Chimichurri & Skirt Steak
Cook Time: ~10 Minutes
A solid chimichurri is a must-have in anyone’s library of sauces or meat dressings. Light, fresh, and citrusy with a welcome burst of heat and vinegar. Incredibly simple to prepare, and is the best friend of barbequed, grilled, or cooked meats.
Serves: 2
Prep: ~5 minutes
Cook: ~10 minutes
Ingredients
Skirt steak (500g)
One shallot
3 cloves of garlic
One lemon
Two birds’ eye chillis
Fresh mint (~20g)
Fresh coriander (~20g)
Fresh flat-leaf parsley (~20g)
Fresh dill (~20g)
Red wine vinegar (3 tbsp)
Knob of butter
Extra virgin olive oil (125ml)
Salt & black pepper
Notes
Skirt steak: Some stores may stock this cut on the shelves, but any good butcher, or butchery at a supermarket, should stock this. Hangar steak is a good substitute if you can’t find a skirt.
Chimichurri: If sealed well, the chimichurri should last 3-5 days in the fridge if you have leftovers. It goes great with chorizo, eggs, and most hot breakfast foods.
Equipment
Frying pan
Mixing bowl
Mise En Place
Let the steak sit at room temperature for ~20 minutes before cooking. Coat generously with salt, ground black pepper and lightly coat in olive oil.
Chop the shallot and chilli as finely as possible and place into a mixing bowl. Add microplaned (finely grated) garlic and all of the herbs; roughly chopped. Add the red wine vinegar, extra virgin oil, and the zest and juice from one lemon. Mix thoroughly, and season generously with salt and ground black pepper. The oil should just cover the herb mixture; so add more if needed.
The Cook
Add oil to a pan and bring to a high heat. Gently add your steaks and cook for ~4-5 minutes on each side (for medium rare). Resist the urge to move the steaks to allow a char to form. When cooking the other side, throw in a knob of butter for the final minute of cooking and baste the steaks in melted butter.
Remove the steaks and cover in foil for roughly the same amount of time as they were cooked. Once rested, slice into 1cm cuts, and season generously with salt.
To serve, lay down your cuts of skirt steak and spoon over a generous helping of chimichurri. You can serve this with all manner of things. In this instance, I decided to keep it simple and serve alongside a rack of vine tomatoes, roasted in the oven for ~10 minutes with salt, black pepper, and olive oil.
If you attempt this dish, let me know how it goes, and if you variate the recipe in any way. This newsletter relies upon word of mouth, so if you know someone who would enjoy this recipe please share it.
Thanks for reading,
Conor