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July 6th, 2008
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T for Texas

Cooking up a not so old fashioned fajita
From the chef | Search restaurants | Archives

January 30th, 2008 issue

It happened way back in ’72 … 1972, that is.

Jan Přerovský/THE PRAGUE POST
Salmon, shellfish and white wine take this Tex-Mex specialty upscale.
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The story goes like this: Kitchen staff at Ninfa’s, a popular restaurant in Houston, Texas, introduced the world to fajitas that year. Around the same time, a restaurateur in Dallas created the frozen Margarita after watching 7-Eleven’s Slurpee machine in action. Shortly thereafter, Tex-Mex became the “it” cuisine.
Tex-Mex is an amalgam of border region traditions, dishes imported by European settlers married to North American tastes. Yet the fajita’s origins probably have more to do with ranch-hand meals on old Western trails than sudden inspiration in a 1970s kitchen.
The “chuck wagon” —a kind of 19th-century mobile pantry — carried a pot and a few cast iron pans. Cowboys also toted sturdy metal or cast iron plates. With minimal cooking skills, one could whip up a simple but hearty one-pan meal of meat, heavily seasoned to ward off tainted flavors, and served with whatever else was available.
Ninfa’s put some modern sizzle into an age-old idea. The fajita is now a favorite menu item at many restaurants, prepared with good meat and a lot of vegetables.
Because Tex-Mex allows for invention, you can play as much as you like with the ingredients as long as the basics — tortillas and a hot pan — are in place.
Martin Lev is chef at Jáma, located at V Jámě 7, Prague 1–New Town. Tel. 224 222 383

SEAFOOD FAJITAS

Ingredients

150 grams fresh salmon

70 grams shrimp
100 grams mussels
70 grams red bell pepper
70 grams green bell pepper
70 grams fresh mushrooms (not canned)
70 grams red onion
70 grams white sweet onion
50 grams garlic
30 grams fajita spices
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt
Tabasco
Tortillas, salsa, sour cream and guacamole, if desired
Best is served sizzling from stovetop
Tortillas should be warm
Preparation:
Slice salmon into large chunks and sauté in olive oil over high flame.
Immediately add mussels and shrimp to pan and continue to sauté.
As mussels begin to open, add onions, garlic and other ingredients.
Sauté until onions and garlic are lightly golden.
Season with fajita spices, fresh lemon juice and Tabasco.
Best when served fresh from the stovetop with sides (salsa, sour cream and guacamole) and warm tortillas.


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