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Monday, January 14, 2013

Citrus Chipotle Fajitas and Pico de Gallo

I made a bad decision.


Rather than accepting the plethora of shows I watch as enough and simply being content, I started another one.  And then in a great show of moderation, I watched five episodes at once.  Thank you, Netflix, for badgering me about Revenge until I couldn't resist, and then offering up 20 hours of distraction.  This is great for my life productivity.



In case you all need something utterly yummy to eat while I'm bogged down in suspense, please please please make these fajitas.  The marinade alone is a thing of beauty.  


You know what else is beautiful?  My immersion blender.  I love how quickly it purees whatever I throw it in, and then it only requires that I clean one part.  I mean, my food processor also holds a special place in my heart, but washing the 14 different parts afterwards is never an enjoyable process.  Of course if you don't own an immersion blender {yet}, feel free to puree in your regular blender or food processor.



Oh, I love produce.  Especially those four.  Because when diced together with love, they look like this.


A quick note about heat.  All the spice of the jalapeno is in the white membrane and seeds.  So if you remove all the membrane and seeds, don't wonder why your pico de gallo has no heat.  Just add the innards responsibly.


And store any leftover cilantro in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag to keep it fresh for future endeavors. 




Make these with margaritas.  It's a fiesta waiting to happen.


Citrus Chipotle Fajitas 
Serves 6, adapted from Food Network

For the marinade:
2 limes, juiced
1 orange, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons cilantro
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt

For the fajitas:
2 pounds flank steak
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
3 Bell peppers, assorted colors
1 large white onion
12 tortillas

Other toppings:
Sliced avocado
Cheese
Sour Cream
Pico de Gallo (recipe to follow)

Combine all marinade ingredients in a large measuring cup.  Then using an immersion blender, blend until smooth (or use a regular blender or food processor).  Place steak in a large plastic bag and pour marinade over.  Seal and shake to cover the steak.  Allow steak to marinade for at least 2-4 hours (longer is ok, too).

Before cooking, allow steak to come to room temperature by sitting out on the counter for approximately 1 hour.  While it's resting, slice the bell peppers and onion into large strips.  Heat a cast iron skillet, coat with 1 tablespoon oil, and place the peppers and onions inside.  Cook, stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.  Heat up and oil a grill pan.  Once its medium-hot, drain the marinade off the steak and place on the grill pan.  Cook for 3-4 minutes each side.  Take steak off the grill pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.  Then slice against the grain.

Serve with tortillas, pico, and assorted other toppings!

(There is no need to make your fajitas as monstrous as mine.  Be better than this.)


Pico de Gallo
Serves 6

1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/3 red onion, diced
1 large jalapeno
1/3 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon white vinegar, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt

Quarter cherry tomatoes and combine with red onion, cilantro, and salt.  For a bit of bite, add the vinegar.  Then half the jalapeno.  For a spicier pico, slice the jalapeno into strips and dice, leaving the membrane and seeds.  For a less spicy pico, remove membrane and seeds and dice, adding jalapeno to the mixture.  Stir and allow pico to rest for at least an hour before serving.


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