Barbecued Galician with Chimichurri Sauce
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 6 minutes
Serving Size: 4 people
This traditional chimichurri recipe is incredibly versatile. Serve it over beautifully charred steaks or as a sauce for a mixed grill. It’s also perfect with grilled chicken or seared tuna. The origin of the name ‘chimichurri’ is a little less clear. Food historians tend to agree that chimichurri was invented by cowboys or gauchos to give flavour to the meat they cooked over open fires out on the prairies.
As for the origin of the word, one story says that the word chimichurri comes from the name of an Irish or Englishman who is rumoured to have joined in the fight for Argentina’s independence. His name Jimmy Curry was difficult for the Argentinians to pronounce; hence his sauce became known as chimichurri. A more convincing story suggests that the name comes from the Basque tximitxurri, which translates to ‘a mixture of several things in no particular order’ thanks to Basque settlers who arrived in Argentina in the 19th century.
Ingredients
- 4 Galician sirloin steaks, weighing 10oz each
- Basque salt flakes
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- For the chimichurri sauce:
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 1 banana shallot, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 1 small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 1 whole red chilli, seeds removed and finelly chopped
- 5 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp of white wine vinegar
- Sea salt to taste
Method:
STEP 1
To make the chimichurri sauce, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt. The chimichurri can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.
STEP 2
Make sure the steaks are at room temperature before cooking them. Heat your barbecue and cook the steaks for 2-3 mins on each side or until done to your liking.
STEP 3
Rest for a few minutes in aluminium foil, then spoon over the sauce and serve with fries and salad.
