Grilled Skirt Steak with Balsamic Cipollini Onions and Arugula

by Shirl

The end of summer season has arrived; so has the Labor Day weekend. I always love to mark the occasion with a barbeque. However, the relentless heat wave and wildfires that dogged Los Angeles in recent days rendered the idea of a barbeque party less than appealing this time around. So, this year, my summer did not exactly end in a high (barbecue flavor) note.

Still, I decided I wouldn’t while away my last days of summer without having some grilling. So I did, in the kitchen.

steak with balsamic sauce

It was a grilled skirt steak, with cipollinis roasted in sweet balsamic along with an arugula salad dressed in lemon vinaigrette. My attempt to incarnate that spirit of summer that I relished turned out pretty well, I thought.

Fall will set in soon. I plan on making this dish whenever I find myself missing summer. I may not be able to find cipollinis, but I could use shallots. If I have roast chicken left over in my refrigerator, I wouldn’t even bother to grill a steak. Those balsamic onions would do wonder to roast chicken, I can tell you from experience. What matters is the spirit of summer lives on...

This recipe is great for parties. Just quadruple this recipe, and add another dish such as Roast Vegetables Couscous and a dessert like Panna Cotta; now you are ready to invite your friends and family over!



Grilled Skirt Steak with Balsamic Cipollini (Serves 2)


Skirt Steak, 8-10 oz (250g)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, ½ Cup (125ml), plus 4 Teaspoons (20ml) to coat steak
Cipollini Onions, about a dozen
Balsamic Vinegar, ¼ Cup (60ml)
Honey, 2 Teaspoons (10ml), divided (optional)
Fresh Thyme, a few sprigs
Lemon, 1 medium-sized
Arugula, about 3 - 4 cups
Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper


1. Preheat oven at 350F (175C). Boil a pot of water for blanching the onions.

2. Season skirt steak generously with salt. Brush steak with olive oil until it’s well-coated. Let sit in room temperature while you prepare the onions.

3. Blanch cipollini onions in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and let cool for a few minutes. Then cut ends off and remove outer skin.

pearl onions

4. Mix balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in a teaspoon or so honey depending on your balsamic and how sweet you’d like. Toss onions and thyme in and coat them evenly with balsamic mixture. Pour in an oven-proof dish. Roast in preheated oven until tender and somewhat caramelized, about 15-20 minutes.

5. Preheat grill pan or skillet over medium-high to high heat. Grill steak on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Turn steak over and cook for another 3-4 minutes until medium-rare. Remove steak from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Then slice steak against the grain into 1/4” thick slices.

6. While the steak rests, prepare vinaigrette to dress the arugula. Juice the lemon in a mixing bowl. If you like to add honey, thin one teaspoon of honey with a couple of teaspoons of warm water. Mix into lemon juice. Now whisk in ¼ cup of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over arugula and mix evenly.

7. To serve, mount arugula in the center on a large plate. Add steak slices. Then add cipollini onions and pour the warm balsamic sauce over the salad. Give it a round of freshly ground black pepper when served.

From our partner: LO+JUNE

From our partner: LO+JUNE
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