Bobby Flay’s Cuban Skirt Steak with Tomato Escabeche and Mango Steak Sauce
This is so aromatic; you can smell the garlic in the marinade the instant the steak hits the grill. I think of Cuban food as reinforcement cooking because you see many of the same ingredients (think garlic, oregano, cumin) played out in a multitude of dishes. It’s definitely positive reinforcement—it’s all delicious. Tomato escabeche is a fresh salsa or relish served with all sorts of traditional Cuban dishes. A puree of ripe mangoes thickens and flavors the savory steak sauce.
Cuban Skirt Steak with Tomato Escabeche and Mango Steak Sauce
(Makes 4 servings)
Skirt Steak Ingredients
- 8 garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
- 2 fresh bay leaves (not dried)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
- Grated zest of 2 limes
- Juice of 2 limes
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 ½ pounds skirt steak, cut into 2 or 3 pieces crosswise
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tomato Escabeche Ingredients
- 3 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, halved, pulp and seeds removed, flesh cut into thin strips
- 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño, julienned
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Mango Steak Sauce (recipe follows)
- Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish
Directions
Marinate the Steak:
- Combine garlic, oregano, bay leaves, cumin seeds, lime zest, lime juice, and oil in blender. Blend until smooth.
- Put steak in large baking dish, add marinade, cover, refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
- Heat grill to high for direct grilling.
- Thirty minutes before cooking, remove steak from refrigerator and from marinade and transfer to plate.
Make the tomato escabeche:
- Combine tomatoes, red onion, jalapeño, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, and cilantro in bowl.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Grill on both sides until golden brown, slightly charred, cooked to medium-rare, about 5 minutes per side.
- Remove steaks to cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut steak against grain and serve topped with tomato escabeche.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve mango steak sauce on side.
Mango Steak Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 very ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and chopped
- ½ cup mango nectar
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- ¼ cup prepared horseradish
- 2 tablespoons clover honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pure grade B maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Heat oil in medium high-sided skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add mangoes, mango nectar, ancho powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until mangoes are very soft and mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to food processor or blender.
- Add horseradish, honey, mustard, maple syrup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper, blend until smooth.
- Scrape sauce into bowl and let cool to room temperature.
Reprinted from the book Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction