Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m holding onto the last vestiges of summer.
It’s still pretty warm here in LA, but I can feel the subtle changes signaling the arrival of fall. The mornings are crisper, the air rustles with a few more cool breezes than normal, and the days are getting ever so slightly shorter.
But hey, even though summer is on its way out, there are still plenty of sunny days left to enjoy outdoor grilling.
(Or, if you’re like me, “grilling” on a grill pan with all the doors and windows open so you don’t smoke out everyone in your home).
It’s time to get your fill of those delicious, charred, crispy pieces of meat and veggie before they are replaced with falling off the bone tender braised meats and warm hearty stews.
This Steak and Veggie Skewer recipe glorifies the best of late summer produce, and brightens up the meat with a fresh herb sauce called chimichurri.
Chimichurri is an Argentinian specialty, often served with decadent grilled meats. It’s made with fresh herbs (usually parsley), garlic, extra virgin olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and vinegar.
Optional add-ins include other herbs like cilantro, thyme, or basil, spices such as paprika and cumin, and sometimes lemon juice or zest. My version also gets a kick from fresh shallot.
Old school cooks will tell you the only way to make a chimichurri is to mince everything by hand and whisk it together. By all means, go for it, if you have the time & inclination! BUT, if you want to save yourself some time, you can just throw everything into a mini food processor or small blender and call it a day. While the whisked sauce will remain a little more like herb-laced olive oil and the blender version will emulsify more, they are both equally delicious.
It’s one of the best sauces for, like, pretty much everything.
It’s bold enough to stand up to hearty red meat, but still light enough to delicately cling to grilled vegetables and enhance their flavor without overpowering.
The leftovers are also fabulous stirred into some Greek yogurt to make a creamy herbed salad dressing, or used as a topping for fried eggs in the morning.
Go wild with whatever applications you can think of!
This recipe makes a large batch (16 skewers), perfect for a Sunday-night football grill-out or leftovers for the rest of the week. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
- 1 1/2 lbs sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
- Olive oil, for drizzling
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 red bell peppers, de-seeded & cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 yellow onions, de-seeded & cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 red onions, peeled, halved, and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 large zucchini, halved & cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1/3 cup cilantro
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 shallot, peeled
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 16 bamboo or metal skewers
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Preheat the grill, set a grill pan on the stove (without turning it on), or set up the broiler pan in your oven.
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Place the cubed beef in a bowl and season with a drizzle of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Toss to coat. Toss the veggies with a little olive oil as well to prevent sticking on the grill, and season with salt and pepper.
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Thread the beef, bell pepper, onion, and zucchini onto the skewers, alternating between items. You should fill about 16 skewers. Cook on the grill until the veggies are charred and the meat is cooked through, OR cook on the grill pan or under the broiler, about 12-15 minutes total, turning occasionally to cook all sides.
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Meanwhile, put the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, vinegar, shallot, and extra virgin olive oil in a mini food processor or blender. Blend or pulse until a chunky chimichurri sauce is formed. Serve the skewers with a liberal drizzle of chimichurri. Goes well with wild rice blend or other whole grain side.
