Food & Wine USA - (05)May 2020

62 MAY 2020

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shallow dish. Pour^1 / 2 cup chile sauce over

steak, coating evenly. Set remaining chile

sauce aside. Cover flank steak, and let

stand at room temperature at least 2

hours or up to 4 hours. (Alternatively,

marinate in refrigerator 8 hours. Let steak

come to room temperature at least 1 hour

before grilling.)

4. Preheat grill to high (450¡F to 500¡F).
   Without brushing off marinade, place
   steak on oiled grates, and grill, uncovered,
   until charred and a thermometer inserted
   into thickest portion registers 125¡F, 4 to
   6 minutes per side.


5. Remove steak from grill, cover with alu-
   minum foil, and let rest 8 to 10 minutes
   (internal temperature will continue to
   rise). Cut steak against the grain into thin
   strips, and arrange on a serving platter.
   Serve steak with tortillas, remaining chile
   sauce, radishes, cilantro, and lime
   wedges.

MAKE AHEAD Chile paste can be prepared

up to 3 days ahead and stored in an

airtight container in refrigerator.

BEER Earthy, malty beer: Paulaner

Salvator Double Bock

NOTE Dried pasilla de Oaxaca chiles may

be ordered from Amazon.

1. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-
   high, and add chiles. Press flat with the
   back of a spatula, and toast until slightly
   softened and a shade darker but not
   black, 10 to 15 seconds per side. Remove
   chiles from skillet, and let cool slightly.
   Wearing gloves if possible, trim stems; cut
   chiles open, and remove and discard
   seeds. Cut chiles into very small pieces.
   Place chile pieces in a small bowl, and add
   boiling water to cover. Let soak until soft
   and rehydrated, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour
   through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a
   bowl; discard liquid.


2. Using a molcajete, pound and grind
   cumin seeds and peppercorns to a fine
   powder, about 3 minutes. Add garlic;
   pound and grind to a thick paste, about 1
   minute. Add half of the rehydrated chiles
   and 1 teaspoon salt, and pound until not
   much of the chiles are visible, about 4
   minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and remain-
   ing rehydrated chiles, and pound until
   mixture is a thick, relatively smooth paste,
   about 4 minutes. Add orange juice and
   lime juice, a little at a time, stirring with
   pestle to combine. Taste and adjust sea-
   sonings if needed.


3. Season both sides of flank steak with
   remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and place in a

Smoky Pasilla-and-Citrus

Grilled Flank Steak

ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR, PLUS 2 HR

MARINATION; SERVES 4 TO 6

On a recent trip to Oaxaca, Andrea

Slonecker was so mesmerized by fruity,

smoky pasilla de Oaxaca chiles that she

brought back a bag of them along with a

basalt molcajete. In lieu of a traditional

molcajete, you can also use a granite mor-

tar and pestle or a food processor. Chipo-

tle morita or chipotle meco chiles are good

substitutes for the Oaxaca chiles.

6 medium-size dried pasilla de

Oaxaca chiles (see Note)

1 Tbsp. cumin seeds, toasted

1 tsp. black peppercorns

5 garlic cloves

4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

3 / 4 cup fresh orange juice (from 3

oranges)

1 / 4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)

1 (2-lb.) flank steak

Cilantro sprigs (leaves and thin

stems)

Warm corn tortillas, sliced

radishes, and lime wedges, for

serving

The rough

basalt surface

of a molcajete is

great for

grinding spices

and chiles.

($45,

surlatable.com)

FW_0520_Handbook.indd 62 FINAL 3/17/20 3:49 PM