Nicaraguan-style Steak Churrasco
Description
Nicaraguan churrasco is always served with a trio of sauces: chimichurri (here used as a marinade as well), salsa marinara (Nicaraguan tomato sauce), and a spicy pickled onion sauce called cebollita. Other accompaniments might include fried plantains and Bahamian Peas and rice.
- This recipe yields 4 servings.
Ingredients
- 1 beef tenderloin - (about 1½ lbs, preferably center cut)
Chimichurri
- 1 large bunch fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley stemmed (about 2 cups leaves)
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 cup olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar or more to taste
- 3 tbsp water
- 1½ tsp salt or more to taste
- 1 tsp finely-ground black pepper or more to taste
Procedures
- Place the piece of tenderloin lengthwise on the cutting board.
- Holding the knife parallel to the cutting board, cut the meat into 4 flat, even horizontal strips.
- Place each strip between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with the side of a cleaver or with a rolling pin to a thickness of ¼ inch.
- Arrange the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish.
Prepare the chimichurri
- Combine the parsley and garlic in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
- Add the oil, ¼ cup vinegar, water, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and process to make a thick sauce.
- Correct the seasoning, adding salt, pepper, or vinegar as necessary; the mixture should be highly seasoned.
- Place half the chimichurri in a bowl or crock for serving; pour the remainder over the meat.
- Cover and let marinate in the refrigerator, 30 minutes, turning several times.
- Preheat the grill to high.
- When ready to cook, oil the grill grate.
- Drain the beef and place it on the hot grate.
- Grill, turning with tongs, until cooked to taste, 1 to 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Serve with the remaining chimichurri sauce.
