Sunshine and Olly

by Jonathan Blaustein

Some days, I just have to write.

Other days, I want no part of it.

Then there are days like today, when I’m not feeling that white-hot compulsion, but do have a post in mind.

I’ve already walked the dogs, made some photographs on my new project, had a smoothie, and am about ready to go do a heavy, lower-body lift at the gym. 

(Focusing on my legs has led to some major progress in my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.)

My point: I wouldn’t normally bother with a post on a day like this.

And yet, Friday’s article was viewed on every Continent within 24 hours. 

You, the Sunshine and Olly audience, hail from so many countries it makes my head spin.

And that is undoubtedly cool. 

So I figured I’d share a recipe today.

One I’ve been working on.

Given how expensive restaurants are these days, I’m giving you the hook-up on how to have a proper carnivorous celebration meal...

...on a very decent budget.

Today’s recipe: Steak Fajitas.

I know many people don’t eat meat, much less beef.

I respect that, and try to limit my animal consumption as much as possible.

But I don’t eschew beef, and since I started lifting seriously, I do need to eat it about 2x a week. 

(Once for sure or my muscles start crying.)

On Saturday, I got a 1 lb NY Strip Sirloin at Albertsons for $14.99, which was enough meat for me, Jessie, and then Theo cleaned up the prodigious leftovers when he came home from camp. 

(There are even a few strips left in the fridge.)

That works out to $5/person, for the meat portion, and just think about what that would cost in a restaurant. 

Add in 1 large red bell pepper, 1 onion, a few scallions if you have them, and some chiles, and you’re done.

(Plus limes, tortillas, and a tad of shredded cheese.) 

To make it great, though, the meat should marinate for a day in my special brew, and I’d recommend a good skillet if you have one. 

Let’s get to it.




Season both sides of your steak with salt, pepper, and New Mexico Red Chile powder. (If you can find it.)

Pat in the dry rub, get it on the sides too, and then pour over the wet ingredients to make the marinade.

Some Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, fresh squeezed lime juice, and a tad of orange juice.

Flip and baste the meat as much as you’d like, over 24 hours. (It can be as little as 30 minutes, if need be.)

Be sure to leave the meat out for an hour, though, so it comes up to temperature before cooking.

From there, you heat up your skillet, and cook down the onion in olive oil until it’s soft, seasoning it with salt and pepper. Add the scallions if you have them, then remove to a separate bowl.

Add a touch more oil, then the sliced red bell pepper, and move the slices around the skillet with salt and pepper. 

When the color is slightly less intense, remove the peppers to the onion bowl.

Give the skillet a minute to heat up well again, then cook the meat on front and then back, without moving it, until each side has some nice crunch and color.

Using tongs, then cook on the sides, top and bottom, taking care to render as much of the side-cap fat as you can, to impart more flavor.

When each side is done on the outside, remove the steak, and let it rest for about 3 minutes. 

The meat will be undercooked, so carefully slice it, then add the steak, peppers and onions back to the skillet.

(On a lower heat.)

Stir the fajitas, squeeze some more lime, and hit the mixture with more black pepper too.

I included New Mexico roasted green chiles, but you could use jalapeños, serranos, or any chile.

The chile heat, along with the lime-juice acid, cuts through the richness of the meat. 

Heat up your flour tortillas, chuck on a bit of shredded cheese, and you’ll be in heaven.

Of course, if you have guacamole or salsa around, you can add that too.

(The check-out clerk mistakenly gave me two avocados, so our guac was free.)

For the cost of a $15 steak, a $1.50 red bell pepper, and a $1 onion, you’re feeding a family of three.

Well.

In any decent Mexican restaurant, that’s $20/plate.

Probably more.

So next time you’re craving fajitas, give it a try.

The sizzle sounds so good!