by Caitlin Saniga
There’s a little Mexican restaurant in downtown Roanoke called Alejandro’s that serves what the menu calls “Shorty Tacos” (Stay tuned. There may be a $6 Snack review of those delicious tacos yet!), which are tiny corn tortillas filled with chili-lime marinated steak, pico de gallo and guacamole. It’s one of mine and Eddie’s favorite dishes in Roanoke. So for his birthday, I decided to do a spin on our beloved shorty tacos by making them fresh at home — and turning them into lettuce wraps! I set out all of the ingredients in separate bowls, and we had so much fun trying different variations at the table. What a happy memory!
Carne asada:
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 3 or 4 small limes)
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 sweet onion cut into small chunks
- 1 2-pound beef rump roast
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Lettuce wraps:
- 1 large head Bibb or Boston lettuce, leaves removed, rinsed and patted dry
- chopped Roma tomatoes
- shredded red cabbage
- chopped cilantro
- sour cream
- guacamole
- lime wedges, for garnish
In small bowl, beat lime juice, oil, vinegar, cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.
Place the chopped onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the beef over onion. Pour the lime juice mixture over the beef. Sprinkle the garlic over top.
Cover and cook on Low heat for 8 to 9 hours.
Using 2 forks, shred the beef. Stir well to mix the beef with the sauce.
Place all lettuce wrap ingredients on separate serving dishes so everyone can customize their wraps. Generally, though, place a small amount of beef in the center of a lettuce leaf. Add various toppings, roll the leaf around the toppings and eat.
Serves 8.
Carne asada recipe adapted from: Betty Crocker
