Flank Steak with Chimichurri

I have always been intrigued by Chimichurri. It was this, supposedly, magical Argentinian sauce I had always heard of, but never tried. From what the ingredients were, I knew I would probably love it... but until a couple of years ago I had never tasted the stuff!

Then, within a short amount of time, I tasted about 3 different versions... and, while they were good, they tasted totally different! It was mind blowing. I thought it was supposed to be this classic dish, so I figured they would all be fairly similar. Wrong. Some were way more parsley-y, others with much more cilantro, and one was more of a vinegar based liquid with little fresh herb to speak of. I like the cilantro kind the best, myself!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Chimichurri... it is an Argentinian sauce used on grilled meats.  It is usually made out of lots of fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, and cilantro) and is often bright green, in my experience. That is the extent of my knowledge... sorry to disappoint. 

So, my secret is out... I'm by no means a Chimichurri expert. However, I wanted to come up with a recipe that I liked and could make with my fresh herbs in the summer time!

I took what I liked in different kinds that I've tried and made a combo of about 6 different recipes to come up with this... a pretty freaking fantastic Chimichurri, if you ask me! I won't be searching for recipes anymore... this one is a keeper. 

Flank Steak marinade

• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 2 Tbl. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbl. worcestershire sauce
• 3 Tbl. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. mustard (I used a spicy dijon)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper steak immediately before grilling

Marinade the flank steak overnight (or if you don't have time, at least for a couple of hours). 

Preheat your grill to high heat. Take the steak out of the marinade and salt and pepper both sides right before grilling. For medium rare steak, grill about 5-7 min on each side. 

Take meat off the grill and cover with foil, to let it rest.


Chimichuri Sauce

• 2 Tbl. fresh oregano
• 1/2-2/3 c. chopped cilantro
• 1/2-2/3 c. chopped parsley
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 4 Tbl. fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• 1 minced shallot
• 2 Tbl. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flake
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt to taste

Basically take all of the above ingredients, and blend them together until the consistency is like a sauce. Super easy... and REALLY YUMMY!!! Fresh light flavors great for summer grilling season and I got to use all fresh herbs from my garden!

Let me know how you like it!

The Best Turkey Burgers Around!

I have wanted to try to make turkey burgers for a long time. I have just been waiting to find a good recipe... the thing is, though, you never know if the recipe is good until you try it. I've always heard bad things about turkey burgers, like they dry out really easily, and they fall apart when you try to grill them. A couple of years ago all of those things came true when I tried to make chicken burgers. They fell apart, they didn't have enough fat to sear and brown nicely, and they were kinda dry. Safe to say, I only tried that once, and I hadn't been brave enough to try another poultry burger since.

SO, I recently found a friend who has a this turkey burger recipe, from her mom. She and a couple others vouched for the greatness of the recipe and I decided to give it a go.

Response: AWESOME! They are moist, juicy, flavorful (and even a little bit healthy)! Not to mention, easy and quick. They even exceeded my expectations and got a nice, pretty char on them from the grill (without falling apart)!

In sum, if you're looking for a good recipe for turkey burgers, or you've been too scared to try them out, this is the recipe for you.

Burgers:
19 oz ground turkey (I used 97% lean)
1/2 cup finely graded Gruyere cheese
4 thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 large clove garlic minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
Provolone cheese for melting on top of the burgers

Mix all the ingredients together and form patties. This recipe makes 5-6 burgers depending on the size.

Heat the grill to high and sear for 1-2 minutes on each side. Move to a cooler part of grill  (medium heat) and cook additional 4-5 min on each side. The last couple minutes on the grill melt the provolone over the top for those that want a cheesy turkey burger (highly recommended)!

Serve on a whole wheat bun with your desired toppings. Spicy mustard and BBQ sauce are both good options for condiments! Next time, I think I'll try basting  these burgers with a teriyaki glaze as I grill them, for an Asian flair. Let me know how it is, if you try it!