Title: Shredded Beef Flautas
Categories: December 19
Yield: 1 servings

------------------------------FOR THE FILLING------------------------------
2 lb Boneless beef chuck; cut
-into 2-inch
; pieces
2 Onions
3 Garlic cloves
1 ts Salt
2 tb Olive oil
1/2 c Tomato sauce
1 Fresh or pickled jalapeno
-chili; or to taste seeded
; and chopped
; (wearrubber gloves)
3/4 ts Ground cumin
Twelve 7-inch tortillas;
-warmed (procedure
; follows)
Vegetable oil for frying
-flautas
3 c Shredded romaine or iceberg
-lettuce
Guacamole and sour cream as
; accompaniments

Make the filling:

In a large saucepan combine the beef, 1 of the onions, sliced, 1 of the
garlic cloves, the salt, and water to cover, bring the water to a boil, and
simmer the mixture, covered partially, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the
beef is tender. Let the beef cool in the broth, drain it, reserving 1/3 cup
of the broth, and with forks shred it. In a large skillet cook the
remaining onion, minced, and the remaining 2 garlic cloves, minced, in the
oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened, add
the shredded beef, the tomato sauce, the chili, the cumin, the reserved
broth, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the mixture, stirring, for
3 to 5 minutes, or until it is thickened. Let the filling cool.

Working with 1 warmed tortilla at a time and keeping the others covered,
spread about 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling down the center of each
tortilla, roll up the tortillas, enclosing the filling, and secure the ends
closed with wooden picks. Keep the rolled tortillas covered with plastic
wrap. The flautas may be prepared up to this point 2 hours in advance and
kept covered tightly with plastic wrap and chilled.

In a large skillet heat 1/2 inch of the oil over moderately high heat until
it is hot but not smoking, in it fry the flautas in batches, turning them,
for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are crisp, and transfer them with tongs
as they are fried to paper towels to drain. Spread the lettuce on a platter
or divide it among 6 plates, arrange the flautas on it, and top them with
the guacamole and the sour cream.

To warm tortillas:

In the oven: Stack 6 tortillas at a time wrap each stack in foil, and heat
the tortillas in the middle of a preheated 325F. oven for 5 minutes for
corn tortillas and 15 minutes for flour tortillas. (If the tortillas are
very dry to begin with, pat each tortilla between dampened hands before
stacking them.)

In the microwave: Stack 6 tortillas at a time, wrap each stack in a
microwave-safe plastic bag, and heat the tortillas in a microwave oven at
high power (100%) for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until they are heated
through and pliable.

Serves 6.

Gourmet December 1990

Converted by MC_Buster.

Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.