The 4-Season Taco Salad Bowl
 | Author:
Eileen Clarke - Rifles and Recipes
Author: Rifles and Recipes |
The 4-Season Taco Salad Bowl
Eileen Clarke - Rifles and Recipes
Serves 2, but is easily multiplied
My husband and I work from home and have long had our ‘big’ meal of the day at noon, followed by a simpler snack plate for dinner. Cheese, crackers, sliced up ‘lunch’ meat, some fruit, an easy meal because we’re tired and just want to put our feet up and be done. But lately, we’ve been even lazier, opting for this quick and simple bowl at lunch. It starts with the cooked rice I like to have in the fridge—as a shortcut for other quick lunches like curries, soups and stir-fries. Then a do-it-yourself spice mix that easily adjusts to your personal spiciness index.
So far, as we suffer through False Spring we’re not adding many greens. But in high summer we’ll add garden lettuce, cukes and tomatoes for a cooling dish. (About one cup of those for each serving.)
A safety note: Whenever you use a combo of cooked and raw ingredients on a plate, first dice the food that will not get cooked, before cutting the meat, or use a separate cutting board and knife to avoid contaminating what won’t be cooked with raw meat juices.
Here’s the recipe and do feel free to enjoy the flavors for dinner. Heck, for breakfast.
Ingredients
½ pound tender venison steak, in 1½” cubes
2 tablespoons oil, in all
The Spice Mix
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground marjoram
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground smoked Serano chili*
Assembly Ingredients
1 cup cooked rice, (we use brown rice, for better nutrition)
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup salsa, preferably fresh, but bottled works too
¼ cup chopped raw red onion
¼ cup chopped yellow sweet pepper
Grated cheese (Cheddar, Mexican cheese blend, Cotija, your choice)
Sour cream
*Taste the spice mix before using. Too spicy? Add more onion powder to tame the bite. FYI smoked serrano and other ground and whole chilies are available at The Real Food Store. (Right next to Capital Sports.)
Preparation
1. Wrap the cubed venison in a double layer of paper towels and give them a little squeeze to remove excess moisture. Combine the spice mix in a bowl, add the meat chunks plus 1 tablespoon oil, stir to coat the meat with oil and spices. Let it sit.
2. Divide the cooked rice and beans between two bowls. Set out the salsa, grated cheese, sour cream, red onion, sweet pepper and green salad ingredients if you’re using them on the table.
3. In a large skillet, heat the second tablespoon of oil over medium heat, and when it starts to sizzle add the meat. (If you’re doubling the recipe cook the meat in 2 batches, tripling, 3 batches, etc. so it browns rather than steams.) Turn the meat when you see drops of bright red blood rising to the surface and cook the second side about ½ as long. Remove from the heat.
4. Warm the rice and beans in the microwave, 45 to 60 seconds, divide the meat between the bowls, and top with salsa, red onion, pepper, grated cheese and/or sour cream. If you’re adding salad greens, sprinkle them on top.
5. Serve with crisp corn tortillas. Toss the bowl’s ingredients together gently and enjoy!
Check Eileen’s blog on https://www.riflesandrecipes.com
Eileen Clarke
https://www.riflesandrecipes.com
406-521-0273
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PhotoCredit: Eileen Clark
Image 1 Caption: 4-season taco salad
