Steak and vegetable fajitas

Well, I just returned from a camping trip in Michigan’s Hiawatha National Forest, which explains why there were no posts last week. Today I face reality and it is back to work.

Well, I mentioned this before, but last year, the pallet company I work for sold it’s plant and office, and we moved to a small rented office space in West Chicago. For you readers out of state, West Chicago isn’t near the city where bullets are flying. It is a suburb that is roughly forty miles west of the city. It is, however, a great town for Mexican food. I’ve often have great meals at Mr. Papa’s.

I also go to a Mexican grocery that’s right next to our office. It has Mexican music playing over the sound system and had an amazing selection of Mexican foods. Recently, I went to the meat counter and bought several thin flat steaks (about a pound and a half), and then got a little tub of their Mexican red sauce (salsa Mexicana) and a tub of their avocado dip. I like to make fajitas and do so quite often. Here’s one of the ways I prepare them, when serving a big group.

1-1/2 lb. thin beef steaks

Vegetable oil

Adobo seasoning

2 large red bell peppers

1 large green bell pepper

6 large jalapeños

4 medium onions

4 stalks of celery

Worcestershire sauce

Large burrito wraps

Corn tortillas

Hot Mexican red salsa

Guacamole

Shredded Mexican style cheese

1 bowl of lime wedges

Preparation

Cut all the vegetables in wedges or strips. Season the steaks lightly with adobo seasoning. Heat a very large cast iron pan (one of the big ones, that are difficult to lift one handed, even when empty) until it is very hot. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Sear the steaks quickly on both sides and remove them to a cutting board. Let them cool while you cook the vegetables.

Let the cast iron get hot again. Add the vegetables and stir. Let them cook for about ten minutes until the onions soften, and stir every time you think of it. When the vegetables are hot and starting to soften, slice the beef steaks into strips and add them to the pan. Stir.

Squeeze on about four wedges of lime juice and shake on some Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle on more adobo seasoning. Stir and turn off the heat.

Serving

Heat another large cast iron pan so your dinner guests can heat their tortillas and wraps. Spoon on some meat and vegetables on your warm tortilla and wrap. Add some guacamole, cheese and lots of red sauce. Roll or fold as appropriate. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Wash everything down with ice cold beer.