This little guy (little because he isn't even half-way to full grown) was not used in my recipe, nor did a Sooner fan accost him.
"I Love Beef" is what my apron read. Truth be told, I appreciate all parts of a cow. This post is dedicated to the parts of a cow they are most known for (other than methane). Beef and Cheese. This past Friday I had the joy of presenting a cooking demo at the Oklahoma State Fair in conjunction with the Oklahoma Beef Council. The recipe I prepared for the hungry audience members was for Adobo Beef Tacos with Pickled Red Onions. These tacos have a nice spicy, smoky flavor with a tangy onion contrast. Not only are these tacos delicious, but are also a great source of protein and zinc.
Ingredients:
Pickled Red Onions
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
The Rub
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons adobo seasoning (If you are unable to find adobo seasoning, abodo sauce makes a nice trade. Plus the chipotle peppers that come in the adobo sauce can be used to add a little heat to a side of beans)
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
The Beef
2 beef shoulder top blade (flat iron) steaks (about 8 ounces each or 1 16 ounce steak) (Flank steak is a nice substitute)
8 small corn tortillas (6 to 7-inch diameter), warmed
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (mild feta cheese if you can't find queso fresco)
What To Do:
1. Combine Pickled Red Onions ingredients in medium bowl; stir well. Cover and refrigerate while preparing beef. You can make these a few hours to a couple days in advance. The extra time gives the onions a chance to pick up a little extra tang. Tang is a good thing.
2. Combine seasoning ingredients in small bowl; press evenly onto beef steaks. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes to 2 hours.
3. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 10 to 14 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. If a grill is unavailable, use your broiler in your oven. The cooking time remains about the same.
4. Meanwhile, drain pickled onions well. Carve steaks into thin strips. Top tortillas evenly with steak, queso fresco and pickled onions. Sprinkle with cilantro, as desired.
This recipe is easy and pretty quick. This recipe is listed in the appetizer section, but can very easily be made into a meal by adding a side of pinto or black beans and rice. For more great ideas of what to do with beef visit: beefitswhatsfordinner.com
No visit to a state fair would be complete with out something deep fried. Most places like to put things on a stick. I, for one, don't mind getting my hands a little dirty while eating. If it's going to coat my intestinal tract with grease, it might as well coat my hands too. Before coming to the fair I read that a stand won Best Unique Savory Food with Jalapeno Cheese Curds. Now being from Wisconsin, I know a good cheese curd when taste one, let alone see one. I was up to the challenge of trying out what Oklahoma claimed to be a cheese curd. These are what I was presented with:
Hardly what I would consider a cheese curd. It appeared to be cheese curd on steroids, but when I bit in it was more like a few cheese curds plastered together by batter. There were a few jalapenos in each curd-ball which were a tasty addition, but didn't provide the kick I was anticipating. The stand did, however, appropriately provided ranch for dipping. Given it had been a few months since I've had cheese curds, these curd-balls would do.
Signing off in Okie Land,
Naughty Nutritionist and RD-in-training
