Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Have you ever made chimichurri sauce? I'm in love with it. I lick it off my fingers and spoon. I started making it last summer because it goes on everything and makes it taste amazing. OK, that was probably overzealous, but that just shows how much I love the stuff.

Chimichurri is a simple sauce (kind of like a pesto) that originates in Argentina, where they serve it alongside grilled steak. It's great on steak, but also brightens up just about any chicken or seafood dish, too. And grilled veggies. And breads. And on and on.

There are tons of variations on the recipe, but the main ingredient is always parsley. After a few tweaks, here's the recipe I use at home. I put everything in the food processor. (I'm not someone who cooks with measurements, so I'm just guessing on the quantities here!)

Flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)
Fresh oregano (a handful...maybe a quarter cup?)
Fresh garlic (2 cloves)
White wine vinegar (big splash/about 3 tablespoons)*you can also use red wine vinegar
Cumin (only about a teaspoon)
Salt/pepper
Extra virgin olive oil (I start with a little, and continue adding as I blend the ingredients until it gets where I want it.)


And voila! This week we made one of our favorite meals. Grilled flank steak w/ chimichurri and homemade fries with garlic aioli. Yum.


Meat and potatoes at its best. This is also a fairly inexpensive meal, since flank steak isn't one of the pricier cuts. (By the way, if you're interested in how the garlic aioli was made, I just added a clove of finely minced garlic, a squeeze of lemon juice and lots of freshly ground pepper to mayo. You can make aioli from scratch but, why?)


Try making chimichurri, if you haven't already! It's a perfect summertime sauce that makes everything you put it on taste bright, fresh and verdant.