Chef notes
I love this recipe because it reminds me of my grandmother. She used to cook me a tampiqueña with her unique Mexican red rice (arroz rojo) or tomato pasta (fideo seco) when I was a little kid. Now that I recently moved to Miami, I cook this same dish for my two sons, and they absolutely love it!
Technique tip: It's important to use a well-sharpened knife to cut the tampiqueña.
Swap option: For a vegetarian option, use cauliflower slices cooked in water in place of beef tenderloin. The traditional or classic tampiqueña is served with black fried beans, guacamole and red or green enchiladas.
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce) beef tenderloins
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 ears fresh corn, cut in half, previously par-boiled in water
- 8 flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 2 cups warm red rice (recipe linked above), to serve
- 1 cup avocado puree, to serve
Preparation
For the tampiqueña:
1.Place tenderloin on its side on a cutting board. Make a small cut, about a half-inch deep, and keep cutting while turning the tenderloin, until it becomes flat — this way, you will obtain a tampiqueña. Repeat with the other tenderloin.
2.In a bowl, combine the avocado oil, salt, black pepper and oregano.
3.Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
4.Brush tampiqueñas and ears of corn with the oil and cook on the preheated grill. Cook meat 3 minutes per side, or more if you like, and cook corn until charred.
For the quesadillas:
1.Cut tampiqueñas in strips.
2.Heat tortillas in a pan with cheese and tampiqueña, and cover with another tortilla.
3.Cook until the cheese is melted and tortillas are golden.
4.Cut in fourths and serve with warm red rice and avocado puree.
