Meat mains
Beef and kale fajitas with re-fried beans and avocado
We've honed this Mexican dish to suit a dark Devon winter.
Cook's notes
We endeavour to get your avocado to you in a perfectly ripe state. If they do feel a little firm then they can be hastened by sitting in close proximity to a banana or apple for a day or so.
Ingredients
- 200g beef fajita strips (either strips of stir-fry beef, thinly sliced escalopes or steak if you're feeling wealthier)
- 1 red chilli
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 red onion
- 30g coriander
- oil for frying, e.g. sunflower or light olive
- 1 tin red kidney beans
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 avocado
- 1 lime
- 200g curly kale
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 tortillas
- soured cream
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Start by removing the beef from the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature. Deseed and finely chop the chilli. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove. Peel and dice the red onion. Wash the coriander, shake it dry and roughly chop it, stalks and all.
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Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the saucepan and add the diced onion. Cook for 5 minutes. In the meantime, drain and rinse the kidney beans. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and cinnamon to the onion and fry for 30 seconds before adding the beans.
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Step 3
Fill the empty bean tin a quarter full with water and add to the pan. Season the beans with salt and pepper, bring up to a simmer and cook gently for 15 minutes. Stir them at regular intervals, to stop them sticking and to help break the beans into a coarse mash.
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Step 4
While the beans cook, cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and scrape the flesh into a bowl. Squeeze in the juice from half the lime, add half the chopped red chilli and half the chopped coriander. Mash everything together with a fork and season with salt and pepper.
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Step 5
Strip the kale leaves away from the tough stalks, discard the stalks and wash the leaves well. Tear or slice the leaves into rough bite-sized pieces. Check the seasoning of your beans and add some heat with a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. It can be very strong so add in small increments to start.
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Step 6
Put the frying pan on to heat up. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Add a dash of oil to the hot pan and fry the beef on high for 2 minutes until it starts to brown. Add the kale and keep everything moving. Cook for a further 2 minutes.
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Step 7
The kale should cook and wilt. Add the remaining coriander to the beef and kale and keep it to one side. Wipe the frying pan clean, return to the heat and heat your tortillas by cooking them for about 20 seconds a side in a hot dry pan until slightly coloured.
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Step 8
Divide the beef between 2 plates. Serve with the beans, avocado and soured cream on the side with the remaining lime half cut into wedges for squeezing. Use the warm tortillas to build fajitas to your taste.