It doesn’t feel like summer until I’ve made fresh chimichurri with steak on the grill. The sides in this dinner, grilled corn with cilantro lime butter and brown butter plantains, are so tasty they deserve their own post.

Diet: meat, with great vegetarian sides • Servings: 4 • Prep time: 2 hrs

INGREDIENTS

• 3 lb skirt steak

• 4 ears of corn

• 4 plantains

• 2 cans cuban style black beans

Chimichurri (for the steak)

• 2 bunches flat-leaf parsley

• 1 bunch oregano

• 4 garlic cloves

• 1/2 c olive oil

• 1/4 c red wine vinegar

• salt to taste

Cilantro lime butter (for the corn)

• 1 bunch cilantro

• 3 limes, juiced

• 1/2 c butter (vegan: use olive oil)

• pinch of red pepper flake

• salt to taste

Brown butter glaze (for the plantains)

• 1/2 c butter (vegan: use olive oil)

• 1/2 c brown sugar

• 2 tbl apple cider vinegar

TOOLS

• Grill

• Tongs

• Large pot or bowl to soak the corn

• Blender

• Grill-safe sheet pan or cast iron pan

METHOD

Make the chimichurri first to marinate the steak: In a food processor combine parsley, oregano, garlic, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Once pureed, add salt to taste. I recommend marinating the steak in a ziplock bag so you don't need as much chimichurri to coat the steak and will have some leftover for topping. 

Fill a pot of water and soak the corn so it doesn't burn on the grill.

Make the cilantro lime butter for the corn: Combine melted butter, lime juice, and cilantro. Once blended, add salt and red pepper flake to taste.

Make the brown butter glaze for the plantains: In a container that has a cover, stir melted butter, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. Add plantains to marinate, making sure they are coated.

Strain the cuban style black beans and store in a microwave safe bowl for heating up later.

Fire up the grill and put the corn on, shucks and all, rotating often. I grilled the corn for about an hour and it was perfect, but don't be afraid of over cooking it if you've left the shucks on.

Transfer plantains to a baking sheet and place on the grill—cook on each side for 20 minutes.

For the steak, timing depends on the size. I suggest using a meat thermometer for best results. Pro tip: place meat on the grill once and don’t move it until you flip it. Always let meat rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing to retain juices.

PLAYLIST PAIRING

Jazz Tango by Pablo Ziegler Trio — won a Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album. I saw them perform this album live at Joe’s Pub and it was a fiery experience to hear modern takes on tango classics.

I love cooking at my brother in-law's cabin because it has everything you need and nothing you don't—so you're forced to keep things simple.

Bonus: even though plantains are deliciously starchy, they're gluten free.

Soak the corn ahead of time to keep the husks from burning.

This meal is made almost entirely on the grill with one pan used for the plantains, plus the bowl for warming the black beans.

I often eat vegan or vegetarian, but my sister is true vegetarian and I love making flavorful sides that she can eat. It pushes me to make everything tasty, not just the main dish.

When I do eat meat, I make sure it's grass fed with an animal welfare rating of Step 3 or higher. You can read about the Whole Foods rating system here.

Cheers to summer, cabins by the lake, and being back on the east coast with family!

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