TACOS CARNE ASADA FOR TYLER FLORENCE FRIDAYS

Nothing says the weekend like Mexican food. There's just something about the vibrant flavors of chilis and cilantro--not to mention a salt-rimmed Margarita or icy bottle of Mexican beer--to create that TGIF atmosphere.

In my dreams, Tyler is the guy who yells, "PAR-TAY!" as he does a half-gainer off the diving board. That is, of course, after he has fired up the grill and whipped up a pitcher of those icy concoctions.

When I was putting together this week's menu and perusing my Tyler "to do" list, I decided that it was time to try his Tacos Carne Asada. I was especially happy to find that the recipe did not call for the elusive tri-tip, a cut of meat not available on the east coast. A huge fan of mojo or mojito sauce, I was anxious to try Tyler's take on this component.

Following his direction, I made the marinade in the morning so that the meat wouldn't be in it for longer than 8 hours. I also whipped up his pico de gallo at this time, leaving a bit of grilling and side dishes for the evening's work.

Be forewarned that this recipe serves 4 generously. Either invite some friends to your PAR-TAY or plan on celebrating again on Saturday.

Ingredients

2 lbs flank or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

1 recipe Mojo, recipe follows

olive oil for coating the grill

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

16 (7 inch) corn tortillas

shredded lettuce for serving

chopped white onion for serving

shredded Jack cheese for serving

1/2 cup pico de gallo, recipe follows

2 limes, cut in wedges, for serving

Place the steak in a large baking dish and pour the marinade over. Or, do what I do to avoid extra clean up and to make it easier to turn the meat over to coat: use a gallon sized zip bag to hold the meat and the marinade. Do NOT marinate for more than 8 hours or the meat becomes mushy.

Preheat an outdoor grill over medium high heat. Brush the grate with olive oil to prevent sticking. Pull the steak out of the Mojo marinade and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill for 7 - 10 minutes per side, until medium rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes, until juices settle. Thinly slice across the grain. (If you have no grill, broil the meat for 7 minutes on each side, let rest, then slice.)

Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable.

To make the tacos, stack up 2 of the warm tortillas, lay about 4 ounces of beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the pico de gallo salsa and garnish with lime wedges.

Mojo:

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tbs white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put this paste in a bowl and add the lime and orange juices, vinegar, and oil. Mix well.

Pico de Gallo

4 vine ripened tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 green onions, diced

1 Serrano chili, minced

1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Kosher salt

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients together. Toss thoroughly. Let sit for at least 15 minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to marry.

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Tyler's done it again. These tacos were meant to be shared with family and friends. The Mojo marinade permeated every bite of the beef. The pico de gallo had just enough kick to make you want to exclaim "Ole" after every bite. We will definitely invite Tyler to our next party.

Make sure to check out some other great Tyler dishes here as we celebrate Tyler Florence Fridays.