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Spice-Crusted Skirt Steak with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Wine Pairing: Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Ingredients

• Spice Rub

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced to a paste
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 pounds skirt steak, trimmed

• Toasted Pumpkin Seed Pesto

  • 1 cup pepitas (toasted pumpkin seeds), or chile-dusted pepitas
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup parsley leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Cilantro for garnish

Directions

Spices: Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix the garlic, olive oil and salt together in a flat cake pan. Measure out the cumin, coriander and peppercorns into the base of a spice grinder. Grind them together to a powder. Pour ground spices into the pan with the garlic paste and add the paprika, cinnamon and cloves. Stir to combine with a fork.

Prepare the Steak: Trim the steak of silver skin, leaving most of the fat. Rub the steak with the spice mixture. (Wash your hands thoroughly right afterwards).

Toasted Pumpkin Seed Pesto: Put pepitas, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cinnamon, lime juice, olive oil and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl for serving.

Grill: Preheat grill (or if cooking inside, a ridged stove-top grill) to medium high heat. Place steak on the hot grill and cook for about 2 minutes until a nice crust forms (don't burn spice rub, light grill marks are ok). Turn and cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the meat to a sheet pan. When all the steaks have been browned, transfer meat to the oven and finish cooking, about 5 minutes.

Serve: Slice the steak into thin strips, on the bias, against the grain. Serve immediately with a dollop of Pumpkin Seed Salsa and a sprig of cilantro.

Serves 8