Tender cubes of sirloin steak in a Mexican-seasoned chile-tomato sauce, served with flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream and salsa.

Carne Guisada

2 pounds sirloin steak, cubed
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped, juice reserved
1 cup water
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 jalapeño, seeded, chopped*
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 flour tortillas
1 head lettuce, shredded
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Sour cream for accompaniment
Salsa

1. Combine cubed sirloin steak and cornstarch. Cook in oil in a large skillet, stirring constantly, until browned; drain.
2. Add chopped whole tomatoes (undrained), water, crushed garlic, chopped jalapeno, cumin, pepper, and salt. Cook over medium heat, covered, until meat becomes tender, approximately 1 hour. Stir occasionally.
3. Serve with flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Makes 6 servings.

*Working with jalapeños or other chiles:
Capsacian is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.