Fajita and Rice Help?

Question

I am making beef fajitas for Gorditas. My fajitas always taste soooo tough.
Also my rice is always sticky and watery.
Anyone know some good mexican or salvadorean recipes?
thanks

Answer 1

Fajitas
Mojo:
1 orange, juiced
2 limes, juiced
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
3 chipolte chiles, in adobo sauce
3 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
---
2 1/4 pounds skirt or flank steak, trimmed of fat cut into thirds or 8-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Lime juice, olive oil, optional
12 flour tortillas, warm
Guacamole, recipe follows
Good quality store bought salsa (Or you can make homemade!)
In a small 2 cup measuring cup, or something similar size and shape, combine all the marinade ingredients. Using an immersion blender, puree the marinade until smooth. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and add the steak, seal and shake to coat. Refrigerate the beef for 2 to 4 hours to tenderize and flavor the beef.
Preheat a ridged grill pan on high heat.
Drain the marinade from the beef. Lightly oil the grill or grill pan. Season liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Grill the steak over medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes on each side and then transfer to a cutting board and let rest. Depending on the size of your grill pan you may need to cook in batches.
Once the beef is off the grill pan and resting, add the bell peppers and onions tossed with lime juice and olive oil, if using. Grill the mixture for 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are just barely limp.
While the peppers and onions are cooking, heat up the tortillas. Turn any free burners on a medium low flame. Place a tortilla on each flame and let it char about 30 seconds to 1 minute, flip the tortilla and repeat on the second side. Once heated and charred remove the tortilla to a clean tea towel and wrap to keep warm. Repeat until you have warmed all of your tortillas.
You can also heat your tortillas in a microwave, lightly dampen a tea towel with some water, wrap the tortillas in the damp towel and heat in the microwave for about 1 minute. Check to see if they are warm, if not repeat the heating at 1 minute intervals until they are warm and pliable.
Thinly slice the steak against the grain on a diagonal.

Mexican Rice
2 tablespoons lard
1/2 cup ground pork
1/4 pound chorizo, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped white onions
1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups long grain rice
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
4 cups chicken stock, or water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon saffron
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions

In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the lard over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring until no longer pink. Add the sausages and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the stock, salt, and saffron, and stir well. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the oregano and cilantro, and stir to incorporate.
Turn into a decorative bowl and garnish with the green onions. Serve immediately.




Guacamole:
5 ripe Hass avocados
3 to 4 limes, juiced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 serrano chile, chopped
1 big handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drizzle olive oil
Halve and pit the avocados. With a tablespoon, scoop out the flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them still a bit chunky. Add all of the rest of the ingredients, and fold everything together.
Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn't brown and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Answer 2

I agree about tenderizing the meat first. Sometimes when I am grilling I boil the meat first then throw it on the grill... saves from cooking it too long , because it is cooked .. just leave it grilling long enough to sear in the grill flavor.
As for the rice , a friend of mine shared a few tips with me.. mexican rice ..anyway..
Put some oil , chopped onions, and chopped tomato/or you can use some diced tomatoes from a can.. but unless you are making alot of rice.. I would only use a 1/4 to a 1/2 of the can... let the rice , onion , and tomato cook/ fry ..
( like when you make rice-a-roni)
when some of the rice is browning.. add your water
( based on the ammout of rice used)
Rule of thumb.. water is double the rice... meaning 1c of rice/ 2 cu water.... 2 c rice... 4 c water)
* You can also use the water from boiling the meat.. it adds extra flavor.
A little.. tomato juice from the diced tomato can.. or some tomato sauce.. cover .. when rice absorbs water... stir once.... set on low to get remaining moisture..
Rice will be sticky if it is stirred too much!!!
Hope it helps!

Answer 3

Snackers: Bowls of Tortilla Chips and Salsa OR Guacamole Sliced Cheese and Crackers Veggie Platters Appetizers: Chili Nachos 7 Layer Taco Dip Rice Beans (or bean dips) Pasta Salad (add corn, cheese, tomato, peppers, oils ect) stuffed peppers Southwest Egg rolls Chicken or Cheese quesadillas

Answer 4

Your meat is probably tough because you don't tenderize it enough. Make sure to add spices and make the meat tender before throwing it on the grill. Also, your rice is sticky because you stir it. Just let it sit and absorb the water. Once in a while, stir it but not toooooo much!

