Carne Asada, Mushroom & Swiss Chard Tacos – Recipe!

Who doesn’t love a good taco?  Tacos are super popular these days, especially since food trucks have been making them more accessible to mass audiences.  Mexican food has been a favorite of mine, since I was a kid growing up in Anaheim, where there was a large Hispanic population.  We had some of the best casual Mexican eateries and tacos were a big a part of the cuisine.

Making tacos at home is a fun experience because you can expand the traditional taco recipe and create something a little more seasonal with a few healthier ingredients.  I love using skirt steak in my Carne Asada tacos and what better with beef than mushrooms?  The hearty meat with the earthy mushrooms are an experience all there own and adding a little fresh Swiss Chard, lightens the filling with a hint of citrus.  I hope you make these tacos, even if they sound a little different, because the flavors are delicious and enhance true Mexican food tradition.  They make great party food too!

Ingredients

1 pound skirt steak

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups Swiss Chard, washed, stemmed and roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small white onion, sliced thinly

2 cups sliced baby Bella mushrooms, or Crimini

1 lime

1 cup fresh cilantro, rough chopped

1 dozen corn tortillas

hot sauce, optional

vegetable oil for cooking

(Makes 12 tacos)

To Prepare:

1.  In a small bowl, combine cumin, onion powder, oregano, coriander, cayenne, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the dry seasoning on both sides of the skirt steak.  In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and place over medium-high heat.  Wait 2 minutes until the oil in hot and add the skirt steak in batches to the pan.  Sear the meat on the first side for 2 minutes.

2.  Flip the meat over and sear the other side for 2 minutes, or until golden brown.  Place the meat on a plate, while you cook the other pieces.  When meat is cooked, cover the plate with foil to keep warm.

3.  In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and place over medium heat.  Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan and stir, while scraping the meat bits from the bottom of the pan.  Saute the mixture for 3 minutes, then add the garlic.  Continue to cook the mushroom mixture for 2 minutes.

4.  Then, add the Swiss Chard and the juice of 1 lime and stir to combine.  Cover the pan with a lid and cook the vegetables covered for 3 minutes.

5.  Uncover the pan and continue to cook the vegetables for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the foil from the plate and place the meat on a cutting board.  Slice the meat across the grain into 1/2 inch strips.  Then, add the meat back into the pan and stir to combine.  Turn the heat off and sprinkle half the cilantro on top of the mixture.  Heat the tortillas over the open flame or under the broiler, until slightly charred.

6.  Fill each tortilla with 2 heaping tablespoons of filling and another sprinkling of fresh cilantro, maybe a dash of hot sauce for adventure?!  Enjoy!