Eva's Kitchen - Eva Longoria Parker [27]
flank steak with lime marinade
As its name suggests, flank steak comes from the flank of the beef, between the ribs and the hips. I’ve been eating and loving flank and skirt steak, which comes from the same area, my whole life, since they are used abundantly in Latin cooking. For some reason, these cuts have yet to reach a wider audience. This is curious to me, for what flank steak lacks in tenderness it more than makes up in fabulous beefy flavor. Cut it across, not with, the grain so it’s less chewy. This tangy marinade is great for any cut of beef. As with any marinade, the longer you can let the steak sit in it, the better it’ll be.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
FOR THE MARINADE
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 serrano pepper, cored, seeded if desired, and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
FOR THE STEAK
1½ pounds flank steak
1. In a shallow dish, place the oil, lime juice, garlic, serrano, chili powder, cumin, and salt and stir until well blended. Lay the flank steak in the dish and turn a few times until thoroughly coated. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to overnight (the longer, the better), turning occasionally.
2. Lightly oil the grill grate and prepare a medium-high grill. Pat the steak dry with paper towels. Grill for about 8 to 10 minutes total, turning once, for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Use a long, thin knife held at a slant to cut the steak across the grain into thin slices. Serve immediately.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN Be sure to thoroughly dry the steak by patting it with paper towels before you grill it. If the steak is too moist, it’ll steam rather than sear, and you won’t get a nice crust.
chicken fried steak with white gravy
The trick here is to add a lot of seasoning to the dredging flour and then use the leftover seasoned flour to make the gravy. Serve with Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
3 pounds beef round roast or thin steaks or pretenderized “cube” steaks
4 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 tablespoon kosher salt (see Note)
2 teaspoons ground black pepper (see Note)
½ cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
4 cups whole milk
1. If using a roast, slice the meat with the grain into ½- to ¾-inch-thick slices. If using round steaks, halve them horizontally to create thinner steaks if necessary. Lay the steaks on a work surface and use a meat mallet to pound them to ¼-inch thickness. If using cubed steak, no slicing or tenderizing is required.
2. Heat a warming drawer or preheat the oven to 175°F.
3. In a wide, shallow bowl, beat the eggs. In a second wide shallow bowl, place the flour, salt, and pepper and whisk until well blended. Coat a steak on both sides with egg, and then dredge in the seasoned flour, coating both sides. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and repeat with the remaining steaks. Set the remaining flour aside.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat until shimmery and hot but not smoking. Place enough steaks in the hot oil that they fit without crowding; do not pack the skillet or they will take longer. Fry until well browned, 4 to 6 minutes per side (longer if steaks are thick or not well tenderized). Transfer to a serving platter and continue until all the steaks are cooked, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Keep the transferred steaks warm in a warming drawer or the oven. Do not cover with