Flank Steak and Salsa

I remember my mother serving us flank steak because it was an inexpensive steak; she told us it cost less per pound than Hamburg. She learned that if she marinated the steak and cut it very thin and at an angle against the grain, it would be tender and delicious.Marinating anything was a new concept to her in the 70’s, but it made this inexpensive steak flavorful and tender.

Although flank steak is no longer as inexpensive as it was in the 70’s, I still serve it and I have a lot of recipes for marinating it. Here is my favorite. I serve this with canned refried beans for a complete meal.

I love this marinade but I especially love the salsa that I make to go along with it. Marinade the steak the night before for the best flavor and make the salsa no longer than an hour before serving because the avocado gets mushy and doesn’t look as pretty. That does not mean leftover salsa should be thrown away. It may not look the best the next day, but it is still just as delicious! Leftover flank steak is great whether it is a few hours old or a day old. This is not really a “Cooking Around the Carpool” recipe because you can’t do a little preparation, run around town, then do some more preparation, but you can serve it leftover if you family doesn’t come home for diner all at the same time. Also, this steak fits summertime BBQ; your guests will love it.

Ingredients

2/3 cup frozen margarita drink mix concentrate, thawed

¼ cup vegetable oil

6 tablespoon fresh cilantro - chopped - you can buy this at one of our local farmer's markets

8 cloves garlic - minced

4 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoons black pepper

1  1 ¾ - 2 lb. flank steak

Salsa

2 large ripe tomatoes - diced

1 large red onion – chopped

2 ripe avocadoes - chopped

In medium bowl, combine margarita mix, vegetable oil, cilantro, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper; mix well.  Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside - you will use this in the salsa.  Place steak and remaining marinade in a sealable plastic storage bag, turning to coat. Marinate in refrigerator overnight.

To make salsa:

An hour before you serve the steak, combine avocado, tomato, onion and the reserved 1/3 cup of marinade; mix well. Serve at room temperature and refrigerate the leftovers.

Grill steak for 4-5 minutes per side.  Let the steak stand uncut for 5-8 minutes before cutting so the juices can settle and won’t run out as soon as you cut it.

Serve steak with avocado salsa.