Steak and Mango Fajitas with Chipotle Mayo

by ThreeFishFiesta

Our neighborhood is full of mango trees, and those trees produce fruit like no other. We’re lucky enough to have generous friends, and it’s not rare to have a sweet smelling bag delivered into to our doorstep.

My favorite dishes are ones that combine a variety of textures, and flavors. These fajitas have blackened steak, and chipotle peppers for  heat, savory grilled onions and fresh spinach ribbons, fresh, sweet mango, and sour limes. I fried some plantains with cinnamon, and dusted them with brown sugar to accompany my plate with beans and rice. Also, I can’t express the importance of using high quality tortillas. I’ll be looking into learning how to make my own so I can share, but I recently stumbled upon La Tortilla Factory brand, and I can tell you I’ll never go back to any other corn store bought tortilla. Heated on a dry skillet they have a slightly chewy texture that feels freshly made. Oh, and simple ingredients are all that goes into them. Read that label, baby!

Things you’ll need:

steak
1/4 onion
2 handfulls of spinach
1 mango, diced
4-6 corn tortillas
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
blackening rub
1 small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 tbs mayo
1 lime
grill pan

Start by preparing your protein. Cut strips at a diagonal, and mix in a bowl with seasonings (diced garlic, salt and pepper, a good amount of blackening seasoning), and a drizzle of olive oil before grilling. (* Note, tonight I grilled before cutting, and the texture was a little chewy. Cutting before grilling will ensure a better texture,  a more even coat of spices, and faster cooking time!)

As the steak cooks, prepare your toppings. Quarter an onion, and cut into thin slices. Dice the mango by cutting off quarters with as much flesh as possible, then create grids with your knife without cutting all the way through the skin. By running your knife along that edge,  you can get the most fruit, equally sized pieces, and will not crush the soft ripe fruit. Roll your spinach into a tight cigar shape, cutting with your knife through the short end of the stack will yield beautiful ribbons.

Once steak is cooked, remove and set aside. Add onions to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat. As they sweat, they will deglaze the pan and pick up any seasonings left from the steak.

In a small dish, mix adobo sauce from your can of chipotle peppers, in a 1/4 ratio with mayonnaise. The peppers hold an incredible amount of heat, so if you want to spice things up, consider dicing on very finely and adding it to your mixture.  Squeeze half a lime over meat, quarter the other half for use as garnish.

Warm tortillas in a dry pan, for about 30 seconds each side. Assemble and enjoy!