September? WTF?

Labor Day celebrations are like getting shots at the doctor's office. Sure you get a lollipop, but it hurts like a kick in the pants. It's the official end of summer cook outs, time for kids to head back to school, and time for warm weather to start slowly (hopefully slowly) melting away. Not that I don't heart fall, especially in New England with all the leaves changing colors and apple picking and pumpkins, but I'm a summer girl at heart.



Our family celebrates this last bash of summer every year with a big Lobster Fest at my uncle's house in RI. We (well, the boys) drag a bunch of picnic tables over from the local Boy Scout camp, cover them with plastic sheets, and gorge ourselves on sea cockroaches that were swimming just that morning. Well, everyone else does. I don't do lobster. I know, I know, the horror! Growing up surrounded by the stuff and I can't even stomach it. The carnage left by 15 lobster guzzling adults is pretty disturbing. Every year I bring something else to cook for myself and the few finicky little kids who would rather have a hot dog than wrangle with a red shelled beast. They like playing with the live ones and screaming when they snap their claws, but they aren't about to eat the things. I totally get it. I don't want my food glaring at me, either.



This skirt steak is a super quick dish that takes literally minutes to cook. If you do the marinating and the chimichurri before you head to a party, this is a great option for a Labor Day cookout. And it won't require tools and swearing to eat.





Marinated Skirt Steak with Tomatoes and Chimichurri





Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. skirt steak

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1 cup loosely packed parsley leaves

2 garlic cloves, peeled

Juice of half a lemon

salt and pepper

1-3 Tbls. olive oil



Preparation:

In a large ziploc bag, combine extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, red pepper, basil, salt and pepper. Add steak to the bag and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Place cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 Tbls. olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add more oil if needed to make a paste. Add chopped tomatoes to herb paste and stir to combine.

Cook steak over a preheated grill for 2-3 minutes per side. Set aside to rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias. Serve topped with tomatoes and chimichurri.



Print the Recipe



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