South American flank steak

South American flank steak

Photograph by Ann Stratton

SERVES 6
TIME About 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients
2 oranges (8 oz. each)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cups lightly packed cilantro, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup (half a 7-oz. can) chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. each ground cumin and ground coriander
About 1/2 tsp. salt
1 beef flank steak (about 1 1/2 lbs.), rinsed and patted dry, fat trimmed

Directions
1. Squeeze juice from 1 orange and pour into a food processor or blender. Add garlic, cilantro, chiles and their sauce, oil, vinegar, cumin, coriander, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Whirl until finely puréed.

2. Place steak in a 1-gal. resealable plastic bag. Pour cilantro-chipotle mixture over steak and seal bag. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

3. Prepare charcoal or gas grill for direct, medium-high heat (you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 4 to 5 seconds); oil cooking grate well. Lift steak from marinade (discard marinade) and lay on cooking grate; close lid if using a gas grill. Cook steak, turning every 4 to 5 minutes, until browned on both sides and done to your liking in center of thickest part (cut to test), about 12 minutes total for medium-rare. Transfer steak to a rimmed board or a platter. Let rest 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Thinly slice meat across the grain. Also slice remaining orange. Serve steak with orange slices to squeeze over servings, and add salt to taste.

PER SERVING 196 cal., 51% (99 cal.) from fat; 17 g protein; 11 g fat (3.3 g sat.); 6 g carbo (1.2 g fiber); 261 mg sodium; 41 mg chol.

Serve with Soquel Vineyards “Pyramid” Meritage 2004 (Santa Cruz Mountains)