Coffee-Marinated Flank Fajitas with Pico De Gallo

Coffee operates subtly in this context—a discreet yet potent agent, softening a normally tough cut of meat to a texture like to that of a filet.

PHOTO BY BOBBI LIN

Ingredients

Coffee-marinated flank fajitas

• 1 ¹/₂ to 2 pounds flank steak

• 2 cups strong brewed coffee

• 3 tablespoons molasses

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons ground chili (see headnote on chili powder)

• Olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper

• Sour cream and tortillas to serve

Pico de gallo

• 2 cups diced tomato (I used red and yellow)

• 1 cup diced red onion

• 3 seeded and minced jalapeños (mine were mild—adjust according to heat to your taste)

• Juice from one lime

• ¹/₄ cup fresh chopped cilantro

• Salt

Instructions

Pico de gallo

• Combine all ingredients, incorporate a pinch of salt, whisk, and sample the mixture. Refrigerate it briefly, then whisk and reassess the salt content.

Fajitas marinated in coffee and made with flank steak

• Combine the coffee, molasses, garlic, cumin, 2 tablespoons of salt, and chilis by whisking them together. Score the flank steak on both sides with a shallow criss-cross pattern. Marinate the flank steak for 3 to 4 hours in the coffee mixture; I utilize a large rectangular disposable plastic container, which is an ideal fit.

• Preheat your grill to high temperature; alternatively, if a grill is unavailable, you may broil or sear using a large, hot, ideally cast-iron skillet. Extract the flank steak from the marinade and delicately blot it dry. Enhance the flavor with a little increase of salt and a generous quantity of freshly ground black pepper. Subsequently, apply olive oil uniformly over the entire surface.

• Grill the steak to the appropriate doneness—approximately 2 to 3 minutes on one side, then flip and alternate to achieve a criss-cross pattern (see to the photo—though the quality is subpar, the concept is clear) resulting in a satisfactory medium doneness.

• Allow your steak to rest for several minutes. When prepared for serving, cut the flank against the grain into short slices, and encase 2 to 3 slices in a tortilla, accompanied by generous portions of pico de gallo and sour cream. Commence consumption!