Photo by Jessica Leibowitz
This recipe was inspired by Cuba’s (and Miami’s) ubiquitous mojo-marinated steak. Mojo is a combination of citrus (in Cuba, sour orange) and garlic. Given the relative scarcity of sour orange in America, I’ve substituted a mixture of lime and orange.
Makes 4 servings
Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Total preparation time: 60 minutes
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves or ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
1 large onion
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Rice and beans as an accompaniment, optional
Mince the garlic (about 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon) and chop the oregano (about 1 ½ teaspoons). Combine the garlic with 1/2 cup of the oil and the cumin seeds in a small saucepan. Heat the mixture until it is hot and set aside to cool slightly. Whisk in the lime juice, orange zest and juice, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pour over the steak in a zippered plastic bag; seal the bag and knead until the steak pieces are evenly coated with the marinade. Set the steaks aside to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then pat them very dry with paper towels (this is very important or they will not sear properly).
Meanwhile, slice the onion (about 2 cups); coarsely chop the parsley (about 1/2 cup).
Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil in each of two large skillets over high heat (if you don’t have two large skillets, work in batches). Sear half the steak pieces 1 to 2 minutes per side in each of the two hot pans and transfer them to a plate; cover them loosely with a piece of aluminum foil. Turn the heat down to medium low. Add half of the onions to each of the pans with a pinch of salt and a little bit of water if necessary if the bottom of the pan has gotten too dark and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the juices from the meat plate to the skillets. Slice the steak thin across the grain. Serve the steaks topped with the onions and chopped parsley.
