I enjoyed fajitas, but hardly ever ate them because a.) I never had a good recipe and b.) I know ordering them at a restaurant is a “process”. Marc, on the other hand, loves the pomp and circumstance of ordering fajitas at a restaurant. He knows it means we have to back up for the steaming plate and all of the fajita toppings. I end up having to scoot my dinner plate to a far corner of the table to accommodate his many dishes. My view of fajitas has changed, though. Through Twitter and Alison, I found an easy beef fajita recipe that is as delicious as it is quick. Double score! I made this recipe for the first time one Saturday afternoon and Marc could not get over how good the fajitas were. He said they were better than the fajitas he’s ordered in restaurants and I’ve been making them ever since. I thought that these might lack flavor from the small ingredient list, but luckily I was wrong. The paprika, cumin, oregano and jalapeno give the steak the right amount of smokiness and a very slight kick. The lime (or blood orange) juice adds that wonderful hint of acidity that complements all of the other flavors. I added to the original directions below because I like to be clear, but they come together quickly.
Fajitas on the Fly
Recipe from Post College Cook via Dollars to Donuts
Serves 4
3 T. olive oil
2 limes, juiced (I subbed in blood orange juice once and it was yummy)
1/4 C. finely chopped cilantro (optional)
2 jalapeno peppers ribbed, seeded and finely diced (optional, but it’s not very spicy)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. paprika (I used smoked paprika and we liked it)
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/8 t. freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 lbs. skirt steak, sliced against the grain in 1/4″ thick slices
2 large red bell peppers cut into 1/4″ thick strips
1 large white onion cut into 1/4″ thick half moon slices
8 flour or corn tortillas
salsa, hot sauce or your favorite toppings for serving
Marinate the meat:
Whisk 1 1/2 T. olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, jalapenos, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper together in a large bowl. Place the meat in the marinade and toss to coat. (*I defrosted the skirt steak by putting it in the fridge overnight and the next day it was partially frozen. I sliced the meat into 1/4″ strips while it was partially frozen and marinaded overnight. The next day it was defrosted and we were ready for dinner. You could also put the defrosted meat into the freezer for an hour or two for the same results.) Set aside while you slice the peppers and onion into 1/4″ strips.
Sear the steak:
Preheat the oven to warm. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron works great) for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Drizzle 1/2 T. of the olive oil in the pan and remove half of the steak from the marinade and put in the skillet. Try to layer the meat so that it is not overlapping so the pieces properly sear. Cook until steak is seared on both sides about 2 minutes. (*I undercooked them a bit at this point because you’ll want to keep the meat warm while you are finishing the rest of the meat and vegetables.) Transfer to an oven-safe large plate or platter and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper on the warm steak slices. Keep platter in warm oven. Use tongs and paper towel to wipe out the skillet. Be careful, it’s hot. Add 1/2 T. olive oil and repeat cooking and plating of steak slices.
Brown the vegetables:
Place the skillet back over medium-high heat and drizzle remaining 1/2 T. of olive oil in the pan. Add the onion and red pepper in the skillet and cook until charred and softened, about 5 minutes.
Heat the tortillas:
While the vegetables cook, heat the tortillas by microwaving in a towel for 20-30 seconds or use my favorite method and place directly on a gas burner until soft and slightly black on the edges. Transfer to vegetables to same platter with steak (or different platter) and serve with warm tortillas and your favorite toppings.
