Fajitas
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence (slightly modified)
Fajitas are traditionally served hot and sizzling on a hot iron skillet. To achieve this sort of drama for your guests, have everything else ready and just before serving, preheat a cast iron skillet on the grill in in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes. Transfer the beef and vegetables to the skillet; they will immediately start sizzling. Be sure to warn your guests not to touch the skillet.
The orange juice in Tyler's recipe is not traditional; the lime is. Still, I would not change a thing. This recipe is wonderful.
Beef Cuts to Use: Because skirt and flank steak is expensive, and you don’t find it on sale much, we usually use sirloin steak due to its tenderness. Top Round London Broil could be used, but, no matter what cut you use, cook it only to medium-rare and be sure to cut it thin and across the grain. See What is London Broil? for the cooking method called London Broil.
Chicken - we tried this marinade on pieces of chicken and I would say it is almost as good as the Fireman's Chicken. We didn't make fajitas with the chicken, but I'm sure they would be excellent. Along with the chicken, we cooked Poblano Peppers Stuffed with Black Beans and Cheese on the grill; it was a good combination. For a week night meal when time is an issue, try Black Bean Salad instead of the stuffed peppers.
1 orange, juiced (1/3 - 1/2 cup)
2 limes, juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano leaves (preferably Mexican oregano)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat
1 green bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
Guacamole
Pico de Gallo (or other salsa)
Sour cream, optional
12 flour tortillas, warmed
In a small bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients. Place steak in a shallow container, and pour marinade over it. Refrigerate, covered, 8 hours or overnight to tenderize meat.
Drain the marinade from the meat and save. Grill the steak in a ridged grill pan over medium-high heat for 4 minutes each side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let stand.
In the same pan with the steak juices, add the bell peppers and onions. Saute the mixture for 3 minutes until the vegetables are limp. Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a diagonal. To warm the tortillas, briefly toast them in a hot, dry (no oil) cast iron skillet.
FMM: Brian and I usually cook Fajitas on the charcoal grill and baste with leftover marinade. Because you will not have any pan juices, cook the peppers and onions on the charcoal grill using skewers or a grill pan, such as the disposable aluminum ones, and baste with leftover marinade.
Spread some guacamole on a tortilla, top with a few slices of steak, peppers and onions, pico de gallo (salsa) and sour cream, if desired. Roll up the tortilla to enclose the filling.
Note: some people also use shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese in their fajitas, but I prefer mine without. The cheese tends to muddy the fresh flavor of the marinade on the meat.
6 servings (12 fajitas)
