Ground cumin does double duty in this super quick weeknight dinner. First, you’ll whisk the spice with grated garlic and olive oil to make a flavorful rub for skirt steak, which cooks perfectly in less than 10 minutes in a hot pan. And second, you’ll create a creamy finishing condiment by stirring cumin into yogurt with lemon juice and salt. Serve all of the components separately and have people build their own pitas so the flatbread doesn’t get soggy.
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What you’ll need
Ground Cumin
$8 At The Spice House
Paring Knife
$12 $11 At Amazon
Cast Iron Skillet
$30 At Amazon
Microplane
$17 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pat 1½ lb. skirt steak, cut into 5" pieces, dry, then prick all over on both sides with a paring knife.
Step 2
Stir together ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp. ground cumin, and 3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl; season with freshly ground pepper. Finely grate in 4 garlic cloves and stir to combine. Add steak and turn to coat. Let sit 10 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, stir together 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and 1½ tsp. ground cumin in a small bowl; season with pepper. Finely grate in remaining 2 garlic cloves and stir to combine. Set yogurt sauce aside.
Step 4
Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Lift steak from marinade, letting excess drip back into bowl; transfer to skillet. Cook until deeply browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 125°, about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, arrange 1 large bunch scallions, cut into 2" pieces, in same skillet; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Pour in ½ cup water and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated and scallions are wilted, about 2 minutes.
Step 6
Slice steak against the grain; arrange on a platter. Place scallions and 1 large jalapeño, thinly sliced, alongside. Serve with 4 pitas with pockets, halved, and reserved yogurt sauce for building pitas.
Recipe notes
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