Ahhhh…. fajitas… O’ how I love thee? Although many people down here in South Florida think I’m latino, I’m not… I’m a gringo… actually, I’m a Gringo/Japanese mixture… Perhaps I’m Gringonese? Either way, I love all things latin when it comes to food. I’m definitely living in the right place for great latino food.

Fajitas is a quick dinner, but one you have to plan for it. I make the marinade the night before, and let the steak and marinade mingle all night. The skirt steak used for fajitas is very tough and absolutely must be marinated, unless you want to give your jaws a serious workout. The acid (lime) in the marinade breaks down the tough cut of steak. The other stuff makes it taste yummy!



Fajita Recipe

1/2 lb skirt steak, sliced thin
1 each jalapenos, seeded
1 tbsp cilantro (more if you like it)
1 small onion
2 limes, juiced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cloves Garlic
1 tsp Cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
Salt

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1. Combine all ingredients (except steak… of course) in food processor or blender, and process until smooth. Pour into a large plastic bag and add the skirt steak. Seal bag and place in a bowl, and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours.

2. Remove steak from the marinade and place on a very hot grill. Be careful of flareups because of the marinade dripping off. Grill 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked to your liking. Remove and allow to rest for 5 minutes. After it rests, its very important to cut across the grain, as thinly as possible. This helps to eliminate the stringy texture associated with skirt steak.

3. While the meat is resting, heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over high heat and saute the peppers and onions until tender.

4. Serve with warm tortillas, cheese (I like crumbled Queso Fresco) Pico de gallo, and guacamole. Enjoy!

Note: If your lime is really, really firm, pop it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If not, then just roll on the counter, pressing down hard for a few seconds before you cut it in half. This breaks up the membranes. Then, when you juice it, press the tines of a fork into the flesh of the lime and twist as you squeeze with your other hand. You will be amazed at how much juice pours out!

Makes 4 Servings