Grilled Tenderloin Steaks (Lomo Asado), Patagonian-Style
Seared, seasoned with salt, and then
roasted slowly, these steaks come off the grill juicy, tender and full
of flavor. Serve them with a garlicky chimichurri sauce. Use hardwoods or charcoal for best flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 5-7 pound beef tenderloin
- Coarse salt
Preparation:
- Clean
and prepare the grill. Light the charcoal and wait until the flames
have gone down and the coals are covered with white ash.
- Cut
the tenderloin into steaks, 1 to 2 inches thick. Tie a piece of
string around the circumference of each steak to maintain its round
shape on the grill.
- Season the steaks generously with
coarse salt. Place the steaks on the grill, directly over the coals
(high heat) and sear them, 5 minutes on each side.
- Move
the steaks to the side slightly, so that they are not directly over the
coals, and cook at medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes more on each
side, or until desired doneness.
- Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before serving. Remove strings from steaks.
Chimichurri Sauce - Argentinian Chimichurri Marinade
Chimichurri is one of most delicious and versatile sauces around. It's traditionally served with grilled steak, and is an essential part of the Argentinian parilla,
but it goes great with chicken and fish too. Chimichurri works well as a
marinade, and is also delicious on vegetables. I love it best with the
grilled chorizo sausages (always the first course of a parilla). You will quickly develop your own proportions in this recipe. Some people prefer more garlic, some prefer only parsley, some add fresh tomatoes - experiment to come up with your own signature chimichurri.
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh parsley and/or cilantro, firmly packed
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (optional)
- 3-6 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)
- Kosher salt and red pepper flakes to taste
Preparation:
- Pulse the garlic and onion in the food processor until finely chopped.
- Add the parsley and/or cilantro, and oregano if using, and pulse briefly, until finely chopped.
- Transfer
the mixture to a separate bowl. Add the olive oil, lime juice, and
vinegar, and stir. (Adding the liquids outside of the blender gives the
chimichurri the correct texture. You don't want the herbs to be
completely puréed, just finely chopped).
- Season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Grilled corn has a delicious nutty
roasted flavor, and a slight crunchiness that goes great with other
grilled food. If you can find some large kernel South American corn,
it's excellent cooked this way.
Ingredients:
- 6 ears of corn, shucked
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
Preparation:
- Cut the ears of corn in half, and trim off the ends.
- Mix the melted butter with the cumin and salt.
- Brush the corn generously with the melted butter mix.
- Grill corn over medium high heat for 5 to 10 minutes, turning frequently, until the ears appear lightly browned in some places.