As I have mentioned, this blog will be random and exciting. One of my passions is cooking, especially Mexican and Mediterranean fare. Last night, I had the privilege of cooking for my parents and a family from their church.

As good Texans, we love Tex-Mex, which is its own, authentic regional cuisine with a rich history—don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! See, even the culinary experts say so. No one claims that Oaxaqueño, Veracruzano, Poblano, or even Norteño are inauthentic cuisines because they aren’t Jaliscense, but Tejano use of cumin is just too far, I suppose.

OK, I’m off my soapbox.

Anyway, I made fajitas, which are a Tejano invention, rather than an Interior Mexican dish. Fajita is related to the Norteño dish arrachera. Both are typically made from the skirt steak (diaphragm), a tough, cheap cut of meat. Or at least it was. Now, the popularity of the dish has caused one of the last “poor-man” cuts to inflate tremendously; now, it’s one of the most expensive cuts.

So, if you want authenticity, go for a skirt steak. If you want a treat, buy yourself a nice hanger steak. For affordability, chicken is easy (either breasts or tenderloins). I haven’t tried with shrimp, but I hope to soon.

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Adapted from the NYT Fajitas recipes (Steak and Chicken). Yields 7–8 servings.

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb Fajita Meat (Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, etc.), cut cross-grain into ½-inch strips (…unless it’s shrimp; please don’t cut shrimps)
• 3 Onions (I prefer red onions; they don’t generate tears), cut into ⅛–¼-inch strips
• 4 Bell Peppers (Red and Green, any ratio), seeded and cut into ¼-inch strips
• 2–4 Jalapenos, seeded and diced

Marinade

• 2 Chiles Ancho
• 2 Chiles Guajillo or New Mexico (or other hot dried chiles)
• 1 7oz can Chipotles in Adobo
• 2 Navel Oranges, juiced
• 4 Limes, juiced and zested
• ½ C Olive Oil
• 1.5 Tbsp Minced Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Cumin
• 4 tsp Salt

Serving

• Frijoles Refritos
• Mexican Rice
• Flour Tortillas (I love corn, but fajitas are eaten with flour)
• Cheese (either shredded Mexican blend or queso fresco)
• Mexican Crema (Sour Cream if unavailable)
• Salsa Fresca

Instructions

1. Seed all dried chiles and add to pot of water to boil. Cook till softened, about 20 minutes. Once done, strain and cool for another 10 minutes. Reserve chile water.
2. During this time, prep all vegetables and meat.
3. Add dried chiles and rest of marinade ingredients to blender and puree. Add chile water as needed to thin out marinade.
4. Add ⅓ or marinade to a gallon freezer bag; then meat; then another ⅓ of marinade; then vegetables; then rest of marinade.
5. Zip up bag and disperse ingredients. Marinate for 24–36 hours in fridge, rotating and mixing occasionally.
6. When ready to cook, add contents of bag to a large cast iron skillet. Cook on medium for 1 hour, rearranging contents occasionally. When liquid steams off, cook “dry” for 10–15 minutes, then add in more water. Cook until vegetables are soft and meat is extremely tender.
7. For authenticity and smokiness, cook in skillet on charcoal grill instead of stovetop.
8. Serve hot.