A Feast for 7

One of the last times Weston and I went over to his parents house, we had this amazing carne asada.

Then, last Sunday, Weston and I had a group of friends over and we decided that we should make that carne asada for ourselves. It was so good, we didn't want to share it. But that was the point of inviting friends over. We served it in tortillas with cilantro lime rice, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, pepper-jack cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and minced jalapeño.

Carne Asada

3 lbs flank or skirt steak (Or we just got an eye-of-the-round steak and cut it into steaks. Easier to find and cheaper.)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

For the Marinade:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 tsp cumin

1 large handful fresh cilantro, chopped (Be sure to use both leaves and stems. The stems have a lot of great flavor.)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 limes, juiced

2 tsp while vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a medium bowl. Lay the steaks in a bowl or baking dish. (Glass is best because of the kinds of ingredients you use. Not the best for metal.) Pour the marinade over the steaks, making certain that the steaks are covered. Cover the bowl or dish and allow to refrigerate for 1-4 hours, or longer if you are using the roast.

Preheat the grill over a medium-high flame. When you are ready to cook, season both sides with salt and pepper. Brush the grates with olive oil. Cook each steak only a few minutes on each side until medium. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then thinly slice the meat across the grain on a bias.

You can also do this inside the house. Just preheat your oven on the broil setting and using a broiling pan or oven grill.

Lime Cilantro Rice

2 cups water

1 cup white rice

1 T butter

1 tsp fresh lime zest

2 T fresh lime juice

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Bring the water to a boil. Add the butter and allow it to melt, then add the rice. Cover and cook for 17-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Mix in the lime juice and zest. Serve immediately.