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fajitas (pronounced fah-hee-tas) aren’t truly Mexican, they are more closely associated to Tex-Mex which would make them American? In any case, they are typically made with grilled strips of skirt steak, chicken, shrimp and can even be served for vegetarians as it also includes tasty onions and bell peppers, it is served sizzling hot with fresh tortillas, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa at a minimum and is normally accompanied by Refried Beans (with shredded melted cheese on top) and Mexican Rice (this has NOTHING to do with Mexican food – but goes well with it).

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook time: 4

Ingredients:

• vegetable oil
• 1 lb of flank steak, skirt steak, carne asada, boneless skinless chicken breasts or Shrimp (Prawns) or a mix of them (Surf and turf?)
• 1 large onion, peeled and sliced with the grain, not against the grain as one would normally slice an onion. Slice first in half, and then slice off sections a half inch wide at widest point.
• 2-3 bell peppers of various colors, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into strips
• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 8oz Sour Cream
• Tortillas
• Salt

Marinade:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems and leaves
• 1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 limes
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 fresh Jalapeño pepper
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions:

1. Put the cilantro, lime juice, broth, scallions, garlic, jalapeno, honey, and salt in a blender, puree until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons; do not wash out the blender.
2. Put chicken breasts or steak in a medium bowl and the peppers and onions in another. Divide the cilantro puree evenly between the meat and the vegetables. Toss well to coat the meat and vegetables and let stand, at room temperature, and let it sit at room temperature for an hour, or longer in the fridge.
3. Set a large cast iron pan or griddle over high heat and let this heat up for 1-2 minutes. Add the tablespoon of oil to the pan and let this heat up for 1 minute. Add the meat, frying on each side for 3 minutes, or to desired doneness. 3 minutes per side will yield approximately medium rare doneness for an average cut of flank steak / 4 minutes per side for a chicken breast. Carne asada and skirt steak will need less time. If the pan starts to smoke too much, reduce the heat to medium-high. You want the meat browned, not burned. Remove from pan and let sit, tented with foil, for 5 minutes.
4. Cook the vegetables while the meat is resting. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary, then add the onions and bell peppers. Let these sear for 1 minute before stirring, then stir every 90 seconds or so as the veggies sear. Cook for 5-6 minutes total.
5. Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. If you slice the meat at an angle, you will be able to get your slices pretty thin. These cuts of steak are flavorful but can be a little tough, so thin slices will really help make it easier to eat.
6. Serve immediately with:
   • Shredded cheese
   • Salsa
   • Shredded iceberg lettuce
   • Chopped tomatoes
   • Chopped onions
   • Sour cream
   • Guacamole
   • Warm flour tortillas. (Hint for warming tortillas – put in microwave over a paper towel for 20 seconds on high heat.)

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