Steak Tostadas with Corn Crema and Red Pepper Salsa

Yields 4-5 servings

If there’s one thing we are certain about, it’s that in-season corn tastes delicious whether it’s charred, grilled, boiled, steamed, or raw. We opted to char it in this recipe and prepare it in two ways to really let it shine: blended into a sweet corn crema and simply tossed with a few extra ingredients for salsa. If tostadas aren’t your thing, feel free to use a soft corn or flour tortilla instead, but maybe think about crushing some tortilla chips on top so that you’re not missing out on the crunch!

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Assembly

Step 1
Marinate flank steak with liquid shio koji for a few hours or overnight.

Step 2
Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Once it is very hot, keep it dry and lightly char both ears of corn and the red pepper.

Step 3
Meanwhile, combine white onion with lime juice. Mix and set aside for about 5 minutes.

Step 4
Cut the kernels off of the cob, and add the whole kernels from one ear of corn to the onion and lime juice mixture. Any partial kernels still attached to the cob can be scraped off and reserved for the corn crema. Chop up the red pepper and add to corn and onion mixture. Mix in Mango Jalapeño Dressing and cilantro (if using). Set aside.

Step 5
In a tall measuring cup or container, add kernels from the remaining ear of corn, along with scraped bits from the corn used in the salsa. This should be about 1.5 cups of kernels. Add Tangy Yuzu Mayo, thick sour cream, and chili powder. Blend with an immersion blender until the larger kernels have broken down, but it’s still slightly chunky. Set aside.

Step 6
Pat steak dry. Cook to preferred doneness. Let rest before thinly slicing. You can also cut the steak into bite-sized pieces, if preferred.

Step 7
To assemble, spread corn crema onto a tostada, then top with sliced avocado, steak, and salsa. Squeeze fresh lime juice onto the tostada and enjoy!

NOTES:
If you can’t find liquid shio koji, you can substitute it for shio koji paste or simply use a seasoning/marinade of your choice. If using shio koji paste, spread it all over the steak until it is covered. Make sure to scrape it all off and pat the steak dry before cooking.

If corn is not in season, you can still use frozen corn kernels and char it in a pan from frozen, stirring constantly to prevent the corn from burning.

Ingredients

~1 lb (454g) Flank steak

2-3 tbsp Liquid shio koji

Charred Corn Crema (yields 2 cups)

1 ear Sweet corn

¼ cup Tangy Yuzu Mayo

¾ cup Thick sour cream (14% fat)

¼ tsp Ancho chili powder

Red Pepper Salsa

1 small Red pepper

1 ear Sweet corn

½ cup White onion, finely chopped

½ Lime, juiced

Mango Jalapeño Dressing, to taste

Fresh cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

8-10 Corn tostadas

2 Avocados, sliced

Lime wedges

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