Serves 4.
For the steak:
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup blanca tequila
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp chili powder
1 garlic clove, minced fine
1/2 cup finely minced fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
Freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 lb flank steak, trimmed (or any other tougher cut of meat, like shoulder)
mesclun greens
In
a large measuring cup or bowl, stir together first 7 ingredients, then
whisk in the oil until combined. Season with pepper. Add steak to a
baking dish large enough to hold it flat, and pour marinade over. Cover
tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
Heat your
grill, and brush the grate with oil. Grill the steaks over high heat
until done to your liking, 4-5 minutes a side for medium rare. Remove
from grill and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
For the salsa:
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 jalapeño pepper, minced
Juice of four limes (approx. 3-4 Tbsp) + zest of one lime
Juice of one orange
1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems
2 pints cherry tomatoes
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus some
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
In
a mixing bowl, combine red onion, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice and
zest, orange juice, and cilantro, then stir in the 4 Tbsp olive oil.
Toss the tomatoes with olive oil to coat, and toss liberally with salt
and pepper.
Grill the tomatoes over high heat until the skins
are a bit charred in places and cracking, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the
grill, let cool a bit, and then stir into the salsa, breaking up some
of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
To serve: Slice the steak against the grain and
serve on a bed of mesclun greens, topped with the salsa. And a classic
margarita.
Classic Margarita:
1-1/2 oz good quality blanca tequila
1 oz Cointreau
Juice of 2 limes
Dash of simple syrup (optional)
Salt
Rim a margarita or rocks glass with a lime wedge and salt them, and then fill with ice. Combine all ingredients except salt in a shaker over ice and shake well. If you like your margarita on the sweeter side, add the simple syrup (orange juice works well, too). Strain the margarita into the glass, garnish with a lime, and savor.