Recipe: Mexican Flank Steak with Mock Tamales and Sassy Salsa

MEXICAN FLANK STEAK WITH MOCK TAMALES

1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, well-trimmed
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons jalapeno peppers, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mock Tamales (recipe follows)
Sassy Salsa (recipe follows)
GARNISHES:
Lemon slices
Jalapeno peppers
Cilantro sprigs

Combine lemon juice, oil, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, salt and black pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade.

Place beef flank steak in plastic bag; add remaining marinade, turning to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 to 8 hours (or overnight, if desired), turning occasionally.

Prepare Sassy Salsa at least 1 hour before serving. Approximately 15 minutes before grilling, prepare Mock Tamales.

TO GRILL:
Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Place steak on grid over medium coals.* Place mock tamales around outer edge of grid. Grill steak and mock tamales 12 to 15 minutes for rare to medium, turning steak and tamales once and brushing steak occasionally with reserved marinade.

TO SERVE:
Place steak and tamales on warm platter. Spoon 1/4 cup of Sassy Salsa over tamales. Garnish platter with lemon slices, jalapeno peppers and cilantro sprigs. Carve steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Serve steak and tamales with remaining salsa.

*To check temperature, cautiously hold hand about 4 inches above coals. Medium coals will force removal of hand in 4 seconds.

MOCK TAMALES

1 cup sharp shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Muenster cheese
2 tablespoons minced green onions with tops
6 flour tortillas (7-inches in diameter)

Combine Cheddar cheese, Muenster cheese and green onions. Place equal amounts of cheese mixture in center of each tortilla. Fold bottom side of tortilla over filling; fold two sides in over filling. Fold down top side of tortilla enclosing filling. Wrap each mock tamale in 8x12-inch sheet of aluminum foil, twisting each end.

SASSY SALSA

2 tomatillos, no hull or skin
3 large garlic cloves
2 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
3 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place tomatillos and garlic in food processor bowl fitted with steel blade or blender container; cover and process until finely chopped. Combine tomatillo mixture, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, cilantro, lemon juice and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (or overnight, if desired) to blend flavors.

Makes 6 servings
Source: National Cattlemen's Beef Association and Susan Parenti