What makes this dish so special is the lime based marinade that it is soaked in. I adapted a recipe that I found on Simply Recipes to make it a little more to my liking. By adding some Chinese Hot Peppers I increased the heat, and by adding a little Maple Syrup to the marinade, the sour flavor of the limes was tempered just enough to reduce the acidity a little bit. If you prefer your spicy dishes on the mild side, just leave out the Chinese Hot Peppers. If you’d prefer a truly mild steak, just half the amount of Jalapeno, or leave them out entirely.
Meat
- 1 lb. thinly sliced Steak
Marinade
- 2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
- 1 Jalapeno Pepper, seeded and sliced
- 2 dried Chinese Hot Pepper, crushed and toasted (optional)
- 1 teaspoon crushed, toasted Cumin Seed
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1/4 cup finely minced Cilantro
- The juice of 2 Limes
- 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Real Maple Syrup or Honey
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
Veggies
- sauteed Peppers, 1 Green, 1 Red
- 1 caramelized Onion
Toppings
- Sour Cream
- Cheddar Cheese
- Sliced, Fresh, Avocado
- Chopped, Fresh Cilantro
- Fresh Tomatoes or Pico de Gallo
Directions Start by preparing the marinade. Toast the Hot Pepper and the Cumin Seed in a toaster oven for just a few minutes. Remove them as soon as they become fragrant. Crush them using a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle (or a toaster oven) you can always use powdered herbs instead. In a small mixing bowl, combine the Lime Juice, Vinegar, Olive Oil, Sugar and Maple Syrup(or Honey). Whisk them together, then add the Spices and minced Cilantro. Dredge the thinly sliced steak in the marinade, then lay it flat in a casserole dish. Cover the steak with the remaining marinade. Allow the steak to marinade for 1 – 4 hours. Meanwhile, prep the veggies by cutting the Onions paper thin slices, and the Red and Green Peppers into thin strips.
The steak will cook very quickly, so when the steak is almost ready, begin to cook the veggies. Before you get started, prep your toppings and warm the tortillas. Caramelize the onions first, and when they are ready, toss in the pepper strips. You won’t have to cook them for long. Just heat them up a bit. Set the veggies aside, and cook up your steak.
It can either be grilled, or sauteed in a pan, but either way, make sure not to overcook it. Sear it quickly on both sides, the exact timing will depend on how you like your steak, and how thick you’ve got it sliced. If you pan fry your steaks, make sure the drop the sliced jalapenos into the pan. They’ll be a delicious addition to the fajitas.
Serve it up nice and hot! Smother your fajitas with whatever toppings you like. My favorites are all listed above.