Home Kitchen Recipe
(serves 4-6)
Many of us enjoy meals that feature a beef dish, but given the high cost of nearly all meats these days, it seems particularly important to maximize the cost-benefit by creating something beyond the ordinary. Here is a spicy-savory beef main course that requires just a small amount of advance preparation, is truly easy to make, and results in a delicious centerpiece of a healthy meal.
This recipe calls for skirt steak, which comes from the lower mid-section of the cow - known as the “plate” (see photo). This meat is very flavorful, relatively lean and benefits greatly from the use of a marinade, which can both saturate the meat with flavor and impart substantial tenderness. For the marinade, you’ll use a few fresh herbs that are commonly found in your local market, and make good use of your spice rack.
I like to serve this dish with a simple, fresh salad tossed with a homemade vinaigrette dressing along with a side dish of high-quality rice. Those who wish to go all in on the Moroccan theme might consider couscous as a side option.
For a wine accompaniment, suggestions include hearty Rhones such as Cotes du Rhone, Crozes-Hermitage, or barbera from the Piedmont region of northern Italy. White wine drinkers may wish to consider a gewürztraminer, German riesling, the herbal and aromatic roussanne wines of the Rhone Valley or, in the dryer spectrum, a rose՛.
Ingredients:
3-4 pounds trimmed skirt steak
The Marinade
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon harissa
Equipment
1 small mixing bowl
1 basting brush
Iron skillet or grill
cutting board
carving knife
Preparation
Mix well, all of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Brush the meat thoroughly with the marinade, then place in sealed plastic bag or covered bowl. Place in refrigerator for 10-24 hours. A longer marinade period will produce greater flavor saturation.
Place marinated skirt steak onto preheated skillet or grill for between 4 and 5 minutes per side (the lesser for medium rare―recommended. Do not overcook as the meat will become tough. And remember that cooking will continue slightly after you remove it from the heat. Remove the meat and let rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes, to retain juices.
Slice the meat against the grain that you see across the top of the meat, for added tenderness.
Bon Appetit!