Serves 8-10 people

Ingredients

For the Rice

3 T light olive oil
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, sliced
4 C rice
5 C water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
3 bay leaves
Pinch of saffron, crushed & bloomed in 1 T water
½ bn cilantro stems, finely minced
1 ½ C crushed tomatoes (Pomi brand)

For the Steak

4 lbs skirt steak
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 shallots, minced
4 bay leaves
¼ C lime juice
2 T rice bran oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Grilled Onions

3 yellow onions, sliced into
¼ inch rounds

For the Mojo

2 bn cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 bn parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 bn oregano leaves, finely chopped
2 shallots, minced
5 garlic cloves, microplaned
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp espelette pepper (or ½ tsp chili flakes)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp salt
¾ C extra-virgin olive oil
¼ C red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 2 limes

For the Garnish

Lime wedges
Optional: sliced avocado

Special Equipment

Rice cooker
Cast iron grill pan

Instructions

For the Rice

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté onion and garlic until soft.  Stir in rice and toast for 5 minutes, until it smells nutty and starts to brown.  Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to very low and cover.  Cook for 20 – 25 minutes, until tender.  Fluff rice and stir in butter.

For the Mojo

Mix all ingredients except the lime juice and vinegar.  Stir thoroughly to coat everything with the olive oil.  Then add the lime juice and vinegar (this will help lessen oxidation).  The consistency should be like a runny pesto.  Let sit at room temperature to let the flavors marry as long as possible. (Alternatively, blend all ingredients except the oil in a blender, then with the machine still running, slowly emulsify the oil in.)

For the Steak

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients with the steak.  Let marinade as long as time permits.  Heat cast iron grill until just smoking.  Grill about 4 minutes each side, depending on size.  Remove from pan and let rest for 10 minutes, slice on a bias against the grain.

For the Grilled Onions

Toss the onion rounds with a small amount of mojo.  Oil a grill pan and heat to just smoking.  Cook onions until softened and golden brown, about 6 minutes.

To Serve

Divide rice onto platters, top with sliced steak, grilled onions, and generously smother with the mojo.  Garnish with lime wedges and avocado, if using.

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