Grilled Skirt Steak with Grilled Chiles (Manzo Ai Ferri)
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.
When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
3 (1 pound) skirt steaks, each trimmed and halved crosswise
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium shallots (unpeeled)
20 fresh hot red chiles, preferably fresno chiles
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions:
1. Preheat a charcoal grill. Meanwhile, generously season both sides of the steaks with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to grill.
2. Grill the shallots in their skins over medium-hot coals until they are soft when pierced, about 15–20 minutes. Meanwhile, grill the chiles over the same coals, turning often and moving them to edge of grill if they are coloring too quickly, until lightly browned and soft all over, 15–20 minutes. Transfer the shallots and chiles to a plate as done and set them aside until they are cool enough to handle. Stem the chiles, then slice crosswise. (If youre not used to working with chiles, wear rubber gloves when you handle them.) Put the chiles and any juices into a small bowl and add the oil. Peel the shallots and cut into 1/2″ thick slices, and mix into the chiles and oil.
3. Grill the steaks over medium-hot coals for about 2 minutes per side for medium rare or for thinner steaks and about 3 minutes per side for thicker ones. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. Put 1 steak on each plate and spoon the chiles, shallots, and oil over each one. Serve on a bed of dandelion greens or other bitter greens, if you like.
Recipe from Saveur Magazine, July 2004.