The Chef

Restaurants

Meals

Drinks

Restaurants›Lime and Salt Restaurant Bar›Boulevard Molcajete Recipe

Boulevard Molcajete Recipe

Name: Lime and Salt Restaurant Bars Boulevard Molcajete Recipe
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 0.75 lb skirt steak or flank steak, trimmed; 0.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 0.25 lb Mexican chorizo (raw); 3 each large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on); 4 oz queso para freír or firm queso blanco (cut into 1/2" cubes); 0.5 cup nopales (cactus paddles), cleaned and sliced into 1/2" strips; 6 each cebollitas (small green onions / spring onions) or scallions; 0.5 each white or yellow onion, medium (for marinade and serving); 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 each fresh lime; 3 tbs vegetable or canola oil (for grilling and frying); 1 tbs olive oil (for shrimp); 2 cloves garlic cloves, minced; 0.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available); 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbs salsa macha (store-bought or homemade); 2 each fresh lime wedges (for serving); 0.05 cup extra cilantro leaves for garnish; 2 tbs all-purpose flour (for dusting queso); 0.33 cup vegetable oil (for shallow frying queso)

Inspired by Lime and Salt Restaurant Bar

Time50m

Serves2

Steak, chicken, chorizo, three shrimps, queso frito, nopales, cebollitas, cilantro, and salsa macha.

Was this page helpful?

Help improve this recipe for others.

Send this recipe to your inbox.

We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.

Ingredients

Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Proteins & Main Items

3/4 lb skirt steak or flank steak, trimmed

1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/4 lb Mexican chorizo (raw)

3 each large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails on)

4 oz queso para freír or firm queso blanco (cut into 1/2" cubes)

Vegetables & Aromatics

1/2 cup nopales (cactus paddles), cleaned and sliced into 1/2" strips

6 each cebollitas (small green onions / spring onions) or scallions

1/2 each white or yellow onion, medium (for marinade and serving)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

1 each fresh lime

Marinade & Seasonings

3 tbs vegetable or canola oil (for grilling and frying)

1 tbs olive oil (for shrimp)

2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano if available)

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

Salsa & Garnish

3 tbs salsa macha (store-bought or homemade)

2 each fresh lime wedges (for serving)

0.05 cup extra cilantro leaves for garnish

Coating & Frying

2 tbs all-purpose flour (for dusting queso)

1/3 cup vegetable oil (for shallow frying queso)

Method

Marinate Proteins

Prep and Marinate Steak & Chicken

Slice the steak thinly across the grain into 1/2" strips. Pat the chicken thighs dry and slice into 1/2" strips. In a bowl combine 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, minced garlic, ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (reserve remaining salt for finishing), and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Toss steak and chicken with the marinade until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes while you prepare other components.

Prepare Shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, a pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of salt and the remaining black pepper. Keep chilled until ready to cook.

Vegetables & Nopales

If using fresh nopales, bring a small pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and the sliced nopales and simmer 6–8 minutes to remove sliminess. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Slice the white/yellow onion into 1/4" rings or thick slices for serving. Trim the cebollitas/scallions leaving bases intact if desired and toss with a little oil and a pinch of salt to prepare for grilling.

Grill / Sear Proteins & Vegetables

Heat a griddle or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot (about 3–5 minutes). Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sear the marinated steak strips in a single layer, 1–2 minutes per side for medium-rare to medium depending on thickness. Remove to a plate and tent loosely with foil. Repeat with chicken strips, cooking 2–3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

Using the same hot pan, add the prepared cebollitas and char on both sides about 2–3 minutes per side until slightly blistered. Remove and keep warm. Quickly sear the nopales 1–2 minutes per side to get light char and warm through.

Finally, sear the shrimp 1–1.5 minutes per side in the hot pan until just opaque and pink. Shrimp cook fast—do not overcook. Set aside with the other proteins.

Cook Chorizo & Fry Queso

In a small skillet over medium heat, remove chorizo from casing if necessary and crumble into the pan. Cook, breaking into small pieces, until fully cooked and slightly crisp, about 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

While chorizo cooks, heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat (oil should reach about 350°F / hot but not smoking). Lightly dust the queso cubes with the 2 tablespoons flour, shaking off excess. Fry the queso in batches 1–2 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to paper towels and season immediately with a pinch of salt.

Assemble Molcajete

Use a large heated cast-iron skillet, hot molcajete, or a shallow flameproof bowl to present the dish. Arrange the steak, chicken, chorizo, three seared shrimp, fried queso cubes, grilled nopales, and cebollitas in separate clusters so each element is visible. Scatter chopped cilantro and thin slices of raw onion on top and tuck lime wedges around the edge.

Spoon 2–3 tablespoons salsa macha over some of the proteins and place remaining salsa on the side for guests to add more. Adjust final seasoning with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt if needed and a squeeze of fresh lime over the top.

Serve immediately while everything is hot so the fried queso stays crisp and the proteins are warm. Provide bowls of extra salsa macha and lime wedges at the table.