Cuban-Style Steak (Bistec a la Cubana)

Place the steaks between plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about 6 mm thick — this tenderizes the meat and helps it cook fast and evenly. Mash the garlic with the salt to a paste, mix with the citrus juice, pepper, oregano and cumin, and rub it all over the steaks. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for deeper flavor.

• 4 thin beef steaks
• 4 cloves garlic
• 60 ml sour orange juice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin

✅ Done when: the meat has soaked up the marinade and smells fragrant of garlic and citrus

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Bring the water and salt to a boil in a pot, stir in the rice, cover tightly, lower the heat to the minimum and cook without lifting the lid.

• 300 g white rice
• 600 ml water
• 1 tsp salt

✅ Done when: all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender; let it rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork

Slice the plantains on the diagonal into pieces about 1 cm thick. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry the plantains in batches for 2–3 minutes per side, until deep golden and caramelized at the edges; drain on paper towels. Cut the potatoes into thin matchsticks, pat them completely dry with a towel (dry potatoes crisp up better and splatter less), and fry in the same oil over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until golden and crisp; drain and season with salt.

• 2 ripe plantains
• 500 ml vegetable oil
• 2 potatoes
• to taste salt

✅ Done when: the plantains are caramelized and the potato sticks are golden and crunchy

In a separate skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onion rings with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7–8 minutes, until soft, sweet and lightly golden at the edges, without turning crisp. Remove and set aside, keeping the oil in the pan for the steaks.

• 2 onions
• 60 ml olive oil

✅ Done when: the onions are soft, sweet and lightly golden

Pat the marinated steaks lightly so they are not dripping, then fry two at a time in the hot oil left from the onions (adding a little more if needed) over high heat for about 1–2 minutes per side. Because they are thin, they cook through fast; press gently with a spatula to check that no raw pink shows at the center before removing. Transfer to warm plates.

• 4 marinated steaks

✅ Done when: the steaks are browned outside and cooked through, with no pink at the center

In the same pan, fry the eggs sunny-side up over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft. Top each steak with a mound of fried onions and one egg. Serve right away with the white rice, fried plantains, crisp potato sticks and lime wedges on the side.

• 4 eggs
• 1 lime, in wedges

✅ Done when: the egg whites are fully set with soft, bright yolks