Chef Steph of BitesXSteph, a Venice-based private chef and friend of Desert Dust, shares her spicy beef and sweet potato flautas. Citrus-braised beef and mashed sweet potato are rolled in flour tortillas, fried until golden, and finished with fresh toppings.
Roast the sweet potatoes. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Lightly coat the whole sweet potatoes with a drizzle of oil and roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender. Let them cool enough to handle. You can roast them while the beef braises.
Brown the beef. Season the beef with 2 tablespoons Spicy Desert Dust. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef well on all sides, working in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.
Build the braising sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and onion to the pot and cook for a few minutes, until softened. Add the orange juice and lime juice, then the crushed tomatoes, beef broth and 1 tablespoon Spicy Desert Dust. Stir and return the beef to the pot.
Braise and shred. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 1/2 hours, then remove the lid and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender enough to shred. If it is still firm, continue cooking gently until tender. Remove the beef, shred with two forks, and reserve some sauce for dipping. Toss the shredded beef with the remaining sauce.
Mash and roll. Scoop the sweet potato flesh from the skins, mash, and season with the remaining 1 tablespoon Spicy Desert Dust. Warm the tortillas until pliable. Put about 2 tablespoons sweet potato in the center of each tortilla, add about 2 tablespoons shredded beef, and roll snugly.
Fry until golden. Heat 1/4 cup avocado oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the flautas seam-side down in the oil, working in batches without crowding. Turn carefully and shallow-fry on all sides until golden. Transfer to a rack or paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
Top and serve. Finish with shredded lettuce, sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro and jalapeño. Add a pinch of salt if needed and serve with the reserved beef sauce and lime slices.
The Dust In This Recipe
Spicy Desert Dust
$12.99
Chef Steph divides Spicy Dust between the beef, the citrus-tomato braising sauce and the mashed sweet potato. One blend seasons each part of the filling.
✦SEASON THE BEEFAdd before browning, then use more in the braising sauce.
✦DUST THE SWEET POTATOStir into the mash before filling and rolling the tortillas.
The beef braises for about two hours: 1 1/2 hours covered, then 30 minutes uncovered, or longer if needed for tenderness. That is not the total cooking time. Allow additional time for browning, shredding, rolling and frying. The sweet potatoes roast for about 45 minutes and can cook while the beef braises; the preparation estimate is 30 minutes.
HOW MUCH AVOCADO OIL DO I USE?
Use 1/4 cup avocado oil for shallow-frying, as specified in Chef Steph’s frying method. This is separate from the 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the beef and the drizzle used to roast the sweet potatoes.
WHAT GOES INTO THE FILLING?
The filling combines shredded beef chuck, braised in orange juice, lime, tomato and broth, with mashed roasted sweet potato. Spicy Desert Dust seasons the beef, sauce and mash.
WHICH TORTILLAS SHOULD I USE?
Chef Steph’s recipe calls for 8–10 flour tortillas. Warm them before filling so they bend without cracking. Place each flauta seam-side down first to help it stay rolled while frying.
WHAT IF THE BEEF IS NOT TENDER AFTER TWO HOURS?
Keep it cooking gently until it shreds easily with two forks. Beef chuck varies, so tenderness matters more than the clock. Watch the liquid level and avoid letting the sauce catch on the bottom of the pot.
CAN I MAKE THE FILLING AHEAD?
Yes. Prepare the beef and sweet potato filling in advance, refrigerate promptly in shallow covered containers, and keep the tortillas separate. Reheat the filling thoroughly before rolling and frying close to serving. Any extra filling can be refrigerated for another meal.
HOW DO I STORE AND REHEAT LEFTOVERS?
Refrigerate within two hours, or one hour above 90°F (32°C), in shallow covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or below. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 165°F (74°C). Store lettuce, avocado and sour cream separately where possible so you can reheat the flautas without warming the fresh toppings.
WHICH ALLERGENS SHOULD I CHECK?
Flour tortillas contain wheat, sour cream contains milk, and Spicy Desert Dust lists mustard. Check the broth, tortillas, seasoning and all current product labels for other allergens and cross-contact information.
We’re back in the kitchen with Chef Steph of BitesXSteph, a Venice-based private chef and good friend of ours. Her Desert Dan Dan noodles bring together tahini, ground chicken, Spicy Desert Dust and Chiltepin, finished with scallions and crushed peanuts.
