CLASSIC GROUND BEEF WITH GUAJILLO CHILES

Classic Ground Beef with Guajillo Chiles image

Yield makes 10 tacos

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 clove garlic, minced
12 ounces tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
5 dried guajillo chiles, rehydrated (page 152), stemmed, and finely chopped
1 large serrano chile, stemmed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground (page 164)
1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, toasted and ground (page 161)
3 tablespoons water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef (15 percent fat)
Juice of 1/2 lime
10 (5 1/2-inch) crispy yellow corn tortilla shells (page 17), for serving
Garnish: Iceberg Lettuce Garnish (page 144) and grated mild Cheddar cheese

Steps:

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, guajillo and serrano chiles, cilantro, cumin, oregano, and the 3 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the tomato mixture down until the consistency of a thick marinara sauce. Crumble in the ground beef, mashing and stirring it to combine with the sauce, increase the heat to high and cook, covered, until the meat has lost its pink color and the filling is moist, but not liquid, about 12 minutes. The meat should be soft like meatloaf.
Remove from the heat, stir in the lime juice, and serve right away, or keep warm in the pan until ready to serve.
To serve, divide the lettuce, filling, salsa, and cheese equally between the crispy shells and arrange in a taco holder. Or, lean the filled shells in a row, propped upright, on a platter. Eat right away. To build your own, spoon some lettuce and filling in a crispy shell, top with cheese and salsa, and eat right away.