This March, I felt the ground thaw after an unusually difficult winter. Cherry blossom buds popped up on craggy branches, and our dogwoods’ bracts sprang open. As April approached, I caught myself smiling, finally, as the daffodils curled their necks up to the sky.
Still scattered and tired, I wanted to plunge my hands into something. Clay? Water? Earth. That’s how my little back patio garden began.
In fits and starts, I dug and plotted and tended. And even when so many of the seeds I sowed sprouted only to later shrivel, I grew to love my hodgepodge of hand-me-down pots with their scraggly plants, patient but eager. First, on a tear, I sowed mint and basil, poppies and geraniums.
Then, there were attempts at tomatoes and peppers. I remember the week I nestled a few rows of French sorrel and arugula into two long boxes. Within days, they spread into bushy bundles.
Through trial and error - and consults with neighbours and friends - I learned how to care for my tender greens. "Arugula needs help getting out of its own way,” a neighbour told me. "If the bigger leaves aren’t picked, the baby ones in the center won’t get enough sun.
” Early on, when I was plucking out only a leaf or two, I would pop them into my mouth. A few weeks in, when I had handfuls of lemony sorrel and peppery arugula every other day, they went into salads, sautes, frittatas and quiches. One day, I threw two fists of arugula into my blender with garlic and olive oil.
I tasted it, added salt, pepper and lemon juice, then decided we were going to have steak for dinner. Traditionally, chimichurri is made from fresh herbs, especially parsley and oregano. But adding arugula gives the sauce a curiously piquant tang.
The Argentine condiment is a natural match for meat, as in this recipe for grilled skirt steak with tomatoes and scallions. But it would be just as nice with griddled and crisped mushrooms, sweet corn, a whole roasted bass, seared scallops, soft chickpeas or crispy chicken thighs, or as a dressing for even more greens. Soon, the autumnal equinox will signal the beginning of the end of this summer’s garden.
I’ll be waiting, patient but eager, for next spring. This easy skirt steak gets a lick of char on the grill before it’s dressed with a garlicky, lemony chimichurri. Made with arugula in addition to parsley and lemon juice, the sauce soaks into the meat, flavouring it inside and out.
While you’ve got the grill going, add a couple of bunches of scallions and tomatoes - or any other vegetables you’d like to serve on the side, such as sliced potatoes, corn on the cob or bell peppers. Serve with flatbreads or rice. 2 to 4 servings Total time: 25 mins Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Make ahead: The chimichurri can be prepared and refrigerated up to 2 days in advance. 1 pound skirt steak, patted dry and cut into 4 pieces 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed Fine salt 8 scallions, trimmed, divided 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup (1 ounce) arugula 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons) 1/2 cup (1 ounce) packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) Water, as needed Freshly cracked black pepper (optional) 6 plum tomatoes, left whole (12 to 16 ounces total) Place the steak on a large sheet pan, rub it with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season generously with salt. Roughly chop 1 scallion and transfer it to a food processor or blender (a container with tall sides and an immersion blender also works), along with the garlic, 4 tablespoons of the oil, the arugula, lemon juice, parsley and red pepper flakes, if using.
Process or blend until the mixture is nearly smooth, with flecks of bright green, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl or jar as needed. If the sauce seems thick, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
You should have about 1 cup. Push the seasoned steak to one side of the sheet pan. On the other side of the pan, toss the remaining scallions and the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt.
When you’re ready to start cooking, prepare the grill for direct heat: If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (375 to 400 degrees) with the lid closed. If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are white-hot and covered with ash, distribute them evenly over the cooking area. For medium heat, you should be able to hold your hand about 4 inches above the coals for 5 to 7 seconds.
Brush the grill grates with oil, if desired. Place the meat and on the grill and cook until the steak registers 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer for medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side, though the time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat. (The temperature will rise a few more degrees as the meat rests.
If in doubt, remove the steak from the heat, and make a small incision in the center to check on the level of doneness.) Transfer the steak to a cutting board. Pour a generous amount of the chimichurri over the meat, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and let rest for 5 or 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, grill the scallions and tomatoes until they look blistered and have a few black spots, about 5 minutes total. Slice the steak against the grain, pour more chimichurri over the cut steak, and serve with the grilled vegetables and any extra chimichurri on the side. Substitutions: Instead of skirt steak >> you could use flank or New York strip steak, but it will take longer to cook.
No grill? >> Use your broiler or even a well-seasoned, ripping-hot cast-iron skillet. Trying to avoid red meat? >> Chicken or fish would also be great with this sauce. Instead of arugula >> you could use all parsley or sorrel, baby kale or basil.
Nutrition | based on 4: 495 calories, 12g carbohydrates, 81mg cholesterol, 40g fat, 4g fiber, 23g protein, 11g saturated fat, 245mg sodium, 6g sugar.
