“Hay Entraña” at Hotel Joaquin's Saline

Though most often revered as a seafood-centric eatery, Saline, the French and Mediterranean-influenced restaurant at Hotel Joaquin, also has a menu dish for its carnivores: the skirt steak. 

Helmed by Chef Leo Bongarra, the mastermind behind the doors of the guest-only restaurant, the skirt steak pays homage to his homeland, Argentina, serving as a significant part of South American culture. This cut of meat was chosen for its flavor and inspired by Chef Leo’s family, complete with braised cabbage, sweet potato, and a chimichurri sauce.

Since Chef Leo was a little boy, “entraña” has been a popular word heard around his household. As a child, one of his favorite pastimes was going to the butcher shop with his dad, where, after greeting the butcher, his father would ask, “Hay entraña?” or “Is there any skirt steak?” Renowned as the most popular part of the cow, entraña is a crowd favorite amongst meat lovers. 

With this flavorful and savory recipe, Chef Leo hopes you’ll enjoy a piece of Argentina in the comfort of your home.

SKIRT STEAK

Skirt steak

Salt and pepper

1 | Sprinkle skirt steak lightly with salt and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

2 | Pat dry with a paper towel and season again.

3 | Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high.

4 | Place steaks on grill and cook 3-4 minutes per side until meat is nicely charred and medium rare.

5 | Transfer steaks to a carving board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. 

6 | Thinly slice and serve with chimichurri.

CHIMICHURRI

1 cup chopped parsley 

2 cups extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon (juice and zest)

3 garlic cloves, chopped fine

2 tablespoons dried oregano

¼ cup champagne vinegar

Salt, pepper, sugar, and paprika, to taste

1 | In a small pot, add champagne vinegar and oregano, simmering on low until sauce reduces by half.

2 | Cool sauce and combine the rest of the ingredients, except the lemon juice.

3 | Gradually add lemon juice, tasting and adjusting as needed.

BRAISED CABBAGE

1 cabbage, cut into wedges

5 cloves of garlic, smashed

3 bay leaves

½ pound butter

Chicken stock

Thyme, small handful

Salt and pepper 

1 | In a skillet over medium-high heat, place the cabbage wedges, slightly pressing down to create a sear on each side.

2 | Place seared cabbage in a deep pan filled with chicken stock until pan is halfway full. 

3 | Combine the rest of the ingredients in the pan.

4 | Place pan in oven at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes.

5 | When plating, reheat the cabbage and add gruyere cheese to melt.

SWEET POTATO

3 sweet potatoes

¼ pound of butter

1 bunch of sage

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 | After washing, place sweet potatoes in a pan with a half cup of water coating the bottom, cooking until fully soft.

2 | Peel and place potatoes into a food processor.

3 | In a separate pot, brown butter and add sage before it browns.

4 | Add butter, salt, and pepper to food processor with potatoes. (The end result should be smooth.)

Photos by: Josie Farrior.

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