Seared Ribeye steak with Chimichurri or The Making of a Damn Good Steak
(This recipe could be taken to new heights by grilling the ribeye over hot charcoals, but for now let’s just call it the apartment version of a damn good steak.)
This might come as a big surprise but in order to make this recipe you need a damn good steak to begin with. My choice is a dry-aged ribeye on the bone for two. As you can tell from the picture below the bone is gone. My butcher Pablo got distracted after i told him a joke and cut it off. What kind of cans are there in Mexico?…. Mexicans! Haha. I know it’s bad but i like Pablo and he always laughs at my jokes – and better the bone than his finger, or worse… mine!
Here’s a Zen secret i’d like to share with you. I use a spice blend called piri-piri for seasoning which provides some heat, smokiness and overall goodness to the steak. Also a good sprinkle of sea salt will help form a nice crust on the surface. Don’t be shy.
Piri-Piri Spice Mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground piri-piri pepper (or cayenne pepper, add more if you wish)
In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together.
With lots of love, give your steak a good massage with a generous sprinkle of piri-piri and rub the spices in. Be good to your steak now and it will return the favor later – you know… just like real love! A good sprinkle of salt on each sides and let it rest for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the other star of the show – the chimichurri sauce. Don’t be put off by the simplicity of the ingredients, this Argentinian classic is truly excellent and the best accompaniment to a steak ever. This version of chimichurri (and there are many) is in my opinion perfectly balanced.
Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce
- 1 large bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, washed, stemmed, and dried
- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 5 tablespoons distilled white vinegar or more to taste
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
Finely chop the parsley and garlic in a food processor. Add the onion, carrot, vinegar, water, salt, oregano, pepper flakes and black pepper and process. Add the oil in a thin stream. Do not over process; the chimichurri should be a bit coarse. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or vinegar to taste. Reserve.
Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. Add a tablespoon of grapeseed or canola oil and when the pan is smoking – carefully add the ribeye. What you are aiming for is a nice crust on each side of the steak. For medium-rare i place the skillet in a 375’F oven for about 10 minutes after searing the ribeye over very high heat. Adjust cooking time to your liking.
When the ribeye is done, let it rest for five minutes on the cutting board. Slicing it too soon would let all the juices escape. Patience is key here. Look at the nice crust on this baby.
The Chimichurri sauce is ready to go and I wish i had smellvision enabled on this computer to share this moment with you. Ah food, glorious food!
Here you have it friends. Give it a try, it’s damn good! Enjoy.