These fajitas are flamed with brandy before being served with traditional accompaniments.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 pounds very lean skirt or bottom-round steak, cut 1/4-inch thick and trimmed of visible fat
- 1 lime
- 4 large garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press
- 1 to 2 teaspoons pequin quebrado chiles or crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 4 to 6 (12-inch) flour tortillas
- 4 to 6 romaine lettuce leaves, cut crosswise into 1-inch strips
- Salsa, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole, for serving with the fajitas
Preparation:
Cut the steak into 4 to 6 equal-size rectangles. Pound the steak pieces to flatten them as thin as possible. Cut the lime in half and squeeze the juice over both sides of each piece of steak. Evenly sprinkle steak with garlic and press in pequin. (Pequin is intensely hot: 2 teaspoons will be fiery, 1 teaspoon will get your attention!).
Stack the steaks on a plate and let stand for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Place a large, well-seasoned, cash-iron skillet over high heat until very hot (it should smoke). At the same time, stack the tortillas, wrap in foil, and place in the oven along with 4 to 6 dinner plates.
Add the oil to the skillet and quickly sear the meat on both sides. Add the brandy to the hot skillet. Flame the meat by touching the brandy with a lighted match and let the flames burn down. (Keep a large piece of foil or a skillet lid nearby in case the flames rise too high. Just cover them until they subside.)
Top the warm tortillas with lettuce and pieces of steak. Garnish with salsa, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole, if desired. To serve, roll each tortilla around the mixture.
Yield: 4 to 6 fajitas
Recipe Source: Cooking with Regis & Kathie Lee by Regis Philbin & Kathie Lee Gifford with Barbara Albright (Hyperion)
Reprinted with permission.
Stack the steaks on a plate and let stand for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
Place a large, well-seasoned, cash-iron skillet over high heat until very hot (it should smoke). At the same time, stack the tortillas, wrap in foil, and place in the oven along with 4 to 6 dinner plates.
Add the oil to the skillet and quickly sear the meat on both sides. Add the brandy to the hot skillet. Flame the meat by touching the brandy with a lighted match and let the flames burn down. (Keep a large piece of foil or a skillet lid nearby in case the flames rise too high. Just cover them until they subside.)
Top the warm tortillas with lettuce and pieces of steak. Garnish with salsa, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, sour cream, and guacamole, if desired. To serve, roll each tortilla around the mixture.
Yield: 4 to 6 fajitas
Recipe Source: Cooking with Regis & Kathie Lee by Regis Philbin & Kathie Lee Gifford with Barbara Albright (Hyperion)
Reprinted with permission.
