Mojito Strip Steaks with Pico de Gallo

Serves 4

1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons light rum
1 (1/2-inch thick) beef strip steaks, trimmed and cut in half crosswise (about 1 pound)
Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

1. Grate rind and squeeze juice from lime. Combine rind, juice, mint, and rum in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak to bag, and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

2. While steak marinates, prepare Pico de Gallo.

3. Preheat grill.

4. Remove the steaks from marinade, discarding marinade. Sprinkle steaks with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. lace the steaks on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill for 2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand for 3 minutes. Cut steak into slices. Serve with Pico de Gallo.

Pico de Gallo:
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno (about 1)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss well.

Served with roasted potatoes (but I think tortilla chips would have been better!)

Results: It took a bit of time to do all that chopping, but this was really easy and a different way to serve steak that didn't take away the flavor. The pico de gallo was really good. We had lots of it leftover, and it held up well for a few days.