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Beef Bavette Carne Asada with Arroz Rojo, Salsa Verde and Crispy Tortilla Strips
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Beef Bavette Carne Asada with Arroz Rojo, Salsa Verde and Crispy Tortilla Strips

Course Main Course
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Author Student Chefs Alvin Morris and Megghan Sherritt, from New Brunswick Community College | Moncton, New Brunswick

Ingredients

Salsa Verde:

  • 1 each (120 g) green bell pepper seeded
  • ½ each (90 g) yellow onion peeled, quartered
  • 2 each (60 g) jalapeno seeded
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
  • ½ bunch (60 g) cilantro, fresh (leaves and stems)
  • 2 each (60 mL) lime juiced
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) NBCC sea salt
  • water

Tortilla Strips:

  • ½ cup (125 mL) Masa flour
  • ¼ cup (68 mL) warm water
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
  • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) NBCC sea salt

Queso Fresco:

  • 2 cups (480 mL) Lactalis 3.25% (whole) milk
  • 1 ½ each (45 mL) lime juiced
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) NBCC sea salt

Pickled Shallots:

  • 1 cup (200 g) white granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) NBCC sea salt
  • 1 tsp (2 g) whole black peppercorns
  • ½ tsp (1 g) whole coriander seed
  • 3 each (0.5 g) whole cloves
  • 2 cloves (6 g) garlic peeled
  • 1 cup (240 mL) apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup (125 mL) water
  • 1 each (75 g) shallot sliced thin

Lime Crema:

  • ½ cup (125 mL) Lactalis Sour Cream
  • 1 ½ each (45 mL) lime juiced
  • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) NBCC sea salt

Beef Bavette (Flap Steak):

For the Rub:

  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) black pepper (ground)
  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) chili powder
  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) cumin (ground)
  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) garlic powder
  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) onion powder
  • ½ tbsp (7 mL) paprika
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) NBCC sea salt
  • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) cayenne pepper

For the Beef:

  • 3 lb, 2 oz (1.4 kg) PEI Certified Beef Bavette
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil

Arroz Rojo:

  • 1 cup (240 mL) Dainty® Royal Long Grain Rice
  • ½ each (90 g) yellow onion small diced
  • 1 clove (3 g) garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
  • 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock
  • 1 sprig (2 g) oregano fresh
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) NBCC sea salt

Garnishes:

  • 1 each (20 g) radish sliced thin
  • 12 each (5 g) cilantro leaves (fresh)

Instructions

Salsa Verde:

  • Quarter and toss bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, and garlic in canola oil and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet – roast in the oven at 375˚F (190˚C) for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven, vegetables will be browning on the sides. Place into a blender, add cilantro, and lime juice – puree. Add water to thin if needed. Season to taste with salt.

Crispy Tortillas:

  • In a bowl, mix Masa flour and warm water together until a soft dough ball forms. Set to the side, allow to absorb all the water (approx. 10 minutes). After dough has rested, portion dough into 3 equal balls. Using a tortilla press lined with plastic wrap, gently press and shape the tortillas. Fry in a dry pan (no oil) at medium-high to cook through. Wrap in a clean, dry cloth to keep fresh. Once all tostadas are cooked, julienne (slice into strips) and crisp them in a pan over high heat with the canola oil listed, stirring to fry all sides. Tortillas are cooked with they puff slightly and brown around the edges. Season with salt to taste.

Lime Crema:

  • In a bowl, mix sour cream and lime juice, Season to taste with salt. Refrigerate until needed.

Beef Bavette:

  • Mix all ground spices together in a bowl. Prepare the Bavette – trim fat and remove silver skin from the meat. Slice the Bavette lengthwise (with the grain of the meat) into 8-10 cm thick bars. Rub the spice mix onto the bavette bars and set aside for 5 minutes.Sear all sides of the bavette bars in a pan at high heat with 2 tbsp of canola oil. Brown evenly and place the pan into an oven at 375˚F (190˚C) for 8-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Queso Fresco:

  • Heat milk over medium-high heat until just before simmering. Remove from the heat, add lime juice, stirring constantly. Once curds form, set the mixture aside for 5 minutes to develop. Strain through cheesecloth, mix in salt, and refrigerate until needed.

Pickled Shallots:

  • In a small pot, bring the sugar, salt, peppercorns, coriander, cloves, garlic, vinegar, and water to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat off and strain into an insert with shaved shallots. Set aside until needed.

Arroz Rojo:

  • In a pot over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil, add the rice, and toast slightly. Add diced onion and minced garlic, sauté lightly. Add the tomato paste and stir, add the chicken stock and oregano sprig, bring to a simmer. Simmer with a lid slightly askew for 9 minutes. At the 9-minute mark, turn off the heat and place the lid completely over the pot. Allow to sit until plating the meal.

Plating:

  • Using a ring mold, place roughly ½ cup of cooked Arroz Rojo in the center of the plate.
  • Spoon a tablespoon of Lime Crema on the rice. Slicing against the grain, thinly slice the Beef Bavette. Toss sliced beef, ½ cup of Salsa Verde, and pickled shallots together in a bowl. Place roughly 5oz (150 g) on top of the Arroz Rojo. Garnish the sliced beef with more Salsa Verde and sliced radishes.
  • Crumble Queso Fresco over top of the garnished beef. Place crispy tortilla strips on top of the cheese and beef, place cilantro leaves to finish.

Notes

**Chef’s Notes:
  • If you’d like a spicier Salsa Verde, do not remove the seeds from the jalapeno, or use a hotter pepper for a bigger kick!
  • For this recipe we used Sea Salt made in-house at New Brunswick Community College. After filtering sea water, we reduced the water to a salt “slush” and then dehydrated it in an oven on low heat. We wanted to bring a taste of home to the Cooks the Books competition!