Fajita Lasagna Pinwheels

A bold fajita lasagna mashup made with seared flank steak, charred peppers and onions, Queen G’s Enchirito sauce, and a creamy roasted garlic Oaxaca Cotija filling rolled into lasagna noodles and baked upright like giant pinwheels. Served with a bright Aleppo Granny Smith onion salad.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Special Equipment: heavy skillet, baking dish

Ingredients

• 1½ to 2 lb flank steak

• Fajita marinade or seasoning, as desired

• ½ tsp Accent

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced

• ¼ tsp Accent, for the vegetables

• Grapeseed oil, for cooking

• 10 to 12 lasagna noodles

• 1½ to 2 cups shredded Oaxaca cheese, for assembly

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup sour cream

• 1 large egg

• ¾ cup shredded Oaxaca cheese

• ¼ cup finely crumbled Cotija

• 2 Tbsp Herdez salsa verde

• 1 Tbsp mashed roasted garlic

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp fajita seasoning

• ¼ tsp Accent

• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro, optional

• Salt, only if needed

• 1 packet taco seasoning

• 1 to 1½ Tbsp beef tallow

• 1 8 oz can tomato sauce

• 1 8 oz can water

• ¼ tsp Accent

• ½ tsp distilled white vinegar

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 large red onion, very thinly sliced

• Juice of 1½ lemons

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cut into thin matchsticks

• 1 jalapeño, finely diced

• Handful fresh cilantro, chopped

• ½ tsp salt

• ⅛ tsp Accent

• 1 Tbsp honey

• 2 tsp Aleppo pepper

• 1 tsp grapeseed oil

Directions

1. Heat a Blackstone or heavy skillet until very hot. Season the flank steak with fajita seasoning and ½ teaspoon Accent. Sear until deeply browned but still rare to medium rare inside. Rest, slice against the grain, then cut into ½ inch pieces.

2. Cook the onions and bell peppers over high heat with grapeseed oil and ¼ teaspoon Accent until charred but still slightly crisp. Reserve some steak and vegetables for topping.

3. Boil the lasagna noodles in salted water until barely al dente. Drain and lay flat.

4. Cook the taco seasoning and beef tallow over medium low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the water and simmer another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Accent, vinegar, and salt.

5. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, Oaxaca, Cotija, salsa verde, roasted garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, fajita seasoning, Accent, and cilantro. Taste for salt, then mix in the egg.

6. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread a thin layer of Enchirito sauce in the bottom of a baking dish.

7. Spread each lasagna noodle with Enchirito sauce and cream filling. Top with steak, peppers, onions, and shredded Oaxaca. Roll snugly from the short end and stand each whole roll spiral side up in the baking dish.

8. Spoon additional Enchirito sauce around and between the pinwheels and sprinkle with Oaxaca, keeping the spirals visible. Bake uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if desired.

9. Toss the red onion with lemon juice and let sit for 10 minutes. Add the Granny Smith apple, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, Accent, honey, Aleppo pepper, and grapeseed oil.

10. Serve the pinwheels spiral side up, topped with the reserved fajita steak and vegetables, with the Aleppo Granny Smith onion salad on the side.