Having recently returned from another indulgent trip away, I was on the look out for healthy, light meal options. Normally my Husband and I would chow down on a huge 300gm rib eye each but I thought I would have a go at halving our portions. I also thought it would be advantageous to my waistline to forego carbs for a while, however being hungry is not something I do well so I needed to substitute those missing elements with something nice and meaty. This combination of chargrilled Rib Eye, baby portobello mushrooms, charred broccolini and roasted tomatoes was a massive box ticker and the zesty, herby Chimmichurri dressing was a sensation! I was more than satisfied and had a strangely odd feeling……I discovered that not having a large brick in my stomach at the end of the meal was rather gratifying and one that I could seriously get used to. I loved this dish…..
Prep time: 20 Minutes Cooking time: 25 Minutes $$ Medium Budget
Serves 4
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
2 x 300gm Rib Eye steaks (or 4 small 150gm)
2 bunches of broccolini, ends trimmed
12 small portobello mushrooms (or 4 large)
1 – 2 punnets of assorted tomatoes, halved or wedged (approximately 400gm of grape, cherry, large….whatever takes your fancy)
1 red onion, roots intact, peeled and cut into wedges
Sea salt and cracked pepper
For the Chimmichurri Dressing
1 bunch of oregano, leaves removed, chopped finely and stalks discarded
1 cup of continental parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 fresh bay leaf, crushed in your palm
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1 tsp of chilli flakes
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1tbs of sea salt
125ml of warm water
To make the dressing place the salt and warm water in a jar with a screw top lid. Shake well until the salt has dissolved and then add the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, chilli and bay leaf. Shake well to emulsify the oil, water and vinegar and add the chopped herbs just before serving so they don’t lose their colour. Shake to combine again.
Pre heat the oven to 200°C. Line a tray with baking paper and place the tomatoes and onion wedges in it. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or or until golden and blistery.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and blanch the broccolini for two minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and place it on a tray with the mushrooms and steaks. Give everything a good drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the BBQ grill to nice and hot. Pop the mushrooms on first and cook for a few minutes on either side. Then place the steaks on the grill. A good thick steak will take approximately 4-5 minutes on either side for medium rare. Just before the steaks are ready, place the broccolini on the grill and cook for approximately 1-2 minutes on either side or until lightly charred. Allow the steaks to rest for about 4 minutes before slicing.
To plate the dish, divide the broccolini four ways. Top with slices of steak and then dot the mushrooms, tomatoes and onions around and on top of the steak. Give the dressing another good shake and then spoon it over and around the plate so you get a little zingy bite with each mouthful.
Chimmichurri goes really well with meat, chicken or fish or use the leftover dressing on a salad.