š„ Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) sizzle steak, trimmed and patted very dry
- 2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut off (about 1 1/2 cups / 200 g)
- 8 small corn tortillas (6-inch) ā keep 2 for tortilla strips, 6 for building tacos/tostadas
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, divided
- 3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lime, zested and juiced (zest reserved for butter; juice used in salsa and crema)
- 1 small red onion (about 100 g), thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for quick-pickling); additional salt to taste
- 1 jalapeƱo, seeded and finely minced (optional, for heat)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for steak & corn, divided)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice (for avocado crema)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) water (to thin avocado crema as needed)
- 1/2 cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1/4 tsp cayenne (adjust to taste)
- Neutral oil (canola or vegetable), 1 tbsp for searing if needed
- Optional: 1/2 cup (60 g) crumbled cotija or feta (for garnish, dairy)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to finish
ā ļø Allergen Information
- Corn
- Dairy
šØāš³ Instructions
- Prepare a quick pickled onion: place the thinly sliced red onion in a bowl. Warm the apple cider vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt in a small microwave-safe bowl or on the stove until sugar dissolves (about 20ā30 seconds). Pour the hot pickling liquid over the onions, stir, and let sit at room temperature while you cook (at least 10 minutes).
- Make chili-lime butter: in a small bowl, mash together the softened butter, lime zest, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1/8ā1/4 tsp red pepper flakes depending on heat preference, and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
- Whip up avocado crema: halve and pit the avocado and place flesh in a blender or bowl. Add 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp water, a pinch of salt and a small clove of minced garlic (optional). Blend or whisk to a smooth, slightly loose crema. Adjust water for drizzling consistency. Set aside and chill briefly.
- Crisp tortilla strips: preheat oven to 400Ā°F (200Ā°C). Stack 2 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips, toss with 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of salt on a baking sheet, spread in a single layer, and bake 6ā8 minutes, turning once, until golden and crunchy. Remove and cool (they crisp further as they cool).
- Char the corn: heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and the corn kernels in an even layer. Let the corn cook undisturbed 3ā4 minutes to char, then stir and cook another 2ā3 minutes until you have some deep golden-brown bits. Season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, the minced jalapeƱo (if using), 1 tbsp lime juice, and half the chopped cilantro. Taste and adjust salt. Keep warm in the pan off direct heat.
- Season the sizzle steak: lightly oil the steak with 1 tbsp neutral oil and season both sides with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and a pinch of smoked paprika and cumin. Pat seasoning in so it sticks.
- Sear the steak: return the skillet to high heat until smoking slightly. Add the steak and sear very quickly ā because sizzle steak is thin, cook about 1.5ā2 minutes per side for medium-rare (adjust 30ā60 seconds more for medium); use tongs to press for full contact. For safety, internal timing may vary with thicknessāaim for 125ā130Ā°F for medium-rare. Remove steak to a board and let rest 5ā6 minutes.
- Warm tortillas: while steak rests, warm the remaining 6 corn tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat 20ā30 seconds per side until soft and slightly blistered (or wrap in foil and warm in the oven 3ā5 minutes). Keep covered to stay warm.
- Slice the steak thinly across the grain into 1/4-inch (6 mm) slices. Toss the sliced steak briefly with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to keep it glossy.
- Finish the corn salsa if needed: taste the charred corn and fold in remaining cilantro and the minced garlic if you want more punch. Brighten with another squeeze of lime if needed.
- Assemble each tortilla: spread a tablespoon of avocado crema over the warmed corn tortilla, spoon a generous tablespoon or two of charred corn salsa down the center, layer 3ā4 slices of steak on top, add 1ā2 teaspoons of quick-pickled onions, scatter scallions and optional crumbled cotija, then break a few tortilla strips over the top for crunch.
- Warm and finish butter: gently melt the chili-lime butter (a few seconds in the microwave or in a small pan) and drizzle a little over each assembled taco/tostada for glossy, citrusy richness.
- Garnish and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side and extra cilantro. Recommend serving within 10 minutes of assembly so tortillas stay pleasantācrispy strips will remain crunchy for texture contrast.
š Backstory
They tell you recipes are born in quiet kitchens, but thatās because those people have never watched me wrestle a sizzle steak under a blood-orange sunset while three neighborhood dogs provide percussion. Corn to Be Wild arrived the night I attempted to play peacemaker between a stubborn cast-iron skillet and an equally stubborn piece of beef. Somewhere between the first heroic hiss of olive oil and the ceremonial sprinkle of salt, the steak performed a searing soliloquy. The cornāliberated from its cobs like tiny golden exclamation pointsācaught a char and a personality that demanded citrus and butter to calm it down. By the time the tortillas came off the griddle, two had already volunteered to sacrifice themselves as crunchy tortilla strips and the rest were plotting their soft, taco-shaped destiny.
I will admit to slight hubris: I once taught a room of very skeptical relatives how to press a tortilla with nothing but a skillet and lofty encouragement, then used the freed-up hand to flamboyantly baste steak with melted butter as if I were conducting an orchestra. The result was a Southwestern-Mexican fusion that somehow speaks fluent char, bright citrus, and pan-sear. People have accused me of inventing the phrase āsizzle steakā mid-recipe; I prefer to say I gave it its proper identity. Neighbors knocked on my door not for advice but for a plate. A kindly mail carrier put down his letters and asked if I was accepting apprentices.
Thus, Corn to Be Wild was christened: tacos that are loud enough to earn their own theme song but sophisticated enough to be served at a dinner where someone pretends not to love cilantro. Stack smoky, charred kernels with paper-thin sizzle steak, drizzle the citrus-butter pan juices like a tiny, savory waterfall, and crown with crunchy tortilla confetti. Serve with an air of utmost seriousness and a grin you canāt quite hideāthis is a dish that will make your skillet sing and your dinner guests believe they, too, have histories worth telling.