Sweet & Spicy Grilled Steak with Tomato Relish

In my previous post I mentioned a steak recipe I made for a friend on Sunday.  Here is that recipe:


Sweet & Spicy Grilled Steak with Tomato Relish
(Adapted from Cooking on the Side)


Spice Mix
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon dried cumin (original called for roasted, which I couldn't find)
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Tomato Relish
1 pint assorted colors cherry tomatoes, quartered (I used medium yellow and orange tomatoes, cut in eighths)
1/4 chopped red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil (I used grape-seed oil)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar


1 pound boneless beef sirloin (about 3/4 inch thick)


Directions
1. Mix sugar, cumin, oregano, sea salt, garlic powder and red pepper in a small bowl until well blended.  Reserve 1 tablespoon of the spice mixture.  Brush steaks with oil.  Rub remaining spice mixture on both side of steaks, taking care not to handle over much.  Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor.


2. Meanwhile, mix tomatoes, onion, oil, vinegar and reserved spice mixture in a medium bowl.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
**Note: The Tomato Relish can be made ahead of time.


3. Grill steaks over medium-high heat 6 to 8 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Slice steak and serve with Tomato Relish.


For maximum flavor, refrigerate steaks for 2 hours after rubbing with spice mixture.


For large to huge steaks, I recommend doubling or tripling the spice mix to really coat the steaks heavily with the spice mix.