Re: [CH] Homemade Fajita seasonings

Matt Evans (tmattevans@gmail.com)
Wed, 5 Oct 2005 13:29:14 -0400 

Well, realistically, what is a fajita anyway?  It's something
concocted by Chili's (or similar) to appeal to American palettes --
but it's certainly not Mexican.  It's an adaptation of "tacos al
carbon" -- or, grilled meat tacos.  In Mexico, this would probably be
grilled meat seasoned only with salt and lime.  The tacos would be
built on a pair of soft corn (not flour) tortillas and topped with a
mixture of diced white (not yellow) onion and cilantro.  They would be
served with table sauces -- maybe a tomatillo and chile de Arbol
sauce, a roasted tomato and jalapeno sauce, and a guajillo chile
sauce.  If this were a sit-down meal (as opposed to "street food") a
bowl of steaming pot beans would probably be served as well.

Perhaps my favorite variation on this is something I picked up out of
a Rick Bayless cookbook.  I use a very large cast iron wok (yes, a
cast iron wok) to prepare this dish.  Set the wok on high heat and
allow it to warm (dry) for several minutes -- you want it screaming
hot.  Slice a couple dozen (yes, 24) serranos twice down their lengths
leaving them connected at the stem end (think flower) and slice a
couple of white onions.  Once your wok is hot, throw in a tablespoon
or so of bacon fat (or lard) and quickly add the onions and serranos
before the bacon grease burns, or worse, catches fire.  Stir-fry the
vegetables like crazy, preventing burning, but allowing everything to
become blistered and blackened in places.  When cooked but crunchy,
add some lime juice, give a final stir, and remove from the pan.  Add
a little more fat to the pan and then cook whole slices of bistec that
have been seasoned with salt.  Remove when medium rare, chop into
bite-size pieces with a cleaver, and toss with the veggies.  I like
this mix in tacos with a cooked tomato-chipotle salsa.

But, we still haven't tackled fajitas, have we?  Well, I suppose my
point is that you should make a fajita seasoning that represents what
you consider to be fajitas, since there is no real standard.  I might
suggest something along the lines of the following:

1 T smoked paprika
1 T chile powder (NM, ancho, etc.)
1 t cumin seed, toasted and ground
1 t Mexican oregano, toasted and ground
0.5 t garlic powder
0.5 t onion powder
0.5 t very hot chile powder (say, Tabasco)
0.5 t sugar
salt to taste

That is a reasonable approximation of an all-purpose seasoning/rub
that I keep in my cupboard for quick meals -- e.g., grilled pork chop
and veggies seasoned with this mix over steamed white rice.

Let us know how your fajitas turn out.

Matt

On 10/5/05, WV Mountaineer Jack <wvmountaineerjack@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hold On, I Did Not say I didnt like Alex suggestion,
> he ALWAYS has Good suggestions on CH. I am just trying
> to find a base for what fajita mix is, for the posts
> here it seems its basically chili powder with a little
> extra spices. Maybe I am looking at it wrong, is it
> the spices that make the fajita or the way you make
> the fajita that makes it a fajita?
>
> Pepper Jack
>
> --- Doug Irvine <dougandmarie@shaw.ca> wrote:
>
> > Hey Jack....why not just do what we do? Seeing as
> > you didn't like Alex's
> > suggestion, just take a little container of your own
> > home grown, home
> > ground chile pepper blend along witcha wherever you
> > go? Marie carries
> > one in her purse, and we use it on everything when
> > we eat out, even when
> > visiting our kids! I have yet to have a chef come
> > and berate me for
> > changing the flavour of his "creation" however that
> > could happen,
> > depending on how fancy a restaraunt it is. I think
> > his suggestion was a
> > good one. Surely you must have some chiles to grind,
> > add garlic powder,
> > cumin powder, blend well and "Voila"!! Hey, ya coud
> > even label
> > it....just think:  Pepper Jack's Jerk Spice Blend
> > and compete with some
> > of the wimpy jerk seasonings out there. If ya do
> > that,  ya gotta add
> > allspice! Cheers, old Doug in BC
> >
> > WV Mountaineer Jack wrote:
> >
> > >Has anyone out there got a good recipie for mixing
> > up
> > >your own fajita seasoning at home instead of just
> > >buying a jar of it at the supermarket?
> > >
> > >Pepper Jack
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________
> Yahoo! for Good
> Donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
> http://store.yahoo.com/redcross-donate3/
>
>