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Weekend Bites: Almost effortless beef Fajitas
I like to make the best of summer by catching up with friends over a barbeque or an outdoor dinner party, and Mexican food is ideal for the purpose! Like this fajita, for example; it’s definitely one of the ultimate party foods
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I
like to make the best of summer by catching up with friends over a barbeque or an outdoor dinner party, and Mexican food is ideal for the purpose!
Like this fajita, for example; it’s definitely one of the ultimate party foods. It is a perfect meal for sharing and it quickly makes a crowd happy. I’d suggest preparing the accompaniments in advance and grilling the steaks at the last minute. Put everything in the middle of the table and let the guests create their own sandwiches. Hassle-free, almost!
Serves 4
4 tortilla wraps
500 grams tender beef steak (flank, skirt or loin)
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 lime, juiced
1 onion
2 bell peppers, yellow and red
ground black pepper, to taste
vegetable oil
salt
Garnishes:
4 tablespoons sour cream or yoghurt
50 grams of shredded cheddar cheese
• Rub the steak with all the spices, black pepper and salt. Add the lime juice and two tablespoons of oil. Place in an airtight container and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight, or, at least, for a couple of hours.
• Take the steak out from the cold about 30 minutes before cooking. It should be at room temperature. Meanwhile, start preparing the side dishes.
• Cut onion and bell peppers into long strips. Heat three tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté them. Add salt and pepper.
• Cook for a few minutes until they are soft but still slightly crisp. Set aside and keep warm.
• When the guests are arriving and the sauces are ready, start heating the griddle pan or the barbeque.
• If you use thin fillets, cook each side of the steaks for 2 minutes until the surface is caramelized but the inside is still pink. The bigger the cut, the longer it will take to cook. It is better not to cook beef well done or you could end up with awfully chewy meat.
• Let rest on the cutting board for a few minutes before slicing them into fine strips.
• Finally, wrap the tortillas with aluminum foil and heat on the griddle pan or in a hot oven for a few minutes.
• Serve sliced steaks on warm tortillas, topped with the sautéed bell peppers and these classic sauces bellow. Add the garnishes and roll.
3 tomatoes
½ onion
2 green chilies
½ lime, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar
fresh coriander or parsley, chopped
salt
• Cut tomatoes into small cubes and finely dice onion and green chilies. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
• Leave to marinate for about 30 minutes to develop the flavor.
Guacamole:
1 ripe avocado
½ lime, juiced
¼ clove of garlic
½ small onion
1 green chili
fresh coriander or parsley
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt
pepper
• Finely chop garlic, onion, green chili, and coriander. Transfer into a bowl and mix with lime juice, salt, pepper and oil. The oil will help prevent the avocado from oxidizing.
• Scoop out the avocado with a spoon. Crush and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
—All Photos by Theodora Hurustiati
