May being National Grilling Month, what better time than now to spotlight your hottest grilling and barbecuing recipes.
Let me start with:
Flank Steak Fajitas on the Grill
(makes 4 to 6 servings)
The Mexican restaurant favorite is exceedingly easy to make-and exceptionally delicious when grilled. The quick cooking, followed by thin slicing across the grain, brings tenderness to a chewy, less expensive cut of beef.
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1 teaspoon mild to medium-hot pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
black pepper
2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
1 yellow or red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 corn tortillas
2 limes, cut into wedges
Preheat the grill.
Meanwhile, trim any excess fat or connective tissue from the surface of the steak. Put the steak in a large, shallow container and sprinkle it on both sides with the chile powder, cumin, and salt and black pepper to taste. Add the bell pepper quarters to the dish. Insert two or three sturdy wooden toothpicks sideways into each onion slice to secure the rings, then add the onions to the dish. Drizzle the olive oil evenly all over both sides of the steak, peppers, and onions. Set aside.
Carefully oil the grill rack. Add the steak, bell pepper quarters, and onions. Grill the vegetables until they are tender and nicely browned on both sides, even slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove them to a clean serving dish and cover them with foil while the steak continues grilling. Cook the steak, turning once, until done to your liking, 15 to 17 minutes for medium. Remove the steak from the grill to a cutting board and cover it with foil to keep warm. Warm the tortillas on the grill, turning them once, just until they soften and give off an aroma of corn. Remove them from the grill when they are done, stacking them on a plate and covering them with foil.
In the kitchen, quickly squeeze a couple of wedges of lime all over the steak. With a sharp knife, cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Remove the toothpicks from the onion slices and cut each slice in half. Cut the peppers into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Toss the steak strips and the vegetables together and serve, passing the fajita mixture and the tortillas for guests to make their own soft tacos.
Quick tips & variations:
* Any other thin cuts of steak, such as top round or London broil, may be used in place of the flank steak.
* If you don't want to go to the trouble of making your own guacamole or salsa to go with, substitute your favorite fresh or bottled tomato salsa or hot chile sauce, along with slices of firm but ripe Hass avocado.
* For further embellishments, offer shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar or Jack cheese, and fresh cilantro.
Excerpt from The Quick Grill Artist : Fast and Fabulous Recipes for Cooking With Fire, Norman Kolpas; publisher: Clarkson Potter, ISBN 0609609513, April 30, 2002.
Let me start with:
Flank Steak Fajitas on the Grill
(makes 4 to 6 servings)
The Mexican restaurant favorite is exceedingly easy to make-and exceptionally delicious when grilled. The quick cooking, followed by thin slicing across the grain, brings tenderness to a chewy, less expensive cut of beef.
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1 teaspoon mild to medium-hot pure chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
black pepper
2 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, quartered, stemmed, and seeded
1 yellow or red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 corn tortillas
2 limes, cut into wedges
Preheat the grill.
Meanwhile, trim any excess fat or connective tissue from the surface of the steak. Put the steak in a large, shallow container and sprinkle it on both sides with the chile powder, cumin, and salt and black pepper to taste. Add the bell pepper quarters to the dish. Insert two or three sturdy wooden toothpicks sideways into each onion slice to secure the rings, then add the onions to the dish. Drizzle the olive oil evenly all over both sides of the steak, peppers, and onions. Set aside.
Carefully oil the grill rack. Add the steak, bell pepper quarters, and onions. Grill the vegetables until they are tender and nicely browned on both sides, even slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes total. Remove them to a clean serving dish and cover them with foil while the steak continues grilling. Cook the steak, turning once, until done to your liking, 15 to 17 minutes for medium. Remove the steak from the grill to a cutting board and cover it with foil to keep warm. Warm the tortillas on the grill, turning them once, just until they soften and give off an aroma of corn. Remove them from the grill when they are done, stacking them on a plate and covering them with foil.
In the kitchen, quickly squeeze a couple of wedges of lime all over the steak. With a sharp knife, cut the steak across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Remove the toothpicks from the onion slices and cut each slice in half. Cut the peppers into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Toss the steak strips and the vegetables together and serve, passing the fajita mixture and the tortillas for guests to make their own soft tacos.
Quick tips & variations:
* Any other thin cuts of steak, such as top round or London broil, may be used in place of the flank steak.
* If you don't want to go to the trouble of making your own guacamole or salsa to go with, substitute your favorite fresh or bottled tomato salsa or hot chile sauce, along with slices of firm but ripe Hass avocado.
* For further embellishments, offer shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar or Jack cheese, and fresh cilantro.
Excerpt from The Quick Grill Artist : Fast and Fabulous Recipes for Cooking With Fire, Norman Kolpas; publisher: Clarkson Potter, ISBN 0609609513, April 30, 2002.
