Spice of Life: Marinade your way to grilling perfection
Last Modified: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 5:49 PM
By Eric Cormier / American Press
An evening eating zesty flavored grilled meat with friends is a pleasant way to spend a slow summer evening.
My taste buds enjoy getting reacquainted with Latin flavors, especially when pork or beef is cooked on the grill.
This week, I encourage you to try cooking with a Mojo marinade.
Mojo, is a staple condiment in kitchens found in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Canary Islands.
The basic ingredients are garlic, oil, cumin, cilantro and citrus juice.
I personally love to use the marinade when preparing Cuban roast pork — Lechon Asado.
But since grilling is the order of the day, the marinade is equally perfect to use.
Prepare black beans and rice along with mojitos and I am sure a sense of satisfaction will show on your guest’s face.
Enjoy.
Mojo Marinated Flank Steak with Grilled Onions (makes 4 servings)
Ingredients
• 2 pound flank steak, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin
• 1/2 cup Mojo sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 large white onion, cut into one-inch rings and skewered horizontally through the center
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
• Season steak liberally with salt and pepper. Place steak in a large resealable bag and pour in Mojo sauce. Seal bag, removing as much air as possible, and toss to evenly coat steak in sauce. Let marinate for one hour at room temperature.• Prepare grill (charcoal or gas) for cooking. Remove steak from marinade and pat dry. Place steak on hot side of the grill and cook until well seared on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Move to the cool side of the grill, cover, and continue to cook until the center of the steak registers 125 F on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare, or 135 F for medium. Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
• While steak is resting, brush onion slices all over with olive oil and season with salt. Place over the hot side of the grill and cook until softened and charred, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove to cutting board.
• Carve steak against the grain into 1-inch slices and serve with grilled onions.
Mojo sauce (makes 1 cup)
Ingredients
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup fresh sour orange juice, or 1/3 cup of fresh orange juice and 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
• Place garlic in mortar and pestle. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and work into a smooth paste.
• In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, sour orange juice, oil, oregano, cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
From www.seriouseats.com
Eric Cormier writes about food every Wednesday. Contact him at ecormier@americanpress.com or 494-4090.
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