Answer 5

"Festive Fajitas" - 8 servings

1 1/2 lb. boneless chicken; skinned
1 (14 1/2 oz.) Del Monte Mexican-Style Stewed Tomatoes
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tbsp. chopped jalapeno chile
2 cloves garlic; crushed
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 onion; cut into 1/2" slices
1 tbsp. oil
1 (7 oz.) can whole green chiles; drained and cut into strips
8 flour tortillas; warmed

Score chicken on both sides. In blender container, combine tomatoes, lime juice, jalapeno, garlic, oregano, chili powder and cumin. Cover and blend thoroughly; stir in cilantro.
Reserve 1 cup sauce. Pour remaining sauce over meat; cover and marinate in refrigerator several hours or overnight.
Skewer onion slices lollipop style; brush with oil. Grill onion and chicken as desired. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Fill warmed tortillas with chicken, onion rings, green chile strips and reserved sauce. Garnish with sour cream, avocado or guacamole, if desired.


"Mean Mexican Rice" - Serves 4

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion; finely chopped
1 crushed garlic clove
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 medium tomato; chopped (optional)
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups chicken stock (or 13 oz. can chicken broth)

In medium saucepan, heat oil; add onion and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent. Stir in rice, tomato and spices. Add chicken stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.

Answer 6

For Fajitas buy thin cut flank steak not flap meat and marinate in citrus and chili with pepper no salt until you are cooking. Cut marinated meat across the grain to shorten the strands and it will be much tastier and easier to chew. For the rice - get a rice cooker then add the cooked rice to your sauce you will be much happier with the result.

Answer 7

Don't overcook your fajitas and cut across the grain if you are going with skirt steak, hanger steak, etc.

Beef should be direct cooked to a medium rare consistency and then covered and allowed to finish without heat to whatever temp the eater wants.

Good luck...Mexican food rocks!!!

Answer 8

BEEF FAJITAS
Makes 6 extremely generous servings

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, in all
4 cups julienned onion strips
2 cups julienned red, green or yellow bell pepper strips
4 boneless beef sirloin strip steaks (About 10 ounces each), trimmed and cut into julienne strips
2 tablespoons Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic, in all
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Flour tortillas, warm
Sour cream
Guacamole
Tomato salsa
Shredded lettuce

In a 12-inch heavy skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the butter over high heat; add onions and sauté until onions are clear and turning brown on the edges, about 3 minutes, shaking or stirring skillet occasionally. Add bell peppers; toss or stir to combine with onions. Saute until onions are soft and bell peppers are still crispy, about 3 minutes more, continuing to stir or shake pan (reduce heat, if necessary, to avoid burning vegetables). Transfer vegetables to a plate to stop cooking process; set skillet aside - - without wiping it - - to use later for sautéing meat.

Heat several sizzle platters or a large cast-iron skillet to a 400 degrees oven.

Meanwhile, place meat strops in a large bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the Meat Magic, tossing to coat well. Pour lime juice over meat and toss again. Let marinate at least 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. (After 15 minutes, meat strips will break apart when pulled between your fingers.)

Heat reserved unwiped skillet over high heat, 40 to 45 seconds; add the remaining butter (it will sizzle), then pick up meat with your fingers, let it drain slightly and add to skillet, reserving marinade. Cook about 45 seconds, turning meat frequently to coat with butter. Add reserved marinade, and then sprinkle the remaining Meat Magic over all; cook about 1 minute more, tossing or stirring well to combine. Remove from heat and pour onto heated sizzle platters or into heated cast-iron skillet. Serve while still sizzling.

Let everyone prepare his/her own serving using the traditional condiments; the classic way to eat finished fajitas is to lay some meat and cooked vegetables down center of flour tortilla, then sprinkle on desired condiments and fold one end up, then fold one side in and roll up remaining side; this prevents goodies from squirting out the end of tortilla.

Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons yellow onions, chopped
1 cup rice, white, long grain
1/2 cup tomato juice
1 cup water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
3 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 pinch black pepper
1 Roma tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons red bell peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons green bell peppers, chopped

In a sauce pan that has a tight fitting cover, melt the butter and sauté the onions until soft. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice with butter, then add the tomato juice, water, bouillon cubes, pepper sauce, chili powder, and black pepper.

Stir to dissolve the bouillon cubes and bring to a boil. Once the liquid reaches a boil, reduce heat to its lowest setting, cover, and go away for 25 minutes. Do not stir, do not look under the lid, do not worry !!

Once your timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat, lift the lid off quickly and throw in the tomatoes, and chopped peppers and put the lid back on quickly. Do not stir, do not taste, do not worry!

Allow the rice to steam in the pan for 20 more minutes.
Now... If you didn't cheat and if you didn't worry, your Mexican rice should be perfect. Stir in the tomatoes and peppers and serve with a smile. If you did cheat...Well, Shame on you !!!