Salpicon de res recipe from Mely Martinez

Salpicon de res by Mely Martinez. Photo / David Castaneda and Adrian Byers

This salad makes a great main meal for spring.

Mely Martinez shares her shredded beef salad that’s perfect paired with pickled jalapeno peppers and carrots.

Salpicon de res recipe

Prep time 20 minutes

Cook time 2 hours and 30 minutes (see notas)

Serves 6

Beef ingredients

680g skirt steak or eye round roast, cut into 2 1/2 to 3-inch (6 to 7.5cm) cubes

1/2 medium white onion

2 cloves garlic

1 bay leaf

Salt and black pepper

Dressing ingredients

1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable or olive oil

1 Tbsp white or sherry vinegar (see notas)

1/2 tsp dried Mexican oregano

Salt and black pepper

Salad ingredients

3 cups (165g) finely shredded romaine lettuce

1/4 medium white onion, sliced into rings

4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 large tomato, diced

6 pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, sliced

For serving

1 avocado, sliced

12 corn tostadas

Pickled jalapeno peppers and carrots

Method

1. To make the beef: Place the meat, onion half, garlic cloves, and bay leaf in a medium stockpot. Cover with water and the lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer until the meat is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork, about 2 1/2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix the oil and vinegar until emulsified. Crush the oregano with your fingers and add it to the dressing. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Transfer the cooked meat to a large bowl to cool for about 20 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, finely shred the beef using two forks and season with salt and black pepper.
4. To assemble the salad: Place the shredded beef in a large serving bowl and gently toss with the lettuce, sliced onion, radishes, tomato, and olives.
5. Garnish with the avocado slices, drizzle with the dressing, and serve with the corn tostadas and pickled jalapenos and carrots.

Notas

• You can cook the meat in an Instant Pot or a pressure cooker for 45 minutes on the “manual” setting on high pressure. You can also cook it in a slow cooker for about six hours on the high setting.
• Traditionally, white vinegar is used for the dressing, but I prefer the flavour of sherry vinegar in this salad.
• I like to serve this salad with small cups of the beef broth that the meat was cooked in as a side dish. To try this, after removing the cooked meat from the broth, add a small sprig of thyme to the broth and let simmer for 15 minutes. Serve the broth.

Pickled jalapeno peppers and carrots recipe

Pickled jalapeno peppers and carrots are a staple in Mexican households. You can go into almost any kitchen and find a jar of them in the fridge or a can of them in the pantry. Mexicans use these peppers when eating a wide array of foods, including tortas, tacos, antojitos, roasted chicken, grilled meats, and even some salads, such as ensalada de pollo. As a result, these pickled peppers are a common sight in Mexican daily life. Most people buy their pickled jalapenos at the store, but you can also easily prepare them at home. This recipe renders a large amount, but if you want to make less, simply divide the ingredients to make a smaller batch. Other types of peppers that are commonly pickled in Mexico are serrano peppers and (to a lesser extent) habanero peppers. You can use the same process in this recipe to pickle almost any pepper you want.

Prep time 10 minutes

cook time 15 minutes

Makes 4 pints (64 ounces/1.8 kg)

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups (240g) peeled and sliced carrots (see notas)

2 pounds (907g) jalapeno peppers, sliced lengthwise or cut into rings (see notas)

12 cloves garlic

1 large white onion, sliced

4 cups (1 quart/950 ml) white vinegar

4 bay leaves

1 1/2 tsp dried thyme (see notas)

1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram (see notas)

1 tsp dried Mexican oregano

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp allspice berries

Salt

Method

1. In a large non-aluminum pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced carrots and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently; their colour will change to a bright orange. (Do not overcook the carrots because they need to retain some crunchiness.)
2. Add the jalapenos, garlic, and onion to the pot. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add the vinegar, 1 cup (240 ml) of water, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, oregano, peppercorns, allspice, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the ingredients cool for a few minutes.
4. Divide the contents of the pot (both the vegetables and the liquid) evenly among four sterilized pint-size (16 ounces/454g) glass canning jars with lids. Tightly screw on the lids and let the jars completely cool before storing them in a cool, dry place, like a pantry.
5. These pickled peppers can be consumed immediately after they cool. If you use canning jars and their special lids, they can be stored for 9 to 12 months in a pantry or cupboard. Once you open a jar, store it in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 months and close the lid tightly after every use.

Notas

• You can slice the carrots in rounds or diagonal slices, as long as they have a uniform thickness so that they all cook evenly.
• You can pickle the peppers whole, without slicing them. You will need to make a small incision in them to keep them from bursting during the cooking process.
• If you prefer to use fresh herbs, substitute the dried thyme with 4 sprigs of fresh thyme and the dried marjoram with 2 sprigs of fresh marjoram.
• Other vegetables you can add to this pickle, along with the carrots, are cauliflower florets, small whole mushrooms, and squash cut into 1/3-inch (8.5mm) rounds. Add these vegetables in step 2. These pickles are great served as an appetiser.

Mexico in Your Kitchen: Favorite Mexican Recipes That Celebrate Family, Community, Culture, and Tradition by Mely Martinez, $49.99, published by Quarto US.