Taco With Lime-Pickled Red Onion

I just got through with a fun interview with Sandy Gluck of Everyday Food on Martha Stewart Living. I sure hope it was enjoyable and interesting for all the Sirius and XM listeners. For those of you coming here from Sirius and XM looking for recipes, I’m getting to it. This is definitely putting the heat under me! Yow! I’ve been wanting to get some recipes up here so I’ll begin below with the Coffee and Chile Braised Beef Brisket and the Lime-Pickled Red Onions. If you have any requests, tips, suggestions, questions, please leave me a note. I love talking about tacos.

If you didn’t get a chance to hear the interview live, I will have a flash version here very soon courtesy of the dynamic Shayne Foley of Mind You Media in Perth, Western Australia.

Coffee And Chile-Braised Beef Brisket Taco
Taco de Machaca Estilo Momocho

Courtesy of Sasquatch Books and Chef Eric Williams of Momocho Restaurant in Cleveland

Tacos de cazuela, their fillings simmered in pots, are widespread throughout Mexico. Often the cazuela, or pot, is placed on the table and each person fills his or her own tortillas. This recipe comes from Eric Williams, the chef and owner of Momocho in Cleveland and one of the top chefs in the country exploring modern Mexican cuisine. The brisket recipe is easy to make, but the result is deep and heartwarming–so good, in fact, that you will be happy to have leftovers. Just reheat some of the meat and liquid and spread it onto a nice piece of baguette, top with onions and cilantro, and you have a awesome lunch or dinner for the next day. To make ancho chile powder, just break a few dried ancho chiles into small pieces and grind them in a small spice grinder.

Makes 12 to 15 Tacos

Filling

2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons freshly ground Guatemalan coffee, medium to full roast, or another medium-roasted coffee
3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
2 1/2 pounds beef brisket, quartered and trimmed of excess fat
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup unseasoned tomato juice
Juice from 2 limes (approximately 4 tablespoons)
1 cup red wine
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 medium Spanish or yellow onion, peeled and quartered

1. In a small bowl, mix the ancho chile powder, cinnamon, coffee, and 2 tablespoons of the salt together. Rub the seasoning all over the surface of the brisket pieces and place them on a large plate or baking sheet. On a grill, or in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, sear the seasoned brisket, 4 to 5 minutes per side. It should smell toasty as the spices caramelize, but not burned.

2. In a braising pan or heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, or other heavy pot, add the brisket, vinegar, tomato juice, lime juice, wine, the remaining salt, the pepper, bay leaf, and onion.

3. Add enough water to cover the brisket, cover the pan, and place it on the stove. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 3 hours or until the brisket is tender. Remove the bay leaf and onion and discard. Remove the meat and shred it. reserving the cooking liquid.

4. Serve on warm corn tortillas, topped with Fresh Tomatillo Salsa, Chunky Guacamole, and crumbled queso fresco, with lime wedges on the side. To reheat any leftovers, put the meat and reserved cooking liquid in a pot and warm over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until hot. If reheating in a microwave, warm the meat and liquid 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until hot.

Lime-Pickled Red Onions

Simple to make, these are an awesome taco condiment. Slice 1 large red onion into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Break them up in a medium-size bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon salt. Let sit overnight. The next day, rinse them for about 3 minutes in a colander until they are just slightly salty to taste. Return onions to a clean bowl and add the juice of 2 limes (about 4 tablespoons). Mix well. Marinate for 1 hour before serving.