Sometimes, I still manage to surprise myself. Take for instance this dinner I made recently. I’ve made this flank steak recipe before from Martha Stewart Living, but I did a couple of things differently this time.
I took the meat out of the fridge and placed the rub onto the meat. Then, I let it sit there both to marinade and to let the meat come up to room temperature. This will help the meat cook more evenly. I also made sure I let it rest for a good 10-15 minutes after I took it out of the oven, before slicing.
For the chimichurri sauce, I made it ahead of time and refrigerated it at least a few hours before using it. It needs it because those flavors need to meld and mellow out a bit before you use it. I was never into chimichurri sauce until I had it recently on a steak salad. The tang from the vinegar, the herby freshness of the parsley and oregano, and the punch of the garlic really made an impression on me. So much so that I was compelled to make this meal. And it blew me away at how well it turned out and how awesome it tasted. I’d pay good money for a meal like this at a restaurant. Fortunately with this recipe, I didn’t have to.
None of it is tough to make, so don’t be intimidated. Just make your sauce the day before and you’re good to go. You’ll have dinner on the table in 30 minutes, flat. If you don’t have time to marinade the meat, it’s not a deal breaker. It’ll still be delicious. Serve it with rice, or tortillas to make into tacos. Leftovers are great for salads and sandwiches, too.
Chili Rubbed Flank Steak (from Martha Stewart Living)
1.5 – 2 lbs. flank steak or flap meat
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
Combine the sugar, chili powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside. Remove the meat from the fridge and place on a foil lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
Coat 1 tablespoon oil on each side of the meat. Sprinkle generously the dry rub mixture onto each side of the meat. Make sure you rub it in well and coat all areas. Set the meat aside and let it marinade and come up to room temperature for about an hour.
Turn your oven’s broiler on and place the meat under the broiler, about 4 inches away from the broiler, for about 12 minutes for medium rare. Do not flip the meat.
Remove from the broiler and let rest for 15 minutes. Slice against the grain and serve with the following sauce on the side.
Chimichurri Sauce
2 cups fresh flat leaf/Italian parsley, most of the stems cut off
3/4 cup olive oil
3 tsp. dried oregano
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Place the parsley, garlic, oregano, salt, and vinegar in a blender or food processor and blend for about a minute until everything is well chopped and incorporated. You may have to scrape down the sides and blend again for a few seconds.
Then, add the oil in a steady stream while blending. Place the sauce in an airtight container And refrigerate for at least an hour, preferably overnight, to let the flavors meld together. This sauce should keep for 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
Virgo in Wonderland 
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