Michael Lachowicz – Chef/Proprietor, FONDA Cantina
Miguel Escobar – Chef Partner, FONDA Cantina)
FONDA CANTINA
1735 Benson Avenue, Evanston
Brunch Hours:
- Sunday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Recipe:
Fonda Cantina’s Cecina Estilo Guerero
(Breakfast/Brunch Steak in the style of Guerero, Mexico)
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
-12 slices Cecina (Thin slices of highly seasoned or dry rubbed steak such as top butt, sirloin)
-Your favorite Refried Beans
-Salsa de Ciruela (See recipe below)
-4 Sunnyside up fried eggs
Salsa de ciruela (Makes approx. 1 qt.) -8 Fresh Serrano peppers, stems removed. -3 Red plum tomatoes -2 Garlic cloves -6 Ciruelas (Mexican Plums) (Substitute your favorite Stone fruit or seasonal plums) -Kosher salt to taste.
1.) Char chiles and tomatoes over an open flame or a hot grill.
2.) Blend chiles, tomatoes and raw garlic in blender or food processor (pulse, do not puree so the salsa remains chunky).
3.) Crush Ciruelas (plums) in plastic bag (ziplock) to partially smash them and remove the stone.
4.) Add crushed plums to salsa.
5.) Adjust seasoning, wait one hour to re-adjust seasoning and serve warm or chilled over steak and beneath the egg.
Seasoning Blend for Cecina (Steak)
-3 T. Garlic powder
-3 T. Onion powder
-2 T. Finely ground black pepper
– Salt to taste
Method: Rub Cecina, liberally with seasoning mix and cover tightly in the fridge for 6 hours or up to overnight. The juices from the meat and the seasoning will blend and form a crust when the meat is quickly seared before serving.
Dish Assembly
1) Fry eggs, sunnyside up in a non-stick skillet.
2) Grill or pan-sear Cecina steak to your preferred temperature.
3) Place warm refried beans on plate, top with cooked meat and fried egg followed by a generous serving of the finished salsa.
4) Enjoy!
