INGREDIENTS
2 medium heads of garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
PESTO
1/3 cup lightly packed rosemary leaves
2/3 cup lightly packed Italian parsley
½ cup pine nuts
2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 New York strip steaks, about 8 ounces each and 1 inch thick
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).
Remove the loose, papery outer skin from the heads of garlic. Using a sharp knife, cut about ½ inch off the top to expose the cloves. Place each garlic head on a large square of heavy-duty aluminum foil and drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the top of the cloves. Fold up the foil sides and seal to make a packet, leaving a little room for the expansion of steam. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the packet over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, until the cloves are soft, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Set aside to cool.
Place the rosemary, parsley, pine nuts, and chile peppers in a food processor. Process until the herbs are finely chopped. Squeeze out the garlic cloves into the food processor, being careful not to add any of the papery skin. Process just to incorporate the garlic. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and add ¼ cup olive oil, the lime zest, salt, and pepper. Mix well to create a paste.
Spread the paste evenly on both sides of the steaks. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F).
Grill the steaks over direct high heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to your desired doneness, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, turning once or twice (if flare-ups occur, move the steaks temporarily over indirect heat). Remove from the grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve warm.
