Mojo Marinaded London Broil Tacos with Pico de Gallo and Salsa Roja

 

2 pounds London Broil

Mojo, recipe follows

Olive oil, for coating the grill

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Corn tortillas

Shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce, for serving

Chopped white onion, for serving

Shredded Jack cheese, or Cotija for serving

Pico de Gallo, recipe follows

Salsa Roja, recipe follows

Limes, cut in wedges for squeezing

 

Mojo:

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

 

Pico De Gallo:

4 vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped

1/2 medium red onion, chopped

2 green onions, white and green parts, sliced

1 Serrano chile, minced

1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt

 

Salsa Roja:

1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded

1 dried Anaheim chile, stemmed and seeded

2 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 tablespoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

1 cup hot water

8 plum tomatoes, quartered

1 medium Spanish onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 sprigs cilantro

1 tablespoon sugar

1 lime, juiced

 

Prick the London Broil with a fork many times on both sides. In a gallon Zip-Loc bag, pour the mojo over the meat and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight so the the meat tenderizes. London Broil is a very tough cut of meat that needs a lot of time to marinate. Before grilling, remove the meat from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temp, 30 minutes or so.

Preheat an outdoor grill to a medium-high flame. Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Pull the steak out of the mojo marinade and season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the steak for 7 to 10 minutes per side, turning once, until medium-rare. Remove the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal. You can build the tacos with strips of steak or small cubes.

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 the beef down the center, and sprinkle with some lettuce, onion, and cheese. Top each taco with a spoonful of the Pico de Gallo salsa or Salsa Roja, garnish and squeeze with lime wedges.

 

Mojo:

In a mortar and pestle or bowl, mash together the garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Put the paste in a glass jar or plastic container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, and oil. Shake it up really well to combine. Use as a marinade for chicken or beef or as a table condiment.

 

Pico De Gallo:

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

 

Salsa Roja:

Tear all the chiles into large pieces and toast them in a large dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Add the spices and continue to toast for 2 to 3 minutes until everything is fragrant. Remove from heat and carefully add about 1 cup of hot water to just cover the chiles. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Put the quartered tomatoes, sliced onion, and whole garlic cloves onto a roasting tray, spreading out evenly. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cilantro sprigs. Broil until everything is nicely charred, about 10 minutes (you want lots of deep rich color so don’t be afraid if some of the edges get pretty black).

Add the chile mixture to a blender and puree. Remove the tomato/onion mixture from the roasting pan and carefully add it to the blender, (it will be hot). Blend until smooth (you may need to work in 2 batches). Once everything is pureed, pour the mixture back into the pot over low heat adding a little water if the salsa is too thick. Stir in the sugar and lime juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve.