I've never had a better steak than in Argentina. All grass-fed beef, and it comes straight from the Pampas. In Buenos Aires restaurants serving up parilladas (a parillada, "pah-ree-zhah-da," is an assortment of grilled meats), you're sure to find a large dish of chimichurri to smother your steak. Chimichurri is an Argentinean sauce for grilled meats, typically made with some combination of parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and oregano. We had some delicious examples at Parilla Pena (our neighborhood parilla), Don Julio (in the Palermo Soho neighborhood), El Desnivel (in cobblestoned San Telmo), and Las Cabras (in Palermo Hollywood).
I added a few more ingredients to my version than those featured in the typical recipes, hoping to replicate the best features of the chimichurri sauces at those amazing restaurants. And to make it extra special, I served it up in a special pig dish made from the famous Chilean clay in Pomaire. (I bought mine at the Los Dominicos market in Las Condes.)
When deciding how to grill the meat for our parillada (we chose a New York strip, a T-Bone, and a skirt steak), we read that some of the parillas in Buenos Aires cover the grill grates in salt water. Others simply rub (and rub!) sea salt onto the meats prior to grilling. We tried both and decided that the salt water on the grill grates didn't make a noticeable difference, but the exterior sea salt coating was crispy and oh-so-delicious. When you make this chimichurri, I'd highly recommend pairing it with a grilled New York strip, rubbed in salt (and only salt!). No marinades, no spices. Just the salt.
And a special trick for the chimichurri sauce? Make it at least 24 hours in advance. The flavors need some time to marinate.
I know some people don't like Simon and Garfunkel. And look, I know they're pretty far removed from Argentina. But chimichurri is so much about the parsley. So clearly, I've gotta pull something off their 1966 album, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme. As it so happens, one of my favorite songs appears on this album. Here's "The Dangling Conversation."
Ingredients:
--1/2 c. freshly and finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (you *must* use fresh parsley here)
--1/3 c. dried oregano
--2 garlic cloves, finely minced
--1 tsp. coriander
--1 tsp. dried paprika
--1/2 tsp. ancho chili powder
--1/2 tsp. onion powder
--a pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like it extra spicy, add some more)
--3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
--3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
--several pinches of salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate overnight before serving. And the best part? You can keep it in your fridge for a few weeks, adding it to anything and everything.
And of course, an Argentinian-inspired steak dinner tastes better with a Malbec.
