Casa Mono's Skirt Steak

Onion Marmalade:

1 cup sugar, divided

1 cup red wine (I used a Spanish tempranillo in keeping with the theme of the dish)

1 medium red onion, sliced*

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Romesco Sauce:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small Spanish or Vidalia onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 6 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained

1/2 cup diced tomatoes (fresh are best when in season; canned are fine in the winter!)

2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/2 cup roasted almonds

1 slice paesano or other hearty country bread, crusts removed and cubed

Skirt Steak:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon a pinch of kosher salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, sliced into 4 pieces



*Instead of slicing the red onion into rings, I chop off the ends, then halve the onion lengthwise and cut along the same lengthwise grain, creating wafer-thin slices that are uniform in length.



In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup sugar and the red wine to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the red onion, cover, and cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, strain out the wine, and return the onions to the stovetop. Add the red wine vinegar and the other 1/2 cup sugar and simmer until the liquid thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 8 minutes.



In a medium skillet, saute the minced onion in olive oil over moderately high heat until softened but not caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes more or until the garlic is softened. Stir in the sherry vinegar and remove from heat.



In a food processor, pulse the almonds and bread cubes to make chunky crumbs. Add the hot vegetable mixture and puree. (Be mindful of the escaping steam.)



Preheat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan for at least 5 minutes over high heat.



Mince the garlic with a pinch of kosher salt, mashing the garlic into your cutting board with the flat blade of your knife as you chop to form a paste. In a casserole dish, whisk together the garlic paste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, olive oil, cayenne, and cumin. Add the steaks and flip them a few times to fully coat. Transfer the steaks to the heated skillet (cook in two batches to avoid overcrowding) and sear about 2 minutes per side to achieve medium-rare doneness. Let the steaks rest off heat for 2 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.