Steak and Eggs With Salsa Verde

Preparation

1. Step 1

   If 1 lb. skirt steak isn’t already cut, cut it into pieces about 5" long. Pat steak dry with paper towels and place on a plate. Season generously all over with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Let rest at room temperature while you make the salsa verde. Usually you want steak to sit out at least 1 hour to cook more evenly, but with skirt steak, it’s okay to cut down on that time because it cooks so quickly.

   Step 2

   Pick leaves and tender stems from 1 small bunch of parsley and finely chop to make ¾ cup. Transfer to a medium bowl. While we love a parsley-based salsa verde, you can mix it up with any tender, flavorful leafy things you have on hand—cilantro, dill, watercress, and/or arugula make for a tasty sauce, too.

   Step 3

   Using a Microplane, finely grate 1 garlic clove and 1 tsp. lemon zest into bowl with parsley.

   Step 4

   Squeeze 1 lemon half into bowl (make sure no seeds get in there) to yield about 4 tsp.

   Step 5

   Coarsely chop 1 Tbsp. capers and add to bowl. Mix in ½ tsp. red pepper flakes, ½ tsp. sugar, and ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil. Season with salt. Set salsa verde aside until ready to serve. If you like a looser sauce, add a bit more oil to thin it out.

   Step 6

   Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high. Pat steaks dry again with paper towels. You really want it to be as dry as possible; this will help you get the nice brown crust you're after. Rub a bit of extra-virgin olive oil all over steak, just to lightly coat.

   Step 7

   Once pan is nice and hot, using tongs, gently lay steak in pan. Working in 2 batches, cook, undisturbed, until a golden brown crust forms, 2–3 minutes. Turn steak and cook until second side forms a golden brown crust, about 2 minutes longer. You don’t need to use a meat thermometer here because the steak is so thin; a general rule is that once it has a nice sear, it’s already perfectly cooked. If you have a very hot pan, this will happen quickly.

   Step 8

   Transfer steaks to a cutting board as you go. Wipe out skillet. Let steak rest 10 minutes.

   Step 9

   While steak rests, pour enough oil into skillet to coat bottom of pan and heat over medium. (Don't have a well-seasoned cast-iron pan? You might want to consider switching to a non-stick for this part.) Immediately crack 4 large eggs into pan. (You don’t need to wait for the oil to heat up because there’s already a lot of residual heat in the pan from when you cooked the steak.)

   Step 10

   Cook eggs, undisturbed, until edges are crispy, whites are set, and yolks are still runny, 4–6 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; season with salt.

   Step 11

   Slice steak against the grain, then transfer to a platter. Arrange eggs alongside steak. Drizzle salsa verde over steak and eggs. Serve remaining salsa verde alongside.