Recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak with Corn & Farro Salad

“This is my go-to marinade for grilling in the summer,” culinary director Tom Berry says. “You don’t need much more than that to get a lot of flavor and caramelization.” In the salad, farro adds nuttiness and texture, earthy blue cheese plays off peppery arugula, and lemon thyme lends bright notes.

summer recipes 6

Photograph by Nina Gallant

For the steak:

2 lb. skirt steak
½ c. canola oil
½ bunch cilantro leaves and stems, ends trimmed
2 tbsp. chipotle in adobo
2 large cloves garlic
½ tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the farro salad:

1 c. uncooked farro
3 ears corn, husks and silk removed
½ c. blue cheese, crumbled
½ c. red onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. baby arugula

For the lemon-thyme vinaigrette:

½ c. extra-virgin olive oil
½ c. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. shallot, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh lemon thyme, minced
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt

Serves 4 to 6

Unroll the steak onto a cutting board, fat side up, and cut into 4-inch pieces. Use a sharp knife to carefully remove the excess fat and any membrane on the surface of the meat, then divide it between two zip-top bags.

Combine the oil, cilantro, chipotle, garlic, and cumin into a blender. Blend until smooth. Divide the marinade between the two zip-top bags with the steak and quickly massage it to coat. Place the sealed bags in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

Set up a coal or gas grill for high direct heat. Season the steak on both sides with the salt and pepper. Grill three to four minutes per side. Let the meat rest for two or three minutes, then slice against the grain. Cook the farro according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. Set up a coal or gas grill for medium-high direct heat (you should be able to hold your hand just above the grill for three to four seconds). Grill the corn, turning regularly, until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cut the kernels from the cobs. Toss the kernels with the farro, blue cheese, and onion.

To make the lemon-thyme vinaigrette, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, garlic, lemon thyme, sugar, and salt in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to combine.

Pour over the corn mixture and let stand three to four minutes. Gently toss in the arugula and serve immediately with the steak.

Vintage glass punch cups, New England Country Rentals. Beyaz bowl, $108, Artefact. Menu “New Norm” ceramic side plate, $20, and Libeco Home “Tennessee Stripe” linen napkin, $24, both Didriks. “Carved Aurelian” mango-wood-and- stainless-steel serving set, $42, and “Nantucket” brass lantern votive, $14, both Anthropologie. “Gold” electroplated stainless-steel flatware, $39 for five-piece set, forged flatware, $39 per set, and “Two-Tone” metallic crackle glaze glass votive, $9, all West Elm.


Check out more recipes for summer entertaining.