STEAK AND BLACK BEAN CHALUPAS

Steak and Black Bean Chalupas image

Our Chopped Dinner Challenge this week was cube steak. We wanted to achieve a great flavor without overcooking the meat, and so we seared it in a screaming hot pan and made chalupas, crunchy open-faced tacos. Chopped Basket Ingredient: cube steak

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories main-dish

Time 45m

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

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Ingredients

8 corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1 pound cube steak, thinly sliced into 3- to 4-inch strips, 1/4-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
One 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup beef broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 firm ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and cut into small dice
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons roughly chopped pickled jalapenos, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving

Steps:

For the tortillas: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the tortillas on a baking sheet, brush both sides with the oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden brown and crispy, about 10 minutes.
For the cube steak: Toss the steak strips with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add half of the strips and cook, tossing until the strips are browned on all sides, but not completely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and repeat with the other half.
Remove all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-high. Add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and 1/4 teaspoons of the oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the steak strips and any accumulated juice and simmer until thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano, lime zest and lime juice and mix well.
For the beans: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the black beans and toss to combine. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to boil. Using a masher, smash the black beans, stirring occasionally to incorporate into the broth, until thick. Remove from the heat.
For the chili-lime mango: Toss the mangoes with the lime zest, lime juice, chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
To assemble the chalupas, spread a thin layer of smashed black beans on each crispy corn tortilla and divide the steak among them. Top with some chili-lime mangoes and serve with lime wedges and pickled jalapenos.