As a last-minute getaway, we booked a trip to Brazil. South America was on our bucket list, as we had never been there. What are the odds? As we headed to Rio, we knew we were going to be treated to some incredible food. But where to start? What makes something authentic and traditional, and what makes it just there for tourists?
Thank goodness we found Tom. Our lovely and charismatic food tour guide, Tom, whose passion for Rio comes through in every word he says and in every gesture he makes. The tour took us through the city, over the infamous Selaron steps in Lapa, shopping through the food markets, and ending in a quaint restaurant where we ate until we were dizzy. Our meal included salted cod fritters, tapioca pancakes, Amazonian soup that made our tongues numb, and salted beef and seafood stew. The freshly pressed sugar cane juice, Amazon beer, and caipirinhas were served.
It seemed like the perfect time to go samba dancing. A group of eight of us piled into cabs and found a samba dance school in a sketchy part of town. As we snuck in, we watched the dancers practice for Carnival. We felt the music in our heads and on our hips before we realized we were all dancing like samba dancers.
I decided to cook a dish to commemorate the occasion. Grilling steak is the perfect way to honor a South American country! The flank steak was marinated in olive oil, garlic, paprika, and lemon juice. It was grilled up and layered on top of grilled bread with chimichurri sauce after it was sliced up.
Chimichurri is a garlicky, oily, herbaceous condiment served with grilled meats. Garlic, vinegar, and oil are combined with finely chopped herbs, including parsley and oregano. You can eat the sauce right away, or you can leave it for days (or even weeks) so that the flavors marry to produce a super pungent flavor. Fresh herbs will give you a bright green color, whereas dried herbs and paprika will give you a dark red color, both of which are delicious.
This recipe calls for fresh cilantro and parsley, and since I didn’t have white vinegar, I substituted lemon juice. I chopped the herbs finely and then combined them with garlic, lemon juice, chili flakes, and olive oil. Due to its freshness, the sauce is bright green, but don’t worry if it goes a little wild, it just means there’s a lot of flavor going on!
FLANK STEAK SANDWICHES WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
Grilled flank steak topped with grilled bread and chimichurri sauce.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb flank steak
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 garlic clove, finely diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 cup parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ tsp chili flakes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Olive oil to cover
- Sandwich buns
METHOD
- In a ziploc bag, combine the flank steak with the olive oil, paprika, garlic, and lemon juice. Marinate the steak for at least 2 hours to overnight.
- Take the steak out for 30 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature before cooking. Season the steak with salt and pepper before cooking.
- Cook each side for 5 minutes until the steak is medium-rare. Wrap it in aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes after you remove it from the grill.
- Cut the steak into thin slices.
- Place the herbs in a sealable container and chop finely for the chimichurri sauce. Combine the chopped herbs with the garlic. Then cover with olive oil and add the chilli flakes and lemon juice.
- Grill or toast the sandwich buns. Spread the steak on top and garnish with chimichurri.