Beef Fajitas

Method

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1. Whisk the lime juice, the 3 tablespoons of oil, garlic, chilli powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper together in a shallow dish. Add the steak, turn to coat and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

2. Heat a large cast iron pan over high heat for 4 minutes, until it smokes. Lift the steak from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and lay it in the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until deeply browned and medium-rare in the middle.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

3. Move the steak to a board and let it rest for 8 minutes.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

4. Add the tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Cook the onions and peppers over high heat for 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until charred at the edges but still slightly crisp. Season with the salt.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

5. Warm the tortillas in a dry pan for 15 seconds on each side and keep them wrapped in a cloth.

   Mark done

6. Slice the steak thinly across the grain and pile it on top of the vegetables in the pan. Take the pan to the table with the tortillas, soured cream, guacamole, pico de gallo and lime wedges.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Marinate for no longer than a few hours. Lime juice starts to break down the surface of thin steak, and the texture turns mushy.
• Get the pan smoking hot before the steak goes in. A cool pan steams it, and it turns grey and tough.
• Slice across the grain, in thin strips, after the rest. Slicing along the grain leaves skirt steak chewy however well it is cooked.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Refried beans
• Mexican rice
• A margarita

Storage & Reheating

Best eaten straight away. Keep leftover steak and vegetables in the fridge up to 3 days and eat them cold in a wrap or reheat quickly in a hot pan.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.