Name: Grilled Cilantro-Lime Skirt Steak and Bok Choy
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems; ½ cup fresh basil leaves; ¼ cup fresh mint leaves; ¼ cup packed light brown sugar; 6 garlic cloves, peeled; 1½ teaspoons table salt, divided; ¾ teaspoon pepper, divided; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus ¼ cup juice (2 limes); ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided; 2½ tablespoons fish sauce, divided; 1½ pounds skirt steak, trimmed and cut crosswise into 3- to 4-inch pieces; 5 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), halved, washed and dried thoroughly

Why This Recipe Works

Skirt steak’s loose grain and thin profile make for lots of surface area for holding onto marinades and seasonings. Here we make a savory-sweet marinade with lots of fresh herbs, brown sugar, fish sauce, and lime zest. We stir a portion of the herb paste into a lime vinaigrette for a tangy finishing drizzle. Halved heads of baby bok choy cooked quickly on the grill, resulting in tender-crisp stems topped with crunchy charred leaves.

Before You Begin

Bok choy can sometimes be sandy near the inner base of the head; washing it after halving ensures any sand can be easily removed. Skirt steak is most tender when cooked to medium (130 to 135 degrees). Serve with jasmine rice.

Instructions

Pulse ½ cup cilantro leaves and stems, ½ cup basil leaves, ¼ cup mint leaves, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar, 6 peeled garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon table salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon grated lime zest, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses. Transfer 2 tablespoons herb paste to small bowl and whisk in ¼ cup lime juice, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1½ teaspoons fish sauce; set dressing aside. Transfer remaining herb paste to large bowl and stir in remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce. Add 1½ pounds skirt steak, trimmed and cut crosswise into 3- to 4-inch pieces and toss to coat.

Toss 5 heads baby bok choy, halved, washed and dried thoroughly with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Grill steak and bok choy over hot fire until meat registers 130 to 135 degrees and bok choy is tender and charred, 5 to 10 minutes, flipping as needed for even browning. Slice steak thin against grain and serve with bok choy and dressing.