Southwest Spice Blend Beef Bowls🍖 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tomato, finely diced
• 1 red onion, halved, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 1 lime, zested and quartered
• 1 jalapeño, halved, deseeded, and finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup rice
• 2 1/4 cups water (for rice)
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• olive oil, to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp stock concentrate
• 1/4 cup water (for beef)
• 1 tbsp butter (for beef)
• sour cream
• 1 tbsp butter (for rice)
• Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• blue corn tortilla chips
• Southwest Spice Blend

Instructions

1. Prep: Wash and dry produce. Finely dice tomato. Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion; finely chop a few slices until you have 2 TBSP. Zest and quarter lime. Halve, deseed, and finely chop jalapeño (TIP: Leave seeds in for more spice!). Peel and finely chop garlic.
2. Cook Rice: In a small pot, combine rice, 2¼ cups water (for 4 servings), and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
3. Make Salsa: While rice cooks, in a small bowl, combine tomato, chopped onion, half the lime zest, a squeeze of lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and as much jalapeño as you like. Season generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Start Beef: Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. Add beef, garlic, Southwest Spice Blend, and another big pinch of salt. TIP: If you like things spicy, add any remaining jalapeño. Using a spatula, arrange beef into an even layer. Cook, undisturbed, until browned on bottom, 3-4 minutes. Break into pieces; cook, stirring occasionally, until beef is cooked through, 3-4 more minutes. TIP: If there's excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.
5. Finish Beef: To pan with beef, stir in tomato paste and stock concentrate, then add ¼ cup water (⅓ cup for 4 servings). Cook until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in 1 TBSP butter until melted; turn off heat.
6. Make Crema: While beef cooks, in a second small bowl, combine sour cream with a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
7. Finish & Serve: Fluff rice with a fork; stir in remaining lime zest and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper. Divide rice between bowls. Top with beef mixture, Monterey Jack, salsa, and crema. Serve with tortilla chips and remaining lime wedges on the side.