Nothing beats a steak taco! And my favorite taco combines both tangy and acidic toppings with richer creamy ones—and of course, guacamole. This is an easy steak dinner since everything except the steak can be made up to a day before and set out for assembly just before serving. The 1-2-3 Guacamole is the best guacamole that I have ever had. The secret is in my friend Rick Bayless’s tomatillo salsa that is now marketed as Frontera Original Guacamole Mix.

Serves 4 to 6

Grilling Method: Direct/Medium-High Heat

2          skirt steaks (about 1 pound each)

            Extra-virgin olive oil

            Kosher salt

            1-2-3 Guacamole (see below)

            Elizabeth’s Carrot-Jalapeno Relish (see below)

            Chipotle Crema (see below)

8 to 12 flour or corn tortillas, warmed

Preheat the grill with all burners on high. Once preheated, adjust the temperature to medium-high for direct grilling.

Wrap the meat in paper towels to rid it of excess moisture. Replace the paper towels as needed. 

Brush the steaks all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with kosher salt just before placing it on the grill. 

Place the steak on the cooking grate and grill for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes more for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the grill and place on a clean platter. Let the meat rest for 5 minutes before slicing it against the grain, on the diagonal, and serve with tortillas and taco condiments.

1-2-3 Guacamole

I first made this recipe for a very large event at the Culinary Institute of America Worlds of Flavor conference. Daunted by the task of making guacamole for 500, my friends at Frontera Foods suggested that I try their easy recipe, made with tomatillo salsa. Well, it was so good that it was the hit of the event, and I couldn’t stop eating it myself! Since I tried this recipe, I’ve never made guacamole any other way.

Makes about 2 cups 

3          ripe Hass avocados

1          cup store-bought tomatillo salsa, or Frontera Original Guacamole Mix

¼         cup chopped cilantro leaves

            Kosher salt

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, scoop the soft flesh into a bowl, and mash. Leave some small chunks of avocado in the mash. Stir in the tomatillo salsa and the cilantro; add salt to taste. Refrigerate with the pit in the center of the guacamole for up to 5 hours (the pit will help keep the guacamole from browning). 

Chipotle Crema

This sauce comes together instantly in a blender. Start with 1 chipotle and taste after each addition for spiciness. Add according to your taste.

Makes about 1 ½ cups

1/2      cup mayonnaise, preferably Hellmann’s or Best Foods

1/2      cup sour cream

2 to 3 canned chipotles in adobo sauce

Place the mayonnaise and sour cream in a blender with 1 chipotle and some of the adobo sauce from the can. Puree and taste for spice. Add another chipotle or 2 if desired. 

Elizabeth’s Carrot-Jalapeño Relish

This can be made up one week in advance and stored in glass mason jars in the refrigerator. Once made, it will keep for a month in the refrigerator. I love this relish with any grilled or roasted meat including beer-can chicken, but I have also been known to top a block of cream cheese with it, making a quick and crave-able appetizer. Serve with whole wheat crackers and your favorite libation. Like me, you may like it so much that you keep it on hand year round.

Makes about 4 cups

3          pounds carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

1          cup thinly sliced shallots (about 6 shallots)

6 to 10 small jalapeños or assorted hot peppers, seeded and sliced in thin rings 

2          tablespoons kosher salt

3          cups distilled white vinegar

2          cups granulated white sugar or Sugar in the Raw

2          teaspoons pickling spice 

2          teaspoons red chile pepper flakes (optional) 

1          teaspoon whole cloves

1          teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Special equipment: 5 pint or 4 quart canning jars and lids, sterilized and ready for canning (see Note)

Place the carrots, shallots, and jalapeños in a large stockpot and set aside. 

Combine the salt, vinegar, sugar, pickling spice, chile flakes, if using, cloves, and peppercorns in a medium-size heavy-bottomed stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. When the vinegar mixture is boiling, pour it over the vegetables and stir continually with a long handled wooden spoon. Be careful not to let the boiling vinegar splash because it could cause a burn. The boiling vinegar should cook the vegetables enough; you want them to be brightly colored and crunchy. Cool the vegetables in the vinegar to room temperature.  

When the vegetables have cooled, divide them among the prepared canning jars, leaving a 3-inch head space. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil again and divide it among the jars. You want there to be a high liquid-relish ratio. Make sure that the liquid level is about 1/2 inch above the relish and leave another 1/2-inch space below the top seam of the jar.

Place the canning lids and rings on the jars and tighten them. Turn the hot jars upside down so that all the heat is on the seals. Turn them back upright when the jars are completely cool. As they cool, you will hear a popping noise as they seal. After the relish cools, you can start to use it immediately. It will keep stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Note: I wash and sterilize my jars, lids, and rings in the dishwasher, timing it so the cycle is done and the jars are hot when I am ready to pack them.

ALL RECIPES ©ELIZABETH KARMEL 2020