BEEF BIRRIA TACOS

Reheating time: 7-10 minutes

Here we go again! I don’t know who first called it Taco Tuesday but I am grateful that they picked Tuesday, not Thursday, to use as the associative day of the week. Tuesdays used to be my favorite day of the week when I was a kid, mostly because it was a half day at school. This meant I could dash home at 1pm to pursue whatever extracurricular activities my 10 year old heart desired, which was basically just playing legos. I was really into legos. Now, Tuesdays are our favorite because they bring the opportunity for tacos. Tonight we have birria: braised beef with tons and tons of chiles and spices. Traditionally, this is served with a consomme or broth made up of the braising liquid for the beef- but we cooked that down and reincorporated it into the beef for maximum flavor, and cause who likes a soggy taco. Nobody. Paprika + tomato rice, baked black beans, salsa verde, pickles + limes, it’s all here. So, get in there!

For the beef:

Two schools of thought: broil, or simmer. I would go with simmer, but if you’re looking for crispy, caramelized beef, broil away. To reheat on the stove, put the birria in a small saucepot and add a splash or two of water. Over medium heat, warm the beef, adding more liquid if necessary, until hot and shreddy. If you’re broiling, lat out the beef on a sheet tray lined with tinfoil, and broil on high for 2-3 minutes, mix it up, and broil for another 2 minutes. Crispy! 

For the rice:

Either pop the rice in the microwave for a few minutes, or fry it in a nonstick pan with a bit of oil or butter. Method is up to you (I definitely wouldn’t use the microwave), we just need to get the rice nice and hot for burrito assembly. 

For the beans:

Warm the beans similar to the beef in a small saucepot over medium heat until they are nice and hot. Scoop with a slotted spoon for dry beans, or use a ladle to get all those good bean juices.

For the tortillas:

Best way to warm these up is to char them over an open flame burner for 5-10 seconds on each side, so they get puffy and blistered. Stack them up underneath a warm damp towel to let them steam. You can also warm them in a nonstick pan, flipping every 20 seconds, or just in the oven. But the flame works best!

For taco assembly:

I think you know how to do this part, and if you don’t, well, it’s a good hands-on learning experience for you! I’m sure you can figure it out. I’m a purist- just beef and salsa for me. I mix everything else up in a huge mixing bowl, and devour it over my kitchen sink. Usually how about 9/10 of my dinners go. Don’t be an animal like me. Plate your dinners!

Dinner is served, and solved.

CITRUS SHRIMP SALAD

Thanks for ordering!

We’ve been really pining for warmth and sunshine over here for the past two months. I personally love the winter- I’m not sure where my family comes from, but wherever it is, it’s probably cold there. Because I love the cold. However, my darling wife, does NOT. She lived in LA for three years before moving back here, and I think that showed her the life she wanted to live. Whatever that life is, it doesn’t involve cold weather. Which is too bad. Cause it’s pretty cold around these parts this time of year. So, we gotta do what we can to warm things up a bit. That’s where tonight’s salad comes in! It’s full of fresh, sunny flavors- citrus shrimp, fresh cara cara oranges (which are amazing at this time of year, by the way), lime mojo dressing- everything you need to close your eyes and picture a sunny summer day, eating shrimp salads. Like everyone does in the summer. Right? To prepare, simply toss everything in a bowl and drizzle the lime mojo all over. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper, mix it all up, and imagine warmer weather. Hopefully we can help take you there! Enjoy 🙂