This Week's Fancy Pants Meal #2 - Weeknight Skillet Fajitas
Since the layoff, I've only been doing one "fancy" meal a week to save money. While my parents were here, they left some meat in the freezer for me from home. In order to save money, I dug through it to see what I could find.
I found 1 1/2 pounds of fajitas and decided on this recipe I'd made some time ago for a second fancy meal. Made for a very good one. It's got a slow heat to it, but mild. I'm guessing that depends on the hot sauce you cook this in (I used Tapatio). The fajitas aren't "crispy-charred" but that's because it's done in a skillet versus a grill, but still have a good flavor to the meat. It's a good quick tasty unique meal for a weeknight.
The instructions I'm posting include homemade tortillas. Feel free to grab some grocery store ones if you're not wanting to make your own.
# Weeknight Skillet Fajitas
America's Test Kitchen: Let's Get Cooking
6.0 servings of two tacos
2.0 whole red bell peppers
1.0 whole red onion
1.5 pounds flank steak
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
2.0 tbsp vegetable oil
2.0 tbsp fresh lime juice
2.0 tbsp water (onions)
1.0 tsp chili powder
1.0 tsp hot sauce
0.5 tsp cumin
0.5 tsp salt (onions)
2.25 cups flour
0.5625 tbsp salt (tortillas)
0.375 tbsp baking powder
0.375 cup shortening
0.75 cup hot water (tortillas)
Tortillas
1 - Hand mix the flour, salt for the tortillas, baking powder, shortening and water for the tortillas at once in a large mixing bowl until dough just comes together.
2 - Remove from the bowl and roll and knead dough on a flat surface until it's got a bumpy slightly tacky texture.
3 - Return the dough to the bowl and let it sit, covered by a damp cloth, for up to 8 hours (at least 30 minutes).
4 - Remove from the bowl and roll and knead dough on a flat surface until it's got a smooth and still slightly tacky texture.
5 - Return the dough to the bowl and let it sit, covered by a damp cloth, for five minutes.
6 - Break the dough into the number of rolls needed.
7 - Roll out each ball with rolling pin into flat round tortillas, as thin as you like.
8 - Cook on a griddle on high heat. Flip when tiny brown marks appear on the bottom side, about thirty seconds.
9 - Take tortilla off the griddle just as it begins to smoke. Repeat steps 7-9 as necessary.
Fajitas
10 - Trim 1/2 inch from the top and bottom of the pepper including the stem.
11 - Slice the pepper from top to bottom into several pieces that will sit flat on the cutting board.
12 - Trim the white ribs on the interior of each piece and remove any remaining seeds.
13 - Cut the pepper into thin strips
14 - After the onion has been halved and peeled, cut the onion pole to pole into thin slices.
15 - Pat the steak dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper.
16 - Heat half the of the oil in a 12 inch skillet over medoim high heat until just smoking.
17 - Brown the steak on the first side, about five minutes.
18 - Flip the steak over, and continue to cook to the desired doneness, 3 to 6 minutes.
19 - Transfer to a large plate and drizzle with 2 tbsp lime juice. Tent with foil and let rest for 10 mintues.
20 - Add the remaining the oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering.
21 - Add the onion, bell peppers, water, chili powder, hot sauce, cumin and salt for the onions.
22 - Cook, scraping up any brown bits until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving bowl.
23 - Slice the steak very thin across the grain.
24 - Arrange the beef on a platter and serve.
6 servings of 2 tacos
Calories 521
Total Fat 22g
Total Carbohydrate 41g
Protein 29g
