Fine Cooking is my favorite food magazine. The recipes are spot on and the magazine's pages are filled with mouth watering pictures (like the one below). Recently, I was reading Fine Cooking on the beach, looking for something to grill that night. I wanted something beyond traditional grill food. Since I live in the city, with neither a grill or a backyard, grilling is a special occasion not to be wasted on hamburgers and hotdogs. I decided on MoJo Marinated & Grilled Flank Steak. This recipe is directly from the magazine. The only adaptation I made was to use steak seasoning instead of cumin seeds (I forgot to buy a jar at the supermarket).
For the mojo:
2 habaneros or other spicy chiles, cored, seeded, and minced (wear rubber gloves)
1 tsp. kosher salt
4 tsp. whole cumin seeds, toasted
1 cup olive oil
2/3 cup sour orange juice (or 1/3 cup fresh lime juice plus 1/3 cup fresh orange juice)
1-1/2 Tbs. sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1-1/2 lb. flank steak
1 or 2 large Bermuda onions, thickly sliced and brushed with olive oil (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To make the mojo:
"Mash the raw garlic,chiles, salt, and cumin together in a mortar and pestle until fairly smooth. (Alternatively, use a food processor, pulsing until the ingredients are finely chopped but not puréed.) Scrape the mixture into a bowl and set aside.
Heat the olive oil until fairly hot but not smoking, and pour it over the garlic-chile mixture (the oil should sizzle when it hits the cool ingredients), stir, and let stand 10 min. This will cook the garlic slightly. Whisk in the sour orange juice and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool completely.
Put the steak in a zip-top bag or a shallow bowl and pour in 1 cup of the cooled mojo. Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Refrigerate the remaining 1 cup of mojo."
To cook and serve:
"Light a charcoal or gas grill. When the grill is very hot, remove the steak from the marinade (discard the marinade), pat dry, and season with salt and pepper; cook 5 to 7 min. on one side and 3 to 4 min. on the other for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 min. (If you like, grill the Bermuda onions as well—you can put them on at the same time as the flank steak; grill 6 to 7 min. per side.) Meanwhile, warm the reserved mojo over low heat. Slice the flank steak very thinly on the bias and serve with the reserved mojo and the grilled onions."
Notes from my kitchen:
It is VERY IMPORTANT not to over cook the steak. I grilled each side for about 5 minutes and the steak came out perfect. Also, make sure to cut against the grain. This is a tip I learned from America's Test Kitchen. Otherwise, the steak will be chewy.
Usually, I take my own photos after I cook. It was too dark and I totally forgot anyway. I just couldn't wait to dig in. The photo above is from Fine Cooking. I hope it gives you a sense for some of the terrific shots featured in the magazine on a regular basis.
