Bistec a la Criolla are steaks served with a delicious sautéed onion and tomato sauce. You can prepare them with any piece meat but we prepare them with bistec relajado—a piece of meat cut thick and then butterflied to a thickness of a quarter of an inch. This makes them very quick to cook, and larger to the eye than they really are, normally not more than six ounces in weight.
Ingredientes:
- 3 pounds thinly sliced beef (skirt steak, flank steak, or filet)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro
- ½ teaspoon cumin* seeds, toasted (see note below)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 recipe Hogao del Caribe (page XXX)
- Place the beef in a nonreactive container.
- Combine the oil, mustard, garlic, bay leaves, cilantro, cumin*, and pepper. Rub over the beef slices. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 1 to 2 hours.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, cook the beef slices for 2 minutes on each side for medium rare, 3 to 4 minutes for medium, and 5 minutes for well-done. Add the salt while cooking.
- Serve with hogao sauce over it.
Note: There is a world of difference between ground cumin* and cumin* seeds. Try to use the whole seeds. Place them in a small, dry sauté pan over medium heat and swirl the pan for 20 to 30 seconds. The aroma is just divine!
