I first tried this dish in a restaurant in London called ‘Mestizo’, one of the best authentic Mexican restaurants I have visited in the UK.  

Traditionally served in a ‘Molcajete’ which is Mexican Spanish and is a stone tool similar to a pestle and mortar.  We use to call it the ‘volcano’.  When I travelled around Mexico I noticed this dish on many menus so it shows its true authenticity.

This is similar to Fajitas but much better.  The base can be of different variations; I have made this using a spicy tomato salsa with Spanish dried chillies.  In Mestizo’s restaurant they serve this with 4 different bases including Mole which is a deep rich sauce with a hint of chocolate and Tomatillo; which was my favourite (tomatillo is a Mexican green husk tomato).

On top you have your choice of meat, cheese (Monterey Jack is good), whole spring onions, chorizo sausage, avocado, I also added some sweet baby peppers. 

Eat as you would with Fajitas, layer up your soft tortilla; spread some of the salsa then take pieces of each of the ingredients and wrap it up! It goes well with re-fried beans. In the main photo it is using Mexican shredded beef. But I have cooked this with many different options, griddled sliced chicken, or lime shredded chicken, the options are endless.

This recipe looks MEGA but do not be put off, I have shared with you many recipes here for a variation of toppings, scroll through and select your favourite.

• Red spicy salsa
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 dried picante chillies (soak in a little hot water for a few minutes)
• 4 rashers of smoked bacon chopped finely
• 1 onion diced finely
• 1/2 a small red pepper diced finely
• 60ml Mexican beer
• Bunch of fresh coriander
• Olive oil for frying
• Topping options:
• Shredded beef:
• 1/4 kilo Beef skirt or brisket 
• 1 white onion
• 1 stick of celery
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 400ml tin tomatoes
• 1 pint good quality beef stock
• Dry rub spices mix all of this together in a bowl:
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. oregano
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder
• 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 8 whole cloves, ground up
• 1/2 tsp of ground all spice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• Next topping option:
• Shredded chicken:
• 1 chicken breast, whole
• 1 lime
• 200ml water
• salt & pepper
• OR
• 2 chicken breast cut into strips
• WITH
• Large fresh raw prawns (enough for a few per person) 
• 1/2 lime
• &
• Chorizo sausage, cut in half, then cut each half lengthways, then cut in half lengthways again so you have long strips
• Spring onions halved lengthways, I used the white part of the large spring onions
• 1 avocado sliced
• A mix of red/yellow baby bell peppers (I used around 4 of each) halved lengthways
• Monterey Jack cheese cut into strips
• 1 lime sliced into wedges
• To Serve:
• Tortillas

• Salsa 
• Using a hand blender or smoothie maker, blend the following up; tomatoes, garlic, dried soaked chillies, half of the coriander, beer, and a good pinch of salt.  Set aside.
• Heat a little oil in a wide sauté pan it is good to use which pan you would like to serve in. If you want to serve in a separate dish that is fine, do this step in a frying pan. Add the bacon and let this brown a little then add your onion and diced red pepper until soft.
• Pour in the tomato mix and stir.  
• Let this simmer while you prep your toppings.
• Toppings
• Shredded Beef:
• Pat the beef removing moisture then rub and pat over the dry rub ingredients making sure all sides are covered.
• Heat a frying pan and add a little oil, brown the beef on all sides. Remove and place either into a deep pan or into a pressure cooker if you have one.
• Using the same pan add the onion cook for a few minutes then add the garlic.
• Add the lime juice, orange, salt and pepper and any left over dry spices.
• Keep stirring then add the tin tomatoes add half of the beef stock. Cook for a minute more.
• Pour this over the beef then add more stock if needed, just need to make sure the beef is covered in liquid.
• Cover and cook until tender. In a pressure cooker maybe an hour, if in a normal pan more likely 2 hours.
• Once tender remove the celery and discard. Remove the beef and shred using two forks. If the liquid is quite runny place on the heat uncovered and let it boil a little to thicken, then add the beef and set aside until ready to use.
• Shredded Chicken:
• Place the breast in an oven dish with the lime juice, season well and add the water. Cover with foil and place into an oven at around 200 degrees for 25 minutes or until tender.
• Remove and shred, set aside.
• Griddled Chicken:
• Heat the griddle pan, season and oil the chicken strips and griddle until cooked, I often cook these after the chorizo using the chorizo oil.
• Rest of ingredient:
• Heat your griddle pan, oil and season the spring onions then lay in the pan and griddle each side until charred, repeat with the peppers set aside into an oven on lowest heat to keep warm.  
• Next griddle the chorizo, again set aside in the oven.
• If using chicken strips season them well and add to the pan after the chorizo, no need to add oil, once cooked set aside.
• Lastly the prawns, no need to add oil as the chorizo gives enough oil to cook, again season the prawns first and cook through, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice at the end of cooking.
• Now you are ready to serve, warm the tortillas in the oven wrapped in foil.
• Layer and arrange each ingredient over the salsa, add the rest of the coriander and some more lime wedges.
• Serve with the warm tortillas, this works well with re-fried beans, sour cream and jalapeños.

Find me on CooklyBookly 

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION BELOW