Cook: What’s Happening Hot Stuff? Part 2 of 2

At the urging of the fresh vegetables I scored at the farmer’s market, I made a great-tasting salsa. Next was the meat portion of the program. Skirt steak makes for an excellent fajita. A brief marinade  infuses the meat with flavor. Be sure to cut the skirt steak against the grain – otherwise you will wind up with stringy shoe leather.

I used a poblano and a cubanelle pepper in this recipe because 1) I like things a little spicy and 2) I had them on hand. You can use any color of bell pepper instead.

Steak Fajitas

1 pound skirt steak
Juice of two limes
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic – minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion,  julienned (or 2 – My Mom says you can never have too many onions :-))
1 poblano pepper, seeded and julienned
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and julienned
2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided (you can also use corn, safflower, or vegetable oil)

Corn or flour tortillas
Sour cream – or fat-free Greek yogurt, salsa, and sliced avocados for topping

Combine the lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and olive oil. Place skirt steak in a zip-top bag. Pour marinade over steak and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add one tablespoon peanut (or vegetable) oil. When oil starts to shimmer (Yes shimmer not simmer. When the oil gets hot enough it shimmers), add julienned onions and peppers. Sauté until vegetables start to brown slightly (I like my onions to be a bit charred so feel free to cook them a little longer). Remove from heat. Add salt, pepper, and a drizzle of soy sauce to taste. Place sautéed vegetables into a bowl, cover, and set aside.

Remove steak from marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Placed washed skillet over medium high heat. Add remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. When the oil starts to shimmer, place the steak into the skillet (make sure that your exhaust fan is on and that you have a window cracked as things start to get smokey). Sear steak 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remember you can always cook a steak more if it’s undercooked. You can’t uncook it once it’s overcooked (yes I believe uncook is a word).

Remove steak to a cutting board and loosely cover it with aluminum foil, shiny side down. Allow steak to rest for five minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Thinly slice the steak against the grain. Serve with sautéed onions and peppers, tortillas, sour cream – or fat-free Greek yogurt, salsa, sliced avocados, and a Paloma. Enjoy!