Steak Notions

Ok, the following recipe is new for me but not neccesarily healthful.  It's delicious though so that is what counts today.   

I have this preconceived idea that good steak needs to be grilled and I have not been able to break away from that.  Therefore when I get a steak, I take out the grill and charcoal and fight with the wind to get that charcoal lit.  It’s a huge hassle for one person.  I know that good steak can be cooked in a cast iron skillet but until I get one of those I have reverted to cube steaks.  According to Wikipedia cube steaks are “a cut of beef, usually top round or top sirloin, tenderized by fierce pounding with a meat tenderizer”.  According to me cube steaks are a cheap, fast way to have some delicious meat. 

I generally fry my cube steak in butter or olive oil or a combination of both.  It takes about 4 minutes and I usually end up with a medium cooked steak.  I’m shooting for medium rare so should knock off a minute next time.  Cube steaks can be served with the usual steak sides, on bread as a sandwich, on bread and finished in the panini grill with your choice of cheese.  Pretty much any way you eat steak you can eat your cube steak.  Except faster and for less money and with that same delicious meaty taste. 

Last night I made Chimichurri to go with my cube steak.  Here’s another pre conceived steak notion of mine, good steak needs no sauce or condiment.  And here’s where the cube steak wins again, it’s not a good steak and it tastes amazing with the Chimichurri. 

Chimichurri 

1 cup parsley

3 garlic cloves, chopped very fine
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
½ cup olive oil (use the best you have)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
couple grinds of black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Chop the parsley, garlic and oregano very fine (I used my mini chopper) and then transfer to a wide-mouthed glass jar. 

Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.

Serve a generous spoonful over your steak. 

The Chimichurri can also be uses as a sandwich spread, swirled through some cooked grains or to top a salad or a baked potato. 

I started with the Simply Recipes version of Chimichurri, found here.