Tacos de Dzik. If you've got sour orange, habanero and red onion, you're talking Yucatan. The southeastern peninsula of Mexico is well known for using the infamous habanero in their dishes. They have mastered the balance of the chile's heat and fruity flavors to make the region's cuisine unique and lively.
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef skirt or flank steak, sliced crosswise
- 2 tbs lard, ghee or beef tallow
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 banana leaves or 6 corn husks
- 1 red onion, minced
- 2/3 cup sour orange (Seville) juice
- 6 roma tomatoes
- 6 radishes, trimmed, minced
- 1 habanero chile, minced
- 12 cilantro spring, sliced thin
- Green cabbage or butter lettuce leaves
Directions
- If using corn husks, soak them in hot water for 15 minutes.
- Pat the meat dry with paper towels.
- Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Add a tablespoon of fat to the pan and allow it to melt.
- Fry the beef in batches to brown it well. Set aside.
- Set up a 5 quart pot filled with an inch of water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Chop the beef into small pieces. Divide among the banana leaves or cornhusks. Fold and tie up.
- Place the beef packages in the steamer, cover and cook for 60–70 minutes.
- Check periodically and add water as necessary.
- To make the salsa, rinse the minced onion in a mesh strainer under water.
- Stir the onion with 1 tbs of the sour orange juice.
- Core, seed and dice the tomatoes.
- Add the radish, chile, cilantro and onion to the tomatoes.
- Remove the beef from the steamer, unwrap and shred as much as possible.
- Stir the beef, salsa and the remaining 4 tbs of sour orange juice together. Taste and salt.
- Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve with cabbage leaves.
Serves 7–8.
adapted from: Rick Bayless
