Recipe of the Week: Skirt Steak Fajitas

I'm in school. And lawd knows there is little disposable income left to spend on filet mignon or tenderloin cuts of meat.  To save money and have less of a carbon foot print, we eat vegetarian or vegan most of the time...but every once in awhile, momma needs some STEAK.  No, that is not a euphemism.

But since prime cuts of meat are usually spendy, we've been finding ways to make the tougher (and cheaper) cuts of beef downright appetizing.  What makes meat so stinking chewy is the fibrous connective tissues that bind the muscle together.  If you attack these "bindings" with a few different weapons, you'll be enjoying some tender fajitas in no time!

Skirt Steak Fajitas
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound skirt steak, brought to room temperature
1 Vidalia onion, thickly sliced
1 bell pepper, cleaned and thickly sliced
Salt and pepper
Juice of two limes
Extra virgin olive oil
2 or 3 tablespoons of adobo
Warmed corn tortillas
Crema mexicana
Shredded pepper jack cheese

You are going to need two saute pans for this concoction, so if you have just one big one and one medium sized pan like I do, start the onions sauteing in the large pan over medium-high heat.  While those are working, heat the medium saucepan with a little olive oil in it until the oil starts to smoke a little, season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper and place in pan. Don't move it around!  You want to sear the juices in and caramelize each side, so the meat will release when it's ready!

Add the peppers to your large pan and flip your skirt steak.  Let this side sear and when it's ready flip it one more time and reduce heat to medium.  Let it cook for 2-3 more minutes and then remove from pan and let it rest on a plate.  Squeeze the lime juice in both sides if the steak and tent with aluminum foil.  Add the adobo to the onion pepper mixture.  After the steak has rested for 5-10 minutes, using a sharp knife cut it thinly across the grain, if you cut with the grain the pieces will be chewy.

Add the slices of meat to the pan and give it a quick toss to coat in adobo and warm through.  Serve immediately on the tortillas garnished with cheese and crema mexicana if you want!  Enjoy!