Argentinian Parrilla with Chimichurri Sauce

Argentinian Parrilla with Chimichurri Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

A parrilla is a simple grill in Argentina, but the wonders it can create! As barbecue expert Steven Raichlen noted, “Argentina can be a forbidding place for a vegetarian.” Chimichurri is the sauce most commonly served with beef straight from the parrilla, and there are dozens—if not hundreds—of variations of it, and a debate about whether it should contain chiles. You know which side we favor, and our version of chimichurri contains green ají chiles. Since cattle are so large in Argentina, why not use a huge steak? Serve with grilled sweet potato and poblano chile kabobs, and black beans and rice.

Ingredients

Steak Rub
2 tablespoons ground red ají chile or substitute ground New Mexican red chile
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt

The Steak
3-pound sirloin steak, 2 inches thick

Chimichurri Sauce
¼ cup red wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 green ají amarillo chiles, seeds removed, chopped, or substitute jalapeños
1 bay leaf, center rib removed
1 small onion, finely chopped
3⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano or 2 tablespoons dried
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ to 1⁄3 cup olive oil

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the steak rub. Rub well into the steak, place in a large plastic zip bag and marinate in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or preferably overnight.

To make the sauce, combine the vinegar, garlic, jalapeños, and bay leaf in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the onion, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper and pulse until blended but not pureed. Whisk in the oil and allow to sit for a couple hours to blend the flavors.

Before grilling, remove the meat from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

Grill the steak over a medium hot fire for about 20 minutes, turning often for medium-rare (150 degrees F. internal temperature). Remove the steak from the grill, allow to sit for 5 minutes, then slice the meat against the grain and arrange on a serving platter. Ladle some of the chimichurri sauce over the meat and serve the remainder on the side.

Heat Scale: Medium

Steak with Malagueta Basting Sauce

Steak with Malagueta Basting Sauce

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Restaurants in Brazil called churrascarias sell spit-roasted meats to order, and the skewers the meat is grilled on are actually swords. A churrasco is simply a Brazilian mixed barbecue, featuring beef and pork—but feel free to throw in a few sausages, as that’s the way it’s done in Brazil.

Note: this recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

½ cup vinegar
½ cup lime juice
½ cup red wine
6 fresh malagueta chiles, chopped, or substitute tabascos
or serranos
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Two-pound T-bone steak, 1 inch thick

Instructions

Place all the ingredients for the basting sauce in a blender or food processor and puree. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and allow to sit for a couple hours to blend the flavors. Marinate the steak in the mixture for 1 to 2 hours.

To prepare the beef, drain the meat and reserve the marinade in a pan. Bring the marinade to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Grill the beef over a medium-hot fire, basting frequently with the marinade, and turning often, for about 10 to 12 minutes for medium rare (150 degrees F. internal temperature).

Brazilian Molho Campanha Salsa

Brazilian Molho Campanha Salsa

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

Molho Campanha is the Brazilian version of the Mexican pico de gallo salsa. It’s best to prepare it fresh, as it doesn’t keep well.

Ingredients

2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
½ cup red wine vinegar
3 to 4 dried malagueta peppers, crushed or substitute pequin
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients for the molho salsa and place in a serving bowl.

Serve with grilled meats as part of churrasco, a traditional Brazilian mixed meat barbecue.

Brazilian Habanero Basting Sauce for Pork Chops

Brazilian Habanero Basting Sauce for Pork Chops

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

This is part of a traditional Brazilian Churrasco, or mixed meat barbecue. Many habanero relatives grow in the Amazon Basin, where the species was domesticated.

Ingredients

4 boneless loin pork chops
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
6 juniper berries, bruised (lightly bashed all over with a spoon)
2 fresh habanero chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground white peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns
1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
3 bay leaves, crushed
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

Place the pork into a non-reactive bowl. Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the
remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour the marinade over the pork and add additional water to cover the pork, if necessary. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Remove from the marinade and place on a plate. Discard the marinade.

Grill the pork for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally, until done to 160 degrees F.

Heat Scale: Medium

Armenian Lamb Brochettes on Nutty Rice Pilaf

Armenian Lamb Brochettes on Nutty Rice Pilaf

Dave DeWitt Recipes Leave a Comment

No matter how you spell it—shisk kabob or sis kebabi—this robust specialty features skewered chunks of meat and onions marinated in oil and spices and then grilled over an open flame. The technique apparently originated in the Caucasus and then spread southward to Mediterranean countries. The traditional meat has always been leg of lamb, a meat that seems to be permitted by most major religions. To make a perfect kabob, remove any tough membrane from the meat, cut meat across the grain—and don’t forget that the meat must be marinated before grilling. Serve with a salad of tossed greens, ripe olives, and feta cheese and for dessert, baklava and Turkish coffee.

Ingredients

Cayenne-Infused Meat Marinade
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1⁄3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh preferred
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cayenne chile
1 teaspoon ground paprika
2 teaspoons fresh oregano
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Freshly ground black pepper

The Brochettes
1½ pounds boneless lamb, cut into 1 to1½-inch cubes,
or substitute capybara
1 large bell pepper, stem and seeds removed,
cut in1½-inch squares
1 small onion, cut in 1½-inch squares
12 cherry tomatoes
12 cremini mushrooms, stems removed

Nutty Rice Pilaf
1⁄8 teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons blanched almonds
3 tablespoons pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup vermicelli, broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup long-grain rice
½ teaspoon ground cayenne
2 ½ cups chicken or beef broth
2 teaspoons Cayenne-Infused Meat Marinade, above

Instructions

To make the marinade, toast the cumin seeds on a dry skillet until fragrant, taking care that they don’t burn. Remove, cool and crush. Place all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Reserve 2 teaspoons of the marinade for the rice. Transfer the marinade to a bowl, add the lamb, toss well to coat. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.

To make the pilaf, pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water over the saffron in a cup and let sit for 20 minutes. In a skillet, lightly fry the nuts in the oil, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Turn heat to low, add the vermicelli to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat and sauté for a couple of minutes or until the kernels are opaque, about 3 minutes.

Heat the broth along with the cayenne to boiling and pour over rice mixture. Bring back up to a boil while stirring. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered until the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving and add nuts. It also can be baked, covered in a 325 degree F. oven for 40 minutes.

To make the brochettes, blanch the bell pepper and the onions in boiling water for 2 minutes, remove, drain, and run under cold water. Remove the lamb from the marinade and place the marinade in a sauce pan and simmer for 20 minutes. Thread the meat on skewers, alternating with the pepper, onion, tomatoes and mushrooms. Brush with the reserved marinade.

Grill over a medium-hot fire until medium rare, about 15 minutes. Baste occasionally with the marinade. Cut a sample of the meat to check for doneness, and remove when a little under done.