London Broil with Garlic and Parsley Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... I first sampled this dish at the deli counter of Central Market in Austin, Texas. That was over ten years ago, but I have yet to see it featured in delis or markets here. I'm going to assume there are other areas of the country where the dish is also unknown and proceed with a recipe for this toothsome steak. This is a simple way to prepare cuts that are normally served for London Broil. London broil refers to a method of cooking rather than a specific cut of meat. This recipe was developed to be used with thin cuts such as flank or flat iron steaks. Cuts from the round and shoulder can be used, but cooking time will vary and the meat may not be as tender. Regardless of the cut, I always tenderize the meat. I use a jaccard, but piercing the steak at intervals with a fork will also work. The steaks are not marinated and they are seasoned only with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. I've found that marination isn't necessary when a strong sauce is used at the end of cooking. The sauce used here is an adaption of the Argentinian chimichurri. Earlier this week we featured a recipe for a parsley salad and any leftovers from that dish are perfect for use in this application. When there are no leftovers to be had, I used chopped flat leaf parsley to make the sauce. Whenever possible I use a flat iron steak for this recipe. It has become my favorite among the affordable steaks for grilling. While the recipe was developed to be cooked on an outdoor grill, it can be made stovetop in a grill pan or broiled. Here's the recipe for this surprising delicious dish.

London Broil with Garlic and Parsley Sauce...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Cook's Country magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 cup minced flat leaf parsley or leftover parsley salad
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/4 teaspoons salt, divided use
1-1/4 teaspoons cracked black pepper, divided use
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-1/2 pounds Flat-iron or flank steak

Directions:
1) Combine parsley, onion, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pepper flakes in a small bowl. Season both sides of steak with remaining salt and pepper.
2) Grill steak over very hot grill until both sides are brown, about 5 minutes per side.
3) Transfer steak to a shallow pan and coat with parsley sauce. Tent dish with foil and allow meat to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice steak thinly against grain and serve with parsley sauce if desired. Yield: 4 servings

You might also enjoy these recipes:
North African Steak Pimenton - One Perfect Bite
Stuffed Flank Steak Spirals - One Perfect Bite
Asian-Style London Broil - One Perfect Bite
Chicken-Fried Flank Steak with Country Gravy - Chewing the Fat
Charmoula Strip Steaks with Pomegranate Glaze - Annie Bakes
Herbed Flank Steaks - 400 Calories or Less

Chimichurri Turkey Burgers

My bad! What I thought was ground chuck turned out to be ground turkey and I didn't realize it until I started to make dinner. Bob's favorite treat after weeks away from home is a hamburger and I dropped the ball. A better wife than I might have run to the store to correct the mistake but I decided to make the best of it and took another tact. As a bride, I was known to create days of fast and abstinence when I forgot to take meat from the freezer. Bob, who was not particularly well-versed with the liturgical calendar, always considered my declarations as fiat. These days I use recipe contests as an excuse to cover my tracks. Then, as now, things turned out fairly well. I'm not big on gourmet burgers; they've always seemed to me to be a contradiction in terms. A hamburger was/is something I throw on the grill when I've lost yet another battle with the clock - they're quick and flavorful and very easy to do. Turkey burgers are another story - they need all the help they can get. A quick look in the vegetable bin and freezer produced the "Eureka" moment that led to the creation of this turkey burger. It requires a bit more chopping than I care to do but the burger is flavorful and not at all dry. I actually kind of like it. Here's what I did.

Chimichurri Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon + 1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic, divided use
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chopped jalapeno, divided use
2-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/4 pounds ground turkey
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided use
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup packed Italian parsley leaves
1 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup lime juice
Five 6-inch pita pockets
Red onion slices
Lettuce leaves

Directions:
1) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet. Add onion, 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 tablespoon jalapeno and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook until softened. Transfer to a mixing bowl. When cool, add turkey, ricotta cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, oregano and cilantro; mix gently until just combined. Shape into 5 patties. Set aside.
2) Combine, parsley, mint, reserved 1/3 cup olive oil, lime juice, 2 tablespoons reserved garlic, 1 teaspoon reserved jalapeno, 1 teaspoon reserved cumin and 1 teaspoon reserved salt in jar of a food processor. Process until a thick sauce is formed. Add additional salt to taste.
3) Spray a large skillet with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Heat pan. Sprinkle burgers with salt and pepper. Cook one side of burgers burgers over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Turn and cook for 3 minutes longer. Serve each burger in a warm pita with sliced onions, lettuce and some chimichurri sauce. Yield: 5 servings.