Enough Skirt Steak and Crispy Potatoes with Salsas

Enough of the baking binges, the walks with novels, the walks with dogs, the walks just to walk further than the house is long; enough of worrying each sneeze and sniffle, enough of feverish temperature checking, tomato checking, petunia checking, chicken nest checking, checking the mail, checking the phone, checking the weather for the first hurricane; enough of wanting nothing more than a hug, of air high fives and kisses blown across six foot spaces; enough of wondering who will make it and who will not and whether or not the unlucky who might be me or you; Enough is enough.

You deserve an immense and flavorful dinner. This isn’t your average Meat and Potatoes meal. Hang in there and happy Memorial Day.

Skirt Steak with Asparagus and Salsa de Semillas

Adapted from Food and Wine

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1/2 cup cashews, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup raw pepitas

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds (I used plain sesame seeds)

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

1 tablespoon Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming spice

2-3 red dedo de moca Brazilian hot chilis, chopped

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

1 (1 1/2-pound) skirt steak

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

Lime wedges, cilantro leaves, and cooked long-grain rice, for serving

Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low until fragrant. Add cashews, pepitas, sesame seeds, garlic, and oregano; cook, stirring often, until cashews are light golden and toasted, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 1 tablespoon Arizona Dreaming spice, chilis and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Transfer to a small bowl.

Slice steak with the grain into 3-inch-wide strips; slice strips against the grain into 3/8-inch-wide strips.   

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high. Add half of the steak; sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, undisturbed, until a crust forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook just until no longer pink, about 15 seconds. Transfer steak to a medium bowl, and wipe skillet clean. Repeat process using 1 tablespoon oil, remaining steak, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Wipe skillet clean.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet; heat over high. Add asparagus; cook, stirring often, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Return steak and accumulated juices to skillet. Stir in additional Arizona Dreaming spice, to taste; season with salt, if desired.

Transfer steak mixture to a serving plate; top with 1/4 cup salsa. Squeeze limes over steak mixture; garnish with cilantro, and serve with rice and remaining salsa.

Crispy Potatoes with Avocado Salsa

Adapted from Food and Wine

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/3 cup cold water, plus more as needed

1 medium serrano chile, stemmed, seeded (if desired), and roughly chopped

1 dedo de moca Brazilian hot red pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 small avocado, pitted

1/2 cup pickled hot jalapeño slices 

1 1/2 tablespoons pickling liquid 

2 ounces Cotija cheese, grated on smallest holes of a box grater (about 1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss together potatoes, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a rimmed baking sheet, and spread in a single layer. Bake in preheated oven until fork-tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

Increase oven temperature to 500°F. Using the bottom of a 1-cup dry measuring cup, smash potatoes to about 1/2-inch thickness. (Make sure smashed potatoes are still in a single layer.) Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Bake at 500°F until bottoms of potatoes are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Flip potatoes, drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake until edges of potatoes are crispy and golden, 8 to 12 minutes.

While potatoes bake, process onion, 1/3 cup water, serrano, 3 tablespoons cilantro, lime juice, and remaining 11/4 teaspoons salt in a blender until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add avocado, and process until smooth, about 10 seconds. If needed, pulse in additional cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach a thick but pourable consistency.

Transfer warm potatoes to a large bowl; add pickled jalapeño slices and pickling liquid, Cotija, and 1/2 cup cilantro; toss to coat. Spoon avocado salsa into 4 small bowls; top evenly with potato mixture, and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve immediately.

This week’s product pick:

Kermit hasn’t had enough. Nope. Everyday he asks for more. These gifted treats from West Paw keep his tail wagging, his sad eyes sagging, and his wet nose ticking the backs of my knees to remind me what the pantry portends.