This beautiful bowl of veggies will be part of your fajita dinner at the Franklin Inn today. I couldn't resist taking a photo when I saw this lovely bowl of peppers and onions. Leo is chopping them up for you right now.
Texans like to claim the fajitas as their invention and historical credit is given to the Mexican Vaqueros (cowboys). However, I think fajitas are a true Mexi-American collaboration. Add the Franklin Inn twist to this recipe and you've got a delicious meal.
Vaqueros were ranch workers living on the border and working cattle roundups in Texas in the 1930s. When a steer was butchered, they were given the "throwaway"or least desirable cuts of meat as part of their pay. This tough cut of beef is known as skirt steak. The Mexican term for grilled skirt steak is arracheras. The American term fajita comes from faja which translates into "belt" or "girdle". Fajitas jumped from the obscure camp fire scene to "on the scene" sometime in the late 60s according to the various accounts. The term fajita has morphed from its original meaning and is understood by most folks today as anything cooked and rolled in a soft flour tortilla, or grilled up on a sizzling platter.
Vaqueros were ranch workers living on the border and working cattle roundups in Texas in the 1930s. When a steer was butchered, they were given the "throwaway"or least desirable cuts of meat as part of their pay. This tough cut of beef is known as skirt steak. The Mexican term for grilled skirt steak is arracheras. The American term fajita comes from faja which translates into "belt" or "girdle". Fajitas jumped from the obscure camp fire scene to "on the scene" sometime in the late 60s according to the various accounts. The term fajita has morphed from its original meaning and is understood by most folks today as anything cooked and rolled in a soft flour tortilla, or grilled up on a sizzling platter.
Food snobs turn their nose up at fajitas as being "Tex-Mex." I don't care who gets the credit for fajitas or how authentic they are because they are just good food at the Franklin Inn! And, I think, a healthy option. I can't really see fajitas being very high in calories as long as you portion control the guac and sour cream. There aren't that many ingredients involved. Fresh meat, veggies, a little oil, some garlic, salt, pepper (and hot sauce on the shrimp), etc. I usually skip the tortilla myself but John eats them.
Traditionally, fajitas are made using skirt steak as mentioned above. But, it can be really tough even when marinaded for a long time. At the Franklin Inn, we actually use a quality sirloin for our steak fajitas. Therefore, we do not marinade our meat. You can also choose a fresh chicken breast, chorizo or spicy shrimp. And, for those abstaining from meat, our veggie fajita features portobellos and seasonal vegetables. If you can't decide, heck, get a combo fajita. John and I sometimes order a combo fajita and split it. I always let him eat one or two of the shrimp. Beware...those shrimp are addicting.
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