Recipe: Grilled Steak Marinated in Citrus (Palomilla)

GRILLED STEAK MARINATED IN CITRUS (PALOMILLA)
Makes 4 servings

"Make sure you grill the steaks very quickly over a very hot fire. Since they are thin, they can overcook in an instant. Drizzle with a bit of braised garlic-thyme mojo with lime. This recipe is a grilled version of a classic Cuban dish."

Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange (about 1/3 cup)
Freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup)
3/4 cup lager beer, preferably dark and toasty, such as Negro Modelo
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
2 pounds boneless sirloin steaks, not more than 1/2 inch thick, trimmed of fat
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Braised Garlic-Thyme Mojo with Lime (recipe follows)
Lime wedges

In a large glass or ceramic baking dish, combine the orange and lime juices, beer, onion and salt. Add the steaks, turn to coat both sides, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the grill to very hot. Lift the steaks out of the marinade and grill just until both sides are well-browned, three to four minutes total. Do not overcook. Season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with braised garlic-thyme mojo with lime. Serve with lime wedges. Discard remaining marinade.

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BRAISED GARLIC-THYME MOJO WITH LIME
Makes 1 1/2 cups

"This mojo is my version of a Cuban classic. I love it drizzled on sliced steak."

1/2 teaspoon roasted garlic*
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups homemade or canned low-sodium chicken broth
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Combine the garlic, oregano, thyme, broth and lime juice in a small non-aluminum saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Let simmer for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, whisk the butter into the hot sauce. Serve immediately.

*TO ROAST CLOVES OF GARLIC:
Separate cloves from the head. Place unpeeled cloves in a baking dish with one tablespoon of olive oil per garlic head. Bake uncovered in a 400-degree F oven about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cloves are richly browned and soft. Remove from oven and cool. At this point, the skins are crisp and can be easily removed. These can be prepared several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Source: Bistro Latino by Rafael Palomino