Are you still buying steaks and just throwing them on the grill? Well, it's time to take your steaks to the next level and marinate them. You won't believe the difference. I get asked a lot what I marinate my steaks in and I'm going to share it with you.
I'm also going to introduce you to a sauce that's used in Italian cooking called salsa verde. It's not like the spicy Mexican version, but is an herb based sharp sauce that is the traditional accompaniment for bollito misto - the Piedmontese dish of boiled meats. I like it very much over grilled steak. It is a raw sauce made with fresh parsley and is simple to whirl up in your food processor. When we had dinner at Perbacco in San Francisco, they brought out breadsticks with salsa verde for dipping and their version was out of this world.
Marcella Hazan has a great little tip about salsa verde that I think is spot on - if the salsa verde is going to be used for beef, you use red wine vinegar in it. If it's going to be used for fish, you use lemon zest. It's a little brighter. I think that's brilliant and that's what I've done in my version.
Grilled Marinated Steak with Salsa Verde Sauce
for a printable recipe click here
note: the steak is best when allowed to marinate overnight
Ingredients:
1 flank steak, about 1-1/2 to 2 pounds
for the marinade:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 cup soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
for the salsa verde:
makes about 1/2 cup
(you can substitute the zest of 1 lemon for the red wine vinegar if using the salsa verde for fish)
- 1 cup packed flat leaf parsley
- 2 anchovy filets
- 2 tablespoon capers packed in salt, rinsed
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Instructions:
for the marinade:
Place all ingredients in a gallon size ziplock bag. Add steak and close ziplock, expelling as much air as you can. Refrigerate steak and let it marinate at least overnight.
for the salsa verde:
Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.
Let the steak sit out at room temperature for about a half hour before grilling. Grill the steak until medium rare, about 8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Season generously with salt and pepper. Slice and serve with the salsa verde sauce.
