Bottega - Michael Chiarello [69]
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt, preferably gray salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 rib-eye steaks, each about 12 ounces
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing and drizzling
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
Prepare a hot wood fire in a charcoal grill or have a grill pan ready.
FOR THE FRUIT: Put the fruit quarters in a bowl and add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Marinate for at least 1 minute or up to 20 minutes.
Heat a grill pan (if using) over medium-high heat. Remove the fruit from the marinade, shaking off any excess liquid. Place the fruit, cut-surface down, on the grill or in the grill pan. On the grill, keep the fruit near the edge of the fire, where the grill is only medium-hot. If the heat is too cold, the fruit will turn mushy before it cooks, and it will burn if too hot. Grill the fruit for 1 minute on each side, or until it shows black grill marks. Using tongs, transfer the fruit to a platter and let it rest while you grill the meat.
Make sure your grill is very hot. Brush each steak lightly with olive oil and season evenly with salt and pepper on both sides. For stellar grill marks, the placement of the steaks on the grill is important: if you imagine your grill as the face of a clock, place the steaks at an angle to the grill grids so the two ends of each steak point to 10 o’clock and 4 o’clock. Forty-five seconds later, turn the steaks on an angle again so the ends point to 2 o’clock and 8 o’clock. Then, after another 45 seconds, revolve the steaks (without turning them over) so the ends point once again to 10 and 4. Turn them over so the ends point at 2 and 8 o’clock. Total grill time is 3 minutes for medium-rare, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of a steak reaches 125°F.
Transfer the steaks to a carving board and let rest for 1 or 2 minutes. Cut the steak on the bias into slices about two fingers wide. Divide the slices among the plates and serve each plate with 4 quarters of grilled fruit. Drizzle the fruit with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.
Smoky Paprika Skirt Steak with Salsa Rossa
SERVES 6
Skirt steak is what flank steak would be if it tasted great. This is a funky piece of meat; it has to be pulled and kneaded to be tender, or (as we do here) soaked in olive oil and spices overnight. This meat takes a marinade better than any other piece of beef. Pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika) gives it a kick of flavor. Because the spice is so smoky, this lends itself to indoor grilling. It’s great grilled outdoors, too, but the spice adds a smoky flavor even when you don’t feel like firing up the grill.
The smoky, peppery Salsa Rossa adds its own heat and spice to the dish. I use this on baked halibut, too. You can make it up to five days ahead, if you like.
Wine Pairing: Zinfandel Rosé
About 2 tablespoons pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
3½ pounds skirt steak cut into six 6- to 8-inch sections
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
SALSA ROSSA
3 large red bell peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil for coating, plus 2 tablespoons
1 serrano chile
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup fresh tomato purée
Sea salt, preferably gray salt
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups loosely packed arugula
Whole-Citrus Vinaigrette
Pat the paprika into the steak on each side. Then, using your fingers, lightly coat the steak with olive oil to seal in the spice. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
FOR THE SALSA ROSSA: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Coat the bell peppers lightly with olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Roast, turning every 10 or 15 minutes, until the peppers are blistered all over, about 30 minutes total. Transfer the peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap so they steam as they cool. Peel the peppers and remove the stems, seeds, and ribs; avoid the temptation to rinse the peppers.
Heat