A little kick with a tasty steak - deliciousness.
Chimichurri sauce is the stuff dreams are made of. If you've never partaken, now is the time. This is your chance. It's so easy to make and it tastes great on pretty much everything. I use it as a veggie dip, topping for kitchari (a traditional Indian rice and lentil dish), marinade for chicken, or tossed with roast potatoes. I'm sure you could probably smother some fried tofu in it, but I will never know because my stomach legitimately hates soy. (Insert sad face.)
But my very favorite preparation for the chimichurri sauce is on top of skirt or flank steak.
Skirt and flank steak tend to be tough (though very flavorful), and somewhat cheaper than the other parts of the cow. We don't eat a ton of red meat at my house, but when we do we are sure to buy local grass-fed beef that is raised humanely. That means we eat less of it, and stock up when it's on sale. None of those are bad things for my family.
Skirt and flank steak have great marbling, even though they both tend to be chewy and sinewy. I don't mind much because I cook it slow and slice it thin. Some folks love to marinate it, and I say go for it. But I find that marinades typically impart very little flavor and don't tenderize it much. I prefer simple coarse sea salt and cracked pepper. It enhances the natural flavor of the beef.
The chimichurri adds a bold, complex flavor full of acid and a touch of heat to balance the rich fattiness of the steak. It's a perfect spring or summertime dish with a blast of fresh herbs that you can easily grow in a pot on a sunny spot in your kitchen.
Ingredients for Steak:
1-2 lbs of skirt or flank steak
Kosher sea salt
Cracked pepper
1/2 orange
Ingredients for Chimichurri Sauce
1 cup cilantro (stems are okay)
1 handful of basil leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
1 large shallot, quartered
1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper and sea salt (minimum)
Directions for Steak:
Remove steak from refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Allow to come up to room temperature (about 30 minutes).
Using a grill pan or cast iron skillet, melt ghee or other high-heat oil and turn heat up to medium-high. Allow the pan to get very hot before laying the meat on it. It should sizzle and smoke a bit when you do place it in the pan.
Sear on each side for 3- 4 minutes to get a medium-medium rare temp. Cook longer if you prefer your steak more well done. I don't recommend cooking it for less time, though, because the fat won't have time to melt and impart its rich flavor.
Remove from heat once you've reached the desired doneness, and squeeze the juice of 1/2 orange over the top. Allow to rest (tented with foil) for 5-10 minutes before cutting.
Directions for Chimichurri Sauce:
Throw everything into the blender, food processor, or NutriBullet and pulse until creamy but still a little chunky. Or blitz it until it's super creamy and emulsified. Your choice.
Top steak with sauce or serve on the side. Or just eat with chips and call it a day.
