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We love a seasonal taco here at Pit. Fish tacos in spring, slow-braised cuts in winter and… steak tacos all year round. One of the easiest ways to bring a seasonal twist to a taco is with a fruit or vegetable that can be incorporated – either cooked or raw – into a salsa. Here, we’ve used the gnarliest of English fruits, the quince, to make a sweet and sour sauce that compliments the savoury, salty steak really well. 

Bavette and Quince Taco Recipe (Serves 4)

Quince Sauce

1 quince, peeled, tough core bits removed and cut into 1/8ths 

2 tablespoons caster sugar 

1 scotch bonnet, pierced with a knife but left whole 

1 tablespoon lime juice 

Steak and Garnishes

500g bavette 

Handful coriander, stalks and leaves, finely chopped 

1 regular onion, finely diced 

2 dried guajillo chillies

200g sour cream (labneh would also be nice) 

1 teaspoon lime juice 

Corn tortillas, to serve 

Place the guajillo chillies in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for half an hour, weighing them down with something like an egg cup or similar, to keep them submerged. 

Combine the quince, caster sugar, scotch bonnet chilli and 250ml cold water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 30 minutes, or until the quince is completely soft. 

Remove the scotch bonnet chilli and blend the mixture (easiest using a stick blender), then stir in the 1 tablespoon lime juice and some sea salt, to taste. Set aside. 

Light the barbecue for direct cooking over high heat. 

Drain the guajillo chilies and add them to a pestle and mortar with a pinch of sea salt. Smush to a rough paste, then combine with the sour cream, 1 teaspoon lime juice and sea salt to taste. Set aside. 

Pat the steak dry and season well with sea salt on both sides. Once the barbecue is ready, cook them over direct high heat for a couple of minutes, turning often, then move to a cooler spot and cook a few minutes more. Don’t overcook them! Bavette needs to be rare. Rest the steak for 10 minutes, loosely wrapped.  

While the steak is resting, combine the finely diced white onion, coriander stalks and leaves and some salt. Mix well. 

Once the steak has rested, slice very thinly against the grain. 

Serve the steak with the tortillas, quince sauce, guajillo sour cream and onion and coriander.