Adapted from a recipe in “100 Perfect Pairings: Main Dishes to Enjoy with Wines You Love”
A version of this dish is part of my regular repertoire. Sometimes I do it with salmon instead of steak, and sometimes I roast or pan-sear instead of grilling. But I always use a forkful of potato to wipe up every last bit of the seductive Spanish red pepper sauce. (For more about romesco, see this post.)
Serves 4
- 1 1/4 pounds red or white creamer or boiling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch wedges (see note)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, ideally outside skirt (for more about skirt steak, see this post)
- About 1 cup Romesco Sauce (recipe below)
Special equipment: Grill pan or skewers, soaked in water for at least 10 minutes if they’re wood or bamboo
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan or small stockpot, cover with water by 1 inch, and stir in enough salt to make the water taste like the ocean (about 1 tablespoon of coarse kosher salt per quart). Bring to a boil over high heat. The potatoes should be just tender—if not, reduce to a simmer, and cook until they are, 2 or 3 minutes. Drain well and transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Set aside until cool enough to handle. (You can also cook the potatoes in the microwave, cooking on high and tossing every 2 or so minutes, until tender.) (You can make the potatoes 2 or 3 days in advance, storing them covered in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.)
Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the pepper. If not using a grill pan, thread them onto skewers. Set aside.
To make the steak, first notice that the grain of the meat (the stripe of the muscle fibers) runs width-wise. This will come into play when you slice it later. Now cut the steak into two or three 5- to 7-inch lengths.
Preheat a grill, with a grilling pan, if using, to high heat. Meanwhile, sprinkle both sides of the steak with the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
When the grill is good and hot, lightly oil the grate, then add the steak pieces. Add the potatoes (to the grill pan, if using). Cook the steak undisturbed until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Cook the potatoes until browned and lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Set the potatoes aside, lightly covered, to keep warm.
Notice the grain, or the stripes in the meat, again. Thinly slice the steak pieces across the grain (perpendicular to the stripes). Arrange the slices on plates or a platter. Add the potatoes and drizzle with the Romesco Sauce. Serve any remaining Romesco Sauce at the table.
NOTE By “1/2-inch wedges” I mean wedges where the back side of the wedge is about 1/2-inch wide. For 1 1/2- to 2-inch diameter potatoes, that will mean cutting them into 6 wedges each.
Romesco Sauce
This recipe makes more romesco than you’ll need for the skirt steak and potatoes, but leftover romesco is a very, very good thing. I like to freeze it in an ice cube tray, pop the frozen cubes into a resealable bag, and stash it back in the freezer. Then it’s readily available to use it as a pizza sauce, as sandwich spread (grilled eggplant on a ciabatta bun with romesco—heaven!), or simply to dress up an otherwise ordinary grilled chicken breast.
Makes about 3 cups
3/4 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers or piquillo peppers
4 ounces slivered almonds (about 7/8 cup), toasted
3 ounces French or Italian bread, with crusts, cut or torn into 1-inch pieces (you should have 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic
5 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons brandy
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the red peppers, almonds, bread, and garlic and pulse to coarsely chop, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add the vinegar, brandy, paprika, tomato paste, salt, and cayenne and process to a coarse paste, scraping down the bowl as necessary. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Taste and add more vinegar and/or salt if you like. (You can prepare the Romesco Sauce in advance, storing it in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for several months.)
