Gourmet Beef Flautas

Ingredients:

For the Filling:

  • 1 pound high-quality beef sirloin, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

  • Salt and black pepper to taste

  • 1/2 cup beef broth

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

For the Flautas:

  • 12 small flour tortillas

  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

  • Vegetable oil for frying

For the Avocado Crema:

  • 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • Juice of 1 lime

  • Salt and pepper to taste

For Garnish:

  • Fresh cilantro, chopped

  • Cherry tomatoes, diced

  • Lime wedges

Instructions:

Prepare the Filling:

  1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and sauté until softened.

  2. Add thinly sliced beef to the skillet and cook until browned.

  3. Season with ground cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Stir to coat the beef evenly.

  4. Pour in beef broth and lime juice. Simmer until the liquid is reduced, and the beef is cooked through.

  5. Stir in fresh cilantro, then remove the filling from heat.

Prepare the Avocado Crema:

  1. In a blender or food processor, combine peeled and pitted avocado, sour cream, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Assemble the Flautas:

  1. Warm the flour tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave to make them pliable.

  2. Spoon a portion of the beef filling onto the center of each tortilla and sprinkle with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

  3. Roll each tortilla tightly into a flute shape, securing with toothpicks if necessary.

  4. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Carefully place the flautas seam-side down and fry until golden brown and crisp on all sides.

  5. Remove flautas from the skillet and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Serve:

  1. Arrange the beef flautas on a serving platter.

  2. Drizzle with the avocado crema and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and diced cherry tomatoes.

  3. Serve with lime wedges on the side.