In our house you can NEVER go wrong with a combination of cilantro and lime.
We use lemon and lime with almost everything…and cilantro is simply a no-brainer.
I could eat fresh herbs with every meal ~ seriously.
We also love a really good steak.
A really good RARE steak.
And, as the princess that I am, I insist upon filet – beef tenderloin –
…only the best for this little tiara touting lady.
**A little side note…I made the cilantro lime sauce just one day ahead. The brilliant green and gorgeous vibrance of the cilantro was lost a bit overnight. This bummed me out. However, it does, as you can see, highlight the extreme lime green.
Enjoy!
Cilantro Lime Steak Strips
1 8oz. filet (beef tenderloin)
sea salt and pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup fresh cilantro (loosely packed)
1 cup fresh basil (loosely packed)
1/2 of 1 Preserved Lime, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
Bring the steak to room temperature, over the course of an hour or so. Liberally season with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.
Preheat the oven, along with a cast iron skillet, to 500 degrees.
Quickly place the steak in the cast iron pan (hot) in the hot oven. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip. Cook an additional 3 minutes, creating a beautiful sear on both sides. (This creates a VERY rare steak. If you want something slightly less red, increase the cooking time on each side by 1-2 minutes).
Remove the steak from the oven. Transfer to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes before thinly slicing.
Meanwhile, combine the fresh herbs, Preserved Lime, oil, and pepper flakes in a high speed blender. Blend and pulse until thick and chunky.
Toss the cilantro lime sauce with the steak strips. Serve over cilantro lime rice and perhaps some fresh, cotija cheese.
Your timing is impeccable. In that way, it goes well with your culinary taste. 🙂 We are having some friends over for an afternoon/evening dinner tomorrow and will be grilling a couple flat iron steaks to be cut on the oblique and laid out all purty like. A bit like in your pics. I was wondering what I could add to the flesh and was thinking a chimichurri (sp?) something or other, but that takes time. And then, this C4M post. Easy and fast. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thank you!
Timing IS everything, as are taste and presentation ? Can you send photos of the food and your shin-dig? I can’t wait to hear all about it. Summer time is truly divine.
Hello!
You know, I was thinking about taking a picture, but then since I’m no longer on Instagram (and trying to be more “present”), I let it go and didn’t snap the shot. The color was beautiful and the flavor, even better. I used lemon preserves instead of lime preserves. Though I’ve previously made the former, I didn’t have any on hand, and the stores didn’t have any lime preserves. Bought the lemon preserves and glad I did. Used flat iron steak (which is woefully underrated) instead of tenderloin. (I still need to learn my cuts of meat a bit more.) My grill-guy let it get a little beyond the medium rare I was gunning for, but it was still tender and flavorful. Both meat and this combination chimchurri-pesto relish (as I’m calling) was loved by our guests. And me, too. Matter of fact, will make up some more with the left over cilantro and basil for this weekend. Great idea, Ashley! Thank you for the recipe.
Gm.
Oh this sounds amazing. I can see it all come together in my mind…the citrus preserves. Oh my! I do wish you had snapped a shot for me, but like the idea of your “presence.” That’s always a good thing when it comes to company, food, and life!
I do believe your flat iron cut was an excellent choice. Cuts like flat iron and skirt steak are far under-rated, in my opinion. Way to go! 🙂
Made a double load again last night for this weekend. Will take a shot this time and be sure to send it to you. Hope you’re well,
Gm.
I can’t wait!!!