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Char-Grilled Rib-Eye Steak with Mint “Pickle”

Prep Time:  15 mins.

     Cook Time:  10 mins. plus 10 mins. rest

     Serves:  4

This is not your mother’s mint sauce. In Nepali cooking, the word “pickle” (also called chutney or achar) refers to a wide range of traditional preparations that are used as relish, dressing, marinade or condiment.

Ingredients

  • 2 large or 4 medium rib-eye steaks (1-1/2 to 2 inches thick)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1-1/2 to 2 cups loosely packed mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
  • 4 to 5 medium garlic cloves
  • 2 to 4 jalapeños
  • Juice of 2 limes (or to taste)

Directions

  1. Dry steaks well with paper towels; generously salt and pepper them. Prepare an indirect charcoal fire on one side of a kettle-type charcoal grill.
  2. While charcoal is heating, mince mint and cilantro on a large cutting board. Move them off to the side, then mince the garlic. Sprinkle garlic generously with salt and, using the flat of a knife, mash garlic into a paste. Combine garlic and herbs; continue to chop and mash a couple more minutes. Now mince jalapeños (as many as you think you can take!), add them to the herbs and continue to mince and mash until mixture is dark green and a little juicy. Transfer to a bowl, add lime juice to taste, and stir in just enough water to submerge herbs.
  3. Grill the steaks on the “cool” side of the grill (lid on), flipping them as you like until the internal temperature reaches 115 degrees on an instant thermometer. Now sear them on both sides directly over the hot coals (lid off ) until temperature reaches 125 degrees.
  4. Remove steaks, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes, then slice them medium-thick across the grain. Serve with mint pickle.

Notes

Suggestions This fiery, mint-centric version of a Nepali "pickle" is fantastic with lamp chops, mixed into rice, drizzled over sliced tomatoes and tossed with hot, out-of-the-pod edamame. And lordy, what it does for grilled rib-eyes. If it's mid-summer and you're overrun with garlic scapes, try substituting finely chopped scapes for the garlic cloves. The garlic flavor will be a bit milder.