Steak With Cherry Tomato Chutney
Tomato Week, Bon Appétit’s high-summer celebration of our all-time favorite fruit. Fill your totes with heirlooms and pack your pockets with Sun Golds: Each day, we’re sharing a brand new, extra-delicious way to make the most of this fleeting season.
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 serrano chile or jalapeño, depending on heat preference, thinly sliced
- 1 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- Kosher salt
- 1½ lb. skirt steak, cut into 4"–5" pieces
- Vegetable oil (for steak)
- Cilantro leaves with tender stems (for serving)
- Heat ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Cook 1 tsp. cumin seeds and 1 tsp. fennel seeds, swirling pan, until fragrant and oil around seeds is sizzling, about 1 minute. Add 1 serrano chile or jalapeño, depending on heat preference, thinly sliced, one 1" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, 1 Tbsp. paprika, and 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Cook, stirring often, until very fragrant and bubbling subsides slightly, about 1 minute. Add 1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved, 2 Tbsp. sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, 2 Tbsp. sugar, and a large pinch of kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes burst and have softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Taste chutney and season with more salt if needed; set aside.
- Pat 1½ lb. skirt steak, cut into 4"–5" pieces, dry with paper towels. Season very generously on both sides with salt and rub with a little vegetable oil to coat lightly. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Arrange half of steak in a single layer in skillet, and cook, turning pieces every 1–2 minutes, until deeply charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest parts registers 125° (juices beading on the surface is a good indicator meat has reached medium-rare), 7–9 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Repeat with remaining steak. Let sit 10 minutes, then slice against the grain.
- Transfer steak to a platter; spoon reserved chutney over. Top with cilantro leaves with tender stems and drizzle with olive oil.
While we’d never say no to an herby chimichurri or salsa verde, nothing packs the same umami punch as a sauce made from cooked-down tomatoes. Their sweet-tart-savory qualities become deeper and more majestic as they reduce, like a reddening sun diving toward the horizon. Add a handful of carefully layered spices and aromatics, and you’ve got a sauce that transforms a platter of steak into a summer fireworks display. Double up and save some in the fridge for later. Also excellent over grilled or roasted chicken or grilled eggplant.