The name and recipe may be long, but these fajitas are realmente muy bueno! This, naturally, is a dish best shared with others. It should be served fresh and in a “build your own” fashion. Fajitas are muy fácil, but they can be time consuming. To prevent constantly running back and forth to the kitchen, be organized. Estar preparados, do all the preparations ahead of time and arrange around the grill.

TIP: Cross-contamination. An ugly term. Never put cooked meat on anything but a clean surface. Raw and cooked meats must never ever meet. Food poisoning is often caused by carelessness. Don’t send your guests home with that type of souvenir. It would be muy malo.

METHOD

1. Place the chicken breasts in a 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish.
2. Place the steak in another glass baking dish.

Marinade:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the cilantro, 1½ cups oil, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, cumin, and ancho chile powder.
2. Pour one–third of the marinade over the beef, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour to overnight. Pour one–third of the marinade over the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Turn the meats occasionally to coat well with the marinade. Reserve the remaining one–third of the marinade for later.
   Note: Do not leave the chicken in the marinade for longer than 2 hours, or the lime juice will change the meat’s texture.
3. Preheat grill to medium–high (450°F/230°C).
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup olive oil and the Grill–Roasted Garlic. Place the cubanelles, bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a large bowl and toss with the garlic/olive oil mixture to coat. Secure in a multi–grill basket.
5. Remove the chicken and steak from the marinades and drain. Discard the marinades.
6. Stack tortillas in piles of 6 and wrap loosely with foil. Place on the back upper shelf of the grill to warm while cooking the meat and vegetables.
7. Grill the chicken breasts until cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes a side. Remove to a clean cutting board. Slice the breasts crosswise into thin strips, place on one half of a large serving platter, and drizzle with half of the reserved marinade.
8. Grill the steak medium-rare, about 3 to 4 minutes a side. Remove to a clean cutting board and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing thinly across the grain on the diagonal. Place on the other half of the serving platter and drizzle with the rest of reserved marinade. Keep warm while finishing vegetables.
9. Place the grill basket on the grill for 3 to 4 minutes a side, or until the vegetables are slightly charred and softened. Remove from the basket and arrange on a platter.
10. Place the platters of meat and vegetables on the table with the warm tortillas. Place bowls of Guacamole, Papaya Salsa, sour cream, green onions, tomatoes, chiles, and black pepper around the platters.
11. To assemble, place some guacamole on the tortilla, top with chicken or steak, add some of the grilled veggies, and some salsa. Add any other of the condiments that appeal and roll the tortilla to enclose. Buen apetito!

Guacamole:

1. In a bowl, mash the avocados well (though some chunks are desirable). Stir in the lemon juice, cilantro, onion, and garlic. Season to taste with the hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Papaya Salsa:

1. Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

With a little organization and a large appetite, fajitas are an easy meal for family and friends. See whose plate stays cleanest longest, who can wrap the best fajita. Share your results here or on facebook. It would be muy divertido!

Feliz de la parrilla!