Because we raise a lot of beef, we enjoy steak and other fantastic cuts of beef often. Which also means I have to deal with leftover beef. I have been on this Rick Bayless book reading lately so I thought it might be nice to use up some leftover roast by hammering out some beef fajitas! So from the carcass to the table we go.
This years crop hanging in the dry room. Quarter and waiting for their dress whites! Oh so tasty!
First up is to get some tortillas going. And what better to compliment great beef but homemade tortillas. I mix up the masa and start to make a few tortillas.
You want to bring this masa to a very stiff ball stage. So wet enough to form a ball but so it does not stick to your hands when you work with it.
Then it is a small handful rolled up about equal to a 1/4 cup or just shy of that. Into the Tortilla Press between the plastic Ziploc bag. And pressed out into a nice corn tortilla.
Now it is not finished yet. We have to fry these off. From this point you have a chance to make chips, tortillas, or tostada chips. I am making beef fajitas so we will be doing golden tortillas! Into the oiled sauté for the finish.
These are very good on there own. So one requires discipline to save them for the dinner. Or make extra so the chef can taste. Of course there is another way to protect them, the chef can cut open a few treats other
than these wonderful homemade tortillas.
These and an ice cold Bohemia ought to keep me out of the fresh fried tortillas for a little while! Beside with the tortillas now safely located in the Tortilla Warmer for safe keeping 'til the oysters are gone, the beer is drained and the beef is ready. So one with the rest of dinner! Better get the rice started, I have a nice 3 cup rice cooker that works well since the kids are at college. I put the big one away 'til they get back from college. Steamed long grain with some
jalapenos, Anaheim, a some tomatoes are good for a decent Mexican Rice Pilaf.
So I have to get on with the beef preparation. Pulling out the slicer and set the thickness. I like it fairly thin and have good luck with the smaller electric slicer. They require some cleaning that makes a knife
faster. But for consistency in thickness and length I prefer the electric slicer. Worth the extra time to me to get them all the same size.
I am taking down the peppers, onions, beef and garlic in the sauté. Then I am seasoning with my own chili powder done in the Mortar and Pestle Kind of been hooked on it for a few months now reading about making paprika, combining that with Rick Bayless's comments on different
regional mixes of peppers and such. Real fun, real nice products.
Salt pepper and this powdered gold from the garden and in no time the whole place smells wonderful.
Which means it is time to strap on the feed bag! Just in time as the oysters are all gone..... again! I realized I forgot to take a picture of the finished fajitas. I am blaming this error on the beer. Ice Cold Bohemia, Oysters, and tortilla smells, peppers, onions, refried beans, Mexican Rice Pilaf, heck you would have eaten them right down and then thought........... well screwed the ending up a little. But I think you will get the idea..
'til we talk again, get out that tortilla press and get some Mexican on the table for dinner. Lots of fun and oh so simple!
Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
This years crop hanging in the dry room. Quarter and waiting for their dress whites! Oh so tasty!
First up is to get some tortillas going. And what better to compliment great beef but homemade tortillas. I mix up the masa and start to make a few tortillas.
You want to bring this masa to a very stiff ball stage. So wet enough to form a ball but so it does not stick to your hands when you work with it.
Then it is a small handful rolled up about equal to a 1/4 cup or just shy of that. Into the Tortilla Press between the plastic Ziploc bag. And pressed out into a nice corn tortilla.
Now it is not finished yet. We have to fry these off. From this point you have a chance to make chips, tortillas, or tostada chips. I am making beef fajitas so we will be doing golden tortillas! Into the oiled sauté for the finish.
These are very good on there own. So one requires discipline to save them for the dinner. Or make extra so the chef can taste. Of course there is another way to protect them, the chef can cut open a few treats other
than these wonderful homemade tortillas.
These and an ice cold Bohemia ought to keep me out of the fresh fried tortillas for a little while! Beside with the tortillas now safely located in the Tortilla Warmer for safe keeping 'til the oysters are gone, the beer is drained and the beef is ready. So one with the rest of dinner! Better get the rice started, I have a nice 3 cup rice cooker that works well since the kids are at college. I put the big one away 'til they get back from college. Steamed long grain with some
jalapenos, Anaheim, a some tomatoes are good for a decent Mexican Rice Pilaf.
So I have to get on with the beef preparation. Pulling out the slicer and set the thickness. I like it fairly thin and have good luck with the smaller electric slicer. They require some cleaning that makes a knife
faster. But for consistency in thickness and length I prefer the electric slicer. Worth the extra time to me to get them all the same size.
I am taking down the peppers, onions, beef and garlic in the sauté. Then I am seasoning with my own chili powder done in the Mortar and Pestle Kind of been hooked on it for a few months now reading about making paprika, combining that with Rick Bayless's comments on different
regional mixes of peppers and such. Real fun, real nice products.
Salt pepper and this powdered gold from the garden and in no time the whole place smells wonderful.
Which means it is time to strap on the feed bag! Just in time as the oysters are all gone..... again! I realized I forgot to take a picture of the finished fajitas. I am blaming this error on the beer. Ice Cold Bohemia, Oysters, and tortilla smells, peppers, onions, refried beans, Mexican Rice Pilaf, heck you would have eaten them right down and then thought........... well screwed the ending up a little. But I think you will get the idea..
'til we talk again, get out that tortilla press and get some Mexican on the table for dinner. Lots of fun and oh so simple!
Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
Chef de Cuisine
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
USMC Sgt 1979-1985
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
USMC Sgt 1979-1985