A simple summer meal…little mess and less work leaves plenty of time for socializing!

Oh, the humble flank steak. I first fell in love with the flank (or similar skirt steak) with my friends Matt and Jen out west.  We’d belly up to marinated and slightly charred steak with grilled green onions and loads of guacamole, imbibe in a few margaritas, and commence with great conversation and loads of laughter. It was tender, flavorful, and simple.  Yet totally delicious. If I wasn’t at an establishment, I wouldn’t think twice about licking my plate! Every single time I have it I think of them and dearly wish The Hubbs would sincerely work on that Transporter we’ve been dreaming about for years. That was Mojo, or Asada, style.  Since then I had the pleasure of dining on flank steak with chimichurri at Trattori Lucca with my friend Mike, his wife Karen, and a handful of new friends. Wine, outrageous conversation, and loads of laughter ensued. Frankly, the servers, bartender, and owners started crowding near the table waiting on us to leave. So, I like to blame the steak for all of the fun. The Hubbs and I ventured to make our own and yep, madness ensued then too. I’m pretty sure it’s the simplicity of the dish that lets both cook and cohorts get down to the real business of chillaxin’. So, gather a few ingredients, a few friends, and be prepared for some great memories!

Chimichurri is a simple concoction of fresh parsley, olive oil, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, vinegar, crushed red pepper, and cumin. Sometimes fresh basil or oregano may be added.

• Flank steak, number of pounds to fit your party (we used two pounds)
• Chimichurri sauce (used this same recipe with added onion, doubled, with some reserved as dressing for two pounds of steak)
• Salad or grilled zucchini to serve with

Preparing the chimichurri.

Chimichurri…looks unimpressive, but it’s sooooo good!

Prepare chimichurri via linked recipe directions.

Coat the steak, or place in ziploc with 2/3 of the chimichurri.

Place steak in ziploc and cover with about 2/3 of chimichurri.  Pour yourself some wine, get comfortable, and begin shenanigans while steak marinates for about an hour.

Fire up the grill to super-molten-hot. Remove steak from chimichurri, scrape off excess, and place on lava grill. Sear about 7 minutes on one side, flip and sear again for 5 minutes or so. Optimally you want the steak to end up medium-rare. Remove from the grill, tent in foil, and let rest about 10 minutes.

Seriously make every effort to not dig in right away! Let it rest and reabsorb the juices.

Slice thinly across the grain.

Slice thinly across the grain. This helps the steak to not become a chewy mess.

Almost ready!

Serve with your choice of sides–we prefer a simple salad, fresh guacamole, and the reserved chimichurri. Micgrogreens work well with this dish too. Grilled zucchini works well too.

A simple salad (and maybe fresh guacamole and a margarita!) is all you need.

This is a great dish that will impress, but has little effort. It’s perfect for gatherings or nights where you’d rather focus on your company than stirring and sweating over a stovetop.  Now go grab your wine and get some great friends…and dig in!