Thursday, May 28, 2015

Summer Grilled Steak

Delicious Lime Cilantro Steak Marinade




A decent cut of meat can be simply marinated with onions, garlic, olive oil, salt and lots of pepper

Ok, let's face it -- outdoor grills, even the fancy ones, are only nice looking when they are opened up and being used.  So, if you are like me and have had the misfortune of being forced to look at your ghastly black covered grill all winter long -- through the snow, the rain, the ice --  then, by golly, be sure to get outside and use it during the summer -- while you can! 

In my opinion, the real task of grilling has less to do with time spent at the grill and more to do with the time spent marinating. Recently, I brought some marinated shell steak to a dinner party and the hostess asked if I would post the recipe, it was absolutely delicious and disappeared quickly.  So, here it is. 








What you will need:

2-4 long pieces of shell or skirt steak (remember that they will shrink up a bit when grilled)
One large onion
2 shallots
1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves (approximately 1 large head)
Juice of 5 limes
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon of thyme
8 large cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
guest all done up in fabulous up do (optional):

I just had to use this photo, somewhere!


Before preparing meat, always rinse it in warm water and pat dry with paper towel.  After this, coat it generously with salt (a chef's secret to great tasting meat).  Then, let it rest for a few minutes while the marinade is prepared. 


In a food processor, combine the lime juice, lime zest, onion, thyme, cilantro, garlic, dash of salt, lots of freshly ground pepper, and worcestershire sauce.  



Puree until all the ingredients are loosely combined (above). 


Coat the meat on all sides in a large glass dish. If time permits, allow the meat to marinade over night. 


If using a grill pan, be sure to season it with a tablespoon of olive oil, some shallots and 2 cloves of garlic for about 1 minute (until golden brown). Shallots make almost everything better, and are another secret chef ingredient! 



On this occasion, before grilling the meat, I quickly sautéd some haricot verts (green beans) that I  blanched beforehand. Just before taking them out of the grill pan, I added a tablespoon of fish sauce, which knocks this side dish out of the ball park!


These wonderful greens did not last long at my table!


Grill the steak on medium-high heat in the shallot infused oil. It only needs 3 minutes on each side.  For well done, grill for 4 minutes on each side.  When grilling meat, don't guess, use your timer!  After removing the meat from the grill, always let it rest for a minute or two before cutting. 


In the summer, I serve the meat over a bed of lettuce coated in a garlic, lemon, parmesan dressing.   The hot and cold together are delectable, and not too heavy!



Happy Summer!

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