4 servings kosher salt and pepper black freshly ground
2 tablespoons olive oil extra-virgin
1 tablespoon mexican oregano dried
10 ounces poblano chiles
0.1 teaspoon pepper dried red crushed
32 ounce eye steaks each
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 servings vegetable oil for brushing
Equipment
bowl
frying pan
baking sheet
whisk
grill
mortar and pestle
grill pan
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Place the chiles directly over a gas flame or place on a grill until blackened on all sides and softened, 5 to 6 minutes.
Place the roasted chiles in a bowl. Cover and let them steam, 10 to 15 minutes. Peel the chiles.
Cut off the stems, cut the chiles lengthwise in half and scrape out any seeds. Roughly chop the chiles.
Combine the oregano, fennel seeds and crushed red pepper in a mortar. Grind with a pestle to a coarse powder.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Add the herb mixture and stir until fragrant and the oil is bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and stir 30 seconds.
Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste and the chopped poblanos. Bring to a simmer, whisking to blend. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Season with salt and pepper.
For the steaks: In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch, salt and pepper to blend evenly. Rub a generous 1/2 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture over each side of each steak to coat. Arrange the steaks on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.
Preheat a ridged grill pan (preferably cast iron) over high heat for 4 to 5 minutes.
Brush the pan with oil. Cook the steaks until the bottom is crusty, about 5 minutes. Flip the steaks over and cook again until the bottom is crusty, but the center is still medium-rare, about 4 minutes longer.
Transfer the steaks to a platter or individual plates.
