Light Stunt: Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

I prepared this dish out of curiosity, more than anything. I had seen it prepared by a number of Food Network personalities and even a local TV journalist put one on her personal blog. Chimichurri sauce originates from Argentina and traditionally pairs with grilled beef but can also be paired with chicken, fish or used as a marinade. From the recipe, I could determine that it's similar to a Genovese pesto with similar ingredients (raw herbs, garlic and oil) but I also noted that, because this sauce is served cool, it would be a refreshing contrast to grilled proteins.

The Source

The sauce was taken from page 26 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

1 flank steak, about 2 pounds
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 shallot, peeled and chopped roughly
1 small clove garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
1 pinch lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 bunch fresh chives
1/4 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
Leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. Remove flank steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature, no more than 30 minutes. Pat the steak dry with paper towels and season it with salt and pepper. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Sear the steak over the grill about 6 minutes per side for medium rare, but check for doneness.
Once the proper temperature has been reached, remove and set aside for 5 minutes to allow for carryover cooking.

2. While the steak is resting, blend the shallot, garlic, lemon juice and lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon olive oil in a blender until the ingredients form a smooth paste. Add the herbs with the red pepper flakes and pulse until the herbs are chopped and the mixture forms a textured pureé. Add the oil and blend until the sauce is emulsified. All of the remaining oil may or may not be needed. To plate, slice the flank steak across the grain and serve topped with the sauce.

Successful?

I had a little difficulty categorizing this dish because I originally planned to just practice my presentation skills, but I also noted how quickly the dish came together which would make it perfect fir a weeknight meal.

In other news, did you see episode two of Next Food Network Star? I have a couple of questions: 1) Where was Bob and Susie this week? 2) How is Danushka still competing? The only explanation I can offer is that her burger was better than her competitors this week. I like the format of the challenge because it forced the contestants to effectively communicate their message but I was a little bored by the topic of burgers.

What are your thoughts? Reply in the comments.