Go Latin and Healthy for V-Day

When Angelo and I taped a segment for my web series “Being Better,” he gave me this advice on buying tuna: it should smell like the ocean. Fresh fish should never smell even a little bit fishy. If it does, skip it. When shopping for this raw dish, go with sashimiquality tuna from a good seafood market and use it that day.

serves: 2
time: 20 minutes

1 cup chopped sashimi-grade
tuna
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 tablespoon diced jalapeno
2 sprigs fresh cilantro,
chopped
kosher salt
2 tablespoons chipotle chile powder
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

In a medium bowl, comdine the tuna, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and salt to taste. Mix and chill for 10 minutes. Combine the chipotle powder, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, the sugar and lime juice in a blender and blend on high for 30 seconds. Chill for 10 minutes. To serve, drizzle the tuna with the vinaigrette and toss.

I like using skirt steak as opposed to ground beef in this recipe because it’s incredibly flavorful and satisfying. Trust me, there’s nothing like biting into a taco filled with slices of spice-rubbed meat with a crispy char on the surface. The lightly pickled vegetables and cilantro add a welcome acidity and brightness to this dish that makes it brilliant.

serves: 4
time: 30 minutes

1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 dried bay leaves
kosher salt
1/2 pound skirt steak
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
fresh cilantro sprigs

In a small, dry sauté pan over medium heat, lightly toast the cumin, coriander, and bay leaves until aromatic, about 2 minutes. let cool completely, then grind the spices in a spice grinder with 1 tablespoon of salt until very fine. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and rub with the oil and the spice mixture until thoroughly coated. (Transfer any extra spice rub to an airtight container and store in a dark place for up to 6 months.) Let the steak stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to marinate. In a large bowl, combine the carrots, cabbage, and 3 tablespoons salt and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse the vegetables, squeeze out any excess liquid, and set aside. Meanwhile, in another large bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, and Tabasco.

Add the vegetables to the bowl and toss well. Heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat and cook the meat until well charred on the outside but still pink on the inside, about 2 minutes per side. Let rest for a couple minutes before thinly slicing against the grain. Wrap the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel and steam them in the microwave until soft – 1 minute or less. Using tongs, carefully flash each tortilla over a burner, tunring once, to release the corn flavor. To serve, place a spoonful of the marinated vegetables on each tortilla, top with a few slices of the beef, and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.