Fajitas
OK! Here we go! This is really easy!!! Far easier than David's
description of the boxed dinner, and this way he might now learn which
part is actually the "tortilla", not the "fajita". (I'll leave david to
figure that one out!)
Depending on how many fajita cuts you have, juice up a bunch of limes.
Don't get chinchy and try to use bottled lime juice! Lay out the fajitas
and dust well with powered garlic. Pour some of the lime juice into the
bottom of a long pan/tupperware/anything that you can cover. lay in the
fajitas flat, pour over the remaining lime juice and ensure that they
are all coated well. Toss in a few of the lime rinds, cover and let them
fester in the refer at least a day.
You will need a good hot fire for fajitas. They benefit greatly from
rapid cooking. Turn them out on the grill over the hot fire and let
sizzle almost to the burning point. Flip them over and do the same. They
actually do just fine if they get a little black here and there. Serving
is also easy. Turn the fajitas on a cutting board and slice them across
the grain as THINLY as you can. They must be fed HOT, so work fast! You
might want to drop the slices in a well heated iron skillet if eating
will be slow.
Have your flour tortillas heated and piping hot. Use a heavy skillet or
comal and do a good job of it. I'll drop on a handful and simply flip
and shuffle thru them until they are all done.
Grab a hot tortilla, lay on some fajita strips, top with your favorite
accompaniment, fold like a taco and eat!!
You want accompaniments????? I do, too!! Slice up some bell peppers nice
and thin, do the same with onions and grill in a hot heavy skillet in a
little oil, perhaps a sprinkling os salt and pepper, maybe a dash of
other spice like cumin.... whatever. When nicely done, use as a topping
for the fajita taco!
traditional accompaniment is Pico de Gallo. (This means "beak of the
rooster") This salsa is essential for the enjoyment of fajitas!
Finely chop up a few fresh jalapenos
Dice up three or four red tomatoes
dice up an onion
chop up a handful fresh celantro leaves
(optional: some folks add a tiny bit of garlic, other squeeze in a bit
of lime juice.)
Nothing is "cut and dried"... use whatever amounts of whatever in it.
Basically it should be 50/50 tomato and onion with the other stuff added
for flavor, but must contain the jalapeno.
Mix together. It benefits from aging a little... best made a few hours
before use, but keeps poorly in the refer. Make only as much as you will
use.
Enjoy!!
JD Cooper
OK, Fellow Texicans! I'm gonna drop a variation I like, please feel
free to drop in your own best loved.... There are gazillions of
variations!
Fajitas are eaten as a taco. It's "hand food". Hot flour tortilla with a
toss of fajita meat, some toppings if desired, folded like a taco and
consumed!
Many moons ago, long before anyone had ever heard of fajitas (and
therefore driving the price thru the top), I consumed my first fajitas
in the Valley. (extreme South Texas, know as the Rio Grande Valley) It
was always done the same. Garlic and lime juice was the status quo. It
wasn't until much later that "fajita spices" showed up at the stores and
the original method died away. While most of them are very good, this is
still used by many folks down there and still my preference as it is the
"original" to me.
First! "fajita" more or less means "skirt". If your meat counter does
not sell fajita meat... look for what is known as "skirt steak". This is
a thin, gristly slice from the flank of the bovine. Usually low in taste
and gourmet appeal, it renders itself to any kind of "spiffing up" as it
is unsuitable for consumption by itself. (This is true of any low grade
cut of meat)
Second! I get really riled at the term "chicken fajitas"! Man! That
pisses me off!! Chickens have no skirt part! Ridiculous! It's a
bastardization! Grrrrrr! It should be referred to as perhaps "fajita
style chicken" or something else!!! grrrrrrrrrrr! (OK, off my soap box
now!)
JD
--
Never pass up an opportunity to pee.
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