Bistecca con Salsa di Capperi
Steak with Caper Sauce
Serves 6 to 8

Capers are the secret gem in this tangy lemon sauce for steak. It is always amazing to me how a little pungent flower bud from a plant that grows in crags and rocks in the Mediterranean can provide such flavor, but there it is, plain and simple. The best capers come from the island of Pantelleria off Sicily.

4 pounds Porterhouse or sirloin steak, cut ¾ inch think
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 large red onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers packed in salt, well rinsed and minced
Juice of 3 large lemons

1. Rub the steak with salt and pepper and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Pour the olive oil into a large sauté pan, add the onions, and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the onions into a bowl. Increase the heat to medium-high, and add the steak to the pan. Brown the meat on both sides.
3. Reduce the heat to medium, and stir in the capers and lemon juice. Cook to desired doneness. Serve the steak with some pan juices drizzled over the top.

Photograph courtesy of Paul Lally