When you’re feeling down, sometimes all you need is a good steak and an even better sauce.
I make this recipe a lot, for friends, family or even as a share-style dish that I pop in the middle of the table as a starter. It just makes you feel good, and I think food should always nourish your soul as much as your body. I have an ex who hated steak (honestly, what kind of meat-eater hates steak?), so I spent a good six months not really eating it. As soon as we broke up this was the first thing I made. I always choose steak on the bone because there is just so much more flavour. The zingy sauce is the perfect way to finish the steak; the green herbs and chillies look like they dance in the oil as you spoon it over the meat. Delish!
Serves 2 (or more as part of a shared meal)
Steak and Chimi recipe
Ingredients
- 800 g T-bone or bone-in porterhouse (look for a steak that’s about 3 cm thick)
- sea salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
- 3 thyme sprigs
Chimichurri
- 1 red shallot, chopped
- 1 long red chilli, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 80 ml (1⁄3 cup) red wine vinegar
- 1⁄2 cup chopped coriander leaves 1⁄3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
- generous pinch of sea salt
- 185 ml (3⁄4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Remove your steak from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 30–45 minutes (this helps with even cooking). Season the steak with a generous pinch of salt on each side.
Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over high heat. Add the steak and cook for 2 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 2 minutes on each side.
Add the garlic and thyme and use a spoon to baste the steak with the juices in the pan for 1 minute. Remove the steak from the pan and pop aside to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
To make the chimi, pop all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Blitz until the mixture forms a rough paste. Add the oil and give it another quick blitz just to incorporate.
Slice up your steak and transfer to a serving board. Spoon over half the chimi and place the rest in a serving dish. A pinch of salt goes over the top and bang! You’re in heaven.
The recipe was extracted from Khanh Ong’s recipe book, ‘A Gay Guy’s Guide to Life Love Food‘.