Beef shin and cheddar mulitas with jalapeño escabeche

1.For jalapeño escabeche, heat a saucepan over medium-high heat, add jalapeños and stir until skins start to blister (1 minute). Add remaining ingredients, 250ml water and 1 tsp sea salt, reduce heat to medium and simmer until jalapeños start to become tender (2-3 minutes). Set aside to cool, thinly slice jalapeños and set aside in liquid. Jalapeño escabeche will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 weeks.

2.Preheat oven to 170C. Heat lard in a large frying pan over high heat, add beef and cook, turning occasionally, until browned (3-5 minutes). Transfer to a small casserole and set aside. Add onion to pan, cook until tender (4-5 minutes), add garlic, chilli and cumin and stir to combine. Deglaze pan with 250ml water and transfer onion mixture to casserole. Add tomato and oregano, season to taste, cover and braise in oven until tender (2 hours). Remove beef, cool slightly, then coarsely shred and set aside. Simmer stock over high heat until reduced to a thick sauce consistency (15-20 minutes). Return beef to sauce and set aside.

3.Meanwhile, for flour tortillas, combine flour, lard and a large pinch of salt in a bowl and rub with your fingers until coarse crumbs form. Add 180ml warm water and mix until a smooth dough forms, adding more water if necessary. Turn onto a work surface, knead until smooth, wrap in plastic wrap and set aside to rest (30 minutes). Divide dough into 12 pieces, roll into balls, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest (30 minutes). Transfer to a lightly floured surface and flatten into 4mm-thick tortillas with a rolling pin. Preheat a char-grill pan over medium-high heat, then char-grill tortillas in batches, turning once, until bubbles appear on the surface and base browns (30-45 seconds each side). Wrap in a cloth napkin to steam, soften and keep warm.

4.Place six tortillas on six large pieces of baking paper, top tortillas with beef mixture, cheddar and jalapeño escabeche to taste, and sandwich with remaining tortillas. Wrap baking paper around each taco to enclose, then wrap in foil and roast until cheese melts (5-10 minutes). Serve hot with extra jalapeño escabeche and sliced shallots.