We have cooked *a lot* of fish lately. More will follow, but tonight I have serious red meat cravings and will just make a sirloin steak.

Last year when we travelled in Argentina, I came across the best bife de lomo I have ever eaten. Argentine beef is tasty and tender beyond belief. It was almost always accompanied by chimichurri, a spicy and herby condiment that packs an extra punch. Chimichurri is really easy to prepare at home, preferably a few days in advance to fully develop the flavor.

My dinner will be accompanied by a glass of Malbec, the perfect complement to red meat. This grape cultivated in the Mendoza area of Argentina produces red wines that range from rotgut to thoroughbred collector’s items. Thanks to globalization, Malbecs are available pretty much everywhere these days – even in the dusty Spanish-speaking neighborhood liquor store on Broadway that is just steps from our front door. (Oddly enough, they carry 25 different varieties of port and more a dozen different Puerto-Rican rums, but their wine selection is nothing to write home about).

Chimichurri

(enough for 2-4 steaks)

1/2 dl olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
the juice of one lime or 1/2 lemon
1 dl finely chopped parsley
2-3 crushed cloves of garlic
1 leaf of basil or a pinch of oregano
3/4 tsp crushed dried chile de árbol (or 3-4 tiny peperoncini)
1/4 tsp black pepper
salt to taste
Chop all of the ingredients very finely. It seems to be a point of pride in Argentina not to use a food processor, but decide for yourself. Mix with olive oil and vinegar. Let draw in the fridge for a couple of days until the flavors meld. Serve with steaks. You can marinate the steak in chimichurri, but I prefer to ladle copious amounts of it on top of my steak at the table.

Ruokailijan Argentiina for Dummies pit?? sis?ll??n kolme avaink?sitett?: Malbecin, pihvit ja chimichurrin. Malbec-punaviini? saa kaikkialta, jopa p?lyisest? nurkkaviinakaupastamme, kiitos globalisaation. Oikein juotavia halpoja merkkej? ovat esimerkiksi San Telmo, Rincón famoso ja Trapiche, mutta jos omaa investointipankkiirin kukkaron, hinta- ja laatuskaala on laaja.

Argentiinalainen pihvikarja on uskomatonta ja maistuu parhaiten paikan p??ll?. Pihvin p??lle sy?m?vaiheessa levitett?v?? chimichurri -yrttikastiketta kannattaa silti kokeilla seuraavan kerran kun intoutuu kotioloissa paistamaan kunnon pihvin – se tarjoaa eksotiikkapl?j?yksen huomattavasti mukavammin kuin sardiiniahtautuminen turistiluokkapaikoilla maapallon toiselle puolelle. Kuten kaikki hyv?t asiat, t?m?kin kastike vaatii aikaa (Doughboy on slow food -blogi!). Chimichurri kannattaa siis panna vireille pari p?iv?? ennen kuin lihanhimo iskee.

Chimichurri

1/2 dl oliivi?ljy?
1 rkl valkoviinietikkaa
1 rkl balsamiviinietikkaa
1 limetin tai 1/2 sitruunan mehu
1 dl hienoksi hakattua persiljaa
2-3 murskattua valkosipulin kyntt?
1 basilikan lehti pieneksi hakattuna tai hiukan kuivattua oreganoa
3/4 tl kuivattua chili? (3-4 peperoncinoa)
1/4 tl mustapippuria
suolaa
Hakkaa kaikki kiinte?t ainekset ja yrtit hyvin hienoksi veitsell? tai morttelilla. Sekoita nesteisiin ja kaada lasipulloon. Anna maustua viile?ss? pari p?iv??. Tarjoa pihvin seuralaisena, kastiketta lusikoidaan kyps?n pihvin mausteeksi. Jotkut marinoivat raa’an pihvinkin t?ss? kastikkeessa, mutta mielest?ni se ei ole tarpeen.