Poblano & Skirt Steak Fajitas

From EatingWell: June/July 2006 — Subscribe Now!

This variation on fajitas pairs fresh poblanos with steak and scallions. Skirt steak has fabulous flavor but tends to be chewy, so slice it thinly across the grain.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I LOVE this recipe!!!!! Deliciousness times 3! "

6 servings, 2 tortillas, 2 ounces steak, 1/4 cup vegetables & 3 tablespoons guacamole each

Active Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados, pitted
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons lime juice, divided, plus lime wedges for garnish
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
2 bunches scallions, trimmed
3 poblano peppers, (see Note)
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground ancho chile, (see Note)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1 1/4 pounds skirt steak, trimmed
Hot sauce, for serving
12 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed (see Tip)

Preparation

Preheat grill to high.
Mash avocados in a medium bowl with a fork. Stir in cilantro, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Brush scallions and poblanos with 2 teaspoons oil. Combine ancho chile, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Rub both sides of steak with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the spice mixture.
Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the poblanos, turning often, until softened and charred, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and cover with a plate or plastic wrap to trap the heat. Grill the scallions, turning frequently, until softened and lightly charred, 2 to 4 minutes. Grill the steak 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest.
Meanwhile, slice the scallions into 1-inch pieces and transfer to a serving dish. Peel as much skin as possible from the peppers, discard the stems and seeds, and slice into 1/2-inch-wide strips; transfer to the serving dish. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the vegetables and toss to combine. Slice the steak very thinly, then chop into small pieces. Serve the steak and vegetables with the guacamole, lime wedges, hot sauce and tortillas.

Tips & Notes

Note: Poblano peppers can be fiery or relatively mild; there's no way to tell until you taste them.
Ancho chile peppers, one of the most popular dried chiles used in Mexico, are dried poblano peppers. They have a mild, sweet, spicy flavor. Ground ancho chile pepper can be found in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets, or substitute ground chili powder plus a pinch of cayenne.
Tips: To heat tortillas: Wrap in foil and bake at 300°F until steaming, about 10 minutes or wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds.
To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray before placing it on the grill.

Nutrition

Per serving: 395 calories; 20 g fat (5 g sat, 12 g mono); 39 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 9 g fiber; 366 mg sodium; 818 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (120% daily value), Zinc (40% dv), Potassium (24% dv), Folate (23% dv), Iron (20% dv)

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 1/2 lean meat, 2 fat