Palomilla Steak with Black Beans, Rice, and Sweet Plantains
This meal takes me back to my childhood. I grew up in South Florida, tasting the wonderful Cuban cuisines around me. I am half Cuban and was fortunate enough to grow up watching my grandmother and father cook from their Cuban roots. My American mother was also a very strong influence and could cook a great Cuban meal. This is one of my favorites.
This meal takes me back to my childhood. I grew up in South Florida, tasting the wonderful Cuban cuisines around me. I am half Cuban and was fortunate enough to grow up watching my grandmother and father cook from their Cuban roots. My American mother was also a very strong influence and could cook a great Cuban meal. This is one of my favorites.
- Carbohydrate 8.81681775024401 g
- Cholesterol 7.6325 mg
- Fat 3.99043150039229 g
- Fiber 2.62573745159711 g
- Protein 2.12804125011449 g
- Saturated Fat 1.98577150005505 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (174g)
- Sodium 34.6964750021659 mg
- Sugar 6.1910802986469 g
- Trans Fat 0.305197250019011 g
- Calories 70 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the steaks between two sheets of wax paper and use a meat hammer to make them very thin.
- Make a marinade of the juice of one lime (reserving 1 tablespoon for later), 2 of the cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Let marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour.
- When ready to cook, take steaks out to come to room temperature. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. While reserving marinade, drop the steaks in, one or two at a time, being careful as these steaks will cook fast. Only a few minutes per side is needed for medium-rare. When done, take out and set on a plate to keep warm with foil covering while you finish up with the sliced sauteed onion.
- Pour the leftover marinade into the same frying pan in which you cooked the steaks. Add the tablespoon of butter, remaining tablespoon of lime juice and last clove of minced garlic to the pan. Deglaze the pan by stirring up all of the bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Toss your onion slices into the pan and saute until they are golden in color. When done, transfer your onion slices and marinade juices and top your steaks with this mixture. Garnish with remaining 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley.
- This is usually served with white rice, black beans, fried plantains and fresh lime sections.
Timing dictates the success of this dish the moment the thin beef hits the hot pan. Because top-round steaks are pounded to a thickness of less than a quarter-inch, they require only ninety seconds to two minutes per side over medium-high heat. Leaving them in the pan a moment longer transforms tender meat into a tough, gray cut. Letting the meat rest under foil for five minutes allows the muscle fibers to relax before the warm onion sauce goes on top.
Scaling and Substitutions
Multiplying this recipe for a crowd requires careful attention to pan capacity. Crowding the skillet drops the oil temperature rapidly, causing the meat to steam rather than sear. Cook the steaks in batches of no more than two at a time, wiping the skillet clean between rounds if accumulated bits begin to burn. When top-round is unavailable, sirloin tip cut thin can substitute at a one-to-one ratio, though it contains slightly less internal fat and dries out faster. Swapping fresh lime juice for bottled alternatives introduces a metallic acidity that ruins the garlic marinade. Fresh citrus remains essential for breaking down the surface proteins during the one-hour refrigeration window.
- Meat is tough: Slices were likely cut too thick or cooked past medium-rare.
- Sauce is watery: The skillet lacked sufficient heat during deglazing to reduce the liquid.
- Onions lack sweetness: Heat was too high, causing them to char before softening.
