Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
Skirt steak with chimichurri sauce is flavor, fast. If you’re looking for a full-on beef hit, the skirt is where it’s at. Cut from the underbelly of the cow (the diaphragm) it’s a muscle that works hard. This means you don’t have to — at least when searing it in a rippin’ hot cast-iron skillet — because it’s laced with juicy, flavorful fat, it will cook up nice and tender and juicy in just a few minutes. You’ll barely have time to salivate before it’s on your plate. Serve with chimichurri, the traditional garlicky, slightly tart and spicy, herbaceous Argentine sauce for grilled meats.
Directions
For the chimichurri sauce
Stir together the garlic, herbs, oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. While the sauce can be eaten fresh, the flavors meld into something much more complex if left to sit for a couple of hours or even days. Keeps in the refrigerator for several weeks. (Makes 1 ½ cups.)
For the steaks
Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or two 10-inch cast-iron skillets over medium-high heat until very hot. Meanwhile, season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pan(s). Working in batches (if only one pan), sear the steaks until well-browned and to desired doneness, about 2 minutes per side for the thinner pieces and 3 minutes per side for the thicker pieces for medium-rare. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board to let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice the steaks against the grain. Serve with some chimichurri sauce, reserving any leftovers for another use.
This dish is a chorus of bitter and sweet. And an assertive creamy cheese — like it’s counterpart in this dish, the grilled greens — balances sweet and creamy notes with pungent, almost bitter notes. When choosing cheeses, select those that are creamy, but carry with them some serious character. Our favorites are young, ash-rinded goat cheeses or gorgonzola dolce. We like them young and spoonable, but a crumbly older cheese will do as well.
Make your life easier and pick out a butternut squash with a long, straight neck. The neck is way easier to peel and cut than the bulbous section. Don’t throw the rest away — scoop out the seeds from the portion you don’t use and refrigerate for some other day. It’s got loads of uses, from soups, to a substitute for potatoes in stews or home fries on the weekend.
