Bistec a Caballo con Papas de Casa
Miami is a town that takes their brunching business serious. I chalk it up to the fact that we can eat outside 365 days a year. I think also think notoriously, a portion of Miamians are in search of hangover food on Sunday and perhaps looking for a mimosa to get back on the party track. Of course, this is not me, I just have a great time making these observations. Haha! I do, however, admit to looking forward to brunch on Sundays and lately, my go-to order consists of steak and eggs. I recently invited my best friend over for brunch and decided to serve Bistec a Caballo, the Cuban version of Steak and Eggs. I decided to add some home fries on the side which is what Cuban restaurants usually offer as a side dish for breakfast.
Cuban Style Steak and Eggs
My favorite cut of steak with brunch is probably a churrasco or flank steak but for this dish, I drew inspiration from my early memories as a kid eating breakfast at “Rancho Luna”, a restaurant my mom and her best friend used to take me to on the weekends. I remember reading “Bistec a Caballo” on the menu and thinking who eats that much food for breakfast? It sounded very large to me as a kid. The name suggested to me that some kind of hungry cowboy or ranch hand ate this kind of meal. This traditional breakfast is a thinly sliced sirloin steak made with sauteed onions marinated in lime and garlic. The eggs are on the side and you’re served home fries or “papas de la casa”. You’re also served Cafe con Leche on the side which hot milk with Cuban coffee and a basket of buttery Cuban toast on the side to dip in your coffee as you wait for your breakfast to get to the table.
Bistec de Palomilla (Cuban Style Steak)
To make this dish, ask your butcher or local market for a pound of thinly sliced sirloin steaks. These steaks tend to get a bit hard because of how thin they are and the type of cut so I usually tenderize them with a meat tenderizer mallet. I season the steak with salt and pepper and rub some minced garlic on each side. Some people like to marinate these steaks overnight with lemon or sour orange. I find that marinating the steak for an hour works out just fine. I prepare the steaks and marinade first and then begin my prep and cook the rest of the dish.
Papas de Casa (Home Fries)
I admit, its hard to pick french fries over home fries but when done right, these are delicious and full of flavor. Be careful not to overcook them to avoid them from getting too soft and falling apart. You want them to be fork tender but still have a crispy texture on the outside.
These home fries are made in a skillet over medium heat cooked covered but stirring every few minutes to make sure all sides are cooking evenly. When the potatoes are just about fork tender and most of the sides are golden, add in the diced red pepper and onion. If you happen to have a green pepper on hand, that would work too.
Brunch or Dinner
I made this dish to host brunch at my home but this meal can easily serve as a dinner. To make it more balanced, pair it with a simple salad. I eat salads but I don’t love them. My sneaky way to eat more leafy greens is to use them as a bed for the protein. In this case, it works out perfectly because the onions are cooked in the marinade and the juices drip down to the greens working as a great dressing and punch of flavor. There are so many variations you could do of this dish. Make sure to share your thoughts and variations in the comments.
Cuban Style Steak and Eggs with Home Fries
- 2 tbsp olive oil separated
- 1 lb thinly sliced sirloin steaks
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 yellow onion thinly sliced
- 3-4 limes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 eggs for frying
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1/2 yellow onion diced
- 1 lb dutch or young potatoes quartered
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic pepper
- salt and pepper to taste
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Pound the steaks lightly with the meat tenderizer side of the mallet. I like to cover the steaks with saran wrap to avoid splatter.
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Season steaks with salt and pepper and rub each side with minced garlic and layer them in a non-reactive bowl or container.
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Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over the steaks making sure the lime has reached all the steaks.
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Over the steaks, add the thinly sliced yellow onion. Cover and marinate for at least an hour.
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While steaks are marinating, begin preparing the potatoes. Dice the red pepper and onions and quarter the potatoes. If you are using larger potatoes, cube them about 1 inch.
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Add olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot and fragrant add the potatoes.
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Cover the potatoes and cook for about 10-15 minutes making sure to toss or stir often for even cooking.
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Once the potatoes are just starting to get fork tender and look golden on most sides, add the diced red pepper and onion. Give everything a good stir and cover again for 5 minutes keeping an eye not to scorch.
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When the peppers and onion are tender, add the paprika, garlic powder, and add salt and pepper to taste. Give a stir to coat with seasonings and cook uncovered for another 1-2 minutes.
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Remove potatoes from heat and leave covered.
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In a large skillet, add the olive oil over medium heat. Once the olive is hot and fragrant,l add two steaks at a time.
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The steaks cook quickly. Turn over after about 1-2 minutes depending on your desired doneness. Once steaks are browned on both sides, add to a plate and cover to keep warm.
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In the same skillet, lower the heat to medium-low and add some additional olive oil and squeeze the juice of one lime to deglaze the pan. Add the onions to the skillet and any leftover marinade.
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Cook the onions about 4-5 minutes until they are nice and tender but not overcooked. Remove onions from heat and cover.
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In a smaller skillet, melt butter and fry eggs to taste. If you like them less runny or over medium, cover for a few minutes until yellow begins to slightly harden. Sprinkle some salt and pepper over eggs.
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Finally, plate everything together. Serve the steak with cooked onions on top of the steak, the potatoes, and eggs on the side.