Grilled Steak With Pepper And Corn Relish Over Grilled Crostini
makes 4 servings
It's important to finely grate the onion (with a box grater) for the marinade, so that the onion's flavor can better penetrate the meat.
Read more about this recipe at the Washington Post.
For the steak and marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Finely grated zest of 2 medium limes (optional)
1/2 medium red onion, finely grated
2 tablespoons grainy mustard, such as Ingelhoffer brand
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (may substitute chili powder)
1 to 1 1/2 pound hanger, skirt or flank steak
For the relish:
4 ears corn, husked and trimmed flat on both ends
1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1/3 cup)
1 medium red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 to 3 small serrano or jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded and minced (1 to 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons molasses
3/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped
For the crostini:
1 (12-ounce) loaf whole-wheat bread
1 large clove garlic, cut in 1/2
Olive oil, for drizzling
prep: 40 minutes
total: 1 hour , allow at least 1 hour marinating time
resealable plastic food storage bag
box grater
grill (or grill pan)
medium bowl
cutting board
large plate
1. Combine the olive oil, garlic, lime zest (if using), onion, mustard, cumin and chipotle chili powder in a resealable plastic food storage bag. Add the beef and seal; massage to coat and let sit for 1 hour or up to overnight.
2. Remove meat from the bag and pat dry; season generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Discard the marinade.
3. Prepare the grill. If using a gas grill, heat it to medium. If using a charcoal grill, start the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, pile them on one side to create 2 zones, for direct and indirect heat. Oil the grate.
4. Place the prepared ears of corn over direct heat and grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning until all sides have grill marks. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.
5. As soon as the ears are cool enough to handle, stand the corncobs on end and cut the kernels from the cob.
6. Transfer the kernels to a medium bowl. Add the bell peppers, onion, serrano or jalapeño pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil, molasses and parsley and toss well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
7. Grill the meat for 1 minute, then give the meat a quarter-turn and grill 60 seconds to form crosshatch grill marks. Flip over and repeat.
8. Move the meat to the indirect heat area of the grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until it reaches the desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board to rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into thin slices.
9. While the meat is resting, grill the slices of bread over direct heat for a few minutes, until both sides have grill marks. Transfer to a plate and rub the slices on both sides with the cut sides of the garlic clove halves, then drizzle the bread with olive oil.
10. To assemble, place the crostini on individual plates and top with some of the relish. Fan the slices of beef on top. Serve immediately, with extra crostini passed at the table.
