I love it when a plan comes together, first time's a charm. These beef tacos with sautéed onions turned out so scrummy that I had to jump on my laptop and share the recipe. Even if it is only to memorialize the details of the recipe for my own use and not rely on a flawed memory. I was also looking for an alternative taco recipe that is nightshade-free.
Admittedly I was nervous about some of the flavor combinations. This uses sweetened grilled onions and with a very beefy flavored cut of meat my fingers were crossed tight to the point of white knuckles that I made the right choices. Turns out the luscious onions brought out the best in a rich beefy cut of meat.
Tacos are not a precise dish and approximate measurements will be shown here. I will say the more added flavor enhancing items listed in the recipe, the better the outcome. So if I say oregano, add OREGANO! You know how to cook, you can get this right.
MAIN EVENT
1.5 lbs. flank steak, pounded thin by half
MARINADE
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely diced
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbl. dried oregano
2 tea. granulated garlic
1 tea. liquid smoke
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 tea. salt / fresh cracked black pepper
1 lime fully zested and juiced
GRILLED ONIONS
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 tea. dried thyme
1 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. olive oil
1 tea. sugar
2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar
CREMA
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbl. fresh cilantro, finely diced
1 lime fully zested, and juiced
8 corn tortillas
fresh cilantro chopped for garnish
I cut my whole flank steak into 2 halves for ease of use and took my mallet and pounded meat between two sheets of plastic down by half thickness. In a long glass dish, coat meat with marinade on both sides. Do not stack meat to allow full marinade coverage.
Marinate at least 3 hours.
In a sauté pan add olive oil and butter on medium heat. When butter has melted add the sliced onions and thyme. Cooking will be a gently heat and slowly sauté the onions until they just begin to turn golden, approx. 15 minutes Add sugar to onions, the browning with occur more rapidly then add the apple cider vinegar to de-glaze the pan. Remove from heat when vinegar is fully evaporated and transfer to a bowl for service. Keep warm.
Prepare the crema in a small bowl by simply mixing evenly the sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
Drain meat of any naturally occurring meat juices. Warm a sauté pan, grill pan or grill. Cook or grill meat on both sides (turning only once) until medium rare. Approximately 2 minutes on each side. Cook an extra minute on each side if meat is refrigerator cold.
Keep meat in a warm place as you warm or grill each corn tortilla.
ASSEMBLE
Using a sharpened chef's knife slice thin strips of cooked flank steak across the grain for tenderness and place slices on a warm tortilla. Add sautéed onions, sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and a dollop of cilantro lime crema.
Enjoy!
