Ground Beef Taco Salad

Ingredients

• 1 whole Scallion (– root removed & cut into 6 pieces)
• 1 clove Garlic (– peeled and roughly chopped)
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 1/4 Cup Buttermilk
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves (– stems removed; tightly packed (about .5 ounce))
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin (- DIVIDED)
• 1/2 tsp Chipotle Chile Powder (- DIVIDED)
• 2 tsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
• 2 whole Scallions (– thinly sliced; separate the white/light green parts from the dark green parts)
• 2 cloves Garlic ( – peeled and minced)
• As Needed Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Pound Ground Beef ((sub: ground turkey or ground chicken))
• 2 heaping TBS Taco or Fajita Seasoning
• 3 TBS Tomato Sauce (sub: tomato juice, beef broth, or filtered water)
• 1 TBS Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 whole Lime (– Juiced; DIVIDED)
• 2 heads Romaine Lettuce (– thinly sliced or shredded)
• 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (– halved or quartered depending upon size)
• 1 Cup Black Beans (– drained and rinsed (sub: pinto beans))
• 1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese (– shredded (sub: cheddar cheese))
• 2 whole Corn Cobs (– shucked and corn kernels sliced from cob)
• 2 whole Avocados (– stone removed and diced)
• To Taste Pico De Gallo
• To Taste Tortilla Strips or Crushed Tortilla Chips

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the Salad Dressing: To the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, add the scallion, garlic, sour cream, buttermilk, cilantro, ¾ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder, and half the lime juice (1 tablespoon). Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper. Cover the bowl and process or blend the ingredients together until a smooth dressing forms. Then taste the dressing and adjust the flavors as you see fit. Set the dressing aside in the refrigerator.

2. 2

   Start Taco Meat – Sauté Aromatics: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the white/light green scallions and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and a heaping 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

3. 3

   Add Ground Beef and Spices: Add the ground beef, taco seasoning, ¼ teaspoon cumin, and ¼ teaspoon of chipotle chile powder. Cook the ground beef, using the edge of a wooden spoon to break it up into generous bite-size crumbles, until just browned, about 2-3 minutes.

4. 4

   Add Finishing Touches: Add the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining lime juice (about 1 tablespoon) to the pan with the browned taco meat and stir well. Continue to cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, or until ground beef is cooked through. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Taste the taco beef and adjust for seasoning. Then, set the beef aside to cool slightly. (Note: If you add hot beef to the leafy green salad, the lettuce will wilt.)

5. 5

   Assemble Ground Beef Taco Salad: Assemble Taco Salad: To a large salad bowl, add the lettuce and ¼ cup of the dressing. Toss to evenly coat the greens in the dressing. Divide dressed greens evenly among serving bowls or keep in family style and serve it in the large salad bowl. Top with 2/3 of the taco toppings, then all the ground beef, and finish with the remaining toppings. Drizzle with the remaining dressing or serve it on the side. Serve immediately and enjoy!