August Potluck

It's potluck time again with I Heart Cooking Clubs.  We're winding down with Rick Bayless.

This week, it's a recipe I made when I first found out Rick would be our guy for the next six months.

The fancy name is Tacos de Arrachera al Carbón con Raja or Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Poblano Rajas

Fajitas, people.  I'm talking fajitas.  As fajitas go, I've had better.  I've had worse.

What I really want to get at is this:
rajas peppers may be one of the best Mexican food inventions.  They liven up fajitas, boost chicken, pretty up soups.  Long, lean, sexy peppers...

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Tacos de Arrachera al Carbon con Rajas
Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos with Roasted Poblano Rajas
From Mexico One Plate at a Time by Rick Bayless

2 medium white onions, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 Tbsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed of surface fat and white membrane
3 medium poblano chiles
Vegetable or olive oil for brushing
A small bowlful of lime wedges for serving
12 corn tortillas, warmed

In a food processor or blender, combine 4 of the onion rounds, garlic, lime juice, cumin and salt. Process to a smooth puree. Place the skirt steak in a non-aluminum baking dish. Using a spoon, smear the marinade over both sides of the skirt steak. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat your gas grill to medium-high, or let your charcoal grill burn until the coals are covered with gray ash. Turn the burners in the center of the grill to medium-low or bank the charcoal to the sides of the grill for indirect cooking. Now, lay the chiles on the hottest part of the grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until the skin is blistered and blackened uniformly all over, about 5 minutes. Be careful to only char the skin, not the flesh. Remove the chiles from the grill and cover them with a kitchen towel.

While the chiles are roasting, brush the remaining onion slices with oil, and lay the whole rounds of onions on the grill in a cooler spot than you chose for the chiles. When they’re starting to soften and are browned, about 10 minutes, use a spatula to flip them and brown the other side. Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and break the rings apart.

Rub the blackened skin off the outsides of the chiles, then pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse briefly to remove stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4 inch strips and stir into the onions. Taste the mixture and season it with salt.

Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess. Oil the steak well on both sides, and lay it over the hottest part of the grill. Grill, turning once, until richly browned and done to your liking, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side for medium rare.

Cut the skirt steak into 3- to 4-inch sections, then cut each section into thin strips across the grain. Mix with the chiles and onions, season with salt and set on the table, along with the limes wedges and hot tortillas, for your guest to make into soft tacos. Makes 12 tacos. Serves 4