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<title>Chef Bob Ballantyne, Left over Steak!.... Fajitas</title>
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<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/beefqutr.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>This years crop hanging in the dry room. Quarter and waiting for their
dress whites! Oh so tasty!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/masa.jpg" width="404" height="336"></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/mixed.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Then it is a small handful rolled up about equal to a 1/4 cup or just shy of
that. Into the
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=179129">tortilla press</a>
between the plastic Ziploc bag. And pressed out into a nice corn tortilla.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/pressing.jpg" width="445" height="336">
</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/frying.jpg" width="445" height="336">
</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/oysters.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/shucked.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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 <a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=399902">
Tortilla Warmer</a> 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
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=170848">3 cup rice
cooker</a> 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/rice.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>So I have to get on with the beef preparation. Pulling out the
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=392944">Slicer</a> 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/slicing.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=103732"> Mortar
and Pestle</a>. 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefstories.com/public_pics/tamale/pestel.jpg" width="380" height="336"></p>
<p>Salt pepper and this powdered gold from the garden and in no time the whole
place smells wonderful.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/sautefinsh.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>'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!</p>
<p>Chef Bob Ballantyne<br>
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering<br>
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</p>
</body>
</html>
<title>Chef Bob Ballantyne, Left over Steak!.... Fajitas</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/beefqutr.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>This years crop hanging in the dry room. Quarter and waiting for their
dress whites! Oh so tasty!</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/masa.jpg" width="404" height="336"></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/mixed.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>Then it is a small handful rolled up about equal to a 1/4 cup or just shy of
that. Into the
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=179129">tortilla press</a>
between the plastic Ziploc bag. And pressed out into a nice corn tortilla.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/pressing.jpg" width="445" height="336">
</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/frying.jpg" width="445" height="336">
</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/oysters.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/shucked.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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 <a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=399902">
Tortilla Warmer</a> 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
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=170848">3 cup rice
cooker</a> 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/rice.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>So I have to get on with the beef preparation. Pulling out the
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=392944">Slicer</a> 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/slicing.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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
<a href="http://www.cooking.com/products/shprodde.asp?SKU=103732"> Mortar
and Pestle</a>. 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.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.prochefstories.com/public_pics/tamale/pestel.jpg" width="380" height="336"></p>
<p>Salt pepper and this powdered gold from the garden and in no time the whole
place smells wonderful.</p>
<p>
<img border="0" src="http://www.horsehelmets.com/blogpics/fajita/sautefinsh.jpg" width="445" height="336"></p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>'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!</p>
<p>Chef Bob Ballantyne<br>
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering<br>
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA</p>
</body>
</html>
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