Ingredients
Steak
- 4top sirloin or round steaks, about 150 g each, pounded to 5 mm
- 8 clovesgarlic, crushed to a paste
- juice of 3 limes
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspblack pepper
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 3 tbspolive oil
To finish
- 1large white onion, very thinly sliced
- juice of 1 lime
- chopped flat-leaf parsley
- salt
To serve
- white rice
- black beans
- fried sweet plantain
Directions
- Pound the steaks between sheets of cling film until they are an even 5 mm thick. Thin is the whole point — palomilla is cooked in barely two minutes and thickness makes it tough.
- Marinate in the garlic, lime juice, oregano, salt and pepper for 2 hours in the fridge, no longer. Lime juice starts to cure the surface of the meat and an overnight marinade gives it a chalky, cooked texture before it ever meets heat.
- Toss the sliced onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt and leave it to macerate while the steak marinates. It softens slightly and loses its raw bite but stays crisp.
- Lift the steaks out and pat them dry. Wet meat steams instead of browning.
- Get a heavy pan very hot with the olive oil. Cook the steaks one or two at a time, 60–90 seconds a side, until browned at the edges.
- Do not crowd the pan and do not cook them past medium. A palomilla is thin, and well done means dry.
- Pile the macerated onion and parsley over the steaks straight from the pan, so the raw onion warms slightly without cooking.
- Serve immediately with rice, black beans and plantain — the standard Cuban plate.
Technique
- Two hours of marinating, not more. This is the commonest mistake with citrus-marinated beef.
- The onion goes on raw. It is a contrast in temperature and texture, not a cooked garnish.
- A cast-iron pan or a plancha. A non-stick pan will not get hot enough to brown in ninety seconds.
Substitutions
- Sour orange (naranja agria) in place of lime, which is the more traditional Cuban citrus.
- Flank or skirt steak, sliced thin against the grain.
Variations
- Bistec empanizado, the same steak breaded and fried.
- Bistec en cazuela, braised slowly with onion and tomato instead of seared.
History
The everyday Cuban steak, pounded thin and flash-fried, served with rice, black beans and fried plantains in cafeterias and homes.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bistec de palomilla?
Bistec de palomilla is a main from Cuba: thin beef steak marinated in garlic and lime, topped with raw onion. The everyday Cuban steak, pounded thin and flash-fried, served with rice, black beans and fried plantains in cafeterias and homes.
How long does Bistec de palomilla take to make?
Bistec de palomilla takes 15 min plus 2 hr marinating of preparation and 10 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Bistec de palomilla?
Yes, within limits. Sour orange (naranja agria) in place of lime, which is the more traditional Cuban citrus. Flank or skirt steak, sliced thin against the grain.
What is the most important thing to get right in Bistec de palomilla?
Pound the steaks between sheets of cling film until they are an even 5 mm thick. Thin is the whole point — palomilla is cooked in barely two minutes and thickness makes it tough.
