A slate tabletop decked with soft, yellow corn tortillas cradling mounds of coffee-brown ancho beef, topped with a vibrant fresno chile slaw, jadeite-green with thinly sliced fennel and cilantro. Crumbled queso fresco, resembling accents of snow, and a pool of avocado crema completes this rustic and appealing dish.

Ancho Beef & Fennel Tacos

Name: Ancho Beef & Fennel Tacos
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: large fennel, 2 trimmed and thinly sliced; beef chuck, 2 lb cut into chunks; dried ancho chillies, 3 seeds removed; cold water, 1/4 cup; vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons; garlic cloves, 2 crushed; white onion, 1 grated; orange juice, 1 cup; can fire-roasted tomatoes, 14 oz; corn tortilla, 8; fresno chilli, 1 thinly sliced; bunch cilantro, 1 chopped; avocado, 1; sour cream, 1/2 cup; queso fresco, 1/2 cup crumbled; salt, to taste; pepper, to taste

Category Main Course

Prep 30 minutes

Cook 180 minutes

Style Mexican

Technique Sauté

Diet Friendly Low-Carb

Daily Recipe: March 04, 2024

Our featured dish is a contemporary spin on the comforting Mexican flavors, harnessing the anise-like qualities of the in-season ingredient, fennel. Complimented by slow-cooked beef and a sprinkle of queso-fresco, this recipe yields an Instagram-worthy, aromatic meal.

Ingredients (for 4)

Large fennel - 2 - trimmed and thinly sliced
Beef chuck - 2 lb - cut into chunks
Dried ancho chillies - 3 - seeds removed
Cold water - 1/4 cup
Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
Garlic cloves - 2 - crushed
White onion - 1 - grated
Orange juice - 1 cup
Can fire-roasted tomatoes - 14 oz
Corn tortilla - 8
Fresno chilli - 1 - thinly sliced
Bunch cilantro - 1 - chopped
Avocado - 1
Sour cream - 1/2 cup
Queso fresco - 1/2 cup - crumbled
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 💦🌶️🌪️

Rehydrate the ancho chillies in cold water for about 15 minutes. Once rehydrated, blend the chillies, water, garlic, onion, orange juice, and tomatoes until smooth to make the ancho sauce.
Step 2 - 🥩🍳🍲

Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Sear the beef chunks on all sides, then pour over the ancho sauce. Cook covered on low heat for about 2-3 hours until the beef is tender.
Step 3 - 🥗🌶️🥄

For the slaw, combine thinly sliced fennel, fresno chilli and half of the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4 - 🥑🥛🌪️

Blend the avocado and sour cream together until you achieve a smooth avocado cream.
Step 5 - 🌮🥩🥬🧀

Warm up the tortillas, then spoon over the beef and fennel slaw. Drizzle with the avocado cream, and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco and the remaining cilantro on top.

Additional

Ancho chiles are dried, ripe poblano peppers which give a mildly fruity, slightly smoky flavor. Don't mistake its mildness for lack of flavor, it's this quality that has made this chile a beloved staple in Mexican cuisine. Consider swapping out the ancho for chipotle or guajillo chiles to play with the heat levels and complexity of this dish. Kids can assist with the preparation of the slaw or warming of tortillas.