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Tex-Mex is the border cooking of Texas, and it is built for steak and seafood lovers: sizzling skirt steak fajitas, citrus-marinated carne asada, bowls of Texas chili with no beans, and shrimp tacos with lime and cilantro.
Fill out the table with enchiladas smothered in chili gravy, a pot of charro beans, red Mexican rice, guacamole, pico de gallo and a bubbling bowl of queso, and finish with a slice of tres leches cake.
Skirt steak marinated in lime, garlic, cumin and chili powder, seared hot, sliced thin and served sizzling with charred peppers and onions and warm flour tortillas. Serves 4 to 6.
Flank or skirt steak marinated in orange and lime juice with garlic, jalapeño, cilantro and cumin, grilled over high heat and sliced for tacos or plates. Serves 6.
True Texas red: cubes of beef chuck simmered for hours in a sauce of toasted dried chiles, garlic, cumin and oregano, thickened with masa. No beans. Serves 8.
Classic Tex-Mex enchiladas: corn tortillas rolled around seasoned ground beef and Cheddar, smothered in a cumin-spiced chili gravy and baked until bubbling. Serves 6.
Ground beef, onions, green pepper, tomatoes, rice and chili powder baked together in one casserole dish. A hearty one-dish dinner that serves 4 to 6.
Strips of chicken, peppers and onion tossed with fajita spices and roasted together on one pan, then wrapped in warm tortillas. Serves 4.
Pork shoulder slow cooked with orange, lime, garlic, cumin and oregano, shredded and broiled until crisp at the edges, for tacos and burrito bowls. Serves 8.
Chuck roast slow cooked with chipotles in adobo, lime, garlic, cumin and cloves until it shreds into tender, smoky barbacoa for tacos and burrito bowls. Serves 8.
Corn tortillas filled with shredded chicken and Monterey Jack, covered in a tangy tomatillo salsa verde, baked bubbly and topped with sour cream and cilantro. Serves 6.
Chili-lime shrimp seared in minutes and tucked into warm corn tortillas with crunchy cabbage, avocado, pickled onion and a cool lime crema. Serves 4.
Spiced shrimp seared on a sizzling skillet with charred bell peppers and onions, squeezed with lime and wrapped in warm tortillas. Dinner in 30 minutes; serves 4.
Chili-and-cumin seasoned cod seared in a hot skillet, flaked into warm corn tortillas and topped with a crunchy lime cabbage slaw and creamy chipotle sauce. Serves 4.
Roasted poblano peppers stuffed with melting Monterey Jack, dipped in a fluffy egg batter, fried golden and served with a warm ranchero tomato sauce. Serves 4.
Smooth, velvety Tex-Mex cheese dip made from scratch with Cheddar and Monterey Jack melted into evaporated milk with green chiles, tomatoes and jalapeño. Serves 8.
Chunky, fresh guacamole of ripe avocados mashed with lime juice, onion, jalapeño, cilantro and salt, with a little tomato. Ready in 10 minutes; serves 6.
Fresh, chunky salsa of chopped tomatoes, white onion, jalapeño and cilantro with lime and salt. The bright topping for tacos, fajitas and carne asada. Makes about 3 cups.
Fluffy red rice toasted in oil until golden, then simmered with a blended tomato, onion and garlic broth. The classic side for enchiladas and fajitas. Serves 6.
Hearty Texas pinto beans simmered with bacon, onion, tomato, jalapeño and cilantro into a smoky, brothy side for fajitas and carne asada. Serves 8.
Husked ears of corn grilled until charred in spots and brushed with a butter of lime zest, chili powder and smoked paprika. Ready in about 20 minutes; serves 6.
A party favorite layered in a clear dish: seasoned refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, Cheddar, black olives and green onions. Serves 12.
Sheet-pan nachos layered with tortilla chips, seasoned ground beef, black beans and two cheeses, baked bubbly and loaded with pico de gallo, jalapeños, guacamole and sour cream. Serves 6.
Warm flour tortillas filled with crispy diced potatoes, soft scrambled eggs, bacon or chorizo and melted cheese, topped with salsa. An Austin and San Antonio morning staple. Makes 8.
A light sponge cake soaked in three milks, evaporated, sweetened condensed and cream, chilled until moist and topped with whipped cream and cinnamon. Serves 12.
Briefly poached shrimp marinated in lime juice with tomato, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and avocado. Bright, cool and ready in 45 minutes. Serves 6.
A hearty, smoky chili of kidney, pinto and black beans simmered with tomatoes, peppers, chili powder, cumin and a touch of cocoa, thickened with masa. Serves 6.
Crispy panko-crusted cod air fried and tucked into warm tortillas with lime cabbage slaw and a chipotle lime crema. Makes 8 tacos.
Chicken slow cooked in salsa with cumin and chili powder, then shredded for tacos, burritos, nachos and rice bowls. Just five minutes of work; serves 6.
Chicken simmered all day with tomatoes, black beans, corn, chiles and cumin, shredded and topped with crispy tortilla strips, avocado and lime. Serves 6.
Chunks of pork shoulder slow cooked in a tangy green sauce of tomatillo salsa verde, green chiles, onion, garlic and cumin. Serves 6.
