Chilli Beef with Spicy Onion Rings Recipe
The spicy onion rings, over fruity, smoky and mild Mexican chillies with garlic in this beef marinade, are hard to resist.
Serves 4
Chilli Beef with Spicy Onion Rings Ingredients:
4 rump (round) or rib-eye beef steaks of about 225g each
For the chilli paste
3 large pasilla chillies
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper
For the spicy onion rings
2 onions, sliced and separated into rings
1 cup milk
1/2 cup coarse corn meal polenta
1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 tsp ground toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
vegetable oil for deep-frying
Chilli Beef with Spicy Onion Rings Cooking Instructions:
1. Cut the stalks from the chilies then stir them and shake out most of the seeds to make the chilli paste. Toast the chillies in a dry frying pan for 2-4 minutes until they give off their aroma. Place the chillies in a bowl. Cover with warm water and leave to soak for 20-30 minutes.
2. Drain the chillies and reserve the soaking water. Put them in a food processor or blender. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano and oil. Process to a smooth paste, adding a little soaking water, if necessary. It should not be too stiff. Season with pepper.
3. Pour the chilli paste all over the meat. Put the steaks in a dish then cover and leave to marinade in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
4. Make the onion rings by soaking the onions in the milk for 30 minutes. Mix the corn meal, chilli, cumin and oregano in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil for deep-frying to 160-180 Degrees Celcious or until a cube of day-old bread browns in about 45 seconds. Drain the onion rings and dip into the corn meal mixture. Fry in batches for 2-4 minutes until brown and crispy. Do not overcrowd the pan. Drain on kitchen paper.
5. Prepare the barbecue or heat a cast-iron griddle pan. Season the steaks with salt and cook for about 5 minutes on each side for a medium result. Adjust the timing for rare or well-done steak. Serve the steaks while hot with the onion rings.
