Recipe developed and contributed by Maureen Gualtieri
Okay, so my other half Ben, talked us both into a new ceramic barbecue. Since then, he’s been going into raptures over all the amazing things it allows us to make—Ribs! Kebabs! Pizza! And, following our love of Tex-Mex to its natural conclusion, fajitas: sizzling on a cast iron skillet, as red hot and flavourful as those from a restaurant, at home! (Or at least, about six feet outside our house, with plenty of ventilation. Seriously, don’t barbecue inside.) This month’s recipe is full of colourful vegetables, marinated in a mix that includes fresh lime juice and DFC’s Garlic Chili Crisp. Cook yours in a cast-iron skillet over the grill for a smoky flavour and quick char, or on the stovetop if it’s raining. (Or you can pull a Ben and barbecue in the rain anyway!)
Veggie Fajitas
(Yield: 8 servings)
for marinade
1/4 c (60ml) neutral oil
juice of 3 limes (approx 85ml)
3/4 tsp (2g) coriander seeds
3/4 tsp (2g) cumin seeds
1 tbsp (15ml) DFC’s Garlic Chili Crisp
for fajitas
2 (500g) zucchinis
3 (600g) bell peppers, in your favourite colours
4 (500g) portobello mushrooms
half of a (200g) red onion
up to 2 (50g) jalapeños, to taste
1/4 bunch (30g) fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
To prepare the marinade: Crush your coriander seeds and cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle, or in a zip bag under a rolling pin. Tip them into a large, non-reactive bowl or container, and follow them with the lime juice, oil, and DFC’s Garlic Chili Crisp. Whisk to combine and set aside.
To prepare the veggies: Cut your zucchinis, bell peppers, and red onion lengthwise into similarly sized strips. Peel your portobellos and scoop out the gills, then cut them into similar slices. Dice your optional jalapeños and keep as many seeds as correspond to your spice tolerance. (Taste the marinade to see how much heat the Garlic Chili Crisp adds to it!) Throw all the veggies into your big bowl with the marinade and toss. Add minced cilantro and kosher salt and toss again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min, to up to eight hours.
If you’re grilling these outside, start your grill according to the usual procedures, and generate a nice medium-high heat. If going with the stovetop, turn your burner to medium-high. In both cases, set your favourite cast-iron skillet on top to preheat.
When your skillet is hot and your veggies marinated, pour the latter out onto the former, and sauté. Keep everything moving with tongs or a spatula as the water cooks out of your fajita veggies and they start picking up golden and dark brown colouring, about 10 minutes. Once cooked to your liking, place a STURDY heat-proof trivet on your serving table, and plonk the sizzling pan of veggie fajitas down on it in front of your adoring crowd! Serve with tortillas, grilled chicken, pico de gallo, sour cream, and any/all of the classic fixings.
