Day 38: Skirt Steak marinated in Soy, Ginger, and Lime with Red Onion Toasts, and Potatoes and Garlic Baked in Parchment

I love skirt (or hanger) steak.  ( Asado's in Tacoma makes a great hanger steak.)  I've never cooked it, and it's probably because I couldn't find it in any store (I went to four).  So I improvised, and picked up some thin cut beef that had a sticker that said, great for marinating.  Can't remember what kind of steak it was though.  This is a very quick meal to put together -- the sauce was the hardest thing to make!

I'm behind a couple recipes so I decided to also make New Potatoes and Garlic Baked in Parchment.  Except I didn't have any parchment paper so I used aluminum foil.  And I didn't have any new potatoes, so I used red potatoes and diced them.  And I thought baking the garlic with their skins on seemed weird so I peeled them.  Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly!

The meal was a big hit, except now we all have a severe case of garlic breath!

Skirt Steak marinated in Soy, Ginger, and Lime with Red Onion Toasts
A Great American Cook
Yield:  Serves 4

2 lbs skirt or hanger steak
One 2 inch piece fresh ginger
1 lime
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves
1 cup dry red wine
3 shallots
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 red onion
4 slices sourdough bread

     Pat the steak dry with paper towels and place it in a nonreactive baking pan.
     Peel and grate the ginger.  Juice the lime.  In a small bowl, mix the ginger with the lime juice and soy sauce.  Smash 2 of the garlic cloves and add them to the marinade.  Pour the  mixture over the steak, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
     Remove the steak from the marinade and place on a platter.  Discard the garlic and ginger and reserve the marinade.
     Bring the red wine to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat.  Chop the shallots and add them to the wine.  Boil to reduce the wine to 1/4 cup.  Stir in the butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.
     Meanwhile, heat the broiler.  Slice the onion into 1/4 inch thick rounds and place on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with the reserved marinade and broil the onion until tender and dark brown, about 10 minutes.  Be careful not to burn it.  Transfer to a plate and set aside.  Leave the broiler on.
     Place the steak on the broiler pan and broil, turning once, just until medium rare, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely to keep warm.
     Toast the bread on both sides under the broiler.  Meanwhile, reheat the sauce over low heat.
     Split the remaining garlic clove in half and rub the slices of toast with the garlic.  Place a slice of toast on each plate.  Divide the onion among the toasts.  Slice the steak and place on the plates.  Top the steak with the red wine sauce and serve.

New Potatoes and Garlic Baked in Parchment
The Greens Cook Book
Yield:  Makes one packet; serves one.

1 sheet baking parchment, approximately 11 by 16
4 to 5 small new potatoes (about 5 ounces total)
4 to 5 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
Small branch of rosemary or several thyme branches
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
Salt
Pepper
  
     If the potatoes are really small, an inch across or less, keep them whole; otherwise cut them into pieces that are more or less the same size, slightly smaller than an inch square.  Leave the skins on if the potatoes are fresh.
     Preheat the oven to 400.  Fold the paper in half to make a crease; then open and lay the potatoes on the lower half.  Tuck in the garlic cloves and the rosemary or pepper.  Bring the top side of the paper back down; then roll tightly along the edges to form a pouch, giving a firm final twist at the end to hold the package closed.
     Bake the packages for 30 minutes, and serve immediately, while they are hot and inflated.  Instead of individual packages, you can also make a single large one, from which people can help themselves.

Tomorrow night:  Pork Shoulder with Mole Sauce!