Cooking for Gringas: Fajitas

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been super busy this summer with many fun projects...including trying lots of great food! Allow me to introduce you to one of my favorite, which I do believe I've perfected. (Well, it's the best I've ever made it!)

I know this sounds a bit odd, but one of my favorite gifts I've ever received was a good cast iron skillet.  I remember that upon receiving this present, I immediately made cornbread just as a good Southern girl should. But then I got to thinking...maybe I could expand my cast iron horizons. Maybe I could venture even further south.

I know I usually focus on Caribbean cuisine in this series, but I whipped up some fajitas in my new skillet that were too good not to share! In the past, I've marinated my fajita steak at least overnight. This time, I added alcohol to my usual marinade, allowing it to tenderize the meat during cooking. I love when my experiments allow me to be impatient efficient!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup sweetened lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound skirt steak, trimmed, not yet cut!
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 medium yellow onion, julienned

Directions:

Combine all ingredients through olive oil in a large bowl. You may be wondering what I mean by sweetened lime juice. I suppose you could just use regular lime juice, but the sweetness mixed with the tequila and the spices made for a killer combination. I recommend something like Rose's...

Once all of your "marinade" ingredients are combined, throw the steak in there and toss a few times until fully coated.

Heat cast iron skillet on medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles off of it. Add steak and half of the remaining "marinade." If you use thin cuts like I do, you won't need to cook it for long...I did about 2-3 minutes on each side. Once brown, remove from pan.

Pour remaining "marinade" into the pan. Add veggies to the pan and toss to coat. Cook until onions are soft.

Slice the cooked steak into strips. Slicing it against the grain and on the bias will help to make it more tender. Reduce heat to low, and add steak to the skillet. Stir everything together until evenly combined.

Serve immediately with tortillas (white corn tortillas pair nicely with this recipe), cheese (I used sharp white cheddar, which was AMAZING) and guacamole.

What's your favorite Mexican dish? Do you have any delicious fajita variations to share?