The big news around here is that Jenn is moving to California. She's young, single and ready to spread her wings and fly! While there is no doubt I will miss her being close to home, I am proud of her adventurous spirit and glad she has this opportunity. I'm also excited that we now have a wonderful place to visit. She and I spent last weekend exploring her new city and finding an apartment. While we were familiarizing ourselves with the area, I discovered a specialty in Southern California - Carne Asada. It's thin, citrus marinated grilled steak served in tacos or burritos. I had it twice while we were there and each time it was served with salsa and guacamole. I had to try it once we got home and no one here was disappointed with the results - these are yummy!
Carne Asada Tacos: Lime Marinated Steak, Salsa, and Guacamole
Ingredients for enough marinade for 2 pounds of flank, skirt, or flat iron steak:
4 garlic cloves, put through a press
2 teaspoons jalapeƱo or Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seed
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper
*This marinade recipe is modified from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/carne_asada/
Directions:
Take a serrated knife and "butterfly" the steak by cutting it through the middle so it becomes a larger but thinner cut of meat. Whisk the marinade ingredients together. Place the steak in a glass dish and pour the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.
While the steak is marinating, make the salsa and the guacamole...
Ingredients for 2 cups salsa:
3 tomatoes, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno or Serrano pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper