Cooking Recipe Kathy Pitts' Fajitas
Recipe Ingredients
Directions
This Tex-Mex favorite was around LONG before the
yuppiefood industry snagged it, and turned it into a
cliche. This is our version of the dish, which is (I
think) pretty close to the original. Our marinade for
this changes from time to time, depending on the mood
of the cook, the contents of the pantry, and perhaps
the phases of the moon, so feel free to fuss with it.
Skirt steak is the diaphragm of the beef, a long very
stringy cut of meat that accounts for the name of the
dish (trans. "sashes"). It used to be dirt cheap, and
was poor folks fare until the food faddists discovered
it.
(Depending on where you live, this cut may either be
easily found at your market, or require a special
order with the butcher. In a pinch, you could
substitute flank steak, just don't tell me about it
:-) ) To be tender, the meat demands VERY careful
handling. Arm yourself with a small, sharp knife, and
obsessively trim off ALL the fat, and as much of the
silvery membrane surrounding the exterior of the meat
as you can manage. This can take a while, but be
persistant. The more you trim, the better the finished
product.
Place the meat in a deep non-metallic pan, and cover
with a mixture of the remaining ingredients. Marinate
the meat, turning occasionally for at least 2 hours
(overnight is better). When the exterior of the meat
is grey, it's ready to cook.
The soy is NOT authentic, but since Ninfa's, the
Tex-Mex restaurant chain that originally popularized
the dish uses it in THEIR marinade, I sometimes do,
too. It gives the finished dish a nice shiny glaze.
To cook, fish the meat out of the marinade, and dry
well. Season the exterior with a liberal quantity of
cracked black pepper (lemon pepper is good, too), and
garlic powder (not salt).
Grill over a medium-hot charcoal fire (best), or broil
or grill indoors. Either way, be VERY careful not to
overcook the meat. If you cook skirt steak beyond
medium rare, it will be the toughest cut of meat
imaginable. Since the steak itself is quite thin,
cooking time will be brief. To serve, cut into thin,
slanting slices, carving against the grain of the meat.
The Accompaniments
Fajitas are generally accompanied by sauteed or
grilled onions and sweet green peppers (you can saute
the onions and peppers well in advance, and re-heat on
the grill if you are doing the dish outdoors).
Also served is Pico de Gallo, a fresh tomato based
salsa.
You will also need a stack of the best flour tortillas
you can find. Some refried beans on the side would be
nice, too.
Other possible accompaniments include guacamole or
sliced avocados, lime wedges to squeeze over
everything, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream.
To eat, take a few slices of meat, and lay on a
tortilla. Top with the sauteed onions and peppers,
pico de gallo, and whatever else suits you.
Fold into a soft taco, and enjoy.
Kathy in Bryan, TX