.
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
onion with the tomato, jalapeno, cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and salt.
Stir it together and set it aside.
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Drain chicken well and grill for 5-6 minutes per side or
until done. Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice into strips.
Place chicken strips, diced avocado and pico de gallo on a tortilla. Sprinkle
with cilantro or parsley. Drizzle with hot sauce and a dollop of parve sour
cream. Fold up and serve.
until done. Remove from grill and allow to rest 5 minutes. Slice into strips.
Place chicken strips, diced avocado and pico de gallo on a tortilla. Sprinkle
with cilantro or parsley. Drizzle with hot sauce and a dollop of parve sour
cream. Fold up and serve.
For the marinade & meat:
1 orange, juiced
2 limes, juiced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 sweet pickled peppers or hot peppers
3 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 pounds skirt steak, cut into 8-inch pieces
For assembly:
Salt and pepper
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Light olive oil
12 flour tortillas, warm
For the guacamole:
5 ripe Hass avocados
3 to 4 limes, juiced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good quality store bought salsa
Combine all the marinade ingredients. Using an immersion
blender, puree the marinade until smooth. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag
and add the steak, seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate the beef for 2 to 4
hours to tenderize and flavor the beef
blender, puree the marinade until smooth. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag
and add the steak, seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate the beef for 2 to 4
hours to tenderize and flavor the beef
Drain the marinade from the beef. Lightly oil the grill
grate. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the
steak over medium-high heat and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side and then
transfer to a cutting board and let rest.
grate. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the
steak over medium-high heat and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side and then
transfer to a cutting board and let rest.
Toss the bell peppers and onions with a little olive oil.
Grill onions and peppers for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are just
barely limp.
Grill onions and peppers for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are just
barely limp.
Prepare guacamole: With a tablespoon, scoop out the
avocado flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them
still a bit chunky. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, and fold everything
together.
avocado flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them
still a bit chunky. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, and fold everything
together.
Heat up the tortillas. Turn on one burner to a medium low
flame. Place a tortilla on each flame and let it char about 30 seconds to 1
minute, flip the tortilla and repeat on the second side. Once heated and
charred, wrap in a towel to keep warm. Repeat until you have warmed all of your
tortillas.
flame. Place a tortilla on each flame and let it char about 30 seconds to 1
minute, flip the tortilla and repeat on the second side. Once heated and
charred, wrap in a towel to keep warm. Repeat until you have warmed all of your
tortillas.
To serve:
Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a diagonal.
Spread some guacamole on a tortilla, top with a few
slices of steak, peppers and onions, and salsa. Roll up the tortilla to enclose
the filling.
slices of steak, peppers and onions, and salsa. Roll up the tortilla to enclose
the filling.
Happy grilling!