Skirt Steak with Parsley Sauce

The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern by Matt Lee and Ted Lee

(Clarkson Potter, 2009, $35)

• 2 lbs. skirt steak, cut into 4 steaks, each about 8 inches long
• 3 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1 bunch (about 8 ounces) parsley, preferably flat leaf, trimmed of its toughest stems
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. crushed dried red chile flakes
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. canola oil

Season the steaks on both sides with 2 teaspoons of the salt, and set them aside.

Stuff the parsley into the bowl of a food processor, and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, the garlic, and the chile flakes. Pulse several times, pausing to push toward the blade any parsley that sticks to the side of the processor bowl, until the parsley is thoroughly chopped. With the processor running, add the vinegar in a thin stream, followed by the olive oil; process until the mixture is just shy of smooth (it should be slightly toothsome). You should have about 1 1/3 cups of parsley sauce. Reserve it in a small bowl.

Pat the steaks with paper towels to absorb any moisture on their surface, and season on both sides with the black pepper. Pour the canola oil into a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan set over high heat, tilting the pan around as it heats until the entire bottom is coated with a thin sheen of oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the steaks in batches, taking care not to crowd them in the pan, and sear them until each side is nicely browned, 2 1/2 – 3 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent them loosely with aluminum foil. Let them rest for 5 minutes.

Slice the steaks across the grain into 1/4-inch wide slices. Divide the slices among 4 plates, and spoon the parsley sauce liberally over them. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

2007 Altitude 2401 Dark Forest Syrah

What does a bear have to do with wine? Well, for Vallejo Haraszthy, a lot. The California grizzly pictured on each bottle represents a rich family heritage starting with California pioneer Mariano Vallejo in 1834 and Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszthy, builder of Buena Vista Winery in 1857, arguably the first winery in Sonoma. These forefathers of California and the Californian wine industry were Vallejo “Val” Haraszthy’s great-great grandfathers, owner and winemaker at Haraszthy Family Cellars. Since then, there have been 6 generations of Haraszthys in the wine business growing and making their much-adored varietal, Zinfandel. Now it’s up to Val to be true to the legacy and make his great-great grandfathers proud. He’s got a lot to live up to.

Haraszthy Family Cellars make Zins and only Zins. Their Amador County offering is one of three. The 2007 Haraszthy Family Cellars Amador County Zinfandel is a rich garnet color right out of the bottle. Next come the aromas of nutmeg, pepper, red berries and even a little clove. Vanilla is also prevalent due to the 14-month aging process in American oak. Unlike many Amador Zins, Val created his Amador Zinfandel to exhibit enough fruit without being over concentrated. The flavors, again, of red berries and spices, finish nicely with the fine tannins. The well-balanced fruit characteristics make this Amador Zin more versatile and exceptional to pair with many foods.

— Julie Moreland
Julie is owner and Wine Psychic of Un-cork’d.