NOGALES STEAK TACOS

2 chuck steaks
Marinade
Salt and pepper
24 corn tortillas
1 lb. mild white cheese
6 fire-roasted pasilla chiles
1 cup Lime-Pickled Red Onions
Salsa assortment

Lay 1 steak (cut closest to prime rib, each 3/4 to 1 inch thick, or 2 rib steaks, 1 inch to 1 1-1/4 inches thick - each about 1-1/2 pounds) in nonreactive dish. Puncture meat all over on both sides with fork or skewer. Pour half of Marinade (recipe below) over first steak. Put other steak on top and repeat process. Reverse steaks to make sure both are well covered with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turning steaks occasionally to ensure full penetration of marinade. About 1 hour before grilling, remove steaks from refrigerator. Soak 6 mesquite wood chunks or 2 cups mesquite, oak or hickory chips in water. Fire up covered charcoal grill with about 60 briquettes or equivalent of mesquite charcoal. When coals are completely covered in gray ash and you can hold your hand over them for count of 2, scatter mesquite chunks or chips over coals. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Put steaks on grill and cover kettle immediately. Adjust vents so no flare-ups occur. Cook until steaks are done to your liking, 6-8 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium. Set steaks aside on platter and cover loosely with foil to keep warm while tortilla¬cheese setups are prepared. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Briefly heat each tortilla, preferably handmade (or freshest machine-made you can find) over direct heat of grill to soften it (or heat each tortilla in heavy skillet over high heat to soften). Heat tortillas only enough to make them pliable, so they don't crack when folded over cheese. Place 2 pieces cheese (such as queso asadero, California Monterey Jack, or Wisconsin Muenster, cut into strips, 1/4 by 1 inch by 3 or 4 inches) on each tortilla and fold in half. Wrap 6 or so folded tortillas in foil, and keep warm in oven. Repeat process for all 24 tortillas. It takes about 10 minutes to heat folded tortillas in oven and barely melt cheese - don't keep them in oven too long or cheese will ooze out. Pay attention to timing: if tortilla packets are put in oven when steaks are done and steaks are allowed to rest for 10 minutes, that should work out fine. You can leave tortillas in their foil packets for serving or, if you'd like to be more authentic, wrap them in large cloth. napkins or dish towels. To serve,...cut steaks against grain into strips 3-4 inches long and about 1/4 inch thick. Put bones on separate platter. Set out fire-roasted chiles (or 10 Anaheim chiles - directions follow - sliced, or equivalent canned green chiles, sliced), pickled onions, tortilla-cheese set-ups, guacamole and salsas of your choice, such as green chile salsa and salsa cruda. Pass steak bones for true carnivores to gnaw on. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

NOTE: To fire-roast chiles or bell pepper, char or blister peppers, turning occasionally, over an open flame or under a hot broiler. Put them in plastic or paper bag for 10-15 minutes or so to sweat and loosen skins. Scrape off skins and remove stems and seeds. You can wash peeled pepper under cold running water if you want, but this can reduce flavor slightly. Be careful when handling hot chiles. Use rubber gloves or wash your hands thoroughly after touching them.

Marinade
6 garlic cloves
1 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cup fresh sour orange juice
2 Tbsp. tequila, optional
2 Tbsp. ground chiles
1 cup fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Mash garlic with kosher salt. In bowl, combine garlic mixture juice (from Seville oranges or 1/4 cup fresh orange juice plus 1/2 cup fresh lime juice), tequila, chiles, chopped cilantro, chopped oregano (or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried), salt, pepper and oil. Whisk together, or put ingredients into food processor and pulse briefly.