Mediterranean Fajitas

April 25, 2013

When my siblings and I were younger, our family used to go to dinner every other Sunday with my Grandma. My Grandma, as I have told you before, only has a few favorite restaurants. I’ve spoken about her love of Bennigan’s. She also loved to go to any buffet, Bohemian restaurants, or Chili’s.

At Chili’s she would always order a margarita and the fajitas. She chose the fajita’s because she always had a lot of leftovers to take home in a “doggy bag.” That is actually her main reason for going to most of the restaurants she likes to this day.

Now, while out to dinner, we had to accommodate certain needs of other family members as well. My Mom never wanted to sit by a vent because she was always cold. My brothers and Dad always wanted to be within range of a TV with a sporting event on it. My mother also always requested a booth. She has a thing for booths. I think I have inherited this gene from her as well.

So, imagine three adults and three kids jammed into a booth at Chili’s. We barely had enough room for my elbows and my plate of Chicken Crispers let alone the room for my Grandma’s fajita smorgasbord. (Yes, I had to look up how to spell that). My poor Mom and I were jammed into half the booth while my Grandma and her four plates plus her margarita that she couldn’t even lift were comfortably sitting on the other half.

Every time I think of fajita’s this is what I remember. I also remember my brothers and myself annoyingly parroting the word fuh-gee-tah or fuh-ji-tah while my parents ask us nicely to be quiet and eat our meals. Sigh…such good memories of what well behaved children we were.

We grew tired with always going to Chili’s, so we don’t go there with my Grandma anymore. Thank God! I can’t imagine a booth big enough there for all of us.

Today, I give you my ode to the traditional fajita… Mediterranean-ized! Throw anything in a pita pocket these days and I am good to go with it. Plus, these aren’t served on a piping hot skillet, so you will have enough space for all your guests at the table.

Mediterranean Fajitas

Course Entree
Cuisine Mediterranean
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 4 -6
Author Sarcastic Cooking

Ingredients

  • For the Marinade:
  • Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
  • ½ Cup Olive Oil
  • ¼ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • ½ Teaspoon Pepper
  • ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Clove Garlic grated
  • 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Oregano
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Chopped Parsley
  • For the Fajitas:
  • 1 ½ Pound Beef Tenderloin cut into ¼ inch thick slices
  • 5 Cremini Mushrooms sliced
  • 1, 12- Ounce Can Halved Artichoke Hearts drained
  • ¾ Cup Canned Black Olives halved
  • 1 Jarred Roasted Red Pepper sliced into thin strips
  • ¼ Red Onion thinly sliced
  • 1 Cup Grape/Cherry Tomatoes halved
  • 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
  • Pita Pockets
  • Feta/Goat Cheese

Instructions

  1. The night before cooking and serving, add the marinade ingredients to a large sealable plastic food storage bag. Seal and shake to combine. Add the meat, mushrooms, artichokes, olives, roasted red pepper, onions, and tomatoes to the bag. Seal and shake to combine. Let the bag sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to a day before cooking.
  2. Heat a large skillet over high heat for a few minutes.
  3. Add the contents of the bag to a large, deep baking dish. Remove the beef and add it to the hot pan. Cook for a minute or two on each side and then remove from the pan. Place on a plate off to the side to rest while you cook the vegetables.
  4. Add the vegetables along with the marinade to the hot pan. Cook for ten to fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the spinach and cook another two to three minutes until just wilted. Stir to incorporate.
  6. Add the beef back to the pan, shut the heat off, and give the dish one final stir to incorporate everything. Serve the fajita mixture in pita pocket halves with a bit of crumbled feta or goat cheese on top.

You Might Also Like

  • Miss Messy
    April 28, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Wow what a fantastic idea. The more feta the better for me! I’d love to make a veggie version of these.

  • Emily @ Tips on Healthy Living
    April 26, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    This looks so great–my grandma loved doggie bags, too! Thanks for posting.

  • Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    April 25, 2013 at 10:11 pm

    I love the idea of a mediterranean take on fajitas! Also, you and your mom are totally right…booths are the best!

  • Sadye
    April 25, 2013 at 9:22 pm

    I love the stories you tell with your recipes! Your grandma sounds like my kind of gal — margaritas and booths for the win. In our family, we request not to sit by the door, because Dad hates the drafts; I think your mom would approve.

  • Susan
    April 25, 2013 at 4:27 pm

    I’m pretty sure I could exist on mediterranean flavors. They put me in a happy place.

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    April 25, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    My dad used to be picky about seats until I became a waitress and promptly forbade him from altering his seat from what he was given (unless the restaurant is basically empty), since there’s a system to be followed. He quickly acquiesced when I told him he could get crappy service by changing to a different server’s section that might not be prepared to take a new table.

    Ah, families. Can’t live with ’em, can’t take ’em out to dinner. 😉

    Mediterranean fajitas! So smart! And let’s be real, pita pockets probably make these easier to eat, anyway.

  • Julia
    April 25, 2013 at 11:17 am

    I love family stories like this! 🙂 I think my husband secretly always goes for the seat where he can see the TV. He won’t admit it but if sports are on somehow he always ends up in that seat!

    I love these fajitas…Mediterranean flavors are the best.

  • Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
    April 25, 2013 at 8:52 am

    Hahhaaa my grandma is the same way! There’s like a list of restaurants that she goes to (but in her case it’s more infuriating than cute…if you’d met her you’d understand lol)

    These fajitas look so good, I love the mediterranean twist!

  • Melissa {Persnickety Plates}
    April 25, 2013 at 8:19 am

    These look awesome! [minus the beef :)] One shawarma place we go to puts feta AND goat cheese on my veggie sandwich. I’m now convinced it’s the only way to go.

    I wish my grandma drank margaritas. ha