For the longest time in my family, it has been a tradition to have steaks for Sunday night’s dinner. We would have the traditional meat and potatoes, and Dad would have peas so covered in butter it’s a wonder he could taste them at all. Seasonings were not of huge importance for my parents when I was a kid; however, they have since learn the error of their ways.  See, mom and dad taught us three boys how to cook, clean, and take care of ourselves, but it wasn’t until we got on our own that we started to experiment with new flavors to liven up the palate. Growing up, Sunday night’s dinner was our tradition, and we all fully enjoyed it. Today, with all three boys in different states or countries, with work or military deployments, you are still expected, if possible, to call home on Sunday and check in with mom and dad and let them know you’re okay.  That’s a “tradition,” too. . . .

Since I’ve been out of the house for years and now married, we have still attempted to keep the “Steak Sunday” tradition alive. We may, occasionally, throw in a chicken here or porkchop there, but, traditionally, it’s good, ol’ steak. Well last Sunday, it was steak, and not just any plain, ol’ steak either.  This was one of the best steaks my wife and I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Recipe follows:

Grilled Ribeye with Mango/Avocado Salsa

Serves 2

2 12-oz Ribeye Steaks (3/4” thickness)

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Teaspoon Pepper

(I found a long while back that you can skip all the fancy steak marinades or and other store-bought concoctions and cook the best steaks with simple salt and pepper.)

Salsa

1 Large Avocado

1 Small Mango

1 Teaspoon Salt

1 Lime

1 Teaspoon Olive Oil

Directions

1. Season steaks with salt and pepper on both sides and set aside so they can reach room temperature.
2. Remove skin from mango and dice into small pieces and place in a bowl.
3. Remove skin and seed from avocado, dice and add to mango.
4. Add salt, the juice of 1 lime, and olive oil and combine.
5. Leave it a little chunky (the combination of mango and avocado are brilliant!).
6. Cover salsa and place in refrigerator while you cook steaks.
7. Heat grill to medium-high heat (you know it’s hot enough when you can hold your hand 3 inches from the grate for no longer than 2 seconds).
8. Place steaks on the grill and cook on each side for 7 minutes for medium rare. Give each steak a quarter turn half through that side’s 7 minutes to give it that nice hatch-mark effect.
9. To serve, let the steaks rest for a few minutes to redistribute juices; then top with mango-avocado salsa and enjoy.

We served it with a simple mixed-greens salad topped with feta cheese, tomatoes, purple onion, mushrooms, and a nice balsamic vinegarette.