Here in North America, we tend to think of steak as a thing by itself. Sure, we have the occasional steak sandwich, or maybe even a little steak sliced on a nice salad – but that’s not, you know, Steak. But elsewhere in the world a good steak is often fancied up by making it into a dish (such as Florentine tagliata), or by the addition of sauces or condiments.
Chimichurri is a sort of Argentine pesto used as a sauce on grilled meats. It seems a little weird to us northerners to put a green sauce on a steak, but trust me, it’s fabulous, and I’m really surprised it hasn’t caught on more. Here’s my recipe:
- 3/4 cup chopped parsley
- 3/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp black pepper.
Toss all ingredients in a food processor and blend it into a paste, let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so for the flavours to meld. It will keep for a couple days in the fridge.
Of course, feel free to play with the recipe – I certainly did. Some people hate coriander – fine, use all parsley. Or toss in a little basil or oregano. Traditionally it is made with wine vinegar, but I like to use cider vinegar – again, experiment with what you’ve got and what you like. A little squeeze of lime might be good too, or a dollop of chipotle paste to give it some kick.
Next time you’re grilling up some nice beef, give it a try, and let me know how you liked it.