Food: Grilled steak skewers with chimichurri sauce

Summertime is grilling time, and given that I’ve recently purchased a new barbecue and a full propane tank, you better believe I’ve been getting my grill on.

There’s been grilled chicken pieces slathered with a tangy honey garlic sauce, and packets of potatoes with sprigs of fresh herbs tucked in. There’s been assorted grilled vegetables, but I think the asparagus spears are my favourite. And, if you haven’t tried salmon on a cedar plank, make sure you do so at least once this summer.

But today, I want to talk about these skewers of beef because they were absolutely delicious and so easy to prepare.

Purchasing beef is a splurge for me, and so I want to treat it right. Sure, you could thread the meat on the skewers without anything but salt and pepper, but I went one step further and prepared a quick marinade and it makes all the difference. The acidity of the lime juice really makes the beef extra tender and packs in the flavour, plus just a little bit of brown sugar means there will be caramelized crispy bit — and we all love those, don’t we?

As far as the vegetables go, you can use whatever you like. I went the classic route with bell peppers, mushrooms, red onion, and grape tomatoes. The number of skewers you make will depend on how much veg you want to load on. I had 10 skewers with about 3 pieces of meat on each, and the rest of the space occupied with vegetables.

Chimichurri sauce is the perfect accompaniment to these steak skewers. A herbaceous and brightly acidic uncooked sauce from Argentina and Uruguay, chimichurri is as much fun to eat as it is to pronounce.

The sauce is traditionally made by combining chopped parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, and olive oil. I added my take on it as I have so many herbs on my patio that need to find a home, and I really love lime juice in my chimichurri.

If you thin chimichurri out with a bit more olive oil, it’s fantastic as a dipping sauce for fresh bread such as ciabatta and sourdough, and it makes a dandy marinade for meat, too. It’s the sauce of the summer!

Grilled Steak Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce

1 1/2 lbs. boneless sirloin tip steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

2 Tbsp. canola oil

Zest of 1 lime

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tsp. EACH dried oregano, onion powder, ground cumin

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 sweet bell peppers, cored, seeded and cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces

12 grape tomatoes

6 chunks of red onion

12 mushrooms (optional)

6 wooden skewers, soaked for at least 1 hour before grilling

Chimichurri:

1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

1/2 cup packed parsley leaves

1/4 cup chopped red onion

2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (or red wine vinegar)

6 fresh basil leaves

6 fresh mint leaves

half a jalapeno pepper, coarsely chopped (seeds in if you like spicy)

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Place the chopped beef in a shallow, non-reactive bowl. In a medium bow, whisk together the canola oil, lime zest, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, oregano, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour this over the beef and toss with your hands so all of the pieces are well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before you want to grill.

2. Thread the cubes of beef and vegetables on the presoaked wooden skewers.

3. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the skewers on the grill and cook, rotating the skewers a few times, until the beef is cooked to your preference. On my grill, this took approximately 6 minutes for medium-rare and 8 minutes for medium, but it all depends on how closely packed the skewers are, and how powerful your grill is. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve with the chimichurri sauce drizzled on top, and the bowl of the sauce on the side. Makes 6 skewers.

Chimichurri Sauce:

1. Place all of the ingredients for the sauce (except the oil) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse several times, until the mixture is smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides. With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream. Scrape down the sides and pulse to combine. Season to taste. Transfer into a bowl and serve immediately or refrigerate. If chilled, bring it to room temperature before serving. Can be refrigerated for up to 10 days.

Note: Can use 1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes in place of the jalapeno pepper.