Birria beef tacos, morita chilli dip

Serves: 6
Course: Main
Cooking Time: 20 mins
Prep Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
Ingredients
  • 2 tbsp veg oil
  • 850g braising beef
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 red peppers, diced
  • 300ml red wine
  • 1 ltr beef stock
  • 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • DIPPING SAUCE:
  • 5 dried morita chillies (available from Picado Mexican shop and online, or use chipotle seasoning, to taste)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 100ml water
  • TACOS:
  • 12 small soft taco wraps
  • 300g soft cheese (I use Gubbeen)
  • 1 bunch spring onions, chopped
  • 200ml creme fraiche

1. For the filling: In a pan, heat the vegetable oil and brown the beef on all sides. Add the onion, garlic, carrots and peppers, and cook for five minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, reduce for two minutes, and then add the beef stock, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Cook on a medium heat for two hours (until the beef is tender), topping up with water if necessary. When cooked, drain off and reserve the excess stock and set the beef aside.

2. For the sauce: Take the cooking stock from the beef and add to a pot with the chillies, garlic, cumin, vinegar and water. Cook out for 30 minutes and then strain and reserve the liquid.

3. To assemble: Heat a pan and dip a taco wrap into the sauce. Place the wrap in the pan and cook until golden brown. Add the beef filling and cheese, and fold over the wrap. Cook on both sides until golden brown, and garnish with crème fraîche and spring onion.

Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O'Keefe

Gráinne O’Keefe is a chef, restaurateur and contributor to The Irish Times. She is chef-patron of the Dublin restaurant Mae