Rosemary Beef Skewers with Chimichurri Dipping Sauce
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Rosemary Beef Skewers with Chimichurri Dipping Sauce
By Recipe developed for Sur La Table’s Cooking Classes
Yield/Serves:
Makes 24 skewers
- 2 pounds flank steak, sliced into ⅛-inch thick strips (1-inch wide by 3-inch long)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 4 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary leaves, divided
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley leaves, stems removed
- ¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ⅓ cup red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri sauce is as common in Argentina as ketchup is in America. A thick herb mixture traditionally flavored with parsley, garlic, onion and oregano, it’s used as both a marinade and a sauce. Here, we’ve used rosemary in both the marinade and the sauce to bridge the flavors.
To marinate the beef: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons rosemary leaves, and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Add beef slices, mixing well to coat. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Soak 24 bamboo skewers in water while the meat marinates.
To prepare the chimichurri sauce: Place parsley leaves, onion, remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, garlic and red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to a rough chop. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a steady steam and process to a smooth paste. Stop motor and add vinegar, stirring by hand to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more vinegar as needed. Set aside.
To assemble and cook the skewers: Preheat a broiler on high, heat a gas or charcoal barbecue to medium-high heat, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread each marinated beef strip onto a bamboo skewer so that it lies completely flat. If using a broiler, place beef on a broiler pan and position meat 6 inches away from the broiler, cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once. If using a grill or grill pan, place skewers directly on oiled grill racks and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once.
Serve immediately with chimichurri sauce for dipping.
To marinate the beef: In a medium mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup olive oil, 3 tablespoons rosemary leaves, and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Add beef slices, mixing well to coat. Marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Soak 24 bamboo skewers in water while the meat marinates.
To prepare the chimichurri sauce: Place parsley leaves, onion, remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves, garlic and red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse to a rough chop. Add remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a steady steam and process to a smooth paste. Stop motor and add vinegar, stirring by hand to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper and more vinegar as needed. Set aside.
To assemble and cook the skewers: Preheat a broiler on high, heat a gas or charcoal barbecue to medium-high heat, or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread each marinated beef strip onto a bamboo skewer so that it lies completely flat. If using a broiler, place beef on a broiler pan and position meat 6 inches away from the broiler, cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once. If using a grill or grill pan, place skewers directly on oiled grill racks and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once.
Serve immediately with chimichurri sauce for dipping.