Spanish Steak
1 large round steak, cut into serving pieces
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Flour
Shortening
1 can tomato soup
1 soup can water
1 large onion, cut into rings
1 large bell pepper, cut into rings
1 small jar stuffed green olives, including juice
Mix salt, pepper and flour. Dredge steak pieces in flour mixture, then brown in shortening. Put browned steak into a baking dish. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over the top of the steak. Cover tightly and bake at 325 degrees F for about 3 to 4 hours, or until meat cuts very easily with a fork.
This is great served with rice.
Southwestern Stir Fry
1 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
12 cherry tomatoes, halves
Warm flour tortillas
Green chili salsa
Cut pork tenderloin lengthwise into quarters. Cut the quarters into 1/4-inch thick slices. Combine sherry, cornstarch, cumin, garlic and seasoned salt in a medium-size bowl. Add the pork slices and stir to coat. Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork mixture and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the onion, green pepper and tomatoes. Reduce the heat; cover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve hot with tortillas and salsa.
Southwestern Meatloaf
2 pounds lean ground beef
1/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup green pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 dash cayenne pepper
3 cups dry bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 roasted green chiles, skins and seeds removed,
diced, or 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
Water to mix
1/2 cup tomato juice
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Saute beef, onion, celery, green pepper and garlic in a small amount of butter.
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef mixture with salt, cayenne pepper, bread crumbs, eggs, chiles, cheese, olives and enough water to mix. Mix well with your hands. Place into a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes.
Mix tomato juice and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Pour half this juice over the meat. Bake 15 minutes more, then pour remaining half of juice mixture over the loaf. Bake for about 45 to 60 additional minutes, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Makes 8 servings.
Smothered Liver (Higado de Res)
8 (1/2-inch) slices calves liver
1 quart boiling water
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely mashed
Salt and pepper
Flour, as needed
Bacon grease or vegetable oil
Place liver in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them. Allow liver to blanch. When grayish in color, remove from hot water and remove skin from edges of slices. Marinate in a mixture of vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper for at least 30 minutes.
Remove liver from marinade and roll in flour. Brown in hot fat, then reduce heat and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Avoid overcooking. Turn once only.
Serve with fried onions and crisp bacon slices, with pickled serrano peppers on the side.
Shredded Pork (Carne de Puerco Deshebrada)
1 (2 1/2 pound) lean pork loin,
cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 carrot, cut into 4 pieces
2 cloves garlic, whole
2 bay leaves
Place meat in a Dutch oven and pour in enough water to cover it by 2 inches. Bring liquid to a boil and, using a small strainer, remove scum that rises to the top. Add remaining ingredients; then simmer the meat, uncovered, adding water as necessary, for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it is tender but not dry.
When the liquid has cooled, strain it and reserve it for another use (it is excellent when used to make Mexican Rice). Shred the meat by hand or in a food processor with a plastic blade.
Makes about 4 cups.
Shredded Beef Chimichangas (Chimichangas de Carne de Res)
4 flour tortillas, 12-inch diameter
1 recipe Shredded Beef
4 avocados, skinned and seeded
1 cup sour cream
2 pickled jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons vinegar from jalapeno can
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
Soften tortillas and wrap them in a towel to keep them warm. Place about 2 cup to : cup of Shredded Beef on each tortilla. Chop 2 of the avocados and apportion them equally on top of the Shredded Beef. Fold the tortillas and fry one at a time until crispy. Drain on a paper towel, then remove to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, mash the remaining 2 avocados; then stir in the remaining ingredients to make a thick, smooth sauce. A food processor makes quick work of this task.
Place the cooked chimichangas on individual serving plates and top them with the avocado sauce.
Shredded Beef (Carne de Res Deshebrada)
This is the traditional Mexican filling for tacos. It is preferred over the ground meat filling found in many restaurants. It is wonderful for making burritos, chimichangas, taquitos, and in carne seca.
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) beef brisket (smaller thinner
end, trimmed of all fat)
1 ancho or New Mexico dried chile,
stemmed and seeded
3 to 4 slices onion
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and brown the beef on all sides. Pour off as much oil as possible. Just barely cover the meat with water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Add remaining ingredients. Cover the pot and place it in the oven until the meat is tender, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the meat, reserving broth for other uses. When the meat is cool enough to handle, shred it. Hold a fork in each hand, and shred the beef with the forks.
Beef Jerky
1 (4 pound) flank steak
1/2 onion, diced
1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 whole cloves
1/2 cup vinegar
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 cup soy sauce
Partially freeze meat to make slicing easier. Trim fat and gristle from flank steak. Cut meat with grain into very thin slices. Combine onion, thyme, bay leaves, salt, garlic, pepper, cloves, vinegar, wine, and Worcestershire and soy sauces. Pour marinade over steak strips to cover and marinate in the refrigerate for about 15 hours.
Squeeze marinade from meat by rolling strips with a rolling pin. Place meat on baking sheets or an oven rack and dry at 175 degrees F for about 9 hours, turning once. If using a rack, place foil under it to catch the drippings.
Makes 40 to 50 strips.