The first time I had these tacos was as a teenager on a working ranch owned by family friends outside of Guadalajara. A cadre of cooks from the same family—grandmother, mother, daughter—ran the kitchen. I was fascinated by how they used a comal set over a wood fire to dry-roast the tomatoes. I had never seen tomatoes cooked that way, nor had I ever stood before a live fire in a kitchen, with its bright, dancing flames and the crackling of the wood. The smoky, earthy atmosphere of that kitchen permeated the sauce made with supersweet tomatoes, vibrant onions and garlic, fiery chiles, and aromatic cilantro—so different from any other tomato sauce I’d ever eaten, such a different world of flavors and techniques. That day was one of the transformational moments in my cooking life.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 8 tacos
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Cut the prepared poblano chile into 1/4-inch-thick strips (rajas); set aside.
Step 2
Preheat a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add the oil to the pan and then quickly add the diced steak and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients except for tortillas and garnish. Cook until the meat is cooked and the mixture thickens slightly and is moist, but not wet, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve immediately or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
Step 3
To serve, lay the tortillas side by side, open face and overlapping on a platter. Divide the filling equally between the tortillas and top with salsa and garnishes. Grab, fold, and eat right away.
Step 4
Or build your own taco: lay a tortilla, open face, in one hand. Spoon on some filling, top with salsa, fold, and eat right away.
