Grilled Skirt Steak Tacos
(with Roasted Poblano Chiles)
(makes 12 tacos)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium white onions, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds ( keep the rounds intact for easy grilling)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 Tbls fresh lime juice
• 1/4 Tsp cumin
• Salt
• 1 lb. (or so) beef skirt steak, trimmed of the surface fat and "silverskin"
• 3 medium fresh poblano chiles ( or 2 sweet peppers) vegetable or olive oil for brushing on the onoins and meat.
• lime wedges for serving
• 12 warm corn tortillas (wheat are okay as well)

Marinating the Meat:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine one-quarter of the onoins, the garlic, lime juice, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Process to a smooth puree. Place the skirt steak in a non-aluminum baking dish or large zip-lock bag. Use a spoon to coat the marinade over both sides of the stea. Cover/zip and refridgerate for atleast an hour or up to 8 hours.

Grilling the chiles and onion:

1. Turn your oven on to its hottest setting. Heat a gas grill to medium high or light a charcoal fire and let it burn just until the coals are covered with gray ash and very hot. Either turn the burner(s) in the center of the grill to medium low or bank the coals to one (or both) side(s) of the grill for indirect cooking. Cover the grill and let the grate heat up for about 5 minutes.
   Lay the chiles on the hottest part of the grill, and cook, turning occasionally until the skin is blistered and uniformly blackened all over, about 5 minutes. Remove the chiles from the grill and cover with a kitchen towel or put them in a brown paper bag and close the top.
   While the chiles are roasting, brush or spray the remaining onoin slices with oil and lay the whole rounds of onoins on the grill away from the hottest part of the fire. (The Earthworks grillmeister extraordinaire, Sam Bucas, uses a special vegetable grilling basket which keeps any vegetables from falling through the grate.) If you're using sweet peppers instead of poblanos, cut them into 1 inch strips and grill aalong with the onions (and peppers) are softened and browned.
   Rub the blackened skin off the chiles, and pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse off any stray seeds and bits of skin. Slice into 1/4 ich strips and stir into the onions. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Put the serving dish into the warm oven.

Grilling the meat:

1. Remove the steak from the marinade and gently shake off the excess. (Discard the marinade) Put the steak on the hottest part of the grill. Grill the steak about 2 minutes per side - for medium-rare. Be careful here - thin cuts like skirt steak are easy to overcook, and that makes them tough.

Serving the tacos:

1. Cut the long piece of skirt steak into 3 or 4 inch lengths, then cut each section across the grain into thin 1/8 inch or so strips. Mix with the chiles and onoins, season with a little salt, and set on the table along with lime wedges and hot tortillas. It's time to make some great tasting tacos. Sam Bucas usually puts his favorite hot sauce(s) on the table too.